• CASE NAME
• REFERENCE
• FIRE CASE STUDY AUTHORSHIP
• SEASON/SEVERITY CLASSIFICATION
• STUDY LOCATION
• PREFIRE VEGETATIVE COMMUNITY
• TARGET SPECIES PHENOLOGICAL STATE
• SITE DESCRIPTION
• FIRE DESCRIPTION
• FIRE EFFECTS ON TARGET SPECIES
• FIRE MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS

CASE NAME:

Black grama response to a June wildfire

REFERENCE:

Cable, D. R. 1965 [21]

FIRE CASE STUDY AUTHORSHIP:

Simonin, Kevin. 2000, August

spring/moderate

STUDY LOCATION:

The study was located 40 miles (64 km) south of Tucson, Arizona, on 6 acres (2.4 ha) at 3850 feet (1173 m) within the Santa Rita Experimental Range.

PREFIRE VEGETATIVE COMMUNITY:

The prefire vegetation community consisted of a mesquite (Prosopis spp.) overstory averaging 200 trees per acre with two distinct forms of understory. A nearly pure stand of Lehman's love grass made up half of the ground cover. The other half, a mixed native grass stand, was dominated by black grama with lesser amounts of Arizona cottontop (Trichachne californica).

TARGET SPECIES PHENOLOGICAL STATE:

The majority of black grama clumps were mostly dried with a few wilted, green leaves from current spring growth. Wilting was the result of 64 previous days without precipitation.

SITE DESCRIPTION:

The air-dry weight of herbaceous fuel was estimated at 2200 pounds per acre (998 kg/acre).

FIRE DESCRIPTION:

The study investigated the effects of a wild fire that took place on June 28, 1963, under dry conditions. Relative humidity was estimated at 6%. Wind speed during the fire was estimated at 12 to 15 miles per hour (19-24 km/hr). The fire started at 3:30 p.m. and was controlled by 5:00 p.m.

FIRE EFFECTS ON TARGET SPECIES:

The fire removed all top growth and burned or charred the bases to within 1/8th to 3/4th of an inch (3-20 mm) of the root crown. Resprouting began 3-1/2 weeks after the fire. Black grama started sprouting earlier and continued sprouting longer than Lehmann lovegrass. In September, 3 months after fire, 10% of the burned black grama plants had sprouted. No black grama seedlings were found.

FIRE MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS:

No entry

Related categories for SPECIES: Bouteloua eriopoda | Black Grama