Mastication: fuelbed and vegetation responses
Mechanical mastication is an increasingly utilized fuels treatment throughout the western US. Despite its popularity, little research has focused on its efficacy at reducing fire hazard, the role of the generated detritus in plant recolonization and diversity, or the fundamental fuel properties (drying, wetting, and fire behavior) of these novel fuel particles.
This USDA/DI Joint Fire Science Program (link) -funded project is a collaborative effort between the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station (PI: Eric Knapp, Co-PIs: Matt Busse, Robert Powers, and Carl Skinner) and the HSU Fire Lab. This project has been featured in a Joint Fire Science News Brief: (Link to JFSP brief) and has an accompanying PSW web site (Link to PSW site).
Fire Lab Publications to date (others are in submission):
*Kane, J.M., J.M. Varner, and E.E. Knapp. 2009. Fuel loading in mechanically masticated fuel beds in northern California and southwestern Oregon, USA. International Journal of Wildland Fire. In Press.
*Kreye, J.K. 2008. Moisture dynamics and fire behavior in mechanically masticated fuelbeds. Thesis, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA.
» Read Thesis
*Kane, J.M. 2007. Vegetation and fuel responses to mechanical mastication in northern California and southern Oregon. Thesis, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA.
» Read Thesis
*Kreye. J.K. and J.M. Varner. 2007. Moisture dynamics in masticated fuelbeds: A preliminary analysis. In: The Fire Environment- Innovations, Management, and Policy: Conference Proceedings. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Res. Sta. Proc. RMRS-P-46. Fort Collins, CO.
*Kane, J., J.M. Varner, and E. Knapp. 2006. Initial Understory Vegetation Response to Mechanical Mastication Fuel Treatments: Balancing Biodiversity and Fire Hazard Reduction. Proceedings of the Third International Fire Ecology and Management Congress, Nov. 13-17, San Diego, CA.
Knapp, E., M.Busse, J. M. Varner, C. Skinner, and R. Powers. 2006. Behavior and short-term effects of fire in masticated fuel beds. Proceedings of the Third International Fire Ecology and Management Congress, Nov. 13-17, San Diego, CA.
*Kane, J.M., E.E. Knapp, and J.M. Varner. 2006. Variation in loading of mechanically masticated fuel beds in northern California and southwestern Oregon. Pp. 341-350 in: Fuels Management—How to Measure Success: Conference Proceedings. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. Proceedings RMRS-P-41. Fort Collins,CO.
Research also presented at conferences: Ecological Society of America (CA), Association for Fire Ecology’s Pacific West Fire Conference (CA), Tall Timbers 24th Fire Ecology Conference (FL), International Association for Wildland Fire’s Fire Behavior Conference (FL).
