Twentieth-century climate change, fire suppression, and forest production and decomposition in northwestern Minnesota

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Abstract
Long-term fire, climate, and vegetation data were used together with simulation models to estimate the effects of 20th century climate change and fire suppression on fire regime and organic-matter accumulation in mixed-conifer stands of Itasca State Park, northwestern Minnesota. Spatial and temporal patterns of fire occurrence and forest composition over the last 150 years determined by stratigraphic charcoal, fire-scar, tree-ring, and pollen analyses in separate studies provide evidence for vegetation and fire relationships. Water balances constructed from temperature and precipitation data collected since 1840 were used to model fire probability and intensity of burn before fire suppression which began in 1910. Existing patterns of biomass accumulation in forest-floor, herb, shrub, and tree components were compared with fire history and topographic variability to provide a spatial perspective on fire effects. Simulation models used these relationships to estimate (i) how accumulation of organic matter had changed through the past under the different fire regimes that prevailed on different topographic aspects, (ii) the changes brought about by fire suppression in 1910, and (iii) the fire regimes and their effects that would have prevailed since fire suppression with the warm–dry climate of the 20th century. Humus, litter, shrubs, and herb cover were less abundant and more variable spatially and temporally before fire suppression. Spatial variability in forest-floor organic matter, which resulted from different fire frequencies in different vegetation and topographic settings before fire suppression, was largely gone by 1920 as a result of fire suppression. Had fire suppression not been instituted in 1910, fire frequency would have increased by 20–40% in the 20th century because of warmer and drier conditions. Forest-floor oganic matter would have been largely depleted by frequent and severe fires exposing mineral soils, particularly during the drought years of the 1930s. Herb biomass would have increased, shrubs would have been more variable, and tree seedling establishment would have been substantially altered. Time required for buildup of fuels limits the extent to which increased moisture deficits increase fire frequency.