“Fire and Fauna in the Southeast: Lessons Learned from Recent Research”
Guest and PresenterDr. Chris Moorman
Professor and Coordinator of the Fisheries, Wildlife, and
Conservation Biology ProgramNC State University
Webinar HostDr. David Godwin
Outreach CoordinatorSouthern Fire ExchangeUniversity of Florida
Southern Fire Exchange Webinar July 25, 2013
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FireandFaunaintheSoutheast:LessonsLearnedfromRecent
Research
Chris Moorman, PhDNCSU Dept. of Forestry and Env. ResourcesFisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology
Outline
• Effectsonleaf‐litterobligates– Woodlandsalamandersandshrews
• Effectsonground‐nestingbirds– Wildturkeynestsurvival
• Effectsonacornsandotherwildlifefood– Forage,softmast,acornavailability
• Summaryofconsistentthemes
Long‐termResponseofSalamandersandShrewsto
Fire&FuelReductionTreatments
Charlotte Matthews’ MS ThesisCollaborators: Katie Greenberg and Tom Waldrop
RelevantEnvironmentalChange
• Reductioninleaflittercoveranddepth• Canopyreductionandgreatergroundtemps• Increaseinherbaceouslayer
WhatWeKnow
• Salamandersnotaffectedby:– singleprescribedfires(Fordetal.1999,Floydetal.2001,Moselyetal.2003,GreenbergandWaldrop2008)
– twolow‐intensityfires(Fordetal.2010)
• Shrewsnotaffectedby:– Single,low‐intensityfires(Fordetal.1999)– But,declinedaftersinglehighintensityfire(Greenbergetal.2007)
GreenRiverGameLand
• 5,841ha• Elevation:366‐ 793m• Oak‐hickoryoverstorywithpineonridges• Understory:rhododendron&mt.laurel• Notthinnedorburned>50years
GreenRiverGameLands
PolkCo.
FuelReductionTreatments
• 3replicates• 3treatments(10ha)+control:
– Twice‐burned(2003,2006)– Mechanicalunderstorycut(2002)– Mechanicalunderstorycut+2burns
• NationalFire&FireSurrogateStudy
Control
July 2006
Mechanical(2002)
July 2006
Twice‐burned(2003,2006)
July 2006
Mechanical+2Burns
July 2006
FireTemperatures
• 1st burn(2003)– B:180° C– M+B:370° C
→Overstorymortality
• 2nd burn(2006)– 2B:155° C– M+2B:222° C
→Overstorymortality
Herpetofauna/Shrewsampling
• May– August2006&2007• 3driftfencearrays/unit=36arrays
– 4pitfalltraps&6funneltraps
7.6m
Herpetofauna/Shrewsampling
• May– August2006&2007• 3driftfencearrays/unit=36arrays
– 4pitfalltraps&6funneltraps
7.6m
Herpetofauna/Shrewsampling
• May– August2006&2007• 3driftfencearrays/unit=36arrays
– 4pitfalltraps&6funneltraps
7.6m
AllShrewResponse
SoutheasternShrewResponse
SoutheasternShrewResponse
SalamanderResponse
SalamanderResponse
LizardResponse
LizardResponse
ChangeinHabitat(2006)
• Leaflitterdepthlowerin2B&M+2B• DuffdepthlowerinM+2B• CanopycoverlowerinM+2B• Downwoodydebrisnotdifferent• Arthropodsnotdifferent
ConservationImplications
• Firesthatreduceoverstorylikelyto:– negativelyaffectsalamanders– benefitlizardsandotherreptiles
• Effectsoflowintensityfireslimitedandshortterm– negativelyaffectsomeshrews,temporarily– indicationsofsalamanderincreaseafterfiresrelatedtodetectability?
