Long-term fire frequency in the spruce-dominated forests of the Ulvinsalo strict nature reserve, Finland

• Published in: Forest ecology and management Vol. 176; no. 1; pp. 305 - 319
• Main Authors: Pitkänen, Aki, Huttunen, Pertti, Tolonen, Kimmo, Jungner, Högne
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 17.03.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Boreal forest; Charcoal particles; Fire frequency; Forest dynamics; Forest management. Stand types and stand dynamics. Silvicultural treatments. Tending of stands. Natural regeneration; Forestry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Spruce; Stand types and stand dynamics. Silvicultural treatments. Tending of stands. Natural regeneration; Scandinavia; Europe; Finland; Spruce; Charcoal particles; Fire frequency; Boreal forest; Forest dynamics; Populus tremula; Rosaceae; Pinus sylvestris; Case history; Fragmentation; Salix caprea; Dicotyledones; Alnus incana; Angiospermae; Softwood forest tree; Gymnospermae; Coal; Nature reserve; Hardwood forest tree; Betula pendula; Vegetation structure; Betulaceae; SHIFTING CULTIVATION; Landscape; Betula pubescens; Sorbus aucuparia; Ecology; Vegetation dynamics; Perturbation; Long term; Peat; Salicaceae; Coniferales; Spermatophyta; Vegetation fire; Measurement method; Picea abies
• ISSN: 0378-1127; 1872-7042
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-1127(02)00291-8

The long-term fire history of the spruce-dominated forests of the Ulvinsalo strict nature reserve in Kuhmo, eastern Finland (63°58′N, 30°22′E), was studied by means of charcoal particle layer records and macroscopic charcoal particles in peat and by pollen analysis. The data suggest that spruce forest sites in the area burned at a mean interval of a few centuries over a period of almost 6000 years prior to the beginning of slash-and-burn cultivation in the area. This low forest fire frequency can be attributed to the fragmented landscape pattern, which restricted the spread of fires ignited by lightning. Because a similar landscape pattern predominates over large areas of boreal Fennoscandia, it is possible that natural fire frequencies may also have been considerably lower than expected in these areas. It may well have been the case that, at least in spruce forests located in fragmented landscapes, small-scale disturbances were more important for the forest dynamics than fires.