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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants |
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FIRE CASE STUDIES
1st CASE STUDY:
CASE NAME:Vegetal development following prescribed burning of Douglas-fir in south-central Idaho REFERENCES:
Lyon, L. Jack. 1966 [87] SEASON/SEVERITY CLASSIFICATION:August/high STUDY LOCATION:The study took place in Neal Canyon, a small drainage off of Eagle Creek and the Big Wood River, located within the Sawtooth National Forest. The area is approximately 6 miles north of Ketchum, Idaho (NE1/4, Sec.13, T3N, R17E, Boise Meridian). PREFIRE VEGETATIVE COMMUNITY:
Preburn frequencies based on occurrence in 25 2-by-2-foot (60 cm × 60 cm)
quadrats located in the study area follow ("present" indicates species was present in the stand but not detected in
quadrats): Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), 20%; subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa), present;
Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii), present; lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), present; limber pine (Pinus flexilis), present; quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), present; Rocky Mountain maple (Acer glabrum), 12%; bristly black currant (Ribes lacustre), 20%; (Ribes viscosissimum), 4%; (Penstemon fruticosus), 8%; mountain snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophilus), 12%;
pinegrass, 24%; bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata), 8%; (Poa nervosa), 20%; elk sedge (Carex geyeri), 52%; (Trisetum spicatum), 12%; heartleaf arnica (Arnica cordifolia), 48%; showy aster (Aster conspicuus), 8%; (Castilleja miniata), 8%; bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare), 12%; (Collinsia parviflora), 8%; fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium), 20%;
giant frasera (Frasera speciosa), 16%; cinquefoil (Potentilla spp.), 20%; (Pyrola secunda), 12%; (Senecio cymbalarioides), 44%; (Viola adunca), 12%. TARGET SPECIES PHENOLOGICAL STATE:Although not stated, pinegrass would have been entering summer dormancy at the time the study site was burned. SITE DESCRIPTION:The 120-acre (48-ha) study area was located at elevations of 6,500 to 7,000 feet (1970-2120 m) and general aspect was north-northeast. Annual rainfall at the time of the study at 2 nearby weather stations was 14 to 17 inches (355-432 mm). Total snowfall was 85 to 120 inches (2160-3050 mm). Soils in Neal Canyon are of limestone origin, rocky, poorly developed, and highly stable. Analysis at the site showed at least 50% gravel with a shift from sandy loams on the surface to a sandy clay loam below 14 inches (35.6 cm). Since some parts of the area had been heavily disturbed during previous years of logging, a specific 20-acre (8 ha) site of "less disturbed" terrain on a lower, middle slope was selected for examination. True aspect at this location was N 10-20 degrees. Slope was 64% and elevation was 6,500 feet (1970 m). FIRE DESCRIPTION:Basic objectives of the burn were sanitation and site preparation of the area for silvicultural purposes. Moisture content of fuel moisture sticks examined each day in the week preceding the burn had been a relatively constant 5 to 6%. During the firing period, temperatures rose from the mid-50 degrees Fahrenheit to nearly 80 degrees Fahrenheit (12.8-26.6 oC). Relative humidity dropped from approximately 50 to 10% or less. Surface winds were mostly under 5 miles per hour, with fire-induced gusts to 30 miles per hour. The fire was started with a flame thrower through the middle of the site and on the lower edge. Fire swept through tree crowns almost immediately. Within the site all litter and herbaceous material, all dead material less than 3 inches (7.6 cm), and all live stems less than 2 inches (5.1 cm) at the base were completely consumed. Fire intensity was measured with water can integrating devices described by Beaufait [12], resulting in a mean heat energy flux at the surface of the cans of 200 calories/second for about 45 minutes. It was inferred by the author that the water loss was comparable to losses during a severe broadcast burn in deep, dry slash. FIRE EFFECTS ON TARGET SPECIES:
The fire consumed all aboveground portions of pinegrass. Mean frequency (%) of pinegrass in the
prefire and postfire communities, as well as in an adjacent stand that burned 30 years earlier, follow ("x" represents present in stand but not detected in
quadrats):
FIRE MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS:As the findings of the study indicate, pinegrass appeared early in the postfire stand at frequencies only slightly different than the preburn community. Lyon's notes suggested an aggregate rather than random distribution pattern of pinegrass individuals. He predicted no major expansion of pinegrass, except for an increase in cover in the years to follow. 2nd CASE STUDY:
CASE NAME:Vegetation response to spring and fall burning for wildlife habitat improvement, west-central Montana REFERENCE:Noste, N. V. 1982 [107] SEASON/SEVERITY CLASSIFICATION:
spring (April)/low STUDY LOCATION:The two study sites were located in the O'Keefe Creek area, approximately 10 miles (16 km) north of Missoula, Montana, within the Lolo National Forest. PREFIRE VEGETATIVE COMMUNITY:
The prefire vegetation in the study area consisted of a senescent seral shrub community within a
Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)/ninebark (Physocarpus malvaceus) habitat type. Wildfire had burned the O'Keefe Creek area 34 years earlier.
TARGET SPECIES PHENOLOGICAL STATE:Although not specifically stated, pinegrass would have probably initiated spring growth prior to the April burn, and would have been undergoing regrowth after fall rains during the October burn. SITE DESCRIPTION:The fall burn was conducted within a 50-acre (20-ha) area; the spring burn comprised 125 acres (50 ha). Aspect within the 2 burned areas was generally southeast; elevations were below 4,950 feet (1500 m). Slope averaged 30% with a maximum of 50%. No additional information was given on moisture regime or soils in the area. FIRE DESCRIPTION:
The study was initiated to compare spring and fall prescribed fire treatments to improve wildlife habitat in a deteriorated seral shrub community. Although there was a higher fuel loading on the fall than on the spring burn sites, loadings on both sites were low. The amount of fine fuels on both sites
was marginal for carrying the fires. Weather conditions during the fires follow:
Rate of spread ranged from 660 to 1,188 feet per hour (200-360 m/hr) on the spring burn, contrasted with 3,366 to 4,620 feet per hour (1020-1400 m/hr) spread rates on the fall burn. Flame lengths were correspondingly higher on the fall burn. FIRE EFFECTS ON TARGET SPECIES:
Volumes of pinegrass in the pre- and postfire communities, given as ft³/acre, follow:
FIRE MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS:Pinegrass recovered rapidly and showed a dramatic increase in volume over preburn levels following both the fall and spring burns.
Related categories for SPECIES: Calamagrostis rubescens | Pinegrass |
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