Prescribed fire in eucalypt woodlands: immediate effects on a microbat community of northern Australia

2013 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara E. Inkster-Draper ◽  
Marcus Sheaves ◽  
Christopher N. Johnson ◽  
Simon K. A. Robson
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Prescribed Fires ◽  
Bat Activity ◽  
Active Fire ◽  
Aspect Ratios ◽  
Eucalypt Woodlands ◽  
Unidentified Species

Context Fire is a major ecological factor in many landscapes. Prescribed fires are often used in the management of vegetation for ecological values, wildlife habitat and reduction of risk of wildfire. However, debate continues over whether active fire management is beneficial to flora and fauna. Although bats comprise ~20% of the world’s extant mammal fauna, they have been largely ignored in studies investigating ecosystem response to fire, especially in Australia. Aims In the present study, we aim to investigate the immediate responses of microbats to prescribed fires in a tropical eucalypt woodland.Methods We used a replicated paired experimental design, consisting of burned and unburned treatment and control sites, to investigate how bat activity and community structure change following a prescribed fire. Key results Total bat activity increased significantly following fire. Fire also resulted in changes in the bat species assemblage. Changes in community structure were driven by the following five species: Saccolaimus spp., Chalinolobus nigrogriseus, Chaerephon jobensis, Rhinolophus megaphyllus and unidentified Species c35. Activity of C. nigrogriseus, Saccolaimus spp., C. jobensis and Species c35 increased in the burned sites, whereas changes in the activity of R. megaphyllus were uncorrelated with the effects of fire. Conclusions The effect of fire on these species is consistent with flight patterns and habitat use; species with higher wing aspect ratios, such as Saccolaimus spp., which are capable of fast flight but with limited manoeuvrability, became more active in the open conditions created by fire. Implications The results of the present study suggest that prescribed fire as an environmental management tool may be beneficial to bats, at least in the short term, because it increases habitat suitability for a wider range of species.

Tree mortality 6 years after burning a thinned Quercuschrysolepis stand

1993 ◽  
Vol 23 (10) ◽  
pp. 2236-2241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy E. Paysen ◽  
Marcia G. Narog
Keyword(s):  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Tree Mortality ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Prescribed Burn ◽  
Live Oak ◽  
San Bernardino ◽  
Favorable Conditions

Managers do not currently use prescribed fire in stands of canyon live oak (Quercuschrysolepis Liebm.) because it is highly susceptible to fire injury. A preliminary study investigating the effects of prescribed burning on this species was initiated on the San Bernardino National Forest in southern California. The purpose was to assess the feasibility of using thinning and prescribed burning to develop shaded fuel breaks in these stands. This paper addresses aboveground tree mortality inventoried 2 and 6 years after a prescribed burn. Aboveground tree stems were judged as live or dead (irrespective of root-zone sprouting). Fire caused approximately 50% mortality in DBH classes ≤15 cm and <10% in larger classes. Between the 2nd and 6th years after burning, tree mortality increased by only 3%. Our results suggest that prescribed fire can be used as a management tool in Q. chrysolepis stands and that tree mortality might be evaluated sooner than previously believed. More investigations are required to identify favorable conditions for prescribed burning in this species, as well as applicability for (i) degree of hazard reduction near the urban wildland interface, (ii) stand improvement by thinning small or crowded trees, and (iii) revitalizing wildlife habitat.

The use of prescribed fire in the management of Canada's forested lands

1992 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 324-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. Weber ◽  
S. W. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Fire Adaptations ◽  
Fire Use ◽  
Management Objectives ◽  
Habitat Enhancement ◽  
Vegetation Stand

Present uses of prescribed fire in Canada are reviewed. Fire has been a natural component of many forested North American landscapes for millennia, making it an obvious choice as an effective forest management tool. It can be used in harmony with known fire adaptations of ecosystems to be managed. Prescribed fire uses are separated into six categories: (1) hazard reduction which evolved into (2) silviculture (including fire use for site preparation, managing competing vegetation, stand conversion, and stand rehabilitation) (3) wildlife habitat enhancement (4) range burning (5) insect and disease control (6) conservation of natural ecosystems. Some historic developments of prescribed fire use are presented including area burned under prescription by province and territory. Prescribed fire emerges as a cost effective practice that is ecologically compatible with many forest, wildlife, and park management objectives. Its continued use in the management of Canadian forests seems to be assured, as long as it is constantly developed and adapted to the changing needs and priorities of the general public.

