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Long-Term Vegetation and Fire Dynamics of Pitch Pine-Oak Forests on Cape Cod, Massachusetts

• HF-ID: HF2001-40
• Category: Research Files
• Creator:
  • Parshall, Tim
  • Foster, D.R.
  • Faison, Edward
  • MacDonald, Dana
  • Hansen, Barbara

• Date: March 2001 to March 2002
• Location: Cape Cod MA
• Media: Paper
• Contents:
  • Rough draft, manuscript, correspondence. 1 file folder. 8.5 inches x 11 inches.

• Keywords: charcoal, fires, land use, oak, paleoecology, pine, pollen
• Abstract:
  • Human disturbance in northeastern North America over the past 4 centuries has led to a dramatic change in both vegetation composition and ecosystem characteristics, altering and potentially obscuring the influence of climate and edaphic factors on vegetation patterns. A paleoecological approach on Cape Cod was used to assess landscape-scale variation in pitch pine-oak vegetation and fire occurrence on the pre European landscape and determine changes resulting form European land use activities. Fossil pollen and charcoal preserved in 7 lakes demonstrate a close link between landform and pre-European distribution of vegetation.

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• Archives Location: Middle Room, stack 13, drawer 2
• Access: Active