Spatial and temporal patterns of wildfires in the Mojave Desert, 1980–2004

Brooks, Matthew L.; Matchett, John R.

doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2006.09.027

Cited by 180 publications

(194 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Previously tilled lands are thus given lower conservation priority. Repeated fire in mid-elevation desert shrubland can allow invasive annual grasses to establish and alter the fire regime, particularly after wet years [21]. Whereas Impacted Native Cover represents the ecological condition within an individual grid cell, landscape-scale impacts on connectivity are represented by measures of fragmentation.…”

Section: On-site Degradationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Siting solar energy development to minimize biological impacts

2013

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a b s t r a c tAfter solar and other renewable energy developers select generally suitable sites for exploration, they frequently encounter conflict over biodiversity conservation values that were not factored into the initial suitability rating methods. This paper presents a spatial multicriteria analysis method for modeling risk of conflict with biological resources and applies the model in the California deserts where such conflicts are rapidly rising. The premise of the model is that the least conflict will occur on sites that are the most ecologically degraded with low conservation value and that would engender low off-site impacts when connecting to existing transmission infrastructure. Model results suggest sufficient compatible land exists in flat, non-urban areas to meet state solar energy targets of 8.7 GW of installed capacity in the California deserts for 2040. The model is a promising tool to fill the gap between site suitability analysis for renewable energy and regional biodiversity conservation planning to identify areas where rapid impact assessment and permitting will generate the least regrets.

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Section: On-site Degradationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Siting solar energy development to minimize biological impacts

2013

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“…The frequency and size of fires in desert regions of California is positively related to precipitation (Brooks and Matchett 2006). This relationship is especially strong at lower elevations where sparse vegetation is typically insufficient to carry fire except following periods of high precipitation, when annual plants fill the spaces between perennial plants creating continuous fuelbeds that promote fire spread (Brooks 1999;Brooks and Minnich 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Precipitation is used as a surrogate for fine fuel biomass in models that correlate fire with winter precipitation (e.g. Brooks and Matchett 2006). Currently, biomass thresholds can only be estimated from general fuel models typically developed for nondesert ecosystems (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships between annual plant productivity, nitrogen deposition and fire size in low-elevation California desert scrub

Rao

Matchett

Brooks

et al. 2015

Int. J. Wildland Fire

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Abstract. Although precipitation is correlated with fire size in desert ecosystems and is typically used as an indirect surrogate for fine fuel load, a direct link between fine fuel biomass and fire size has not been established. In addition, nitrogen (N) deposition can affect fire risk through its fertilisation effect on fine fuel production. In this study, we examine the relationships between fire size and precipitation, N deposition and biomass with emphasis on identifying biomass and N deposition thresholds associated with fire spreading across the landscape. We used a 28-year fire record of 582 burns from low-elevation desert scrub to evaluate the relationship of precipitation, N deposition and biomass with the distribution of fire sizes using quantile regression. We found that models using annual biomass have similar predictive ability to those using precipitation and N deposition at the lower to intermediate portions of the fire size distribution. No distinct biomass threshold was found, although within the 99th percentile of the distribution fire size increased with greater than 125 g m À2 of winter fine fuel production. The study did not produce an N deposition threshold, but did validate the value of 125 g m À2 of fine fuel for spread of fires.

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“…Historically, fires in the Sonoran and Mojave Deserts were infrequent, particularly at low elevations, where few plants and light fuel loads prevented fire spread (McLaughlin and Bowers, 1982;Brooks and Matchett, 2006). This infrequent fire regime began to change by the end of the 20th century, as invasive annuals such as red brome (Bromus sp.)…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…increased in abundance and extent across the region. The new persistence and ubiquity of these annuals fueled fires ignited by lightning and by a rapidly increasing human population (Brooks and Matchett, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of drought and fire on bird communities of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona

McCreedy¹,

Riper²,

Esque³

et al. 2015

Open-File Report

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For more information on the USGS-the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment-visit http://www.usgs.gov or call 1-888-ASK-USGS For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprodTo order this and other USGS information products, visit http://store.usgs.gov Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.Suggested citation: McCreedy, C., van Riper, C., III, Esque, T.C., and Darrah, A.J., 2015, Effects of drought and fire on bird communities of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2015-1240, 34 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151240. ISSN 2331ISSN -1258 iii Tables-Chapter 2 Table 2 Research presented here demonstrates that bird communities within a well-managed and remote Sonoran Desert portfolio site can nonetheless be negatively affected by human-caused stressors like fire and Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) parasitism, which originate from beyond the Kofa NWR's boundaries.In chapter 1, we examine how avian productivity can be influenced by timing of nest initiation. We demonstrate that (1) late nesting dates are correlated with low winter precipitation levels, a condition expected to occur in greater frequency in coming decades due to climate change (Seager and others, 2007) and that (2) late nesting dates result in decreased productivity, due to higher rates of nest depredation and, in the case of an open-cup nesting species, higher rates of brood parasitism experienced later in the breeding season. The brood parasite, the Brown-headed Cowbird, appears to forage and roost on agricultural lands north of the Kofa NWR's boundary. From that location, they commute to the refuge to parasitize other passerine bird nests. Drought and subsequent loss in primary production have been correlated with decreased productivity for birds that breed in arid habitats (Preston and Rotenberry, 2006; Chase and others, 2005; Johnson and others, 2002;Morrison and Bolger, 2002;Brown and Li, 1996;Anderson and Anderson, 1973), yet drought's standing as a threat to bird populations has been underestimated in recent regional conservation planning efforts (McCreedy and others, 2009; Latta and others, 1999).In chapter 2, we examine the effects of the King Valley fire on breeding and migrant birds within the Kofa NWR. This fire was caused by incendiary weapons testing within Yuma Proving Ground, south of the Kofa NWRboundary (Esque and others, 2013). We found large differences in spring migrant and breeding species abundance and richness between bird count stations within the 2005 King Valley fire zone and bird count stations immediately ...

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Spatial and temporal patterns of wildfires in the Mojave Desert, 1980–2004

Cited by 180 publications

References 12 publications

Siting solar energy development to minimize biological impacts

Siting solar energy development to minimize biological impacts

Relationships between annual plant productivity, nitrogen deposition and fire size in low-elevation California desert scrub

Effects of drought and fire on bird communities of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Arizona

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