Individual study: Abundance of small mammals and herpetofauna was similar before and after a restoration fire in a forest in North Carolina, USA
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
This study is summarised as evidence for the intervention(s) shown on the right. The icon shows which synopsis it is relevant to.
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.