Feasibility of Igniting Prescribed Fires in Bottomland Hardwood Forests

2020 ◽  
Vol 118 (6) ◽  
pp. 555-560
Author(s):  
James S Cash ◽  
Christopher J Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Hardwood Forests ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Bottomland Hardwoods ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Prescribed Fires ◽  
Bottomland Hardwood ◽  
Bottomland Hardwood Forests ◽  
Invasive Species Control ◽  
Litter Flammability

Abstract There is emerging interest in using prescribed fire to manage bottomlands for wildlife habitat, invasive species control, and overall forest function. We evaluated the feasibility of conducting prescribed fires in bottomland hardwood forests in west-central Alabama as part of a broader strategy to control the invasive shrub Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense). We used 22 small-scale plots (0.04 hectares) in areas with residual slash from privet cutting operations and initiated prescribed fires on each to assess the overall feasibility and the relation of in-stand weather (i.e., microclimate), stand composition, and litter measurements to fire behavior. Overall, prescribed fire ignition was difficult, and only half the trials successfully burned &gt;10 percent of the plot. We found that stand composition was most correlated with percent plot burned, and plots with higher proportions of tree species with flammable leaf traits (e.g., Quercus spp.) tended to burn best. Although further investigation is warranted, managers interested in using prescribed fire for bottomland hardwoods likely face short time windows and limited forest conditions in which fires can be reliably set. Study Implications There is increasing interest in using prescribed fires in bottomland hardwood forests. This exploratory study evaluated whether prescribed fires could be reliably set in bottomlands. Prescribed fires were difficult to establish and tended to be very patchy with fire spread related to tree canopy composition (because of differences in leaf litter flammability) and litter loads. Results suggest that it would be difficult to apply fire on a large scale in bottomland hardwood forests and that small-scale fires could only be set under certain conditions.

scholarly journals Perceptions of NRCS Assistance with Prescribed Fires on U.S. Private Lands: A Regionally Stratified Case Study

Fire ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Ryan Wilbur ◽  
Charles Stanley ◽  
Kristie A. Maczko ◽  
John Derek Scasta
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Regional Differences ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Understanding ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Prescribed Fires ◽  
Private Landowners ◽  
Private Lands ◽  
Private Landowner

The benefits of prescribed fires are recognized throughout the United States, but the ability to assist with prescribed fire application on private land by government agencies has many possible constraints and challenges. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a federal agency, is mandated to assist private landowners with meeting land management objectives, but the ability of employees to utilize prescribed fire as a management tool is complex. We conducted a regionally stratified online survey of NRCS employees across the United States to determine the barriers inhibiting their ability to assist private landowners with prescribed fire application. In January of 2020, we recruited 101 NRCS rangeland and grazing land specialists to participate in the survey with 50 completing the survey (regional sample size: Central n = 14, Northeast n = 5, Southeast n = 12, West n = 19). A majority (82%) of respondents thought prescribed fires were staying the same or increasing in number. Regional differences in assistance types were significant for conducting burns and providing technical education, but not for other assistance types. Regional differences for perceived constraints were also significant for how the public understands the risks of prescribed fire and the ecological constraints but not for state policy, federal policy, liability, or public understanding of prescribed fire benefits. Overall and across regions, the NRCS survey participants perceived federal policies, liability, and private landowners’ lack knowledge of prescribed fire limits their ability to assist in the utilization of prescribed fire. Creating a national policy that allows a streamlined process for NRCS employees to assist with prescribed fire implementation and collaborative initiatives to improve private landowner knowledge gaps has the potential to improve prescribed fire application across the United States.

scholarly journals Eastern Red Bat Responses to Fire during Winter Torpor

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1347
Author(s):  
Jason T. Layne ◽  
Dana Green ◽  
Anna Scesny ◽  
Lynn W. Robbins
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Prescribed Fires ◽  
Lasiurus Borealis ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
Laboratory Techniques ◽  
First Response ◽  
Eastern Red Bat

