基于树轮火疤塔河蒙克山樟子松林火灾的频度分析

大兴安岭地区是我国重要林区,又是林火的多发区,林火是森林生态系统中的重要干扰因子,对整个森林生态系统结构、功能和动态都有重要影响。樟子松为欧洲赤松的一个变种,在我国主要分布于大兴安岭地区。近年来,频繁的森林火灾造成樟子松林大面积减少。因此,重建大兴安岭樟子松林火历史,掌握樟子松林火灾规律已显得十分迫切。在大兴安岭北部塔河县蒙克山林场采集了11棵樟子松火疤圆盘,利用树木年轮年代学方法重建了大兴安岭北部塔河县蒙克山樟子松林的火灾历史,获得1个以树轮年代学为基础的樟子松火疤年表。利用火历史分析软件得到蒙克山樟子松林火灾间隔期和轮回期分别为24.8a和33a。由火疤年表得到的蒙克山樟子松林火灾历史大致可分为3个历史时期:满清中期(1723-1859年)、清末民国时期(1860-1949年)和建国后(1950年至今)。41个火疤记录中早早材火(E)所占比例最大,占全部火疤数目的61%,晚材火(A)、未确定火(U)和休眠季节火(D)则相对较少。大区域性火灾事件平均间隔期为32.5a,最大火灾间隔期为61a。本研究为进一步探究大兴安岭地区寒温带针叶林火灾历史的时间和空间格局及其之间的联系提供了基础数据。     

西藏朗县地区不同龄级高山松林木径向生长对火干扰的响应

林火影响着林木的更新、生长发育以及林分演替, 是森林生态系统的重要干扰因子。为了评估林火对不同龄级树木生长的影响, 该文研究了西藏林芝市朗县2005年林火前后高山松(Pinus densata)的树轮变异特点。在林分内, 选择62株过火林木, 进行树芯样品采集, 且依据胸径将样树分为幼树(胸径< 10 cm)和成年树(胸径≥10 cm)。树木年轮学交叉定年结果显示样本最大年龄为102年, 最小年龄为19年, 平均年龄为48年。研究结果表明: 过火前幼树径向生长与上一年11月平均最低气温显著负相关, 成年树径向生长与当年9月平均最低气温和平均气温显著正相关; 过火后幼树和成年树的径向生长均与当年1月平均气温和平均最高气温显著负相关。成年树对火干扰的抵抗力(过火年-过火前树轮宽度降低的百分比)和恢复力(过火后-过火前树轮宽度恢复的百分比)都显著高于幼树。过火后不同龄级的树木生长都加快。在地表火干扰中, 成年树比幼树更能抵抗火干扰的影响。研究结果可为全球变化背景下森林恢复及林火应用提供科学依据。     

树木年轮在干扰历史重建中的应用

干扰是影响森林生态系统结构和功能的重要因子,重建森林群落干扰历史可以掌握干扰发生的机制和规律,对森林经营有重要意义。年轮记载了树木逐年的生长历史,利用年轮可以重建不同尺度上干扰的时空格局,具有重建历史长、定年准确和材料容易获得的优点,是森林动态历史研究不可替代的资料。干扰对树木个体的影响可以分为伤害干扰和生长干扰两种类型。不同类型的干扰的特点和对树木的生长影响不同所以重建方法也不同,对树干造成直接伤害的干扰可以利用树干的疤痕重建,如火灾和泥石流等;生长干扰对树木的生长势造成影响,可以通过识别年轮中的生长抑制和释放发生和持续的时间来确定干扰的时间和强度。但是对破坏性的干扰事件要通过群落中个体的建成时间高峰来判断。欧洲和北美地区利用树木年轮重建森林干扰历史的研究已经很广泛,主要包括火灾、虫灾、地质灾害和气象灾害等干扰类型,在中国利用年轮重建群落干扰的研究还处于起步阶段。本文探讨了应用树木年轮重建不同森林干扰事件的方法,总结了不同的重建方法和干扰重建取得的进展,并指出了以后研究的方向,为以后的干扰重建提供了参考。     

