ORCID Profile
0000-0002-3813-5950
Current Organisation
Australian National University Fenner School of Environment and Society
Does something not look right? The information on this page has been harvested from data sources that may not be up to date. We continue to work with information providers to improve coverage and quality. To report an issue, use the Feedback Form.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2022
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1071/WF17112
Abstract: Increasing density of mid-storey vegetation since European settlement has been observed in forests and woodlands in several parts of the world and may result in greater fire fuel hazard. This phenomenon is often attributed to a longer interval between fires since European settlement, but may also be influenced by tree removal during the same period. We hypothesised that the number of mature trees in a stand reduces mid-storey vegetation cover and the associated fire fuel hazard through competition. To test this hypothesis, we examined associations between mid-storey cover and fire fuel hazard and the mean diameter of trees within stands of open forest and woodland in south-eastern Australia, a region prone to wildfires. We found that vegetation cover between 2 and 4 m and 4 and 6 m above the ground and two measures of fire fuel hazard were negatively associated with the quadratic mean tree diameter. Our results suggested that the removal of mature trees since European settlement may have triggered tree and shrub regeneration, resulting in higher mid-storey cover and fire fuel hazard. Thus, managing stands for the persistence and replacement of mature trees may contribute to long-term fuel reduction in Australian forests and woodlands.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 02-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2021
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 05-2014
DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12108
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 16-02-2022
DOI: 10.3390/FIRE5010026
Abstract: Background: Wildfire is known to reduce forest carbon stocks, but the influence of antecedent disturbance on wildfire related carbon stock losses is not as well understood. Disturbances such as logging and wildfire may increase the vulnerability of remaining carbon stocks to subsequent wildfire. Conversely, these disturbances may reduce the impact of subsequent wildfire, resulting in lower carbon stock losses. Methods: We measured above ground carbon stocks in productive resprouting Eucalypt dominated forests before and after a mixed severity fire that burned during the 2019/20 ‘Black Summer’ fire season in south-eastern Australia. The initial surveys were stratified by time since logging and time since wildfire, allowing for an assessment of how these disturbance histories influence above ground carbon stock losses caused by subsequent wildfire. Results: Above ground carbon stock losses varied substantially however, there was a weak decrease in losses associated with time since logging but not time since wildfire. Variance in carbon stock losses associated with logging were greater than that caused by the severity of the 2019/20 wildfire itself. Carbon losses and predicted effects of disturbance may be underestimated in some cases due to the accumulation of carbon at sites between pre- and post-fire surveys. Conclusions: This study presents the largest published dataset of direct carbon stock changes resulting from wildfire in eucalypt forests. Our findings indicate that logging reduces the stability of above ground carbon stocks in resprouting eucalypt forests. This information will be critical for land managers looking to manage forests for carbon sequestration.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2021.114011
Abstract: Logging and wildfire can reduce the height of the forest canopy and the distance to the understorey vegetation below. These conditions may increase the likelihood of high severity wildfire (canopy scorch or consumption), which may explain the greater prevalence of high severity wildfire in some recently logged or burnt forests. However, the effects of these structural characteristics on wildfire severity have not clearly been demonstrated. We aimed to assess how the structure of forests affected by logging and wildfire influence the probability of high severity wildfire. We used terrestrial laser scanning to measure the connectivity of canopy and understorey vegetation in forests at various stages of recovery after logging and wildfire (approximately 0-80 years since disturbance). These sites were subsequently burnt by mixed severity wildfire during the 2019-20 'Black Summer' fire season in south-eastern Australia. We assessed how these forest structure metrics affected the probability of high severity wildfire. The probability of high severity fire decreased as the canopy base height increased, and the distance between the canopy base and understorey increased. High severity wildfire was less likely in forests with taller understoreys and greater canopy or understorey cover, but these effects were not considered causal. Fire weather was the strongest driver of wildfire severity, which was also affected by topography. These findings demonstrate a link between forest structure characteristics, that are strongly shaped by antecedent logging and fire, and fire severity. They also indicate that vertical fuel structure should be incorporated into assessments of fire risk.
Location: Australia
No related grants have been discovered for Nicholas Wilson.