FIRE DISTURBANCE PATTERNS AND FOREST AGE STRUCTURE

Abstract

ABSTRACT. This paper investigates how the stability of forest age‐distribution is related to the fire regimes. We start with the derivation of theoreticalnegative exponentialforest age‐distribution, and use three models to explore the condition with which a stable age‐distribution could be expected. The results suggested that a stable age‐distribution could always be achieved as long as the forest age‐specific mortality is constant over time, and the shape of a stable age‐distribution is mainly determined by the forest age‐specific mortality. However, the stability of forest age‐distribution will be reduced when a small variation in the age‐specific mortality is introduced. The simulation results of the possible patterns of the age‐distribution under various fire regimes indicated that a variety of age‐distribution curves could appear, including negative exponential and one or multiple peaks in the curves. The results suggested that a stable forest age‐distribution might never be achieved if the forest landscape is subjected to large and irregular fire disturbances.