Date of Award
12-1-2024
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Forestry
First Advisor
Holzmueller, Eric
Abstract
The federally endangered Jemez Mountains salamander (Plethodon neomexicanus) is a geographically isolated species with limited dispersal ability found in northcentral New Mexico. Alterations to the historic fire regime have changed the forest structure and vegetative composition of P. neomexicanus habitat, threatening the future survival of this species. This study focuses on the use of broadcast prescribed fire on previously thinned P. neomexicanus potential habitat in Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico to restore ecosystem processes, reduce potential for landscape-scale high-severity fire, and improve habitat conditions.Fire was highly effective in reducing fuel loads, while forest structure and composition remained essentially unchanged. The volume and count of woody cover objects were significantly reduced. However, ample woody cover objects remain on the landscape because pre-treatment levels were highly inflated due to more than a century of fire exclusion and suppression. Analysis of vegetation and substrate burn severity revealed nearly half of the sampled points were unburned, indicating that substantial fire refugia was left on the landscape post-fire. Despite reductions in cover object availability, the benefits on forest health outweigh the drawbacks. These results provide support for the use of broadcast prescribed fire in previously thinned areas, as a highly effective tool in managing fuel load to reduce the risk of stand replacing fire, which, along with climate change, is considered the most pressing threat to the persistence of P. neomexicanus. This study concludes that thinning and prescribed fire are compatible with P. neomexicanus habitat management and should be considered as future management options.
Access
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