Long-term changes in masticated woody fuelbeds in northern California and southern Oregon, USA

摘要: Mechanical mastication is a fuels treatment that shreds midstorey trees and shrubs into compacted woody fuel layer to abate fire hazards in fire-prone ecosystems. Increased surface loading from may, however, lead undesirable intensity, long-duration flaming or smouldering, residual tree mortality. Two major questions facing managers are: how long do masticated persist, does the composition of fuelbeds change over time? To evaluate these changes, we measured 25 sites with range vegetation, species time since (1–16 years) western US. Seven were sampled nearly decade earlier, providing unique opportunity document fuelbed changes. Woody ranged 12.1 91.9 Mg ha−1 across was negatively related treatment. At remeasured sites, loads declined by 20%, greatest losses 1- 10-h (69 33% reductions mass respectively). Reductions due declines number particles reduced specific gravity. Mastication treatments generate greater proportions smaller-diameter may result faster decomposition potentially be more effective at mitigating hazard.