• 1st CASE STUDY:
Prescribed burning on a ridge and meadow in Wind Cave National Park, SD

• 2nd CASE STUDY:
Burning in bluestem and mixed-grass prairies in Wind Cave National Park, SD

Prescribed burning on a ridge and meadow in Wind Cave National Park, SD

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

REFERENCE:

Gartner, F. R. 1975 [61]

SEASON/SEVERITY CLASSIFICATION:

No entry

STUDY LOCATION:

The study was conducted in the northwest corner of Wind Cave National Park in southeastern South Dakota. Bordering the site to the north and west is a park perimeter fence. Gravel roads occur south and northeast of the site. A major paved highway through the park, SD 87, provided a fuelbreak on the east side of the study site.

PREFIRE VEGETATIVE COMMUNITY:

Two distinct plant communities were present on the ridge and meadow sites. The Ridge was dominated by western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii). Green needlegrass (Nassella viridula) was also common. Other, shorter graminoids included blue grama (B. gracilis), buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides), Japanese brome (Bromus japonicus), and sedges (Carex spp.).

Vegetation in the meadow was dominated by Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis); western wheatgrass was also abundant. Green needlegrass and blue grama were common. There were very few ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) trees in the meadow areas, and pine seedling encroachment was minimal.

TARGET SPECIES PHENOLOGICAL STATE:

No entry

SITE DESCRIPTION:

Annual precipitation averages 18 inches (450 mm), with about 3/4th of it occurring in the growing season. Site characteristics were:

Ridge - Soils on the ridge site are deep loams with clay on the surface. Aspect is level. Elevation is 3,700 feet (110 m).

Meadow - Meadow soils are moderately deep (12 to 24 inches (30-60 cm)), stony clays. Aspect is east; elevation is 3,926 feet (1178 m).

FIRE DESCRIPTION:

Objectives were to control ponderosa pine encroachment onto grassland and to evaluate effects of burning in different seasons. Treatments were: (1) prefrost fall burning (18 Sept. 1973); (2) postfrost winter burning (13 Feb. 1974); (3) early spring burning (10 April 1974); and (4) no burning (control). Total fuel load was more than 2 tone/acre (oven dry) and did not vary significantly between burning dates. Herbaceous fuels averaged 4,814, 4,234, and 4,895 lbs/acre on the ridge, slope, and meadow sites, respectively. Conditions at time of burning were as follows:

Fall fire
       Temperature  Relative  Wind speed  Wind       Time
       (oF)         humidity  (miles/h)   direction
Ridge  78           24        5-7         S-W        1330
Meadow 77           30        5-6         SE-NE      1450

Winter fire
       Temperature  Relative  Wind speed  Wind       Time
       (oF)         humidity  (miles/h)   direction  
Ridge  49           34        3-5         E          1205
Meadow 50           36        5-8         SE         1335

Spring fire
       Temperature  Relative  Wind speed  Wind       Time
       (oF)         humidity  (miles/h)   direction
Ridge  50           52        7           NE         0930
Meadow 45           64        10-15       N-NE       1100

FIRE EFFECTS ON TARGET SPECIES:

Density of western wheatgrass was greater on all burned sites compared to the unburned site; however, yields were pronouncedly different between replicates. Yields increased after spring burning on the ridge but were slightly reduced on the slope and meadow sites. One month after fall burning, western wheatgrass was 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) tall. In general, fall- and winter-burned treatments greened-up later and grew more slowly than the spring-burned site. Recovery of western wheatgrass on 26 May 1974 was as follows:

Ridge
             Fall     Winter     Spring     Unburned
  
Height (cm)  21.6     21.9       22.9       27.5
yield(kg/ha) 869      725        1208       104


Meadow       
             Fall     Winter     Spring     Unburned
  
Height (cm)  18.2     19.6       20.5       22.0  
Yield(kg/ha) 66       95         95         261 

FIRE MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS:

Spring burning will probably produce more forage of western wheatgrass and other cool-season grasses than will fall burning.

