Effects of wildland fire on the tropical alpine moorlands of Mount Kenya

Downing, Timothy; Imo, Moses; Kimanzi, Johnstone K.; Otinga, Abigael N.

doi:10.1016/j.catena.2016.10.003

Cited by 19 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…It considers the fact that ecological benefits of prescribed fires often outweigh their negative effects. A regular occurrence of fires can reduce the amount of fuel build-up, thereby lowering the likelihood of a potentially large wildland fire [21]. Fire removes low-growing underbrush, clears dead or weaker trees, cleans the forest floor of debris, opens it up to sunlight, and reduces competition for nutrients and space, allowing established trees to grow stronger and healthier [22].…”

Section: Integrated Fire Management Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The ashes that remain after a fire add nutrients that are often locked in older vegetation to the soil for trees and other vegetation. Fires can also provide a way of controlling insect pests by killing off the older or diseased trees and leaving the younger, healthier trees [21]. Burned trees provide habitats for nesting birds, homes for mammals, and a nutrient base for new plants.…”

Section: Integrated Fire Management Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the last 35 years, catastrophic fires have been occurring during the dry season in January, February, March, July, August, and September, and have burned 4509.10 ha of Gathiuru Forest, destroying plant material and the litter layer. KFS records show that from 1980 to 2015, the total damage caused by catastrophic fires in Gathiuru Forest plantations for timber and pulpwood was $443,837 and the cost incurred while fighting these fires was $41,917 [21].…”

Section: Negative Social and Environmental Effects Of Catastrophic Firesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fire Management in Mount Kenya: A Case Study of Gathiuru Forest Station

Nyongesa

Vacik

2018

Forests

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This paper proposes an Integrated Fire Management (IFM) framework that can be used to support communities and resource managers in finding effective and efficient approaches to prevent damaging fires, as well as to maintain desirable fire regimes in Kenya. Designing and implementing an IFM approach in Kenya calls for a systematic understanding of the various uses of fire and the underlying perceptions and traditional ecological knowledge of the local people. The proposed IFM framework allows different stakeholders to evaluate the risks posed by fires and balance them with their beneficial ecological and economic effects making it easier for them to develop effective fire management approaches. A case study of the proposed IFM framework was conducted in Gathiuru Forest, which that is part of the larger Mt. Kenya Forest Ecosystem. Focus group discussions were held with key resource persons, primary and secondary data on socio-economic activities was studied, fire and weather records were analysed and the current fire management plans were consulted. Questionnaires were used to assess how the IFM is implemented in the Gathiuru Forest Station. The results show that the proposed IFM framework is scalable and can be applied in places with fire-dependent ecosystems as well as in places with fire-sensitive ecosystems in Kenya. The effectiveness of the proposed IFM framework depends on the active participation, formulation and implementation of the IFM activities by the main stakeholder groups (Kenya Forest Service (KFS), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), and the Community Forest Associations (CFA). The proposed IFM framework helps in implementing cost-effective approaches to prevent damaging fires and maintain desirable fire regimes in Kenya.

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Section: Integrated Fire Management Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Integrated Fire Management Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Negative Social and Environmental Effects Of Catastrophic Firesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fire Management in Mount Kenya: A Case Study of Gathiuru Forest Station

Nyongesa

Vacik

2018

Forests

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“…Anthropogenic activities and climate change are increasing fire distribution, frequency, and severity (Flannigan et al, 1998; Hanes et al, 2019; Singleton et al, 2019). Fire drives changes in soil microclimate (Hu et al, 2020), soil physiochemical properties (Downing et al, 2017), and soil organic matter (SOM) formation and pyrolysis (Adkins & Miesel, 2021) as well as vegetation community composition (Hu et al, 2018) and plant biomass allocation patterns (Le Stradic et al, 2021). All these changes can affect soil microbial community composition and activity and drive changes in soil extracellular enzyme production and activity (Chen, Luo, García‐Palacios, et al, 2018; Hedo et al, 2015; Knelman et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post‐fire soil extracellular enzyme activities in subtropical–warm temperate climate transitional forests

Wang

et al. 2023

Land Degrad Dev

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Wildfire impacts on soil microbial community structure and functional activity have attracted a growing attention because of the higher sensitivity of soil microbes to wildfire. Soil extracellular enzymes play pivotal roles in biogeochemical processes, such as mediating carbon (C) and nutrient cycling. However, little is known about how post‐fire changes in soil biogeochemical properties and microbial community composition affect soil extracellular enzyme activities. This study explored the responses and regulating factors of C‐, nitrogen‐(N), and phosphorus‐(P) acquiring extracellular enzyme activities across a wildfire chronosequence (i.e., 1, 6, 13, and 50 years after fire) in subtropical–temperate ecotonal forests in Central China. The activities of C‐(β‐glucosidase), N‐(N‐acetylglucosaminidase), and P‐(acid phosphatase) acquiring enzymes declined with time post‐fire, with the highest values one‐year post‐fire. The response of C‐acquiring enzyme activity to fire was positively correlated with bacterial biomass, suggesting that microbial compositions were related to post‐fire changes in extracellular enzyme decomposition. The response of N‐acquiring enzyme activity to fire was positively correlated with soil P availability, while P‐acquiring enzyme activity was positively correlated with soil N availability. Overall, soil extracellular enzyme activity declined with time post‐fire, suggesting wildfire may reduce microbial demand for nutrients over time. Future research is needed to elucidate fire impacts on microbial processes for nutrient‐microbial‐enzyme linkages.

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“…Mt Kenya has climatic patterns typical of boreal forests (Downing et al 2016). Its rare afro-alpine ecosystem (UNESCO 2013) occurs only in a few elevated areas on the continent (KWS 2010).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%