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Abstract
Lack of fire in contemporary grasslands has contributed to the invasion of woody plants that can survive low-intensity fire upon maturity, but knowledge of the effects of megafires (>40,000 ha) on grassland tree mortality is limited. We used remote sensing and ground surveys to estimate tree canopy cover change and rates of top-kill and mortality of woody species in the mixed-grass prairie following megafire. After megafire, we detected 63% tree canopy cover loss, 17 ± 4% (mean ± SD) of woodland trees were dead, and 56 ± 5% of tree species were top-killed and resprouted. We conclude that further postfire management (e.g., targeted herbicide, mechanical removal) may be required to limit woody encroachment following megafire.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Effects of megafire on woody wpecies in the mixed-grass prairie |
| Series title | Prairie Naturalist |
| Volume | 54 |
| Year Published | 2022 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Eagle Hill Publications |
| Contributing office(s) | Coop Res Unit Atlanta |
| Description | 13 p. |
| First page | 11 |
| Last page | 23 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Clark County |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |