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Dataset Overview | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)

NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Heyerdahl fire data from McKay Creek, central Oregon - IMPD USKAY001

browse graphicPaleoclimatology - Fire History
This archived Paleoclimatology Study is available from the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), under the World Data Service (WDS) for Paleoclimatology. The associated NCEI study type is Fire. The data include parameters of fire history with a geographic location of Oregon, United States Of America. The time period coverage is from 611 to -60 in calendar years before present (BP). See metadata information for parameter and study location details. Please cite this study when using the data.
  • Cite as: Heyerdahl, E.K.; Falk, D.A.; Loehman, R.A. (2015-02-25): NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Heyerdahl fire data from McKay Creek, central Oregon - IMPD USKAY001. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/10.25921/7wxg-w675. Accessed [date].
  • Please refer to Credit tab for full citation information.
noaa-fire-18075
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Distributor NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
ncei.info@noaa.gov
Dataset Point of Contact Data Center Contact
NOAA World Data Service for Paleoclimatology
828-271-4800
paleo@noaa.gov
Coverage Description Date Range: 1339 CE to 2010 CE; Date Range: 611 cal yr BP to -60 cal yr BP;
Time Period 1339 to 2010
Spatial Bounding Box Coordinates
West: -120.6445
East: -120.6445
South: 44.4855
North: 44.4855
Spatial Coverage Map
General Documentation
Associated Resources
  • Mixed-conifer forests of central Oregon: effects of logging and fire exclusion vary with environment
    • Associated Reference published 2014
      Merschel, A.G., T.A. Spies, and E.K. Heyerdahl, 2014: Mixed-conifer forests of central Oregon: effects of logging and fire exclusion vary with environment. Ecological Applications, 24, 1670–1688, 10.1890/13-1585.1
Publication Dates
  • publication: 2015-02-25
Data Presentation Form Digital table - digital representation of facts or figures systematically displayed, especially in columns
Dataset Progress Status Complete - production of the data has been completed
Data Update Frequency Data update frequency not available
Supplemental Information
STUDY NOTES: This site was sampled as part of a project to reconstruct historical fire regimes in central Oregon. White fir (Abies concolor) and grand fir (Abies grandis) hybridize in the sampling area and are difficult to identify in the field so we did not attempt to distinguish between these two species, but report them as a combined category. Ring-boundary fire scars were assigned to the preceding calendar year. Several metadata files are provided with the FHX file. -999 in any file indicates no data. Four supplemental information files are located at URL - http://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/firehistory/firescar/northamerica/supplemental/ : (1) uskay001_plot_data.csv provides information on the plots. (2) uskay001_saplings.csv provides information on small trees that we did not attempt to remove wood samples from. These trees were tallied in each plot by species and diameter class (measured at breast height, 1.4 m) in 5.6-m radius plots. Diameter classes: 2.5 (0-5 cm), 7.5 (5-10 cm), 15 (10-20 cm). (3) uskay001_scarred_tree_info.csv provides information on fire-scarred trees, including ones we also sampled for recruitment date. (4) uskay001_undatable_trees.csv provides information on trees from which it did not appear that we could obtain intact wood samples. We identified four forest types in the eastern Cascades and four analogous types with lower densities in the Ochoco Mountains. All types historically contained ponderosa pine, but differ in the historical and modern proportions of shade-tolerant versus intolerant tree species. The Persistent Ponderosa Pine and Recent Douglas-fir types occupied relatively hot-dry environments compared to Recent Grand Fir and Persistent Shade Tolerant sites, which occupied warm-moist and cold-wet environments, respectively. Twentieth-century selective harvesting halved the density of large trees, with some variation among forest types. In contrast, the density of small trees doubled or tripled early in the 20th century, likely due to land-use change and a relatively cool-wet climate. Contrary to the common perception that dry ponderosa pine forests are the most highly departed from historical conditions, we found a greater departure in the modern composition of small trees in warm-moist environments than in either hot-dry or cold-wet environments. Furthermore, shade tolerants began infilling earlier in cold-wet than in hot-dry environments and also in topographically shaded sites in the Ochoco Mountains. Our new classification could be used to prioritize management that seeks to restore structure and composition or create resilience in mixed-conifer forests of the region.