2nd CASE STUDY:

• REFERENCE
• 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:

Burning in bluestem and mixed-grass prairies in Wind Cave National Park, SD

REFERENCE:

Schripsema, J. R. 1978 [128]

SEASON/SEVERITY CLASSIFICATION:

Fires were conducted in late winter (March 1), early spring (Apr. 21) and late spring (May 27). Severity was not specified, but the fires were severe enough to kill 65% to 95% of young ponderosa pines (Pinus ponderosa) less than 3 feet (1 m) tall.

STUDY LOCATION:

Wind Cave National Park is in a semiarid region of the Black Hills in South Dakota. The 2 study areas within the park were: the Rankin Ridge study area in the northwest corner of the park and the Wind Cave Canyon study area about 2 miles (3.3 km) east of park headquarters on the south slope of Wind Cave Canyon.

PREFIRE VEGETATIVE COMMUNITY:

The vegetation on the Rankin Ridge site was dominated by little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). Western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda), Kentucky bluegrass (P. pratensis), grama grasses (Bouteloua curtipendula and B. gracilis,), and Canada bluegrass (P. compressa) were common. Ponderosa pine was encroaching on the site.

TARGET SPECIES PHENOLOGICAL STATE:

Fires were conducted when plants were actively growing.

SITE DESCRIPTION:

Average annual precipitation is 18 inches (460 mm). On the Rankin Ridge site, soils are deep cobbly loams with a 6 to 15% slope. Aspect is north-northeast; elevation is between 4,440 and 4,4480 feet (1353 and 1366 m).

Weather conditions at time of the fires were as follows: 

Date    Time Location      Temp.       RH      Wind
of burn                                       (mph)
5/27/76 0900 Rankin Ridge  70oF(21oC)  38%     ENE 4-7
3/1/77  1100 Rankin Ridge  30oF(-11oC) 78%     SSE 3-6
4/21/76 0600 Wind Cave     48oF(9oC)   49%     NNW 4-9
4/21/76 0825 Wind Cave     70oF(21oC)  40% N   W   7-12* 
*At 0845 the wind switched to SE at 8-12 mph. 

FIRE DESCRIPTION:

In the spring 30 acres (12 ha) were burned at the Rankin Ridge site with an additional 45 acres (18 ha) burned in the winter. The late spring burn (May 27, 1976) was initiated on the northwest and southwest edges of the site. The fire then burned into the wind, widening the firebreaks. The northeast and southeast edges were then ignited and a headfire carried the fire across the study area. In the late winter (March 1, 1977), a burn was ignited at the southwest corner. The northwest, northeast, and southwest lines were widened by burning into the wind. Once the lines were widened the southeast edge was ignited, and a headfire carried the fire across the study area. Burning was initiated at about 1000 hours and completed by 1130.

On the Wind Cave Canyon study area, 35 acres (14 ha) were burned. Vegetation was burned between two strips of fire retardant that were about 6 to 9 feet (2-3 m) apart. Both burns at this study site were conducted on March 21, 1976. The south fire line was reinforced by burning west to east strips from the existing line toward a slope. The fire was then backed downhill through mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus spp.) to reduce fuels and minimize damage to shrubs. Along the east end of the area the fire burned with the wind through ponderosa pine. Burning was initiated at about 0830 and completed by 1130.

FIRE EFFECTS ON TARGET SPECIES:

All burning treatments decreased western wheatgrass plant height. The late spring burn on Rankin Ridge had lower yield of western wheatgrass the first postfire year but not the second year. Yield on the late winter burn did not differ significantly (p=0.10) from that on control plots. On the Wind Cave Canyon mixed-grass prairie burns, western wheatgrass yields were significantly greater on burned than unburned sites. Yields (g/m²) were as follows:

 
Location     Rankin Ridge             Wind Cave Canyon
tmt.    control  3/1 burn  5/27 burn  control 4/21 burns
1976    2.11     -----     1.28*      6.25    17.51*
1977    2.39     3.54      1.00       4.31    13.48*   
* significantly different from unburned areas at p=0.10

FIRE MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS:

Prescribed burning is effective for creating firebreaks for 4 to 5 years, or until the mulch layer is replaced. Burning when mulch is moist helps retain a mulch layer that reduces evaporation from the soil, thus increasing grass yields. The size of burned areas can affect postburn recovery, since bison attracted to burns can easily overgraze small areas.

Related categories for SPECIES: Pascopyrum smithii | Western Wheatgrass