Keywords
Wildfire, Forest disturbance, Dendrochronology, Conifer growth
Abstract
BYU Wildfire Symposium 2026 - First Place Research Application, People's Choice Award
Wildfires are an increasingly prevalent disturbance in forests in the western United States, and play an essential role in ecosystem function. Micro-variations in fire dynamics and intensity can leave individual trees with varying levels of damage. We hypothesized that trees with fire-scars would suffer a growth depression directly following the disturbance. Core samples were taken for dendrochronological analysis from 185 conifers at 29 points, representing 11 fires from 6 years. Our findings showed a growth depression in the first year following the fire, with no significant difference between scarred and unscarred trees. However, growth response of P. menziesii was significantly different from that of A. concolor in all study sites.
BYU ScholarsArchive Citation
Biser, Connor B.; Torgersen, Russell; DeGroff, Otto; and Petersen, Steve, "Fire scarring does not significantly impact conifer growth response to forest fires in Utah" (2026). Student Works. 441.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/studentpub/441
Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
2026-03-19
Language
English
College
Life Sciences
Department
Plant and Wildlife Sciences
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