Large and intense wildfires are integral to the globally important boreal forest biome. While much is known about boreal wildfires, the focus on forest remnants that either escape or survive these intense fires is a recent phenomenon: academics now study ecological processes of wildfire residuals, forest policymakers use their patterns to design harvest strategies, forest managers consider their economic value, and conservationists recognize their intrinsic ecological importance. Ecology of Wildfire Residuals in Boreal Forests is the first book to explore ecological patterns and processes of what does not burn within boreal wildfires. Following a brief introduction to the boreal forest biome, it discusses the processes that form wildfire residuals; how they are studied, with various approaches and methods; the types, extent, and ecological functions of wildfire residuals; and their role in forest management applications, all in the context of ecological scale. This book is a reference for researchers and graduate students studying boreal forest ecology, as well as for policymakers and forest managers. It adopts a non-reductionist perspective that will be of interest to scientists from conservation science, forest ecology, forest management, and timber production. Brings together fire behaviour, ecological scale, vegetation ecology, and conservation biology to provide a cross disciplinary, multi-scale, and an integrative discussion of forest fire residuals Captures the state of knowledge with a meta-analysis of research trends during the past few decades, with a comprehensive review of the literature, a compilation of key references, and a list of key topics relevant to the study of boreal wildfire residuals Identifies the major gaps and uncertainties in the present body of knowledge, including a critique of study techniques and reporting practices to date, and proposes a set of terms and definitions and a list of research questions and priorities Includes the authors observations and research experience from boreal Canada, and information extracted from interactions with North American and European ecologists, forest managers, and conservationists

Large and intense wildfires are integral to the globallyimportant boreal forest biome. While much is known about borealwildfires, the focus on forest remnants that either escape orsurvive these intense fires is a recent phenomenon: academics nowstudy ecological processes of wildfire residuals, forestpolicymakers use their patterns to design harvest strategiesforest managers consider their economic value, and conservationistsrecognize their intrinsic ecological importance.Ecology of Wildfire Residuals in Boreal Forests is thefirst book to explore ecological patterns and processes of whatdoes not burn within boreal wildfires. Following a briefintroduction to the boreal forest biome, it discusses the processesthat form wildfire residuals; how they are studied, with variousapproaches and methods; the types, extent, and ecological functionsof wildfire residuals; and their role in forest managementapplications, all in the context of ecological scale.This book is a reference for researchers and graduate studentsstudying boreal forest ecology, as well as for policymakers andforest managers. It adopts a non-reductionist perspective that willbe of interest to scientists from conservation science, forestecology, forest management, and timber production.* Brings together fire behaviour, ecological scale, vegetationecology, and conservation biology to provide a cross disciplinarymulti-scale, and an integrative discussion of forest fireresiduals* Captures the state of knowledge with a meta-analysis ofresearch trends during the past few decades, with a comprehensivereview of the literature, a compilation of key references, and alist of key topics relevant to the study of boreal wildfireresiduals* Identifies the major gaps and uncertainties in the present bodyof knowledge, including a critique of study techniques andreporting practices to date, and proposes a set ofterms and definitions and a list of research questions andpriorities* Includes the authors' observations and researchexperience from boreal Canada, and information extracted frominteractions with North American and European ecologists, forestmanagers, and conservationists

Acknowledgments xiAbout the companion website xiii1 Introduction 1The boreal forest biome 2Geographical distribution 4Distinguishing features 6Boreal wildfires 9Major characteristics 9Ecological significance 11Goals and scope of the book 12References 142 Formation of wildfire residuals 18Factors that affect the formation of residuals 19Boreal forest communities 20Boreal wildfires 31Residual formation and distribution 40Spatial heterogeneity in fire behavior 41Process of residual formation 44Summary 59References 613 Types of wildfire residuals and their extent 65Types of wildfire residuals 66A post-wildfire scene 66Past descriptions of wildfire residuals 71Abundance and extent of wildfire residuals 79Snag residuals 80Live tree residuals 81Residual patches 84Changes in residuals after wildfires 88Snag residuals 88Live tree residuals 89Residual patches 92Toward improved definitions and assessment 93Reasons for improvement 93Definitions of wildfire residuals 95Improved study approaches 103Summary 107References 1134 Ecological roles of wildfire residuals 119Ecological processes involving snag residuals 121Invasion by beetles 121Colonization by woodpeckers 132Occupation by other bird species 140Forest regeneration 142Roles of the residual patches 148Providing temporary shelter 149Supplementing the recovery 151Creating heterogeneity 161Ecological significance 161Wildfire residuals and the carbon cycle 162Wildfire residuals and nutrient and hydrological cycles 165Summary 168References 1735 Role of wildfire residuals in forest managementapplications 184Restoring wildfire residuals 185Ecological expectations 186Considerations for application 187Challenges and uncertainties 190Emulating wildfire disturbance 191Background 191Emulating wildfire residuals by forest harvest 193Expectations and uncertainties 197Salvage logging 202Background 202Ecological consequences 204Practical considerations 212Uncertainties 217Summary 220References 2226 Ecology of boreal wildfire residuals - a summary andsynthesis 227Wildfire residuals and their occurrence 227Residual vegetation types 228Spatial patterns of residuals 231Ecological roles of wildfire residuals 235Snag residuals 235Residual patches 236A conceptual view 237Knowledge uncertainties 239Management applications and wildfire residuals 240Salvage logging 240Emulating wildfire disturbances 240Restoring wildfire residuals 242Suppressing fire 243Research needs on wildfire residuals 243Advancing research methods 243Expanding research topics 244Conclusion 245Index 247