Burning Flint Hills Range

McMurphy, W. E.; Anderson, Kling L.

doi:10.2307/3895495

Cited by 56 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This pattern is consistent with observations made by de Jong (1973) and Trlica and Schuster (1969) who reported low soil moisture levels in grasslands that had been burned in the autumn. Such differences can be attributed to lower infiltration rates, reduced winter snow-trapping and to microclimatic effects (McMurphy and Anderson 1965;Redmann 1978). In the present study the mid-February snow cover differed significantly (P ≤ 0.01) between plots with snowpack water equivalents of 73 mm, 48 mm, 35 mm, and 25 mm in the control, spring, summer, and autumn burns, respectively.…”

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 40%

Effects of Season of Burning on the Microenvironment of Fescue Prairie in Central Saskatchewan

Archibold¹,

Ripley²,

Delanoy³

2003

Can Field Nat

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The microenvironmental effects of spring, summer and autumn burns were investigated for a small area of fescue prairie in Saskatchewan over two growing seasons. Maximum fire temperature in all burns exceeded 300°C at a height of 5-10 cm in the canopy. At a depth of 1 cm in the soil, temperature increased to 40°C during the summer burn, but was unaffected by burns at other seasons. Spring-burned grasses recovered to the same height as the unburned control plot by the end of the first summer. Grass height was similar in all plots by the end of the second growing season, but aboveground biomass in all burned plots was about half that of the control. Graminoid leaf area index at the end of the second growing season ranged from 0.65 in the control plot to 0.27 in the autumn burn. Surface albedos dropped to about 0.03 immediately after burning and took about 3 months to return to the pre-burn values near 0.20. By mid-June of the second year, albedos were similar in all plots. Soil temperatures at 50 cm depth in the burned plots were higher than in the control during the first summer and lower during the winter. The greatest winter snowpack (73 mm water equivalent) accumulated in the control, compared to 48, 35 and 25 mm in the spring, summer and autumn burned plots, respectively. In the first growing season the greatest demand for water occurred in the spring plot followed by the summer, control and autumn plots. In the second season water demand did not differ significantly among plots, reflecting the similarities in plant cover. The microenvironmental effects of a single burning episode in fescue prairie disappear rather quickly, so that there is little long-term impact on the vegetation.

show abstract

Section: Resultscontrasting

confidence: 40%

Effects of Season of Burning on the Microenvironment of Fescue Prairie in Central Saskatchewan

Archibold¹,

Ripley²,

Delanoy³

2003

Can Field Nat

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This body of research indicates convincingly that burning earlier than late spring (about 1 May at this latitude) in grazed prairie reduces overall herbage production and favors forbs over perennial grasses compared to unburned prairie (McMurphy and Anderson 1963, 1965, Owensby and Anderson 1967, Anderson et al 1970, Towne and Owensby 1984, Gibson 1989. Combined with a long-term study on ungrazed plots (Towne and Owensby 1984) (Tables 1 and 2), these data demonstrate that a late-spring burning date in the northern Flint Hills of Kansas optimizes production of desirable forage grasses relative to burning earlier in the dormant season.…”

Section: Dormant-season Firementioning

confidence: 96%

Viewpoint: The response of central North American prairies to seasonal fire

Engle¹,

Bidwell²

2001

REM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Natural fires on the native grasslands of Oklahoma and Kansas were important for maintaining ecosystem structure and function. Today, land managers largely conduct prescribed fires in the late dormant season or they do not burn at all. When wildfires occur in other seasons, conventional wisdom assumes that desirable forage species for cattle are compromised. This assumption is based on a few fire studies limited in breadth and scope. To address this, we revisited numerous data sets to quantify the influence of season of fire on plant production and species composition. Research demonstrates that tallgrass prairie burned in the late spring starts growth earlier, grows more rapidly early in the growing season, and produces more tall grasses than unburned prairie. We contrast this response with the literature reporting the results of fire occurring in other seasons. Fire effects vary with fire frequency, fire-return interval, grazing history, herbicide use, successional stage, weather pattern, edaphic features, and topography. Our review of research suggests that a variety of responses to fire season are possible and rules-of-thumb that generalize responses are misleading. Most of the research on fire also does not report the interaction of fire and herbivory. Thus it is difficult to judge the influence of fire within the context of herbivory. Results from ongoing research suggest that the prairie is far more resilient under the interaction of fire and herbivory than earlier believed.Key Words: native grasslands, prescribed fire, fire frequency, fire interactions, fire return interval, wildfire Fire on the native grasslands of Oklahoma and Kansas, as in other portions of the Great Plains, provided a portion of the energy required for the development and maintenance of these grasslands (Bragg 1995). Natural fire was possible from late in the growing season before the first killing freeze in autumn, through the dormant season (i.e., after the first freeze in autumn and before the last freeze in spring), and up to several weeks after the last freeze in spring (Bragg 1982, Higgins 1986. The timing of fires with respect to season or within a season potentially influences plant species composition and productivity, and therefore influences rangeland management in the modern landscape. In this paper we demonstrate that a variety of plant species composition and production responses to season of fire are possible, and that prairie is far more resilient to burning in any season than is accepted commonly by conventional wisdom.Prescribed fire for livestock management in the grasslands of Oklahoma and Kansas is usually intended to enhance forage quality for cattle. Fires conducted early in the freeze-free period of the spring, traditionally referred to as late spring, coincide with resumption of active growth of warm-season grasses following winter dormancy. Late spring burning has been recommended for optimum cattle production (Launchbaugh and Owensby 1978). Fires conducted in winter or early spring are intended to e...

