New forecasting toolSpatial Post-Fire Coniferous Recovery (POSCRPT) helps forest managers identify, within weeks after a disaster, where natural tree regeneration is possible and where artificial planting of seedlings may be required to restore the most vulnerable areas of the forest.
The study found that conifers are less likely torecover from fires when seedlings encounter drier climates, especially in lowland forests, which are already stressed by drought. More success in mixed forests in temperate climates.
UC Davis Team(USGS) has collected data on forest recovery after fires that occurred between 2004 and 2012, as well as data on seed growth in a forest over 18 years. USGS ecologists have collected and identified over 170,000 seeds from hundreds of special traps. Scientists combined this data with multispectral satellite imagery, forest structure maps, climate and other environmental data to create spatial models of seed availability and recovery rates for various groups of conifers, including pine and spruce.
In recent years, forest managers have useda prototype of this tool to better understand which areas need assistance with recovery. The new update includes information on post-fire climate and seed production, and includes an easy-to-use web interface that is expected to improve the accuracy and usability of the tool.
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