Trends in Fire Occurrence in the Arizona Upland Subdivision of the Sonoran Desert, 1955 to 1983

Schmid, Mary K.; Rogers, Garry F.

doi:10.2307/3672211

Cited by 40 publications

(30 citation statements)

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“…Fire is also becoming more common in desert grasslands (Schmid and Rogers 1988) due to wildfires and increased use as a management tool. If fuel is allowed to build up to ensure successful burning (for example by a temporary reduction in grazing), such as is the case on the research ranch, then individual fires are likely to be damaging.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mortality over 16 years of cacti in a burnt desert grassland

Thomas

2005

Plant Ecol

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Mortality of cacti after grassland fires is usually <25% within 2 years. Little, however, is known about long-term mortality. This study followed the fate of 50 marked plants of each of four species of small cacti (Coryphantha vivipara, Echinocereus pectinatus, Echinomastus intertextus and Mammillaria heyderi) on burnt and unburnt desert-grassland in Arizona. All marked plants were dead within 16 years. The first three species suffered increased mortality after being burnt while M. gummifera survived better after fire. The average rate of mortality of burnt plants over unburnt plants was 10.2 times higher in E. pectinatus, 3.7 times in C. vivipara and 1.5 times in E. intertextus. In M. heyderi, however, the mortality of burnt plants was 0.25 that of control plants. Fire more rapidly removed the breeding populations of the first three species, reducing seed availability in the occasional years favourable for establishment, increasing the risk of local extinction. Cacti did establish on the study areas and by the end were of a similar size to the dead cohort giving the superficial impression that the site was unchanged except for a reduction on unburnt sites in total cactus density (burnt: 445/ha in 1987, 401/ha in 2003; control: 2235/ha and 675/ha, respectively). Evidence of fire and dead plants rapidly disappeared, so without plants being marked the death of one population and establishment of another would have been easily missed. Estimates of growth rates support the assertion that the final plants established during the study.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mortality over 16 years of cacti in a burnt desert grassland

Thomas

2005

Plant Ecol

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“…These Wres predictably occur from June through September when there is a high frequency of lightning strikes that can ignite dry vegetation (Gosz et al 1995;. Although speculative, these Wres can be large ( >2 ha) and occur at approximately 10-year return intervals (Schmid and Rogers 1985;Rogers and Vint 1987;McPherson 1995). Third, past research has evaluated perennial grass responses to Wre by measuring general, population level changes in aerial and basal cover.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Population and clonal level responses of a perennial grass following fire in the northern Chihuahuan Desert

2006

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Relationships involving fire and perennial grasses are controversial in Chihuahuan Desert grasslands of southern New Mexico, USA. Research suggests that fire delays the resprouting of perennial grasses well after two growing seasons. However, such results are confounded by livestock grazing, soil erosion, and drought. Additionally, post-fire grass responses may depend on initial clone size. We evaluated the effects of fire, grazing, and clone size on Bouteloua eriopoda (black grama) in southern New Mexico grasslands. Four 2-ha plots were established in each of four sites. Fire and grazing were applied or not applied in 1999 such that four treatment combinations were assigned randomly to plots within each site. Within each plot, small (0-10 cm(2) basal area), medium (10-30 cm(2)), and large ( > 30 cm(2)) clones were initially mapped in five 0.91-m(2) quadrats where grass attributes and litter cover were evaluated before and at the end of two growing seasons following fire. Maximum fire temperature was also measured. At a population level, canopy and litter cover were each approximately 50% less in burned than unburned areas. However, compared to initial levels, canopy height had increased by 10% at the end of the study, regardless of fire. At a clonal level, basal cover reductions were attributed mostly to large clones that survived fire. Smaller clone densities had decreased by as much as 19% in burned compared to unburned areas, and fire reduced the basal cover of medium clones. Basal and canopy cover, recruitment, and clone basal area decreased with increased fire temperatures. Almost all responses were independent of grazing, and interactive effects of grazing and fire were not detected. Fire did not kill all perennial grass clones, regardless of size. However, rapid responses were likely influenced by above-average precipitation after fire. Future studies in desert grasslands should examine how perennial grass dynamics are affected by fire, precipitation patterns, and interactions with grazing.

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“…Fire in arid regions is viewed as a rare event (Schmid and Rogers, 1988), and historically, the lower elevations of the Sonoran Desert are no exception, as they experienced a near absence of fire activity (Wright and Bailey, 1982). Buffelgrass provides a case study to highlight the alteration of ecosystems and fire regimes that is occurring in arid lands across the globe (D' Antonio and Vitousek, 1992).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%