树轮异常结构的研究进展

树轮作为反映气候变化的一个重要介质,在年代学、古气候学和古生态学研究中具有独特的优势。树轮是形成层细胞分裂和分化的结果,一般形成层对外界环境比较敏感。在恶劣的环境条件下,树木形成层活动和细胞分化受阻,导致树体的结构和功能发生改变。异常轮结构就是树木为适应环境突变产生的特殊痕迹,伪年轮或多层轮、霜轮、缺轮、浅轮、断轮、火疤、应力木、创伤性树脂道等异常轮的发生与温度、降水、光照等气候因子的变化密切相关。因此,通过分析这些树轮异常结构可探讨其产生的气候背景并用于重建森林干扰的历史以及预测未来森林变化动态,也是对基于树轮资料探究各类极端事件和自然灾害发生史等内容的补充。文章综述了异常轮的主要类型、成因、特征及其在极端事件中的应用和相关研究进展,以探讨其在重建过去气候变化中的潜在优势。     

火干扰因素对藏南地区高山松径向生长及气候响应特征的影响

森林火灾在二十一世纪内的发生频率逐步升高。大量研究发现森林火灾与树木生长之间存在有紧密的相关性。因此探究森林火灾对于树木生长的影响,分析火灾的不同强度对于树木径向生长是否有着显著的差异,将对于评估森林保护指标有着重要的实际意义。实验基于树木年轮学的研究方法,探究西藏林芝市本日山及九五六两场森林火灾对高山松径向生长的影响,分析在火灾前后高山松径向生长与气温及降水之间的响应关系。基于林芝市比日山及九五六两个火烧区域,建立了受轻度火影响和受中度火影响的高山松样地。利用树木年代学的方法,对年轮宽度指数与1961-2020年气温及降水分别进行相关分析,同时结合火灾的发生时间,将时间序列划分为:1961-2006年火灾前和2007-2021年火灾后。结果显示, 轻度火影响的高山松径向生长对气温和降水敏感,特别是在3-8月最高气温上呈现出显著性的增加。中度火影响的高山松径向生长则显著降低。火灾干扰明显抑制了高山松的径向生长,特别是火因子在平均气温和最高气温的干扰上对其径向生长具有明显抑制作用。受到轻度火影响的高山松径向生长在短期内有较为明显的增加趋势,但长期并不显著;而中度火影响的树木径向生长则在短期内不明显下降,但长期显著。受到轻度火影响的高山松中,其径向生长与最低气温之间呈显著的负相关,且使得高山松对外界环境的响应更为敏感,而中度火影响的高山松则并未表现出这种显著的响应状态。因此对于在高海拔地区而言,森林火灾对于树木径向生长有着显著的干扰的同时也提升树木与外界环境的响应程度。     

树木年轮汞记录：进展、问题和展望

汞作为生物毒性较强的金属元素之一,通过食物链富集进而威胁生态系统健康。汞在森林生态系统中的通量以及储量变化成为汞地球化学循环的重要影响因素。受汞监测记录的时空分布限制,对汞的时空分布变化认识尚不全面。分布广泛的树木是环境汞污染的有效生物监测器之一,能够利用树轮中的汞记录开展汞的时空分布变化研究。环境中的汞通过根系、叶片、树皮等组织吸收富集,最终在树木年轮中得以保存。因此,树轮能够重建污染历史并根据同位素比率反映地球化学循环特征。本文综述树木年轮汞浓度和汞同位素比率测量方法以及树轮汞浓度重建的应用,探讨树轮汞同位素记录在环境重建中以及森林生态系统汞的地球化学循环研究潜力,指出今后研究需要关注的问题。     

