The effects of fire on virgin northern mixed grassland at Custer Battlefield National Monument
Bock J, Bock C, O'Shea Stone M. 1987. The effects of fire on virgin northern mixed grassland at Custer Battlefield National Monument. University of Colorado. Boulder, Colo.
This report describes a three-year study on the effects of wildfire at Custer Battlefield National Monument (now Little Bighorn Battlefield) near Crow Agency, Montana. A wildfire of undetermined origin occurred on 10 August, 1983, and burned 220 ha (approximately 90%) of the Monument. Although no data are available on fire intensity, the ambient conditions were remembered as hot, dry, and windy. An examination of photos shows that the fire killed virtually all above-ground vegetation. Field work for this project was carried out in the springs and summers of 1984, 1985, and 1986. This report describes the vegetation on the Battlefield and its response to fire, the responses of birds to the fire, a history of the Battlefield's vegetation from the time of the Battle of the Little Bighorn until now, and a checklist of the vegetation and our classification of the dominant grassland communities on the study area.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Bock, Jane; Bock, Carl; O'Shea Stone, Maureen
- Date of Issue
- 1987-05
- Publisher
- University of Colorado
- Units
- LIBI
- Keywords
- big sagebrush, fire effects, grassland, Plant Studies, shrub-steppe