Reconstruction of historical fire regimes along an elevation and vegetation gradient in the Sacramento Mountains, New Mexico

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’s. Following Euro-American settlement (ca. 1880) fire was nearly absent from the study area due to livestock grazing and fire suppression.