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The Historic Fire Return Interval And The Ecological Effects Of Fire Suppression On Montane Longleaf Pine Dominated Ecosystems In Northwestern Georgia., Christopher Waters
The Historic Fire Return Interval And The Ecological Effects Of Fire Suppression On Montane Longleaf Pine Dominated Ecosystems In Northwestern Georgia., Christopher Waters
Master of Science in Integrative Biology Theses
Longleaf pine ecosystems have experienced pronounced declines across the southeastern United States since Euro-American settlement took place in the late 19th century. These declines were primarily caused by federal fire suppression policies implemented in the 1920’s, in combination with resource harvesting and land use conversion. In an absence of fire, tree species composition of frequently burned xeric ecosystems progressively becomes more mesic and fire-intolerant (i.e. mesophication). The change in the species composition and historic fire frequency of a montane longleaf pine ecosystem located in Sheffield Wildlife Management Area (WMA), Paulding County, Georgia was investigated. The change in forest composition …