Effects of Prescribed Fire on Biomass and Plant Succession in Western Aspen
Brown JK and DeByle NV. 1989. Effects of Prescribed Fire on Biomass and Plant Succession in Western Aspen. Research Paper INT-412. US Dept of Agriculture Forest Service. Intermountain Research Station
Plant succession and production of biomass were determined for three prescribed fires in aspen (Populus tremuloides) and aspen-conifer forests. Forbs and shrubs dominated the understories. Preburn fuel loadings ranged from 19,200 to 56,400 kg/ha. Fires ranged from low to high severity and overstory mortality from 20 to 100 percent. Total fuel consumption alone was poorly related to fire severity. Over 4 postburn years, production of grasses and forbs averaged 1.5 to 3.3 times that of the controls. Maximum production was 2,240 kg/ha, five times that of the associated control. High-severity fire favored forbs over grasses. After 5 years, shrub biomass was 21 to 100 percent of preburn biomass. The proportion of shrub biomass less than 0.5 cm diameter peaked after 2 years. Species responses were varied. Aspen suck densities peaked during the first 2 postburn years and ranged from one-half to fivefold their preburn densities. Suckering was most prolific following fore of moderate to high severity. The varied patterns of serel vegetation and their management implications are discussed.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Brown, James; DeByle, Norbert
- Date of Issue
- 1989-10
- Publisher
- US Dept of Agriculture Forest Service
- Units
- BRCA
- Keywords
- aspen-conifer forests, aspens, Biomass, Prescribed Burn, schrub biomass, species responses