2008 Alaska Park Science Symposium
October 14, 2008
Fire in the Range of the Western Arctic Caribou Herd
Kyle Joly1, Scott Rupp2, Terry Chapin3, Randi R. Jandt4
1National Park Service, 4175 Geist Road, Fairbanks, AK, 99709, USA, Phone 907-455-0626, kyle_joly@nps.gov
2School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA
3Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA
4BLM - Alaska Fire Service, USA
Wildfire is the dominant ecological driver in boreal forest ecosystems; however, it also affects tundra ecosystems. Fires effectively consume fruticose lichen, the primary winter forage for caribou (Rangifer tarandus), in both ecosystems. The Western Arctic Caribou Herd (WACH) ranges over vast tracks of tundra and boreal forest, covering most of northwest Alaska. While the fire regime of Interior Alaska boreal forests has received considerable attention, much less is known about fire regimes in the range of the WACH. We review information and inferences from recent studies on tundra fire regimes in Alaska for managing WACH winter range. We summarize fire regime data for this region and sub-regions within it, focusing on temporal trends. We also attempt to identify physiographic and meteorological factors that correlate with fire extent across this landscape. Climate warming may increase fire size and frequency within this region. Increased wildfire activity may substantially impact the vegetation, wildlife, and people within this region.
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