Identifying key climate and environmental factors affecting rates of post-fire big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) recovery in the northern Columbia Basin, USA

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 933 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas J. Shinneman ◽  
Susan K. McIlroy
Keyword(s):  
Artemisia Tridentata ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Mixed Effects Models ◽  
Sagebrush Steppe ◽  
Columbia Basin ◽  
Percentage Cover ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Big Sagebrush ◽  
Wyoming Big Sagebrush

Sagebrush steppe of North America is considered highly imperilled, in part owing to increased fire frequency. Sagebrush ecosystems support numerous species, and it is important to understand those factors that affect rates of post-fire sagebrush recovery. We explored recovery of Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis) and basin big sagebrush (A. tridentata ssp. tridentata) communities following fire in the northern Columbia Basin (Washington, USA). We sampled plots across 16 fires that burned in big sagebrush communities from 5 to 28 years ago, and also sampled nearby unburned locations. Mixed-effects models demonstrated that density of large–mature big sagebrush plants and percentage cover of big sagebrush were higher with time since fire and in plots with more precipitation during the winter immediately following fire, but were lower when precipitation the next winter was higher than average, especially on soils with higher available water supply, and with greater post-fire mortality of mature big sagebrush plants. Bunchgrass cover 5 to 28 years after fire was predicted to be lower with higher cover of both shrubs and non-native herbaceous species, and only slightly higher with time. Post-fire recovery of big sagebrush in the northern Columbia Basin is a slow process that may require several decades on average, but faster recovery rates may occur under specific site and climate conditions.

scholarly journals The Effect of Seeding Treatments and Climate on Fire Regimes in Wyoming Sagebrush Steppe

Fire ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Chris Bowman-Prideaux ◽  
Beth A. Newingham ◽  
Eva K. Strand
Keyword(s):  
Fire Regime ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Western United States ◽  
Sagebrush Steppe ◽  
Annual Grass ◽  
Big Sagebrush ◽  
Return Interval ◽  
Arid Steppe ◽  
Wyoming Big Sagebrush

Wildfire size and frequency have increased in the western United States since the 1950s, but it is unclear how seeding treatments have altered fire regimes in arid steppe systems. We analyzed how the number of fires since 1955 and the fire return interval and frequency between 1995 and 2015 responded to seeding treatments, anthropogenic features, and abiotic landscape variables in Wyoming big sagebrush ecosystems. Arid sites had more fires than mesic sites and fire return intervals were shortest on locations first treated between 1975 and 2000. Sites drill seeded before the most recent fire had fewer, less frequent fires with longer fire return intervals (15–20 years) than aerially seeded sites (intervals of 5–8 years). The response of fire regime variables at unseeded sites fell between those of aerial and drill seeding. Increased moisture availability resulted in decreased fire frequency between 1994 and 2014 and the total number of fires since 1955 on sites with unseeded and aerially pre-fire seeding, but fire regimes did not change when drill seeded. Greater annual grass biomass likely contributed to frequent fires in the arid region. In Wyoming big sagebrush steppe, drill seeding treatments reduced wildfire risk relative to aerial seeded or unseeded sites.

Mowing Wyoming Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis) Cover Effects Across Northern and Central Nevada

2016 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 360-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherman R. Swanson ◽  
John C. Swanson ◽  
Peter J. Murphy ◽  
J. Kent McAdoo ◽  
Brad Schultz
Keyword(s):  
Artemisia Tridentata ◽  
Big Sagebrush ◽  
Wyoming Big Sagebrush

Longer-term post-fire succession on Wyoming big sagebrush steppe

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 229
Author(s):  
Jonathan D. Bates ◽  
Chad S. Boyd ◽  
Kirk W. Davies
Keyword(s):  
Total Yield ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Sagebrush Steppe ◽  
Burn Treatment ◽  
Burned Areas ◽  
Big Sagebrush ◽  
Annual Component ◽  
Wyoming Big Sagebrush ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Sagebrush Obligate

We assessed plant community succession following prescribed fire on ungrazed Wyoming big sagebrush steppe, eastern Oregon. Treatments were burned (Burn; September and October, 2002) and unburned (Control) sagebrush steppe. Herbaceous yield, vegetation canopy cover and density were compared between treatments after fire (2003–18). Herbaceous yield in the Burn treatment was about double the Control for most of the study period. Prior to fire, native perennials comprised 90–95% of herbaceous yield. After fire, native perennials represented 78% (range 67–93%) and exotic annuals 22% (range 7–33%) of total yield. Exotic annuals increased after fire and responded in two stages. In the first 8 years after fire, desert alyssum dominated the annual plant composition. In the last half of the study, cheatgrass co-dominated the annual component with alyssum. Sagebrush recovery was slow and we estimated sagebrush cover would return to pre-burn levels, at the earliest, in 115 years. Burning Wyoming big sagebrush steppe would be detrimental to sagebrush-obligate wildlife for an extended time period, because of lost cover and structure provided by sagebrush. The additional forage provided on burned areas may give livestock manager’s greater flexibility to rest or defer unburned habitat for wildlife species of critical concern.