show abstract

“…a-f Means within rows with unlike letters differ (P < 0.05). Anderson (1965) also found spring burnings were detrimental to bluegrass composition in a big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi Vitm.) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) prairie.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Numerous researchers (Anderson et al 1970;Engle et al 1990Engle et al , 1993McMurphy and Anderson 1965) have evaluated the effects of burning on botanical composition of tall grass prairie. Late spring burns are often prescribed to benefit cattle production (Anderson et al 1970;Owensby and Smith 1979), because they favor the dominant tall grasses over forbs and woody species (McMurphy and Anderson 1965;Anderson et al 1970).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Late spring burns are often prescribed to benefit cattle production (Anderson et al 1970;Owensby and Smith 1979), because they favor the dominant tall grasses over forbs and woody species (McMurphy and Anderson 1965;Anderson et al 1970). Mechanical disturbances of forage stands have also resulted in the release of plant nutrients through soil weathering and decomposition of organic matter (Wight and White 1974).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The effect of rejuvenation of Aspen Parkland ecoregion grass-legume pastures on botanical composition

Lardner¹,

Wright²,

Cohen³

et al. 2001

Can. J. Plant Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

L. 2001. The effect of rejuvenation of Aspen Parkland ecoregion grass-legume pastures on botanical composition. Can. J. Plant Sci. 81: 673-683. A 3-yr study was conducted at five different sites in the Aspen Parkland of Saskatchewan to determine the effect of spiking, burning, mowing, deepbanding (Trt) and applications of N, P, K and S liquid and granular fertilizers (Fert) on changes in botanical composition of predominantly smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) pastures established on Black Chernozemic and Gray Luvisolic soils in central Saskatchewan. Fertilizer application was in a liquid form blended to provide 100 kg N ha -1 , 45 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 , 23 kg K 2 O ha -1 and 12 kg S ha -1 in 350 kg of fertilizer ha -1 . The experimental design at each site was a randomized complete block in a split-plot arrangement. Main plots were spike, burn, mow, deep-band, deep-band liquid fertilizer and control. The split-plot treatment was granular fertilizer broadcast at 0 and 350 kg ha -1 (providing 100 kg N ha -1 , 45 kg P 2 O 5 ha -1 , 23 kg K 2 O ha -1 and 12 kg S ha -1 ). All treatments were applied in the spring of 1994. Interaction effects of Trt × Yr and Fert × Yr were significant (P < 0.05), indicating a wide range of response to the rejuvenation methods among years. Spiking reduced grass and legume composition, and increased (P < 0.05) the presence of annual weeds and bare ground. Burning increased (P < 0.05) alfalfa composition in years 2 and 3 at three sites and tended to decrease (P > 0.05) bluegrass composition in all 3 yr. Broadcast and liquid fertilizer, at 200 kg N ha -1 decreased (P < 0.05) the alfalfa component in years 2 at four sites and increased (P < 0.05) the smooth bromegrass component at two sites in year 1 and all sites in years 2 and 3. Fertilizer (granular or liquid) alone or combined with mechanical treatments (deep-band, mow, spike or burn) increased (P < 0.05) the composition of smooth bromegrass and decreased (P < 0.05) the composition of bluegrass, weeds and bare ground variably over 3 yr. Mowing and deep-banding had minimal effects on botanical composition. L'aération réduit la proportion de graminées et de légumineuses et augmente (P < 0,05) celle d'adventices annuelles et la superficie du sol nu. Les brûlis ont accru (P < 0,05) la proportion de luzerne à trois endroits, les années 2 et 3, et ont eu tendance à réduire (P > 0,05) la proportion de pâturin les trois années. L'épandage d'engrais à la volée et d'engrais liquide à raison de 200 kg N ha -1 a réduit (P < 0,05) la proportion de luzerne aux quatre sites l'année 2 et augmenté (P < 0,05) celle de brome inerme à deux endroits l'année 1 et à tous les sites les années 2 et 3. La fertilisation (engrais granulaire ou liquide), seule ou combinée à un traitement mécanique (épandage en bandes profondes, tonte, aération ou brûlis), a accru (P < 0,05) la proportion de brome inerme et réduit (P < 0.05) celle de pâturin, d'adventices et de sol nu de façon variable les trois années. La tonte et l'épandage e...

show abstract

Burning Flint Hills Range

Cited by 56 publications

References 8 publications

Effects of Season of Burning on the Microenvironment of Fescue Prairie in Central Saskatchewan

Effects of Season of Burning on the Microenvironment of Fescue Prairie in Central Saskatchewan

Viewpoint: The response of central North American prairies to seasonal fire

The effect of rejuvenation of Aspen Parkland ecoregion grass-legume pastures on botanical composition

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About