THE STUDIES 



Since 1977, different research scientists have con- 

 ducted four separate but related studies in the Pattee 

 Canyon bum. The studies had two common objectives: 

 to examine the vegetative recovery and to determine the 

 effect of seeded grass on that recovery. 



Two paredlel studies of the initial vegetative recovery 

 were established in spring 1978, one in upland areas 

 (Anderson 1979) and one in ravines (Keller [Crane] 1980). 

 Similar field methods were used for both studies, making 

 direct comparisons possible. Plots were permanently 

 marked, to facilitate long-term studies of vegetation 

 recovery in the burn. These two initially separate studies 

 were combined during the 1982 field season. Fuel 

 loading was also studied in both upland and ravine areas 

 during 1978, 1979, and 1980 using plots in the same 

 stands as the vegetation studies. 



A third study evaluated the response of ground 

 bryophytes and lichens to the fire. The study was begun 

 in summer 1978 using the same permanently marked 

 plot transects as the upland and ravine vegetation 

 studies. The fourth study, aimed at describing the 

 distribution of conifer regeneration, was conducted dur- 

 ing the summer of 1980. This study used a systematic 

 field design, with plots set equidistant along contour 

 lines extending through the burn at specific elevations. 



Study Methods and Results 



VEGETATIVE RECOVERY ON UPLAND SITES 

 Field methods on upland sites. Preferential stand 

 selection was based on site homogeneity, as judged by 

 physical environmental variables and remnants of prefire 

 vegetation. Thirteen stands were located on open slopes 

 and ridges. Table 4 lists physical variables for all stands. 

 The upland stands are numbered 15 through 27. The 

 locations of upland and ravine stands in the burned area 

 are shown in figure 4. Initially upland stands were 

 sampled in early summer and again in late summer of 

 1978 and 1979. In 1982 stands were sampled in late 

 summer only. The late summer samples represent max- 

 imum development of most species. Appendix A-1 Ksts 

 upleind site cover data. 



Vegetation was sampled using the nested plot design 

 described by Stickney (1980). Vascular plant 

 nomenclature follows Hitchcock and Cronquist (1973). 

 Scientific and common names for species mentioned 

 herein are listed in appendix D. 



It was difficult to determine cover values for in- 

 dividued greiss species during the first ye£ir following the 

 fire. AU grass species were therefore recorded simply as 

 "grass" if the combined grass cover was one-sixth plot 

 or greater. In 1979 some data were recorded in a 

 "grass" category, but data for principal species were 

 recorded by species. During the 1982 remeasurement all 

 grass data were recorded by species. Those species with 

 less than one-sixth plot cover were recorded as 

 miscellaneous vegetation if they collectively totaled one- 

 sixth cover rather them having a separate category for 

 grasses (Stickney 1980). 



Table A.— Sample stand physical data (see figure 4 for 

 stand location within fire area) 



Stand Elevation Exposure Slope 



1 

 2 

 3 

 4 

 5 

 6 

 7 

 8 

 9 

 10 

 11 

 12 

 13 

 14 

 15 

 16 

 17 

 18 

 19 

 20 

 21 

 22 

 23 

 24 

 25 

 26 

 27 



Analysis of upland site data. The data from the per- 

 manent vegetative sample plots were analyzed by the 

 USDA Forest Service's LOGBURN computer program 

 (LOGBURN was created by L. Jack Lyon in 1966. It is 

 on system at Intermountain Forest and Range Experi- 

 ment Station, Missoula, Mont.). Cover values for each 

 species from aU plots were averaged for each stemd and 

 converted to a 0.01 ha standard. Because this standard 

 equals 100 m2, the values given for cover in the tables 

 may be read directly as either meters squared per hun- 

 dredth hectare or as percentage of ground covered. The 

 volume of space occupied by each species was deter- 

 mined by multiplying the cover by the representative 

 height. Volumes were averaged and converted to a meter 

 cubed per hundredth hectare standeird. Because the 

 cover £uid volume data are converted to a standeird 

 based in part on the size of the plot in which the plants 

 were measured, there may be reire cases in which cover 

 and volume values appear to go down as the plemt grows 

 in height and is measured in the next larger plot. Tree 

 data are summarized as basal area in decimeters squeired 

 per hundredth hectare. 



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