Variations in fire frequency and climate over the past 17 000 yr in central Yellowstone National Park

Research Article| March 01, 2000 Variations in fire frequency and climate over the past 17 000 yr in central Yellowstone National Park Sarah H. Millspaugh; Sarah H. Millspaugh 1Department of Geography, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Cathy Whitlock; Cathy Whitlock 1Department of Geography, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Patrick J. Bartlein Patrick J. Bartlein 1Department of Geography, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2000) 28 (3): 211–214. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)28<211:VIFFAC>2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 02 Sep 1999 rev-recd: 08 Nov 1999 accepted: 16 Nov 1999 first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Sarah H. Millspaugh, Cathy Whitlock, Patrick J. Bartlein; Variations in fire frequency and climate over the past 17 000 yr in central Yellowstone National Park. Geology 2000;; 28 (3): 211–214. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)28<211:VIFFAC>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract A 17 000 yr fire history from Yellowstone National Park demonstrates a strong link between changes in climate and variations in fire frequency on millennial time scales. The fire history reconstruction is based on a detailed charcoal stratigraphy from Cygnet Lake in the rhyolite plateau region. Macroscopic charcoal particles were tallied from contiguous 1 cm samples of a 6.69-m-long core, and the data were converted to charcoal-accumulation rates at evenly spaced time intervals. Intervals of high charcoal-accumulation rates were interpreted as local fire events on the basis of information obtained from modern charcoal-calibration studies in the Yellowstone region. The record indicates that fire frequency was moderate (4 fires/1000 yr) during the late glacial period, reached highest values in the early Holocene (>10 fires/1000 yr), and decreased after 7000 calendar yr B.P. The present fire regime (2–3 fires/1000 yr) was established in the past 2000 yr. The charcoal stratigraphy correlates well with variations in July insolation through time, which suggests that regional climate changes are responsible for the long-term variations in fire frequency. In the early Holocene, summer insolation was near its maximum, which resulted in warmer, effectively drier conditions throughout the northwestern United States. At this time, the fire frequency near Cygnet Lake was at its highest. After 7000 calendar yr B.P., summer insolation decreased to present values, the regional climate became cooler and wetter, and fires were less frequent. The Cygnet Lake record suggests that long-term fire frequencies have varied continuously with climate change, even when the vegetation has remained constant. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.