Forest fire cycles and life tables: a case study from interior Alaska

Abstract

The negative exponential and Wiebull distributions were used to estimate stand survivorship curves for forested sites in the Porcupine River drainage of interior Alaska. The survivorship curve of Piceaglauca (Moench) Voss sites was best described by a Wiebull function, while both functions adequately described the Piceamariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenburg hardwood and all sites stand survivorship curve. Fire cycles calculated from the Wiebull distribution were 43, 113, 36, and 26 years for the entire study area, P. glauca, P. mariana, and hardwood sites, respectively. Fire frequencies estimated from a life table analysis were 48, 105, 43, and 30 years, respectively. The relationship between fire cycle and fire frequency calculations is discussed and various management implications are given.