Prescribed fires are a forest management tool used to improve natural areas for a variety of benefits including increased plant diversity, reduced competition for desired species, decreased fuel loads, and improved wildlife habitat. The post-fire results in landscapes have shown positive benefits for bat populations. However, prescribed fires set in the winter may cause direct mortality of eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) populations that use leaf litter for roosting during periods of colder (<10 °C) temperatures. Therefore, we used controlled laboratory techniques to explore if eastern red bats arouse from torpor when exposed to cues associated with fire (i.e., smoke and the sound of fire). Through subsequent field trials, we confirmed latencies of first response (i.e., movement or increased respiration), arousal, and flight behaviors to the stimuli of fire. We provide evidence of smoke influencing eastern red bat first response and arousal through laboratory and field trial results. Latencies of all behaviors were negatively correlated with temperatures and wind speeds prior to and during field trials. We recommend prescribing winter fires on days when temperatures are >10 °C to provide eastern red bats with a better chance to passively rewarm and react to an approaching fire.

Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) Branch Pruning by Prescribed Fire

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P McGuire ◽  
John S Kush ◽  
J Morgan Varner ◽  
Dwight K Lauer ◽  
J Ryan Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Longleaf Pine ◽  
Wood Quality ◽  
Pinus Palustris ◽  
Planting Density ◽  
Prescribed Fires ◽  
Pine Tree ◽  
Southeastern Us ◽  
Tree Survival ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Efforts to restore longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) in the southeastern US require substantial artificial regeneration. Once established, important questions remain about when to introduce fire. We investigated the impact of initial planting density on tree branching and how prescribed fire might interact with tree architecture and survival. A particular focus was on how prescribed fires could “prune” lower branches. Lower density plantings (897 trees ha−1) had more and larger live lower branches than higher density plantings (2,243 trees ha−1). Fire was effective in pruning lower branches regardless of season burned, but fire in the growing season was more effective at pruning. Branches up to a height of 1.5 to 2 m were killed by fire. Fire applied in August caused greater damage with more needles scorched and/or consumed and more stem char. Prescribed fire did not impact longleaf pine tree survival. In general, fire applied to longleaf pine facilitated pruning lower branches that affect long-term wood quality, an additional argument for its utility in restoration and management of these ecosystems.

Influence of prescribed burning on fruit production in Proteaceae

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. D. Penman ◽  
S. H. Penman
Keyword(s):  
Community Structure ◽  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Fire Intensity ◽  
Term Study ◽  
Long Term Study

Prescribed burning is applied worldwide as a forest management tool. It is broadly accepted that altered fire regimes can directly impact upon community structure and composition, but little is known about the indirect effects of altered fire regimes on the mechanisms that produce community-level changes such as changes to the reproductive output of individual plants, hence populations. We examined the reproductive output of four species of Proteaceae within a long term study site where disturbance histories for the last twenty years have been accurately recorded on 216 plots. Frequent fire was found to increase woody fruit production in Banksia marginata, but had no apparent effect on B. serrata, Hakea eriantha or H. sericea. Results of this study vary from a similar study which examined the effect of wildfires. The differences observed are likely to reflect the differing impacts of fire intensity on these species. Indirect changes in fruit production may result in changes in reproductive success of species which in turn may affect vegetation community structure and faunal habitat.

Frequent Prescribed Fire Sustains Old Field Loblolly Pine–Shortleaf Pine Woodland Communities: Results of a 53-Year Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin M Robertson ◽  
Sharon M Hermann ◽  
Eric L Staller
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Loblolly Pine ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Pinus Echinata ◽  
Shortleaf Pine ◽  
Old Field ◽  
Southeastern Us ◽  
Pine Savannas

