@mastersthesis {585, title = {Reconstruction of historical fire regimes along an elevation and vegetation gradient in the Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico}, volume = {MS}, year = {1997}, school = {University of Arizona}, abstract = {The purpose of this study was to reconstruct historical fire regimes along an elevation and vegetation gradient in the Sacramento Mountains, NM. I cross-dated fire-scarred specimens to reconstruct the fire history within two mixed-conifer, four ponderosa pine, and two pinon-juniper stands. Prior to Euro-American settlement, historical fire intervals were estimated at 6 years in ponderosa pine, 10 years in mixed-conifer, and 27 years in pinon-juniper forests. To evaluate whether Native Americans may have influenced historical fire regimes, I cross-dated scars from peeled trees found within the study area. Comparison between scar dates, historical records, and variations in fire frequencies did not show a regional effect on historical fire regimes by Mescalero, but suggested that they may have had a local impact on fire frequencies of the late 1700{\textquoteright}s. Following Euro-American settlement (ca. 1880) fire was nearly absent from the study area due to livestock grazing and fire suppression.}, url = {http://ezproxy.library.arizona.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=738180921\&sid=4\&Fmt=2\&clientId=43922\&RQT=309\&VName=PQD}, author = {Wilkinson, Margot Carolina} }