The effects of early season and late season prescribed fires on small mammals in a Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest

Preliminary effects of fire and mechanical fuel treatments on the abundance of small mammals in the mixed-conifer forest of the Sierra Nevada

“…In other forest studies, deer mice have generally responded positively (Tester, 1965;Beck and Vogl, 1972;Bock and Bock, 1983;Kyle and Block, 2000;Carey and Wilson, 2001;Klenner and Sullivan, 2003;Suzuki and Hayes, 2003;Muzika et al, 2004;Fantz and Renken, 2005;Perry and Thill, 2005;Greenberg et al, 2006) or minimally (Cole et al, 1998;Waters and Zabel, 1998;Moses and Boutin, 2001;Converse et al, 2006a,b;Craig et al, 2006;Monroe and Converse, 2006) to either forest burning or thinning. A similar pattern was observed across a review of eight other FFS sites, with only one negative response being recorded (Converse et al, 2006b).…”

Responses of Small Mammals to Wildfire in a Mixed Conifer Forest in the San Bernardino Mountains, California

“…Other studies have shown that the responses of chipmunks to prescribed fire and wildfire in conifer forests are highly variable. After prescribed burns, which most closely resemble the moderate-severity burn in this study, chipmunks responded negatively (Converse et al, 2006c;Maguire et al, 2008) or showed no response (Monroe and Converse, 2006;Meyer et al, 2007;Amacher et al, 2008). After wildfire, chipmunks declined in burned compared to unburned areas (Martell, 1984;Kyle and Block, 2000;Roberts et al, 2008) or showed no change (Monroe et al, 2004;Converse et al, 2006b;Zwolak and Foresman, 2007;Converse et al, 2006a).…”

“…Moreover, there are no post-fire small mammal studies in the SBM compared to at least six studies in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Nevertheless, five of the Sierra Nevada studies focus on the effects of thinning and prescribed burning on small mammals (Meyer et al, 2005;Monroe and Converse, 2006;Meyer et al 2007;Amacher et al 2008;Maguire et al, 2008) while only one examines the effects of a wildfire (Roberts et al, 2008).…”

Short-Term Fire Effects on Small Mammal Populations and Vegetation of the Northern Chihuahuan Desert

“…Without a prior index of population levels on burned areas, results could misrepresent changes in diversity or assemblages of small mammal populations [10]. Interest in the role of fire in ecological communities [11] has spurred the development of a priori studies with spatial replication and random assignment of treatments, but most have been in forested systems [12][13][14].…”