大兴安岭人为火发生影响因素及气候变化下的趋势

我国重要的北方针叶林地区大兴安岭是林火高发地区.受气候变暖影响,该地区林火发生频率将会发生显著变化.模拟人为火的发生分布与影响因素之间的关系、加强气候变化下人为火的发生分布预测,对于林火管理和减少森林碳损失具有重要作用.本文采用点格局分析方法,基于大兴安岭1967—2006年的火烧数据,建立人为火空间分布与影响因素之间的关系模型,该模型以林火发生次数为因变量,选取非生物因子(年均温和降水量、坡度、坡向和海拔)、生物因子(植被类型)和人为活动因子(距离道路距离、距离居民点距离、道路密度)共9个因子为自变量.并采用RCP 2.6和RCP 8.5气候情景数据代替当前气候情景预测2050年大兴安岭人为火的空间分布状况.结果表明: 点格局模型能够较好地模拟人为火发生分布与空间变量的关系,可以预测未来气候下人为火的发生概率.其中,气候因子对人为火的发生具有明显的控制作用,植被类型、海拔和人为活动等因子对人为火的发生也具有重要影响.林火发生预测结果表明,未来气候变化下,南部地区的林火发生概率将进一步增加,北部和沿主要道路干线附近将成为新的人为火高发区.与当前相比,2050年大兴安岭人为火的发生概率将增加72.2%～166.7%.在未来气候情景下,人为火的发生更多受气候和人为活动因素的控制.     

张广才岭北部三大硬阔树木生长-气候关系的时空变异

树木年轮在时空尺度上的比较可以更好地反映环境变化对树木生长的影响,在认识气候变化对森林生态系统的影响上具有重要意义。采用树木年代学方法分析了张广才岭北部地区阔叶红松林中主要阔叶树种-水曲柳(Fraxinus mandshurica)、黄菠萝(Phellodendron amurense)和胡桃楸(Juglans mandshurica)径向生长与气候关系的时空变异。结果表明,在同一地点树种间气候响应差异明显,胡桃楸受降水和最低温度共同作用,而黄菠萝和水曲柳则主要受最低温度限制,这表明树木生长与气候因子的关系具有一定的物种特异性。随着温度和降水格局的改变,三大硬阔年轮与气候关系在空间水平上存在差异,方正和西大圈样点的胡桃楸与6—8月最低温度呈显著正相关(P0.05),而凤凰山样点与5、6月最低温度和降水呈正相关(P0.05);黄菠萝和水曲柳径向生长随着降水空间格局的变化,其生长季末期相关性程度逐渐减弱。1980年后张广才岭北部出现气温显著升高,在升温前三大硬阔的生长趋势相对一致,而在升温后黄菠萝和水曲柳树轮宽度随温度升高呈上升趋势,但胡桃楸却出现随温度升高而生长下降的"分异现象"。如果未来增温趋势持续发生或者加重,可以推断在张广才岭北部胡桃楸可能受干旱胁迫加剧,其可能出现生长衰退,但增温可能更有利于黄菠萝和水曲柳的生长。     

Relationship of tree growth and climatic factors at treeline of Picea likiangensis var. balfouriana forest in Basu County,Xizang

 与传统方法相比, 利用树木年轮学方法研究树线过渡区树木生长温度敏感性高低的问题更注重比较树木个体间的生长情况, 从各个树轮序列间的生长一致性程度和树轮序列对气候因素(气温、降水)的响应一致性程度可探讨树线过渡区树木生长的温度敏感性。为了认识高山树线过渡区内树木生长的温度敏感性问题, 选择西藏昌都地区八宿县的一条川西云杉树线过渡区为研究对象, 比较了过渡区内树木个体间的生长一致性, 分析了树木生长与气候因素的相关性及其在个体间的异同。结果显示: 树线过渡区内树轮生长在个体间的一致性较低, 树轮生长与气温的关系在树木个体间的一致性也较低, 而树轮生长与当年4-9月降水的关系相对较强。西藏八宿树线过渡区属于干旱区, 相对于气温而言, 降水对树木生长的影响更大。此外, 小生境的异质性及干扰事件的发生也有可能降低树木对温度的敏感性。在全球变暖及极端气候事件增加的背景下, 树木生长的温度敏感性被高估可能会导致对树线过渡区位置及树线过渡区内群落生产力等的预测产生偏差, 这一问题应该在区域生态模拟研究和相关林业经营与管理上得到重视。     

