Ecology and Environmental Issues of the Sierra Redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum), Now Restricted to California

Author:

Vale Thomas R.

Abstract

Although they were widely distributed during Cainozoic times, both the Sierra Redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum) and the Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) became restricted to greatly reduced ranges in California (and, in the latter instance, southernmost Oregon) during the late Tertiary and Quaternary periods. Today, the Sierra Redwood occurs in about 70 scattered groves, occupying an aggregate of 144 km2 on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada; about 66% of the areas of these groves remain unlogged, and most of these virgin stands are protected within national parks.Fire suppression policies of the National Park Service and other government land agencies have created conditions that are both unsuited for Sierra Redwood reproduction and hazardous to existing trees. Successful seed germination requires a mineral seed-bed, such as is usually exposed through fire. Burned sites also enhance seedling survival through increased sunlight penetration, reduced competition, and improved soil-moisture content. Fire suppression has, however, allowed the accumulation of large volumes of combustible fuels, increasing the probability of destructive crown-fires. In order to rectify these problems, the National Park Service has begun a programme of prescribed burning in Sequoia–Kings Canyon National Parks; to date, about 3.4 km2 have been treated. Thus, the environmental issues facing the Sierra Redwood involve perpetuating the tree within parks that are secure from commercial utilization.

Publisher

Cambridge University Press (CUP)

Subject

Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law,Nature and Landscape Conservation,Pollution,Water Science and Technology

Reference52 articles.

1. The influence of Giant Sequoia on soil properties;Zinke;Forest Sci.,1962

2. Past fire incidence in Sierra Nevada forests;Wagener;Jour. For.,1961

3. Conservation strategies in the Redwoods;Vale;Yearbook of the Association of Pacific Coast Geographers:,1974

4. Forest trees of the Pacific slope. By George B. Sudworth ...

Cited by 2 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3