Short- and long-term changes in elk use and forage production in sagebrush communities following prescribed burning
-
Published source details
Van Dyke F. & Darragh J.A. (2006) Short- and long-term changes in elk use and forage production in sagebrush communities following prescribed burning. Biodiversity and Conservation, 15, 4375-4398.
Published source details Van Dyke F. & Darragh J.A. (2006) Short- and long-term changes in elk use and forage production in sagebrush communities following prescribed burning. Biodiversity and Conservation, 15, 4375-4398.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
| Action | Category | |
|---|---|---|
|
Use prescribed burning Action Link |
 |
-
Use prescribed burning
A controlled study in 1984–1999 in a sagebrush shrubland in Montana, USA (Van Dyke & Darragh 2006) found that prescribed burning increased use of the area by elk Cervus canadensis. Elk used areas that had been burned more frequently (163–628 elk use days) than they used areas that had not been burned (32–298 elk use days). Burned areas had higher grass and forb cover and lower sagebrush cover than unburned areas. In October 1984, a 40-ha area of sagebrush shrubland was burned and, in April 1988, a 30-ha area was burned. Five permanent 404-m² plots (20.1 × 20.1 m) were established in each burned area and another five placed within the unburned portion, one in 1988 and four more in 1993. In June 1988–1993 and 1999, elk use of plots was estimated by counting the number of pellets within 1 m of six transects laid in each plot. Vegetation cover was estimated within five 25 × 51 cm randomly placed quadrats each plot. No livestock were present in the study area.
(Summarised by: Phil Martin)
)_2023.JPG)
