Effects of a community restoration fire on small mammals and herpetofauna in the southern Appalachians
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Published source details
Ford W.M., Menzel M.A., McGill D.W., Laerm J. & McCay T.S. (1999) Effects of a community restoration fire on small mammals and herpetofauna in the southern Appalachians. Forest Ecology and Management, 114, 233-243.
Published source details Ford W.M., Menzel M.A., McGill D.W., Laerm J. & McCay T.S. (1999) Effects of a community restoration fire on small mammals and herpetofauna in the southern Appalachians. Forest Ecology and Management, 114, 233-243.
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, controlled, before-and-after study in 1995–1996 in mixed hardwood and pine forest in North Carolina, USA (Ford et al. 1999) found that prescribed burning did not tend to affect the abundance of reptiles (although very few reptiles were captured overall). Prior to burning, no reptiles were captured in the burn sites and one northern ringneck snake Diadophis punctatus was captured in a site that was not to be burned. After burning, one five-lined skink Eumeces fasciatus and one eastern garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis were captured in burned plots in the same year as the burn took place. Monitoring was undertaken for two weeks immediately before an April burn and after the burn in June 1995 and August 1996 at two sites in a 1,820 ha area of national forest. Drift-fencing with pitfalls and snap-traps were installed at three locations in the upper slope, mid-slope and riparian zone at each site. Visual searches were also undertaken. An unburned area at one of the sites was monitored in the same way.
(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)
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Use prescribed fire or modifications to burning regime in forests
A replicated, controlled study in 1995–1996 in a national forest in Carolina, USA (Ford et al. 1999) found that prescribed fires did not tend to affect the abundance of salamanders. There were no significant difference in numbers of blue ridge two-line salamanders Eurycea wilderae, Jordan's salamanders Plethodon jordani or mountain dusky salamanders Desmognathus ochrophaeus captured in burned and unburned areas. Seepage salamander Desmognathus aeneus captures were significantly lower in the riparian zone of the burned compared to unburned areas in 1996 (0.2 vs 1.3). Monitoring was undertaken for two weeks immediately before an April burn and after the burn in June 1995 and August 1996 at two sites. Drift-fencing with pitfalls and snap-traps were installed at three locations in the upper slope, mid-slope and riparian zone at each site. Visual searches were also undertaken. An unburned area at one of the sites was monitored in the same way.
