Prescribed fire impacts to amphibians and reptiles in shelterwood-harvested oak-dominated forests
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Published source details
Keyser P.D., Sausville D.J., Ford W.M., Schwab D.J. & Brose P.H. (2004) Prescribed fire impacts to amphibians and reptiles in shelterwood-harvested oak-dominated forests. Virginia Journal of Science, 55, 159-168.
Published source details Keyser P.D., Sausville D.J., Ford W.M., Schwab D.J. & Brose P.H. (2004) Prescribed fire impacts to amphibians and reptiles in shelterwood-harvested oak-dominated forests. Virginia Journal of Science, 55, 159-168.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Use prescribed burning: Forest, open woodland & savanna Action Link |
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Use prescribed fire or modifications to burning regime in forests Action Link |
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Use prescribed burning: Forest, open woodland & savanna
A replicated, randomized, controlled study in 1995–1996 in oak forests in Virginia, USA (Keyser et al. 2004) found that more lizards were captured, but there were similar numbers of reptile species in burned compared to unburned sites. One year after burning, lizards were captured more often in burned (2–3 individuals/plot) than unburned forest (1 individuals/plot). One snake was caught each in burned and unburned plots (see original paper for individual species capture rates). Overall reptile richness was 2–4 species in burned and 3 species in unburned plots (results were not statistically tested). Plots in three forest stands (2–5 ha) were burned in February, April or August 1995 in a randomized block design or left unburned. All plots had been subject to shelterwood harvest 3–5 years before burning. Reptiles were monitored using pitfall traps one year after burning for 53 nights during June–October 1996 (12,720 total trap nights).
(Summarised by: Maggie Watson, Katie Sainsbury)
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Use prescribed fire or modifications to burning regime in forests
A randomized, replicated, controlled study in 1995–1996 of shelterwood-harvested oak stands in Virginia, USA (Keyser et al. 2004) found that prescribed burns did not affect amphibian abundance or species richness. There were no significant differences in relative abundances between burned and unburned sites for all amphibians (burned: 10–15; unburned: 6), eastern red-backed salamanders Plethodon cinereus (7–11 vs 3) or American toads Bufo americanus (3 vs 2). Amphibian species richness did not differ significantly between burned and unburned sites (2–3 vs 5). Three replicates (2–5 ha) of four randomly assigned treatments were applied in 1995: burning in February, April or August, or unburned. Three uncut reference sites were also monitored. Amphibians were monitored using pitfall traps (20/site) for 53 nights in June, July and October 1996.
