Plant community response to prescribed fire varies by pre-fire condition and season of burn in mountain big sagebrush ecosystems

Ellsworth, Lisa M.; Kauffman, J. Boone

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2017.04.012

Cited by 19 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…These results underscore the importance of fire severity, rather than phenological interactions with burn season, as a major driver shaping vegetation patterns (Knapp et al. , Ellsworth and Kauffman ). Haslem et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

“…In addition, many of the patterns that we found were strong legacies from the original burn. These results underscore the importance of fire severity, rather than phenological interactions with burn season, as a major driver shaping vegetation patterns (Knapp et al 2009, Ellsworth andKauffman 2017). Haslem et al (2016) note that while time since the last fire was more important than fire frequency in explaining forest structure patterns in Australia, patterns were strongly mediated by the type of fire and fire severity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…However, similar relationships between the fire regime and plant community patterns should not be assumed for different ecosystem types (Scheintaub et al 2009). Indeed, limited studies in the western United States indicate that fire season appears to be a relatively minor factor for many of the plant species that have been studied, and that the intensity and resulting severity of the fire often have a greater impact (Kerns et al 2006, Ellsworth and Kauffman 2017.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prescribed fire regimes subtly alter ponderosa pine forest plant community structure

Kerns

Day

2018

Ecosphere

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Prescribed fire is an active management tool used to address wildfire hazard and ecological concerns associated with fire exclusion and suppression over the past century. Despite widespread application in the United States, there is considerable inconsistency and lack of information regarding the extent to which specific outcomes are achieved and under what prescribed fire regimes, particularly in regard to ecological goals related to plant community structure. We quantify differences and patterns in plant functional group abundance, species richness and diversity, and other key forest components through time from a unique long‐term (15‐yr) experiment within the Malheur National Forest of Oregon. Treatments included five fire regimes: fall and spring 5‐yr burning, fall and spring single burn, and no burning. Original burns were conducted in the fall of 1997 and spring of 1998, and plant data were collected every five years starting in 2002. Many perennial plant group responses were neutral, subtle, and ephemeral. Total cover increased marginally in response to the first burn, but this response disappeared within a decade. Three 5‐yr reburns did not increase or decrease total plant cover, richness, or diversity. Some plant groups with fire resistant and resilient traits, such as annual forbs, exotic forbs, open bunchgrasses, and rhizomatous and resprouting perennials, showed some short‐term positive responses to initial burning and 1–2 reburns, but not 3. The moderately more severe fall burns generally impacted plant responses more than spring burning, but many patterns were legacies from the original higher severity burns. Burn frequency was more important for less severe spring burning. Overall, we document that most native perennial plant functional groups were able to resist or recover from burning and reburning, but did not necessarily strongly respond. This may be due to the importance of other overriding forcing factors and ecosystem inertia not easily overcome by very low‐severity prescribed burns. Results from our study are important for practitioners using prescribed fire to achieve biodiversity, conservation, and habitat goals that hinge on a vigorous native perennial plant response, as such outcomes are not certain even with frequent burn regimes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Prescribed fire regimes subtly alter ponderosa pine forest plant community structure

Kerns

Day

2018

Ecosphere

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“…3, 4), a pattern which may be a product of competitive interactions. Certain native perennial grass species, including western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) and Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda), may expand after a fire due to competitive release from sagebrush, which recovers more slowly (Vale 1974, Cooper et al 2011, Davies et al 2012, Taylor et al 2014, Ellsworth et al 2016, Shinneman and McIlroy 2016, Ellsworth and Kauffman 2017, Mitchell et al 2017, Condon and Pyke 2018. Certain native perennial grass species, including western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii) and Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda), may expand after a fire due to competitive release from sagebrush, which recovers more slowly (Vale 1974, Cooper et al 2011, Davies et al 2012, Taylor et al 2014, Ellsworth et al 2016, Shinneman and McIlroy 2016, Ellsworth and Kauffman 2017, Mitchell et al 2017, Condon and Pyke 2018.…”

Section: Historical Composition As a Driver Of Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Pre‐fire vegetation drives post‐fire outcomes in sagebrush ecosystems: evidence from field and remote sensing data

et al. 2019

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Understanding the factors that influence vegetation responses to disturbance is important because vegetation is the foundation of food resources, wildlife habitat, and ecosystem properties and processes. We integrated vegetation cover data derived from field plots and remotely sensed Landsat images in two focal areas over a 37-yr period to investigate how historical changes to community composition influence contemporary responses of vegetation to fire in sagebrush ecosystems in the Great Basin. Our objectives were (1) to quantify the magnitude and direction of change in the cover of native and exotic plant functional groups in relation to their exposure to fire; (2) to relate plant community changes to their historical composition, exposure to fire, and environmental conditions; and (3) to test for consistency of trends revealed by vegetation cover data derived from field plots and Landsat images. Historical (1979Historical ( -1981 field data originated from 298 locations, Landsat-derived data and contemporary (2011-2016) field data originated from 448 locations, and an expanded set of locations were included in some analyses of Landsat-derived data. We found that areas burned by fire since the 1980s had higher annual herbaceous cover than unburned areas both historically and contemporarily. Models revealed a significant interaction between historical community composition and exposure to fire, which suggests that plots with historically high herbaceous cover were more susceptible to burning. Trends revealed by field and Landsat-derived cover data were only partially consistent, potentially due in part to methods used to predict cover values from Landsat images, and the time period over which each data set was collected. Our results suggest that burned areas historically occupied by sagebrush-dominated plant communities may have been invaded by exotic annuals prior to burning, possibly because of prior land uses, and after burning, have now transitioned to a persistent herbaceous-dominated state. This type of state transition has important consequences for forage quality, wildlife habitat, soil nutrients, and future disturbances, such as drought and wildfire.

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“…Long term studies on wildfire responses are difficult due to their complexity, and because companion sites and control groups are challenging to designate (Ellsworth & Kauffman, 2017). While some long-term (>5 year) studies are possible at the plot scale, studies at the landscape scale are difficult due to their size, and heterogeneity (Reed-Dustin et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Utilizing Satellite Fusion Methods to Assess Vegetation Phenology in a Semi-Arid Ecosystem

Gallagher¹

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leading to desertification, habitat loss, and the spread of invasive species. Modern public satellite imagery is unable to detect fine temporal and spatial changes that occur in drylands. These ecosystems can have rapid phenological changes, and the heterogeneity of the ground cover is unable to be identified at course pixel sizes (e.g. 250 m). We develop a system that uses data from multiple satellites to model finer data to detect phenology in a semi-arid ecosystem, a dryland ecosystem type.

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Plant community response to prescribed fire varies by pre-fire condition and season of burn in mountain big sagebrush ecosystems

Cited by 19 publications

References 29 publications

Prescribed fire regimes subtly alter ponderosa pine forest plant community structure

Prescribed fire regimes subtly alter ponderosa pine forest plant community structure

Pre‐fire vegetation drives post‐fire outcomes in sagebrush ecosystems: evidence from field and remote sensing data

Utilizing Satellite Fusion Methods to Assess Vegetation Phenology in a Semi-Arid Ecosystem

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