FIRE CASE STUDIES
SPECIES: Carex filifolia | Threadleaf Sedge 



CASE NAME : 
Northern Great Plains/Yield and Cover/Prescribed Burning



REFERENCE : 
White, R. S.; Currie, P. O. 1983 [32]



SEASON/SEVERITY CLASSIFICATION : 
Fall - 2nd week in October/severity not reported
Spring - April 3/severity not reported



STUDY LOCATION : 
Livestock and Range Research Station - Miles City, Montana



PREFIRE VEGETATIVE COMMUNITY : 
Three communities were involved in this study:  western wheatgrass
(Pascopyrum smithii), blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis, and threadleaf
sedge.  Communities were relatively uniform, with pure stands of each of
the three species.  This minimized errors in yield and cover
measurements that frequently occur when grass separation is required.



TARGET SPECIES PHENOLOGICAL STATE : 
Fall burn:  Threadleaf sedge was dormant.
Spring burn:  Prior to onset of spring growth.



SITE DESCRIPTION : 
Soils of the study sites ranged in texture from loam to silt loam.  All
had good drainage and high fertility.  Topography was level.
Precipitation for the site is approximately 13.4 inches (34 cm)
annually, with 60 percent received between May and August.  During the
postburn growing season, precipitation was near normal for June, but
below normal for July and August.



FIRE DESCRIPTION : 
Fires were confined by panels constructed of angle-iron and sheet metal.
Plot size was sufficiently large (3 x 3 m) to approximate burning under
natural conditions.



FIRE EFFECTS ON TARGET SPECIES : 
Yield:  Spring burning of threadleaf sedge yielded about the same amount
of herbage through June as the unburned control.  In contrast, fall
burning showed about the same peak season yields, but until mid-June,
yields were significantly lower than both the control and spring-burned
plots.  This resulted in 25 percent less herbage production on the
fall-burned treatments.

Basal Cover:  Burning treatments substantially reduced the litter
component and increased the proportion of bare soil in the threadleaf
sedge community.  Spring burning resulted in the highest threadleaf
sedge cover, but there were no significant differences among other
treatments.



FIRE MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS : 
If grazing is needed in early June, neither spring nor fall burning
should be undertaken.  Plants on burned treatments never outyielded
those on the control at that time.  Spring or fall burning may
effectively stimulate forage production for the rest of the grazing
season.  Available moisture must be considered before burning.  Periods
of drought place stress on the plants, making them less likely to
recover from the burn.

Related categories for Species: Carex filifolia | Threadleaf Sedge