scholarly journals Soil Response to Fire Frequency in the Northern Columbia Basin Sagebrush Steppe

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie C. Nichols
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Activity ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Ph ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Sagebrush Steppe ◽  
Columbia Basin ◽  
Plant Soil ◽  
Physical Chemical ◽  
Properties Of Soil

Fire is one of the most significant disturbances in an ecosystem, as it is capable of altering the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil, and the fire frequency in semi-arid ecosystems is increasing. These changes can potentially alter plant-soil feedbacks that may affect post-fire recovery of the native plant and soil communities and lead to an ecosystem state change. However, there is much uncertainty about the magnitude of change as soils are exposed to more fires, because soil recovery and changes in fire severity following a first fire mediate the impact of successive fires on soil properties. To improve understanding of fire frequency effects on the soil ecology of the northern Columbia Basin sagebrush steppe ecosystem, this study assessed the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil that are critical to plant communities (e.g. soil pH, C and N, respiration and extracellular enzyme activity) from four different fire frequencies (unburned, burned once, twice, and thrice). Our study yielded three main results: 1) fire reduced the soil C concentration relative to unburned soil, but only when soil was exposed to fire once, 2) soil pH and NO3--N increased with fire frequency, whereas enzyme activity decreased, and 3) soil organic matter contents and microbial respiration were suppressed significantly in the once and thrice burned soils compared to the unburned and twice burned soils. Taken together, our findings suggest that a one-time fire in this region of the sagebrush steppe is capable of significantly changing soil properties that alter plant-soil feedbacks and hinder ecosystem resilience, thus contributing to ecosystem change particularly when fire frequency increases.

scholarly journals Sagebrush Response to Conifer Cover

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 17
Author(s):  
Karen A. Kitchen ◽  
Brittany Goldsmith ◽  
Jim Robison-Cox ◽  
Michael Frisina ◽  
Bok Sowell
Keyword(s):  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Artemisia Tridentata ◽  
Rocky Mountain ◽  
The United States ◽  
Douglas Fir ◽  
Conifer Species ◽  
Big Sagebrush ◽  
Canopy Area ◽  
Wyoming Big Sagebrush ◽  
The Relationship

<p class="emsd">Sagebrush habitat is declining throughout the United States. This can have negative impacts for big game as well as other wildlife species. The purpose of our research was to analyze the relationship between several abiotic factors and the cover of two conifer species, Douglas-fir (<em>Pseudotsuga menziesii</em>) and Rocky Mountain juniper (<em>Juniperus scopulorum</em>), on the cover of Wyoming (<em>Artemisia tridentata spp. wyomingensis</em>) and mountain (<em>Artemisia tridentata spp. Vaseyana</em>) big sagebrush. Abiotic factors, percent cover of sagebrush and conifers, and individual conifer age and canopy area were recorded at 40 Wyoming and 40 mountain big sagebrush plots at each of three study sites in southwest Montana (n = 240). No correlation was found between any abiotic factor and live sagebrush cover over all sites (p&gt;0.05). A model of the relationship between the combined cover of the two conifer species and the two subspecies of big sagebrush was developed. The best-fit model included the terms: study site, sagebrush subspecies,  and the interaction, study site by sagebrush subspecies as the independent variables, with as the dependent variable (  = Intercept<sub>i</sub>– 0.401 ; R<sup>2</sup> = 0.61). There was a negative relationship between conifer cover and sagebrush cover and no difference in the effects of conifer cover on the two sagebrush subspecies. Validation trials were successful at one of three locations outside the study area and suggested that the model is better suited to lower elevation, less productive sites. Individual Douglas-fir have a 3 fold larger canopy area than Rocky Mountain juniper at comparable ages (p&lt;0.001). Controlling conifers to increase Wyoming big sagebrush does not appear to be effective due to the low level of sagebrush cover. If conifer control is desired, Douglas-fir should be targeted over Rocky Mountain juniper on mountain big sagebrush sites, but not on Wyoming big sagebrush sites.</p>

Economic Evaluation of Wyoming Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) Control Methods

1989 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 640-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Myles J. Watts ◽  
Carl L. Wambolt
Keyword(s):  
Economic Evaluation ◽  
Treatment Response ◽  
Response Function ◽  
Control Method ◽  
Artemisia Tridentata ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Control Methods ◽  
Big Sagebrush ◽  
Wyoming Big Sagebrush

The economic feasibility of four Wyoming big sagebrush control methods: burning, spraying with 2,4-D, plowing and seeding, and rotocutting was analyzed. Perennial grass response to big sagebrush treatment was measured to estimate a treatment response function for each control method which provided the biological informational base to develop cost and benefits. Annualized present values of net additional returns for single 2,4-D and burning treatments were $1.10/ha and $1.16/ha, respectively. When big sagebrush was retreated at optimal intervals, 2,4-D and burning generated annualized net additional returns of $2.88/ha and $2.57/ha, respectively. Rotocutting was marginally feasible, and plowing was not feasible.

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