Fuel and vegetation changes in southwestern, unburned portions of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA, 2003–2019

A 16-year study of unburned portions of Great Smoky Mountains National Park revealed that hypothesized increases in total woody fuel loads and ericaceous shrub cover were not present. Researchers found that while the sum of smaller fuel loads (less than 7.6 cm diameter) increased, woody fuel depth decreased over time. Elevation and moisture regime emerged as key factors influencing vegetation and fuel conditions, with O Horizon thickness increasing with elevation and being thicker in xeric compared to mesic sites. Live eastern hemlock basal area declined with elevation, while dead standing hemlock basal area increased, particularly on xeric and intermediate sites. The study assessed overstory basal area, ericaceous shrub cover, and fuel characteristics at 40 plots across three moisture regimes in 2003–2004 and again in 2019.

Coates, T. A., & Ford, W. M. (2022). Fuel and vegetation changes in southwestern, unburned portions of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA, 2003–2019. Journal of Forestry Research, 33(5), 1459–1470. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-022-01515-z