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Fire-Dependent Ecosystems

The focus of the Lake States Fire Science Consortium is on the fire-dependent ecosystems that occur across the Lake States region, from western New York and Ontario in the east to central Minnesota in the west. The boundaries of the Consortium follow those of The Nature Conservancy's Great Lakes (47) and Superior Mixed-Forest (48) Ecoregions.

There are few ecosystems within the region that were not influenced in some way by fire, and as result we classify those ecosystems that were maintained in some way by fire as fire-dependent. In both ecoregions there are a variety of openland-savanna, forest, and wetland ecosystems that are influenced by wildfire and/or are managed using prescribed burning. Nomenclature for these ecosystems varies widely depending on the state or province, or by organization.

Quick links to different ecosystem types:

Woodlands-Savannas Forests Wetlands

Woodlands - Savannas

Below is a list of fire-dependent woodland-savanna and forest ecosystems within the Consortium boundaries using the LANDFIRE Rapid Assessment Vegetation Models:

Great Lakes Pine Barrens

Jack Pine-Openlands

Northern Oak Savannas

Forests

Below is a list of fire-dependent woodland-savanna and forest ecosystems within the Consortium boundaries using the LANDFIRE Rapid Assessment Vegetation Models:

Conifer Lowland Forests (embedded in fire-prone ecosystem)

Conifer Lowlands Forests (embedded in fire-resistant ecosystem)

Eastern White Pine-Eastern Hemlock Forests

Great Lakes Floodplain Forests

Great Lakes Pine Forests: White Pine Hemlock Forests with Frequent Fire

Great Lakes Jack Pine Forests

Great Lakes Spruce Fir Forests

Maple Basswood Forests

Great Lakes Maple-Basswood Mesic Hardwood Forests

Maple Basswood Oak Aspen Forests

Minnesota Spruce Fir Forests (Adjacent to Lake Superior and Drift and Lake Plain)

Northern Hardwood-Hemlock Forests

Northern Hardwood Maple Beech Hemlock Forests

Pine Oak Forests

Red Pine-White Pine Forests (with frequent fire)

Red Pine-White Pine Forests (less frequent fire)

Wetlands

In addition to the woodland-savanna and forest ecosystems, there are a variety of wetland ecosystems that are influenced by fire across the Lake States region. These include the following with links to descriptions provided by one or more organizations:

Alvar

Black Spruce Swamps

Bogs

Coastal Plain Marshes

Muskegs

Patterned Fens

Prairie Fens

Shore Fens

Northern Sedge Meadows

Poor Conifer Swamps

Rich Conifer Swamps

Shrub Carr

Tamarack Swamps