Prescribed fire limits wildfire severity without altering ecological importance for birds

Abstract

Fire suppression and anthropogenic land use have increased severity of wildfire in western U.S. dry conifer forests. Managers use fuels reduction methods (e.g., prescribed fire) to limit high-severity wildfire and restore ecological function to these fire-adapted forests. Many avian species that evolved in these forests, however, are adapted to conditions created by high-severity wildfire. To fully understand the ecological implications of fuels reduction treatments, we need to understand direct treatment effects and how treatments modulate subsequent wildfire effects on natural communities. We studied bird population and community patterns over nine years at six study units, including unburned (2002-2003), after prescribed fire (2004-2007), and after wildfire (2008-2010). We used a before-after, control-impact (BACI) approach to analyze shifts in species occupancy and richness in treated units following prescribed fire and again in relation to burn severity following wildfire. Results: We found examples of both positive and negative effects of wildfire and prescribed

Citation

Latif, Quresh S.; Saab, Victoria A.; Dudley, Jonathan G. 2021. Prescribed fire limits wildfire severity without altering ecological importance for birds. Fire Ecology. 17: 37.