Pacific Southwest Research Station

Biodiversity Response to Burn Intensity and Post-fire Restoration

Full title: Biodiversity response to burn intensity and post-fire restoration

Lead Researchers: Patricia N. Manley, US Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station; Dennis D. Murphy and T. Will Richardson, University of Nevada

Abstract

A high priority of forest management in the Lake Tahoe basin, and throughout the west, is to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Despite substantial emphasis and effort by agencies and homeowners to reduce the risk of wildfire, it is not possible to eliminate the possibility of their occurrence. Fire is a natural process in montane conifer forests, and both its presence and absence have significant ecological and social consequences. Wildfire changes many facets of forest ecosystems, including soil quality, plant composition and structure, and native species and communities. Biological diversity of native species has been shown to have significant consequences for ecosystem function and services, thus its conservation and post-fire restoration will greatly effect the restoration of forest ecosystems. Forest management and resulting fuel levels and forest structure have substantial influence on the characteristics and intensity of wildfire. Forest management, the intensity of wildfire, and post-fire restoration activities all have direct and indirect effects on habitat suitability and quality, which can be additive or ameliorative. Manley and colleagues are in a singular position to study the effects of the Angora fire and post-fire treatments on biological diversity. We have the two main ingredients necessary for a strong experimental design to address questions about effects: 1) we have pre-fire condition biological data from two other studies conducted before and continuously since before the fire; and 2) we began collecting biological data within the first year following the fire, so no data has been lost. In collaboration with California Tahoe Conservancy and US Forest Service/University of Montana, we designed and implemented a monitoring effort to evaluate birds and small mammals on sites subject to different fire intensity and post-fire treatments. This proposed study will enhance the existing effort to increase the sample size, improve the representation of various combinations of fire intensity and post-fire restoration treatments, include invertebrate sampling, and extend sampling to span a total of three years post fire. The results of the study will aid in the challenge retaining and restoring on-site biodiversity and determining how to manage future burned areas to enhance habitat and population recovery.