Plant Community Distribution, Dynamics, Fuel Loads, and Fire Behavior in Bryce Canyon National Park

Abstract

This research program incorporates four primary objectives: (1) develop a comprehensive vegetation classification for Bryce Canyon National Park and to map the current and potential vegetation for the park; (2) develop a vital attributes succession model which depicts the successional development and disturbance response of plant communities in Bryce Canyon; (3) determine and characterize the fuel loads typical of each successional community type; (4) predict the behavior of fires occurring in each of the successional community types.