阿尔泰山西伯利亚落叶松径向生长对气候变化的分异响应

在全球气候变暖的背景下, 北半球中高纬度地区出现了树轮径向生长对气候变化的分异响应现象, 但是阿尔泰山优势针叶树种对气候因子响应的稳定性还存在不确定性。该研究选择阿尔泰山中段高海拔西伯利亚落叶松(Larix sibirica)样本建立了树轮宽度年表, 并对年表特征及树木径向生长-气候的动态关系进行了分析。结果表明: 生长季初期和中期的气温是研究区树木生长的主控气候因子; 树木径向生长与当年4月的气温显著负相关, 与当年6-7月的气温显著正相关; 研究区西伯利亚落叶松径向生长与当年4月和6-7月的气温发生了分异现象, 表现为随着气候变化, 树木径向生长对生长季初期由高温引起的干旱的响应敏感性越来越强, 而对生长季中期气温的敏感性表现出先减弱再增强的趋势。阿尔泰山西伯利亚落叶松径向生长对气候变化的响应比较敏感, 适合开展树木生长-气候变化的研究; 检验树木径向生长对气候变化分异响应为该区域基于树木年轮开展历史气候重建和提高未来森林生态系统发展趋势预测的准确性提供了科学依据。     

Contrasting effects of wildfire and climate on radial growth of Pinus canariensis on windward and leeward slopes on Tenerife, Canary Islands

Little is known concerning the effects of wildfires on tree radial growth and their climatic response under contrasting regimes of fog water inputs on oceanic islands. On Tenerife, Canary Islands, windward slopes are humid with high-fog frequency due to influence of wet trade winds, while climate on leeward slopes is more arid. We used tree-ring records of Pinus canariensis Sweet ex Spreng. to quantify the effects of a fire of known date on radial growth and determine the main limiting climatic factors for growth. Radial growth patterns and their responsiveness to fire severity and climatic variation differed between windward and leeward slopes. Surface fire did not significantly impact growth, while crown fire caused short-term growth reduction, and even cessation, more pronounced on the windward slope. Growth rates, tree-ring common signal, and climate sensitivity were smaller on the windward slope, with cold winters, and summer water stress limiting growth. On the leeward slope, climate explained a greater amount of growth variation mainly due to negative effects of high October–December sea-level pressures causing dry winter conditions. Contrasting growth dynamics on both slopes may result from diverging physiological effects of water inputs and reduced radiation caused by fog drip. Our findings suggest that dating growth suppressions and absent rings are useful to date past high-severity crown fires in P. canariensis forests, in addition to ordinary fire scars dating indicative of low-severity surface fires.     

Inter-hemispheric synchrony of forest fires and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation

