Wildland fire in ecosystems: effects of fire on flora

Brown, James K.; Smith, Jane Kapler

doi:10.2737/rmrs-gtr-42-v2

Cited by 298 publications

(176 citation statements)

References 394 publications

(553 reference statements)

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“…Koniak and Everett (1982) recorded greater seed numbers and diversity of soil seed banks in younger (Phase 1 and 2) than older (Phase 3) piñon-juniper woodlands. The effects of fires on the understorey and early succession on Phase 3 sites were similar to those seen after high intensity and severity fires in forest and woodland ecosystems of the western United States and Canada (Tausch 1999;Brown and Smith 2000;Bauer and Weisberg 2009). High intensity wildfires in piñon-juniper woodlands of Nevada and Utah have resulted in post-fire dominance of B. tectorum and exotic weeds because of a lack of native herbaceous perennial species (Tausch 1999).…”

Section: Herbaceous and Ground Cover Responsementioning

confidence: 76%

Sagebrush steppe recovery after fire varies by development phase of Juniperus occidentalis woodland

Bates

Sharp

Davies

2014

Int. J. Wildland Fire

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Abstract. Woodland ecosystems of the world have been changed by land use demands, altered fire regimes, invasive species and climate change. Reduced fire frequency is recognised as a main causative agent for Pinus-Juniperus L.(piñon-juniper) expansion in North American woodlands. Piñon-juniper control measures, including prescribed fire, are increasingly employed to restore sagebrush steppe communities. We compared vegetation recovery following prescribed fire on Phase 2 (mid-succession) and Phase 3 (late-succession) Juniperus occidentalis Hook. (western juniper) woodlands in Oregon. The herbaceous layer on Phase 2 sites was comprised of native perennial and annual vegetation before and after fire. On Phase 3 sites the herbaceous layer shifted from native species to dominance by invasive Bromus tectorum L. (cheatgrass). After fire, shrubs on Phase 2 sites were comprised of sprouting species and Ceanothus velutinus Dougl. (snowbrush). On Phase 3 woodland sites the shrub layer was dominated by C. velutinus. The results suggest that Phase 2 sites have a greater likelihood of recovery to native vegetation after fire and indicate that sites transitioning from Phase 2 to Phase 3 woodlands cross a recovery threshold where there is a greater potential for invasive weeds, rather than native vegetation, to dominate after fire.

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Section: Herbaceous and Ground Cover Responsementioning

confidence: 76%

Sagebrush steppe recovery after fire varies by development phase of Juniperus occidentalis woodland

Bates

Sharp

Davies

2014

Int. J. Wildland Fire

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“…In regions of the world where forest fires are part of the natural disturbance regime, lightning is the principal cause of forest fires (Brown and Smith 2000). Lightning is not, however, considered an important source of ignition in Indian forest fires.…”

Section: Fires In Indian Forestsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The mammalian communities in coffee plantations around a protected area in the Western Ghats, India

Bali

Kumar

Krishnaswamy

2007

Biological Conservation

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“…Increasingly, anthropogenic influences are changing the timing and behavior of fire in the forest ecosystems of western North America (Brown and Smith 2000), which is likely to have important feedbacks on facilitative and competitive interactions. Emerging evidence suggests that both climate conditions (Beaty and Taylor 2008) and fire suppression by humans (Gallant et al 2003) can lengthen fire rotations in subalpine forests.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Facilitation drives mortality patterns along succession gradients of aspen‐conifer forests

Calder

Clair

2012

Ecosphere

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Citation: Calder, W. J., and S. B. St. Clair. 2012. Facilitation drives mortality patterns along succession gradients of aspenconifer forests. Ecosphere 3(6):57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1890/ES12-00119.1Abstract. While it is well established that facilitation and competition are important structuring forces in plant communities, a clear understanding of the interactions between them and how they change through the life stages of plants and affect long-term plant community development is lacking. We have observed that conifer seedlings are rarely found growing in meadows but readily establish under adjacent aspen stands, particularly at the base of aspen trees, creating the potential for antagonistic interactions in later life stages. To examine these relationships and their potential consequences on forest community development, we characterized patterns of establishment, regeneration, and overstory mortality of aspen (Populus tremuloides) and subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) along a stand composition gradient (aspen dominant ! mixed ! conifer dominant) that develops in seral aspen forests. We found strong stand effects on the establishment of both aspen and subalpine fir regeneration. Aspen regenerated into meadows from the forest boundary, reached peak densities underneath aspen stands, and decreased significantly in mixed and conifer dominated stands. In contrast, subalpine fir seedlings failed to regenerate in meadows, but established readily underneath aspen, mixed and conifer stands. Within stands, establishing subalpine fir seedlings were strongly aggregated around mature aspen trees, which increased the proximity of the two species 2-10 fold depending on subalpine fir age class and stand type. Both stand type and increased proximity of overstory aspen and fir trees drove mortality patterns of the two species in opposite directions. Overstory aspen mortality increased sharply along the stand composition gradient: aspen (7%), mixed (17%), conifer (49%), while subalpine fir wasn't significantly influenced by stand type. Proximity of overstory aspen and subalpine fir, was associated with increased (23) aspen mortality under all stand conditions but increased subalpine fir survival resulting in high aspen:fir mortality ratios that likely accelerate successional shifts toward conifer dominance. Our data suggest that environmental conditions that promote facilitator mortality may compromise the ability of facilitation-dependent forests to regenerate following disturbance. Maintenance of natural disturbance regimes appears to be critical in striking an ecological balance between facilitation and competition that promotes sustainability in succession-driven plant communities.

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Wildland fire in ecosystems: effects of fire on flora

Cited by 298 publications

References 394 publications

Sagebrush steppe recovery after fire varies by development phase of Juniperus occidentalis woodland

Sagebrush steppe recovery after fire varies by development phase of Juniperus occidentalis woodland

The mammalian communities in coffee plantations around a protected area in the Western Ghats, India

Facilitation drives mortality patterns along succession gradients of aspen‐conifer forests

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