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Pinyon-Juniper Succession After Natural Fires On Residual Soils Of Mesa Verde, Colorado, James A. Erdman

Brigham Young University Science Bulletin, Biological Series

A mountain brush vegetation typified by Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) and serviceberry (Amelanchier utahensis) dominates the uplands of Mesa Verde National Park. There is evidence that this brush element is a successional stage that has been maintained by repeated natural fires in a large part of the Mesa Verde landscape. This study was conducted to determine the role of fire in the region's ecology, the nature of the climax pinyon pine (Pinus edulis) and Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) vegetation, and the major successional stages that lead to the climax condition.

Three postburn …