Fire histories were compared between the south-western United States and northern Patagonia, Argentina using both documentary records (1914–87 and 1938–96, respectively) and tree-ring reconstructions over the past several centuries. The two regions share similar fire–climate relationships and similar relationships of climatic anomalies to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). In both regions, El Niño events coincide with above-average cool season precipitation and increased moisture availability to plants during the growing season. Conversely, La Niña events correspond with drought conditions. Monthly patterns of ENSO indicators (southern oscillation indices and tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures) preceding years of exceptionally widespread fires are highly similar in both regions during the 20th century. Major fire years tend to follow the switching from El Niño to La Niña conditions. El Niño conditions enhance the production of fine fuels, which when desiccated by La Niña conditions create conditions for widespread wildfires. Decadal-scale patterns of fire occurrence since the mid-17th century are highly similar in both regions. A period of decreased fire occurrence in both regions from c. 1780–1830 coincides with decreased amplitude and/or frequency of ENSO events. The interhemispheric synchrony of fire regimes in these two distant regions is tentatively interpreted to be a response to decadal-scale changes in ENSO activity. The ENSO–fire relationships of the south-western USA and northern Patagonia document the importance of high-frequency climatic variation to fire hazard. Thus, in addition to long-term trends in mean climatic conditions, multi-decadal scale changes in year-to-year variability need to be considered in assessments of the potential influence of climatic change on fire regimes.     

Climatic and Landscape Influences on Fire Regimes from 1984 to 2010 in the Western United States

An improved understanding of the relative influences of climatic and landscape controls on multiple fire regime components is needed to enhance our understanding of modern fire regimes and how they will respond to future environmental change. To address this need, we analyzed the spatio-temporal patterns of fire occurrence, size, and severity of large fires (> 405 ha) in the western United States from 1984–2010. We assessed the associations of these fire regime components with environmental variables, including short-term climate anomalies, vegetation type, topography, and human influences, using boosted regression tree analysis. Results showed that large fire occurrence, size, and severity each exhibited distinctive spatial and spatio-temporal patterns, which were controlled by different sets of climate and landscape factors. Antecedent climate anomalies had the strongest influences on fire occurrence, resulting in the highest spatial synchrony. In contrast, climatic variability had weaker influences on fire size and severity and vegetation types were the most important environmental determinants of these fire regime components. Topography had moderately strong effects on both fire occurrence and severity, and human influence variables were most strongly associated with fire size. These results suggest a potential for the emergence of novel fire regimes due to the responses of fire regime components to multiple drivers at different spatial and temporal scales. Next-generation approaches for projecting future fire regimes should incorporate indirect climate effects on vegetation type changes as well as other landscape effects on multiple components of fire regimes.     

Altitudinal trends in climate change result in radial growth variation of Pinus yunnanensis at an arid-hot valley of southwest China

Climate change has already had observable impact on the biophysical environment, and lead to the different sensitivity of vegetation to climate factors on spatio-temporal scale. Therefore, understanding how the radial growth respond to climate at different spatio-temporal scales is crucial to recognize forest growth dynamic and make scientific management decisions under the background of climatic change. In the present study, the tree ring of Pinus yunnanensis at six altitudes gradients between 1300 m and 2500 m from a typical arid-hot valley in Jinsha River, were collected. We analyzed the relationship between radial growth and climate at different altitudes, and the sensitivity of growth to climatic factors over time. The results showed that the mean width of tree rings decreased as the altitude increasing. The relationship between climatic factors and radial growth at low or high altitudes was different with that at mid altitudes. Radial growth was negatively correlated to the temperatures from February to July at both low altitudes (1300–1500 m) and at high altitudes (2200–2500 m), but positively correlated to the temperatures in October of the previous year to April at mid altitudes (1700–1900 m). Precipitation in October of the previous year, May, and June in growing year had a positive effect on radial growth at all altitudes. Temperature and precipitation in the previous year showed a time-lag effect on radial growth. A moving correlation analysis of the tree ring index and climate variables showed that the limiting factors for tree growth at different altitudes varied over time. The influence of drought on the tree growth increased gradually as the climate warming. In future research, evaluating the dynamic relationship between vegetation growth and climate warming at spatio--temporal scale will be particularly important to guide forest management.     

