Effects of prescribed fire on herpetofauna in bottomland hardwood forests

Published source details Moseley K.R., Castleberry S.B. & Schweitzer S.H. (2003) Effects of prescribed fire on herpetofauna in bottomland hardwood forests. Southeastern Naturalist, 2, 475-486.
Share Tweet Email

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use prescribed fire to maintain or restore disturbance: freshwater swamps Action Link
	Use prescribed burning: Forest, open woodland & savanna Action Link
	Use prescribed fire or modifications to burning regime in forests Action Link

Use prescribed fire to maintain or restore disturbance: freshwater swamps

A replicated, site comparison study in 2001 of six bottomland swamp stands in Georgia, USA (Moseley et al. 2003) found that burned stands had a shorter tree canopy than unburned stands, but there were no other significant differences in vegetation structure or abundance. Burned stands had a shorter canopy (21 m) than unburned stands (24 m), but a statistically similar midstory height (burned: 13 m; unburned: 12 m) and understory height (burned: 26 cm; unburned: 26 cm). The treatments also had a statistically similar basal area (burned: 31.6; unburned: 30.3 m²/ha), midstory density (burned: 1,342; unburned: 2,370 stems/ha), understory density (burned: 170; unburned: 98 stems/6 m²). The same was true separately for understory grasses (37 vs 1 stems/6 m²), vines (30 vs 38 stems/6 m²), shrubs (75 vs 26 stems/6 m²) and other woody plants (26 vs 32 stems/6 m²). Methods: In summer 2001, vegetation was surveyed in six stands of poorly drained, bottomland hardwood forest. Three stands had been burned every 2–3 years for the past nine years (final burn January 2001). The other three stands had not been burned for at least nine years. Canopy and midstory vegetation were surveyed in two 0.04-ha plots/stand. Understory vegetation was surveyed in six 1-m² quadrats/plot.

(Summarised by: Nigel Taylor)
Use prescribed burning: Forest, open woodland & savanna

A replicated, site comparison study in 2001 in mixed hardwood and pine forest in Georgia, USA (Moseley et al. 2003) found that reptile abundance and diversity, but not species richness, were higher in burned compared to unburned sites. Reptile abundance and diversity but not species richness were greater in burned stands (abundance: 6.7 individuals/stand, diversity: 0.4 Shannon-Wiener Index, richness: 3 species/stand) compared to unburned stands (abundance: 4.3, diversity: 0.2, richness: 2.3). In total, 21 individuals of 8 species (5 lizards, 3 snakes) were captured in burned stands compared to 13 individuals of 4 species (3 lizards, 1 snake) in unburned forest stands. In July–October 2001, reptiles were monitored in three burned (every 2–3 years for 9 years, most recently in January 2001) and three unburned forest stands. Surveys were carried out using drift fences with pitfall traps, coverboards and PVC pipes (348 survey nights/stand). Burns were carried out during winter and did not significantly affect coarse woody debris volumes, but did reduce leaf litter depth.

(Summarised by: Maggie Watson, Katie Sainsbury)
Use prescribed fire or modifications to burning regime in forests

A replicated, controlled study in 2001 of a bottomland hardwood forest in Georgia, USA (Moseley, Castleberry & Schweitzer 2003) found that prescribed burning did not increase the abundance, diversity or richness of amphibians. Abundance did not differ significantly at burned and unburned sites for all amphibians (burned: 43; unburned: 62), salamanders (2 vs 6) or frogs and toads (39 vs 50). The same was true for species richness overall (burned: 8; unburned: 8 species), for salamanders (2 vs 2) or frogs and toads (6 vs 6). The volume of coarse woody debris was similar in burned (60 m³/ha) and unburned stands (128 m³/ha). Amphibians were monitored in three winter-burned and unburned stands from July to October 2001. Drift-fencing with pitfall traps, artificial cover boards and PVC pipe refugia were randomly placed within each site.