FIRE EFFECTS AND USE
WILDLIFE SPECIES: Lepus californicus | Black-Tailed Jackrabbit 



DIRECT FIRE EFFECTS ON ANIMALS : 
Most black-tailed jackrabbit probably escape fire easily, even when
young.  A few individuals are probably killed.  Eye-witness accounts are
rare, but one observer [14] of a late August wildfire in chaparral-blue
oak (Quercus douglasii) woodland in California reported seeing
black-tailed jackrabbit running away from a fast-moving fire, although a
few individuals moved toward the flames.

An August precribed fire in big sagebrush in Idaho resulted in
asphyxiation of several radio-collared pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus
idahoensis) in areas where the fire was extensive and advanced rapidly;
most pygmy rabbit escaped the fire.  Black-tailed jackrabbit were in the
area but were not radio collared.  Like the pygmy rabbit, most
black-tailed jackrabbit probably avoided injury but a few may have been
asphyxiated [36].


HABITAT RELATED FIRE EFFECTS : 
Patchy fire in big sagebrush and other shrub types can benefit
black-tailed jackrabbit by increasing grass and forb production adjacent
to shrub cover.  In Idaho black-tailed jackrabbit density was
significantly (p<0.01) higher in big sagebrush plots prescribed burned
than on unburned plots in two of four counts.  Density was similar on
burned and control plots on the other two counts.  Reducing shrub cover
over large areas, however, can increase mortality from predation due to
cover removal [36].  Patchy fire in coniferous forest types probably
also benefits black-tailed jackrabbit by reducing the overstory and
encouraging growth of herbs, shrubs, and small conifers.

Great Basin:  Fire frequencies on some big sagebrush habitats of the
Great Basin have increased from historical ranges of 30 to 70 years to
an average of 5.5 years [10,86,87].  Cheatgrass, an exotic that forms
dense stands and dries out earlier than native grasses, has been
implicated in changing the fire regime.  Big sagebrush has declined with
frequent fire [10].  Loss of big sagebrush forage and cover has caused a
steady decline in black-tailed jackrabbit populations in affected areas
[60,84,85].  Some raptor populations are declining as well [60,85].
Wicklow-Howard [84] recommended revegetating these areas with big
sagebrush after fire to increase black-tailed jackrabbit and raptor
populations.


FIRE USE : 
Jackrabbits (Lepus spp.) moved onto a burn in Arizona desert shrubsteppe
immediately after a November precribed fire.  Jackrabbits foraged in the
burn through winter and into spring [58].

California chaparral:  Closed-canopy chamise chaparral in Lake County
was prescribed burned in May to enhance wildlife habitat.  Treatment was
creating small (5-10 acre [2-4 ha]) openings in the dense shrubs and
seeding the burned areas with annual and perennial herbs.  Prefire
density of black-tailed jackrabbit was approximately 1 jackrabbit/sq
mile; density at postfire year 1 was approximately 5 to 10 jackrabbits/sq
mile.  Burn use was heaviest in summer.  Black-tailed jackrabbit grazed
the seeded-in perennials heavily.  Most of the annuals were grazed only
lightly; however, cultivated rye (Secale cereale) was preferred.  Soft
chess (Bromus hordeaceus) foliage was not grazed, but black-tailed
jackrabbit ate the ripe seeds [7].

Fifty percent removal of the canopy by prescribed fire in
chamise-ceanothus chaparral on the Cleveland National Forest attracted
black-tailed jackrabbit to the burned areas.  They did not use unburned
areas with closed canopies [4].


REFERENCES : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Wildlife Species: Lepus californicus | Black-Tailed Jackrabbit