Understanding effects of fire suppression, fuels treatment, and wildfire on bird communities in the Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion

Abstract

Although fire management is increasingly recognized as an important component of conservation in Klamath-Siskiyou ecosystems, empirical evidence on the ecological effects of fire in this region is limited. Here we describe a conceptual model as a framework for understanding the effects of fire and fire management on bird abundance. This model identifies three major pathways through which fire may influence bird abundance: habitat structure, food availability, and predation. Based on this model, we review major research questions regarding the ecological consequences of fire and fire management for bird conservation in the Klamath-Siskiyou Ecoregion. These questions illustrate that we still know relatively little about how natural and anthropogenic disturbances change these systems. We suggest that this ecological information is critical for informing fire-related management decisions in the Klamath-Siskiyou Ecoregion.

Citation

Alexander, John D.; Ralph, C. John; Hogoboom, Bill; Seavy, Nathaniel E.; Janes, Stewart. 2004. Understanding effects of fire suppression, fuels treatment, and wildfire on bird communities in the Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion. Wildlife Ecology: Proceedings of the second conference on Klamath-Siskiyou ecology