Study

Effects of prescribed burning and wildfires on Orthoptera in central European peat bogs

  • Published source details Hochkirch A. & Adorf F. (2007) Effects of prescribed burning and wildfires on Orthoptera in central European peat bogs. Environmental Conservation, 34, 225-235.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Use prescribed fire to control problematic plants

Action Link
Peatland Conservation
  1. Use prescribed fire to control problematic plants

    A replicated, paired, controlled study in 2003 in four degraded raised bogs in Germany (Hochkirch & Adorf 2007) found that burned plots consistently had less cover than unburned plots of purple moor grass Molinia caerulea (25 vs 40%) , but more moss/lichen/bare ground cover (36 vs 8%). Meanwhile, burned and unburned plots had similar cover of cottongrass Eriophorum vaginatum (12 vs 16%) and cross-leaved heath Erica tetralix (2 vs 6%). Vegetation height, and cover of other minor forbs and grass-like plants, responded inconsistently to burning across the four bogs (see original paper). Between February and May 2003, 4–45 ha of four grassy/shrubby bogs were burned. Two fires were prescribed and two were wild. The study does not analyze the effects of these separately. Between July and September 2003, vegetation cover and height were recorded along a 100 m transect in each bog, spanning the burned area and an adjacent unburned area.

    (Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)

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