Research Abstract.--Fire has long been a dramatic force in shaping landscapes of the southwestern United States. Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), a broad, open-crowned tree that is valued for its beauty as well as its economic and ecological importance, has unique characteristics which operate in concert with fires that historically burned frequently through the forest understory. Our research project is motivated by the need to understand how ponderosa pine forests respond to high severity fires, that is, fires that cause extensive tree mortality. We hope to not only contribute to understanding the resiliency of ponderosa pine forests, but also to elucidate the conservation values intrinsic to the diverse communities that represent alternative successional trajectories after severe fire. Specifically, we are examining the outcomes of high severity fire in ponderosa pine forests and their neighboring communities across an elevational gradient that encompasses pinon-juniper (Pinus edulis-Juniperus spp.) woodlands, ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forests. Click here to access my project web page [High Severity Fire in Forests of the Southwest: Conservation Implications].