Summer herpetofaunal response to prescribed fire and herbicide in intensively managed, mid-rotation pine stands in Mississippi

Published source details Iglay R.B., Leopold B.D. & Miller D.A. (2014) Summer herpetofaunal response to prescribed fire and herbicide in intensively managed, mid-rotation pine stands in Mississippi. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 38, 33-42.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use prescribed burning in combination with herbicide application Action Link
	Manage vegetation using herbicides Action Link
	Use prescribed burning: Forest, open woodland & savanna Action Link

Use prescribed burning in combination with herbicide application

A replicated, randomized, controlled, before-and-after study in 1999–2007 in six pine plantations in Mississippi, USA (Iglay et al. 2014) found that prescribed burning in combination with herbicide application did not increase reptile and amphibian richness, diversity or most species abundances compared to burning or herbicide application alone or no management, though eastern fence lizard Sceloporus undulatus abundance was higher in the year after management for all treatment types. In six of seven years after burning and/or herbicide applications, species richness, diversity measures and most species abundances were similar in burn with herbicide, burn only, herbicide only and unmanaged plots (data reported as model outputs, see paper for details). Eastern fence lizard abundance was higher in managed plots (burn with herbicide applied, burn only and herbicide only: 0.02 lizards/plot) in the first year after management compared to unmanaged plots (0.002 lizards/plot). Four 10 ha plots were set up in six intensively-managed, 18–22-year-old commercial pine stands (59–120 ha). Plots were either burned in the dormant season (December–February) in 2000, 2003 and 2006 and treated with herbicide (‘Imazapyr’) in September 1999; burned only; treated with herbicide only; or unmanaged. Reptiles were monitored using drift fences with pitfall and funnel traps in May–June 1999–2007 (one year before management and seven years after management began).

(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)
Manage vegetation using herbicides

A replicated, randomized, controlled, before-and-after study in 1999–2007 in six pine plantations in Mississippi, USA (5) found that herbicide application did not increase reptile and amphibian diversity in six out of seven years of monitoring, although eastern fence lizards Sceloporus undulatus abundance did increase in the year after management. In six of seven years after herbicide application, species richness, diversity measures and most species abundances were similar in plots treated with herbicide and plots receiving no treatment (data reported as statistical model outputs, see paper for details). Eastern fence lizard abundance was higher in plots treated with either herbicide only, herbicide in combination with burning or burning alone (0.02 lizards/plot; abundance for herbicide only plots not provided separately) in the first year after management compared to unmanaged plots (0.002 lizards/plot; abundance in other years not provided). Four 10 ha plots were set up in six intensively managed 18–22-year-old commercial pine stands (59–120 ha). Plots were either treated with herbicide (‘Imazapyr’) in September 1999, burned in the dormant season (December–February) in 2000, 2003 and 2006; or treated with herbicide then burned; or unmanaged. Reptiles were monitored using drift fences with pitfall and funnel traps in May–June 1999–2007 (one year before management and seven years after management began).

(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)
Use prescribed burning: Forest, open woodland & savanna

A replicated, randomized, controlled, before-and-after study in 1999–2007 in six pine plantations in Mississippi, USA (Iglay et al. 2014) found that prescribed burning did not increase reptile and amphibian richness, diversity or species abundances, apart from one lizard species in one of seven years. In six of seven years after burning, species richness, diversity measures and species abundances were similar in burned and unburned plots (data reported as model outputs, see paper for details). Eastern fence lizard Sceloporus undulatus abundance was higher in burned plots (0.02 lizards/plot) in the first year after management compared to unburned plots (0.002 lizards/plot). Six plots each (10 ha plots) in six intensively-managed, 18–22-year-old commercial pine stands (59–120 ha) were burned or left unburned. Burning took place in the dormant season (December–February) in 2000, 2003 and 2006. Reptiles were monitored using drift fences with pitfall and funnel traps in May–June 1999–2007 (one year before management and seven years after management began).

(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)