Fire ecology of the forests of Waterton Lakes National Park

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorCordes, Lawrence D.
dc.contributor.authorMacKenzie, George Alexander
dc.coverage.spatial20000045en
dc.date.accessioned2005-07-19T20:28:35Z
dc.date.available2005-07-19T20:28:35Z
dc.date.issued1973
dc.descriptionBibliography: p. 175-183.en
dc.description.abstractThe aim of this study is to examine the relationship of fire to the forests of Waterton Lakes National Park. The study's central concern is with the spatial and temporal patterns of fire in the ecosystem and how they have been affected by changes in land use. Some researchers in the field state that the impact of the white man's arrival in Alberta's east-slope environment during the last half of the nineteenth century greatly increased the occurrence and extent of fire. This thesis considers whether the European had a similar impact on Waterton Lakes National Park. An important aspect of this problem is aboriginal man's impact on the landscape and evidence for the Indian as a cause of fire is also considered. An attempt is made to reconstruct the fire history for the park by examining the following evidence: 1. tree-ring analysis, 2. paleobotanical studies, 3. archaeological studies, and 4. historical sources. This evidence indicates that there was an apparent increase in the frequency and extent of fire for the last half of the nineteenth century, but, in fact, these are later fires which have masked the severity of earlier fires. Because of this apparent increase in the occurrence of fire, the Federal Government initiated a strict policy of fire prevention, and since 1911, the park has been successfully protected from fire. A major contention of the thesis is that fire is an integral part of the park's forest environment, and the ecological consequences that fire protection constitutes for this environment are discussed. The evidence examined includes the author's study of vegetation succession, as well as the work of others on insect, disease, and fire hazard classifications for the park. The consequences of complete fire protection are a reduction in species diversity and animal habitat, and an increase in the fire, insect, and disease hazard. The thesis concludes with a recommendation for re-introducing fire to the park's forest environment.
dc.description.notesThis title is not available online. Access options are: - consulting the copy from Archives in our reading room in person - https://asc.ucalgary.ca/visiting/ - borrowing a circulating copy from the Library catalogue – https://ucalgary.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01UCALG_INST:UCALGARY&lang=en
dc.format.extentxvi, 199 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.en
dc.identifier82480868en
dc.identifier.citationMacKenzie, G. A. (1973). Fire ecology of the forests of Waterton Lakes National Park (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/18321en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/18321
dc.identifier.lccQK 938 F6 M22 1973 Microficheen
dc.identifier.other82480868en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/13999
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject.lccQK 938 F6 M22 1973 Microficheen
dc.subject.lcshForest ecology - Alberta
dc.subject.lcshForest fires
dc.subject.lcshWaterton Lakes National Park (Alta.)
dc.titleFire ecology of the forests of Waterton Lakes National Park
dc.typemaster thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineGeography
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.thesis.accessionTheses Collection 58.002:Box 178 82480868
ucalgary.thesis.notesPLen
ucalgary.thesis.uarcreleasenoen
Files
Collections
Restricted Theses and Dissertations