Abstract Frequently burned old field shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata)–loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) woodlands in the southeastern US provide important wildlife habitat and multiple ecosystem services. Because these communities differ in composition of dominant plant species and have different land use legacies than native pine savannas, the ability to prevent encroachment by off-site broadleaf woody tree species using fire alone is in question. We use a long-term fire experiment to demonstrate that old field pine communities have been prevented from transitioning to hardwood forests for over 50 years through judicious application of prescribed fire applied at 1–2 year intervals, whereas communities with three-year fire intervals show signs of transitioning to hardwood forest. We emphasize tailoring fire regimes to particular contexts of land use history to achieve the most historic and sustainable ecosystem structure and function possible for conservation of native flora and fauna. Study Implications: Demonstrating the ability to maintain natural forest structure of old field loblolly pine–shortleaf pine communities in the southeastern US using frequent prescribed fire has implications for the future sustainability of hundreds of thousands of hectares of such land used to provide critical habitat for many species of imperiled and culturally valued wildlife. It also provides insight into restoration of longleaf pine communities on postagricultural land as promoted by multiple highly funded government initiatives. Frequently burned pine savannas and woodlands are resilient to wildfire and sustain natural hydrological cycles, both important for mitigating the effects of global climate change.

scholarly journals Estimating Fuel Consumption for the Upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott L. Goodrick ◽  
Dan Shea ◽  
John Blake
Keyword(s):  
South Carolina ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Prescribed Burning ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Fuel Load ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Continued Use

Abstract Recent changes in air quality regulations present a potential obstacle to continued use of prescribed fire as a land management tool. Lowering of the acceptable daily concentration of particulate matter from 65 to 35 μg/m3 will bring much closer scrutiny of prescribed burning practices from the air quality community. To work within this narrow window, land managers need simple tools to allow them to estimate their potential emissions and examine trade-offs between continued use of prescribed fire and other means of fuels management. A critical part of the emissions estimation process is determining the amount of fuel consumed during the burn. This study combines results from a number of studies along the Upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina to arrive at a simple means of estimating total fuel consumption on prescribed fires. The result is a simple linear relationship that determines the total fuel consumed as a function of the product of the preburn fuel load and the burning index of the National Fire Danger Rating System.

The influence of food availability, quality and body size on patch selection of coexisting grazer ungulates in western Serengeti National Park

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 54 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Bukombe ◽  
Andrew Kittle ◽  
Ramadhan B. Senzota ◽  
Hamza Kija ◽  
Simon Mduma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Wildlife Habitat ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Patch Selection ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Serengeti Ecosystem ◽  
Dietary Niche

Context Differences in body size and mouth morphologies influence dietary resource separation among savanna ungulates, and this influences their distribution across landscape. Aim The aim was to understand the influence of body size and mouth morphology differences on both diet and patch selection by ungulate species in western Serengeti. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) for ungulate species, the relative body sizes and muzzle widths (mean muzzle width range: 3.1- 9.85) relate directly to food biomass, and to quality of diets selected in the wet season when food is abundant; (2) in the wet season, if food is not limiting, similar-sized species should exhibit greater dietary niche overlap than ungulate species that differ greatly in body size and muzzle width; moreover, similar-sized species exhibit less dietary niche overlap than ungulate species that differ greatly in body size. Methods In the western Serengeti ecosystem, road transects and direct observation were used to obtain data on the distribution and diet of five ungulate species namely buffalo, zebra, wildebeest, topi and impala; which have of varying sizes (range: 70–630kg) feeding in three different vegetation types. Grassland biomass, structure, nutrient content and ungulate use were measured at sites along transects. Key Results Results indicated that large-bodied ungulates utilised patches of greater food abundance compared with those of smaller ungulates. Body mass was also negatively correlated with diet quality, so that smaller animals ate higher protein and lower-fibre foods, as predicted. Diet niche overlap (niche similarity) showed a strong positive relationship with body mass differences among ungulate species, in support of the second of the two predictions from this hypothesis, namely that dissimilarly sized species could eat the same food. Conclusion Overall, the results suggest that in this savanna system, variation in ungulate body size influences resource separation even in the food-abundant wet season, and that this helps multiple species to co-exist. Implications Implementing more focused conservation strategies will improve wildlife habitat quality by integrating fire as a forage management tool with grazing preferences to promote forage heterogeneity in protected areas.

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