FIRE EFFECTS AND USE
WILDLIFE SPECIES: Lynx lynx | Lynx 



DIRECT FIRE EFFECTS ON ANIMALS : 
There is no apparent and probably no significant direct fire-related
mortality of lynx.


HABITAT RELATED FIRE EFFECTS : 
Because lynx populations oscillate with snowshoe hare populations, fires
that create snowshoe hare cover and food generally benefit lynx [10,13].
Fire may have negative short-term effects by eliminating cover for
snowshoe hare and lynx.  However, as succession progresses and snowshoe
hares become abundant, lynx will benefit.  Lynx usually do not cross
openings greater than 300 feet (90 m) and use travel corridors with tree
densities of 180 stems per acre (450/ha).  Therefore, fires that create
large openings without leaving travel corridors between pockets of dense
forest may be detrimental to lynx [4,5,9,19].


FIRE USE : 
Grange [9] reported that snowshoes are associated with plant species
that recover well following fire.  He also stated that their population
explosions are limited to very early seral stages.  Thus fire can be
used to create early seral habitats that support snowshoe hare, the
primary prey for lynx.  Pockets of unburned areas, at least 1 to 5 acres
(0.4-2 ha), should be left for denning sites.  These pockets should
border prey habitat.  Management units should be designed to provide
travel corridors, especially along ridges and saddles, as lynx are more
likely to use these areas.  A variety of fire types and intensities will
create a temporal and spatial pattern of habitat for prey, as well as
maintain unburned areas for denning sites [13].
 


REFERENCES : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Wildlife Species: Lynx lynx | Lynx