• Longer‐termstudiesneeded
EffectsofGrowing‐seasonFireonWildTurkeyNestSurvival
EricKilburg’s MSThesisCollaborators:ChrisDePerno,CraigHarper,DavidCobb
Growing‐seasonFireandTurkeys
PotentialBenefits
• Greatervisibility
• Spring/summerforage
• Broodcover
PotentialDisadvantages
• Nestdestruction
• Nestingcoverreduction
• Poult mortality
• Temporaryforagereduction
Growing‐seasonFireandTurkeys
PotentialBenefits
• Greatervisibility
• Spring/summerforage
• Broodcover
PotentialDisadvantages
• Nestdestruction
• Nestingcoverreduction
• Poult mortality
• Temporaryforagereduction
FortBragg
CapturedHens(2011‐2012)
GPSdatalogger
VHFtransmitter
NestMonitoring
• Locatedhens>3xweekly
• Flaggedstationaryhens
• Determinedfatefromeggshells/
incubationduration
NestSearchResultsRadio‐tagged65hens
Located42nestsonbase
Monitored30nestsforsurvival
• 1nestdestroyedbyfire
• 1nestabandoned(militaryactivity)
• 16nestsdepredated
• 12nestshatched
Nest‐siteSelection(n=42)
Nest‐siteSelection(n=42)
Nest‐siteSelection(n=42)
NestSurvival(n=30)
FireExposure(~6%ofnestsperyear)
SummaryandImplications• 1outof30nestsdestroyedbyfireover2years• Fire‐maintainedecotones wereimportantnestsites• Lessthan6%ofnestsexposedtofireeachyear
• Growing‐seasonfire:• Haslimitedinfluenceonnestsurvival• Mayincreasenestingcoverinlowlands/ecotones• Mayreducenestingcoverinuplands,especiallyonlowproductivitysites
• Dormantseasonfiresmayincreasenestingcoverinuplands
EffectsofFireSeasonandFrequencyonFoodAvailabilityMarcusLashley PhDResearch
Collaborators:ChrisDePerno,CraigHarper
WhatWeWantedtoKnow
• Effectsoffireseasonondeerforageavailability• Effectsoffireseasononfruitabundance• Effectsoftimesincefireonunderstoryfruitabundance
• Long‐termeffectsoffireapplicationondistributionofacornavailability
StudyDesign
• UplandHardwood• BottomlandHardwood• UplandPine
– Following>2dormant‐seasonfires– Following>2growing‐seasonfires(April‐August)
• Sameyearasfire• 1yearsincefire• 2yearssincefire
HowWeMeasuredFood
• Biomassofdeerforageinexclusioncages• Understoryfruitsmeasuredalongtransects• Acorn(andpersimmon)transects
Deer Forage AvailableKg
/Ha
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
BH Dormant Growing UH
WiregrassNonselectedSelected Food
Deer Forage AvailableKg
/Ha
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
BH Dormant Growing UH
WiregrassNonselectedSelected Food
Soft Mast (By Cover Type)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
BH Dormant Growing Open UH
September
August
July
June
Fruits /tran
sect
Soft Mast in Pines (Years Since Burned)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
0 1 2+
September
August
July
June
Fruits / acre
11Foot1 Foot
11Foot
11Foot
4 Foot
10 Foot
Acorns and Persimmons
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
70.00
Mean Fruits / Transect Mean Stems / Transect
LIFTZ
UH
BH
UP
Open
Num
ber /
Transect
Acorns and Persimmons
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
70.00
Mean Fruits / Transect Mean Stems / Transect
LIFTZ
UH
BH
UP
Open
Num
ber /
Transect
6%
17%
2%
11%
36%
28%
Relative Land Area Acorn/Persimmon Abundance
80%
8%
1% 11%
Firebreaks
LIFTZ
UH
BH
UP
Open
ConservationImplications
• Include dormant‐season fires to maintain:– Forage and cover for deer– Wider diversity of soft mast
• Longer return intervals (>2 years) needed to maintain soft mast production
• Include strategies to protect oaks/hardwoods
SummaryThemes• Define target species when predicting fire effects• Effects of prescribed burning vary with time
– After a single fire– After additive effects of repeated fires
• Behavioral adaptations allow coexistence with fire• Consider historical fire occurrence• Heterogeneous fire application is encouraged
– Variable fire seasons– Variable return intervals within and among stands
Acknowledgments
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