Vegetation and fire history of a Chinese site in southern tropical Xishuangbanna derived from phytolith and charcoal records from Holocene sediments

Aim The aims of this paper are to reconstruct the vegetation and fire history over the past 2000 years in a well‐preserved rain‐forest area, to understand interactions between climate, fire, and vegetation, and to predict how rain forest responds to global warming and increased intensity of human activity. Location Xishuangbanna, south‐west China, 21–22° N, 101–102° E. Methods Phytolith (plant opal silica bodies) morphotypes, assemblages, and indices were used to reconstruct palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate changes in detail. Micro‐charcoal particles found in phytolith slides, together with burnt phytoliths and highly weathered bulliform cells, were employed to reconstruct a record of past fire occurrence. A survey of field sediments, lithology, and ¹⁴C dating were also employed. Results Phytoliths were divided into 11 groups and classified into 33 well‐described morphotypes according to their shape under light microscopy and their presumed anatomical origins and ecological significance. The phytolith assemblages were divided into six significant zones that reveal a complete history of vegetation changes corresponding to climate variation and fire occurrence. Phytolith assemblages and indices show that the palaeoclimate in the study area is characterized by the alternation of warm–wet and cool–dry conditions. Phytolith and charcoal records reveal that 12 fire episodes occurred. Comparison of burnt phytoliths with an aridity index (Iph) shows that fire episodes have a strong relationship with drought events. Main conclusions Our results indicate that fire occurrence in the tropical rain forest of Xishuangbanna is predominantly under the control of natural climate variability (drought events). Nearly every fire episode is coupled with a climatic event and has triggered vegetation composition changes marked by a pronounced expansion of grasses. This indicates that drought interacts with fire to exert a strong influence on the ecological dynamics of the rain forest. However, the impact of human activity in recent centuries is also significant. Our results are important for understanding the interactions between climate, fire, and vegetation, and for predicting how rain forest responds to global warming and increased human activity.     

Human influences superseded climate to disrupt the 20th century fire regime in Jasper National Park,Canada

To enhance understanding of how climate and humans influenced historical fire occurrence in the montane forests of Jasper National Park, we crossdated fire-scar and tree age samples from 172 plots. We tested effects of drought and climatic variation driven by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Pacific North American (PNA) pattern on fire occurrence. We also tested whether local droughts were associated with ENSO, PNA, Pacific Decadal Oscillation and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. We used a combination of instrumental and proxy-climate records to test whether climatic variation explained the absence of fire scars in our study area during the 20th century. From 1646 to 1915, 18 fires burned mainly during drier than average years. Drought years, but not fire years, were associated with positive ENSO and PNA indices, corresponding to warmer conditions with reduced snowpacks. Fire frequency varied through time, although no fire scars have formed since 1915. Potential recording trees present at all plots and climate conducive to fire over multiple years provide evidence that human influences superseded climatic variation to explain the lack of fire scars during the 20th century. Fire suppression significantly altered the fire regime after the formation of Jasper National Park, justifying the ongoing mechanical fuel treatments, prescribed and managed wildfires to improve forest resilience to climate change.     

Long-term fire frequency variability in the eastern Canadian boreal forest: the influences of climate vs. local factors

The influence of climatic and local nonclimatic factors on the fire regime of the eastern Canadian boreal forest over the last 8000 years is investigated by examining charred particles preserved in four lacustrine deposits. Herein, we compare the distribution of fire-free intervals (FFIs) and the synchronicity of fire events among sites, using Ripley's K -function to determine the extent of the role of local-scale vs. large-scale processes with respect to fire control. Between 8000 and 5800 cal. bp (calibrated years before present) the climatic and ecological conditions were less conducive to fire events than after this date. After 5800 cal. bp , the number of fires per 1000 years (fire frequency) progressively increased, reaching a maximum ca. 3400 cal. bp . There was a sharp decrease in fire frequency during the last 800 years. Between 8000 and 4000 cal. bp , comparable FFIs and synchronous fire episodes were determined for the study sites. During this period, the fire frequency was predominantly controlled by climate. After 4000 cal. bp , two sites displayed independent fire histories (different FFI distributions or asynchronous fire events), underlining the important influence of local factors, including short-term fuel wetness, characteristics of the watershed and landscape connectivity, in determining fire occurrence. We conclude that climatic changes occurred during the last 4000 years that induced a rise in the water table; this may explain the high spatial heterogeneity in fire history. Current and projected global climatic changes may cause similar spatial variability in fire frequency.     