ABSTRACT SUPPLIED BY ORIGINATOR: Dry mixed-conifer forests are widespread in the interior west of North America, but their historical fire regimes are poorly understood. We reconstructed a multicentury history of the spatial complexity in forest fire regimes (frequency, severity, and extent) in dry mixed-conifer forests in central Oregon. We sampled four 30-plot grids over 3,222 ha, one in the eastern Cascade Range and three in the Ochoco Mountains. All four sites are currently dominated by grand fir, Douglas-fir, and ponderosa pine with varying, but minor, amounts of western larch, incense cedar, or western juniper growing fine-grained mosaics. We sampled 4,065 trees to determine their recruitment dates and/or the dates of surface fires and used these to reconstruct remarkably similar historical fire regimes at all four sites. These regimes were dominated by frequent and often extensive surface fires, but included occasional patches of severe fire. Although forest types varied within sites, historical fire regimes did not vary substantially among these types.
Purpose Records of past fire occurrence from tree rings, charcoal found in lake sediments, and other proxies. Parameter keywords describe what was measured in this dataset. Additional summary information can be found in the abstracts of papers listed in the dataset citations. Additional information on the International Multiproxy Database (IMPD) dataset procedures are also available.
Dataset Citation
  • Cite as: Heyerdahl, E.K.; Falk, D.A.; Loehman, R.A. (2015-02-25): NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Heyerdahl fire data from McKay Creek, central Oregon - IMPD USKAY001. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/10.25921/7wxg-w675. Accessed [date].
  • Please cite original publication, online resource, dataset and publication DOIs (where available), and date accessed when using downloaded data. If there is no publication information, please cite investigator, title, online resource, and date accessed. The appearance of external links associated with a dataset does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of external Web sites or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities, the Department of Commerce/NOAA does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. These links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this Department of Commerce/NOAA Web site.
Cited Authors
  • Heyerdahl, E.K.
  • Falk, D.A.
  • Loehman, R.A.
Originators
  • Heyerdahl, E.K.
  • Falk, D.A.
  • Loehman, R.A.
Publishers
  • NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Theme keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
  • Earth Science > Climate Indicators > Paleoclimate Indicators > Land Records > Fire History
Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Science Keywords
  • earth science > paleoclimate > fire history
  • earth science > paleoclimate > fire history|tree ring
  • earth science > paleoclimate > fire history|tree ring
  • earth science > paleoclimate > fire history|tree ring
  • earth science > paleoclimate > fire history > establishment dates
  • earth science > paleoclimate > fire history > fire scar dates
  • JUOC
  • Juniperus occidentalis Hook.
  • western juniper
  • ABGR
  • Abies grandis (Dougl. ex D. Don) Lindl.
  • grand fir
  • giant fir
  • LAOC
  • Larix occidentalis Nutt.
  • western larch
  • PIPO
  • Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex C. Lawson
  • ponderosa pine
  • western yellow pine
  • PSME
  • Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco
  • Douglas-fir
Paleoenvironmental Standard Terms (PaST) Thesaurus
  • What: sample identification; Material: null
  • What: tree demographic and injury and fire event code; Material: wood
  • What: age; Material: null
  • What: tree demographic and injury and fire event code; Material: wood
Data Center keywords Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords
  • DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
Place keywords
  • Continent > North America > United States Of America > Oregon > McKay Creek > LATITUDE 44.4855 > LONGITUDE -120.6445
Use Constraints
  • Cite as: Heyerdahl, E.K.; Falk, D.A.; Loehman, R.A. (2015-02-25): NOAA/WDS Paleoclimatology - Heyerdahl fire data from McKay Creek, central Oregon - IMPD USKAY001. [indicate subset used]. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. https://doi.org/10.25921/7wxg-w675. Accessed [date].
  • Use liability: NOAA and NCEI cannot provide any warranty as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of furnished data. Users assume responsibility to determine the usability of these data. The user is responsible for the results of any application of this data for other than its intended purpose.
  • Please cite original publication, online resource, dataset and publication DOIs (where available), and date accessed when using downloaded data. If there is no publication information, please cite investigator, title, online resource, and date accessed. The appearance of external links associated with a dataset does not constitute endorsement by the Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of external Web sites or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities, the Department of Commerce/NOAA does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. These links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this Department of Commerce/NOAA Web site.
Access Constraints
  • Distribution liability: NOAA and NCEI make no warranty, expressed or implied, regarding these data, nor does the fact of distribution constitute such a warranty. NOAA and NCEI cannot assume liability for any damages caused by any errors or omissions in these data. If appropriate, NCEI can only certify that the data it distributes are an authentic copy of the records that were accepted for inclusion in the NCEI archives.
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Last Modified: 2023-10-11
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