Fire and Invasive Annual Grasses in Western Ecosystem
A project funded by the Joint
Fire Science Program
A combination of intensive field experiments, extensive field surveys,
laboratory experiments, and seedbank analyses are being used to evaluate
the interrelationships between fire, soil, nutrient availability and invasive
grass dominance. These three components complement each other and will
be used to develop a comprehensive model that relates mechanisms of annual
grass invasion after fire to field conditions and potential postfire mitigation
techniques.
Field Experiments - Will directly relate field conditions, management actions, and dominance of invasive annual grasses
Field Surveys - Will be used to evaluate correlations between soil characteristics and postfire dominance of invasive annual grasses
Laboratory Studies - Will provide important details on the mechanisms of the effects of soil heating on a wide range of soil nutrients
Seedbank Analyses- Seedbank samples collected from the sites are being grown out in a greenhouse to evaluate species composition and effects of temperature on the seeds at the site
Research
Schedule
Sierra Nevada Pine Forest
One site located in Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park
| Spring 2001 | Site Selection and Preparation |
| Fall 2001 | Prefire Soil Samples Fall Burns Nutrient Application |
| Winter 2001 | Prefire Soil Sampling |
| Spring 2002 | Pre- and Post- Fire Plant Monitoring Nutrient Application |
| Summer 2002 | Prefire Soil Sampling Summer Burns |
| Fall 2002 | Prefire Soil Sampling Early Fall Burns |
| Winter 2002 | Postfire Soil Sampling |
| Spring 2003 | Postfire Plant Monitoring |
| Fall/Winter 2003 | Analysis and Writing |
Great Basin Sagebrush Steppe
Three Sites located in the Great Basin: Winnemucca-North, Mono Lake- West, and Schivwits Plateau-South
Winnemucca Nevada
| Summer 2002 | Site Selection and Preparation Prefire Plant Monitoring |
| Summer 2003 | Prefire Soil Sampling Prefire Plant Monitoring |
| Summer 2004 | Prefire Soil Sampling Prefire Biomass Sampling Summer Burns |
| Fall 2004 | Prefire Soil Sampling Fall Burns |
| Winter 2004 | Postfire Soil Sampling |
| Spring 2005 | Postfire Plant Monitoring |
| Summer/Fall 2006 | Analysis and Writing |
Schivwits Plateau- Lake Mead Recreation Area
| Fall 2003 | Site Selection and Preparation Prefire Plant Monitoring Prefire Soil Sampling Prefire Biomass Sampling |
| Spring 2004 | Prefire Vegetation Monitoring |
| Summer 2004 | Prefire Soil Sampling Summer Burns |
| Fall 2004 | Postfire Soil Sampling |
| Spring 2005 | Postfire Plant Monitoring |
| Fall 2005 | Postfire Soil Sampling |
| Spring 2006 | Postfire Plant Monitoring |
| Summer/Fall 2006 | Analysis and Writing |
Mono Lake- Lee Vining California
| Fall 2003 | Site Selection and Preparation Prefire Soil Sampling |
| Spring 2004 | Prefire Vegetation Monitoring |
| Fall 2004 | Postfire Soil Sampling |
| Spring 2005 | Postfire Plant Monitoring |
| Fall 2005 | Postfire Soil Sampling |
| Spring 2006 | Postfire Plant Monitoring |
| Summer/Fall 2006 | Analysis and Writing |
Mojave Desert Scrub
Two sites located in blackbrush vegetation type: Joshua Tree National Park- Southern Mojave, and Beaver Dam Mountains- Northern Mojave
| Fall 2002 | Site Selection and Preparation |
| Winter 2002 | Nutrient Application |
| Spring 2003 | Prefire/Post-Nutrient Plant Monitoring |
| Fall 2003 | Prefire Soil Sampling |
| Winter 2003 | Nutrient Application |
| Spring 2004 | Prefire/Post-Nutrient Plant Monitoring Prefire Soil Sampling Spring Burns |
| Summer 2004 | Prefire Biomass Sampling Summer Burns |
| Fall 2004 | Postfire Soil Sampling |
| Spring 2005 | Postfire Plant Monitoring |
| Summer/Fall 2005 | Analysis and Writing |
URL http://www.werc.usgs.gov/fire/lv/fireandinvasives/
research_summary.htm Contact: Webmaster Last Modification: July 21, 2004 |
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