Tree-ring distinctness,dating potential and climatic sensitivity of laurel forest tree species in Tenerife Island

Macaronesian laurel forests are the only remnants of a subtropical palaeoecosystem dominant during the Tertiary in Europe and northern Africa. These biodiverse ecosystems are restricted to cloudy and temperate insular environments in the North Atlantic Ocean. Due to their reduced distribution area, these forests are particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbances and changes in climatic conditions. The assessment of laurel forest trees’ response to climate variation by dendrochronological methods is limited because it was assumed that the lack of marked seasonality would prevent the formation of distinct annual tree rings. The aims of this study were to identify the presence of annual growth rings and to assess the dendrochronological potential of the most representative tree species from laurel forests in Tenerife, Canary Islands. We sampled increment cores from 498 trees of 12 species in two well-preserved forests in Tenerife Island. We evaluated tree-ring boundary distinctness, dating potential, and sensitivity of tree-ring growth to climate and, particularly, to drought occurrence. Eight species showed clear tree-ring boundaries, but synchronic annual tree rings and robust tree-ring chronologies were only obtained for Laurus novocanariensis, Ilex perado subsp. platyphylla, Persea indica and Picconia excelsa, a third of the studied species. Tree-ring width depended on water balance and drought occurrence, showing sharp reductions in growth in the face of decreased water availability, a response that was consistent among species and sites. Inter-annual tree-ring width variation was directly dependent on rainfall input in the humid period, from previous October to current April. The four negative pointer years 1995, 1999, 2008 and 2012 corresponded to severe drought events in the study area. This study gives the first assessment of dendrochronological potential and tree-ring climate sensitivity of tree species from the Tenerife laurel forest, which opens new research avenues for dendroecological studies in Macaronesian laurel forests.     

Dendroecological potential of shrubs for reconstructing fire history at landscape scale in Mediterranean-type climate grasslands: The case of Fabiana imbricata

Fire recurrently affects Mediterranean-type climate (MTC) regions causing major implications on the structure and dynamics of vegetation. In these regions, it is important to know the fire regime for which reliable fire records are needed. Dendroecology offers the possibility of obtaining fire occurrence data from woody species and has been widely used in forest ecosystems for fire research. Grasslands are regions with no trees where shrubs can provide dendroecological evidence for reconstructing fire history at landscape scale. We studied the dendroecological potential of the shrub Fabiana imbricata to reconstruct fire history at landscape scale in MTC grasslands of northwestern Patagonia. In order to accomplish this, we combined spatio-temporal information of recorded fires from the study area with the age structure of F. imbricata shrublands obtained from dendroecological methods. Shrubland age structure correctly described how often fires occurred in the past. In rocky outcrops, where fires cannot reach, individuals are long-lived and heterogeneous in age; while downhill, individuals are young and shrublands are even-aged. Five pulses of massive recruitment were found: three of these coincided with three known fires; the remaining two had not been recorded before. A bi-variated analysis showed that F. imbricata recruited mainly during two years after fire, and the spatial distribution of pulses coincided with the fire map. Information derived from shrubland age structure could be used to estimate fire regime parameters such as fire return interval at landscape or community scale. For instance, we estimated a fire return interval of nine years at landscape scale and ranging from 11 to 24 years at community scale (shrubland). Our results in northwestern Patagonia grasslands showed that the F. imbricata chronology can be used to complement other information sources such as remote sensing and operational databases improving the knowledge about fire regime. The present study demonstrates that is possible to utilize shrubs as a dendroecological data source to study fire history in regions where tree cover is absent.