Article
Forestry
Jamie E. Burton, Jane G. Cawson, Alexander Filkov, Trent D. Penman
Summary: Prescribed burning and timber harvesting are common forest management activities that can change wildfire risk by altering fuel characteristics. This study found that frequent prescribed burning combined with timber harvesting significantly affected the accumulation and composition of fine fuel in temperate eucalypt forests. However, current landscape fuel models often overlook the impact of timber harvesting, which may affect the accuracy of fire behavior predictions.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Juncal Espinosa, Dario Martin-Benito, Oscar Rodriguez de Rivera, Carmen Hernando, Mercedes Guijarro, Javier Madrigal
Summary: The study in the Cuenca Mountains in Spain investigated the short-term post-burn tree growth of Pinus nigra and Pinus pinaster, revealing that prescribed burning had minimal impact on tree growth. Stand type and individual tree characteristics were significant factors affecting tree growth. The inclusion of fire severity variables in tree growth models showed that maximum scorch height played a key role in variability of tree growth.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Jin Wang, Ruicheng Hong, Cheng Ma, Xilong Zhu, Shiying Xu, Yanping Tang, Xiaona Li, Xiangxiang Yan, Leiguang Wang, Qiuhua Wang
Summary: This study investigates the effects of prescribed burning on the flammability of surface dead fuel in Pinus yunnanensis forests. The results show that prescribed burning significantly reduces the surface dead fuel load and fire-line intensity, but has no significant impact on the physical and chemical properties of dead fuels.
Article
Forestry
Aleksi Nirhamo, Karoliina Hamalainen, Kaisa Junninen, Jari Kouki
Summary: Deadwood is crucial for maintaining species diversity in forests, but forest management has resulted in its scarcity and a decline in biodiversity. This study investigated the effects of tree retention and prescribed burning on tree mortality and deadwood dynamics in Finnish boreal forests. The results showed that a combination of high retention levels and prescribed burning can generate diverse deadwood, which supports the conservation of deadwood-associated biodiversity in managed forests. However, the continuity of deadwood throughout the forestry rotation period remains uncertain, and management methods should be adjusted at the landscape level to ensure the persistence of deadwood habitats.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
David A. Davim, Carlos G. Rossa, Jose M. C. Pereira, Paulo M. Fernandes
Summary: This study analyzed the effect of prescribed burning (PB) on reducing wildfire extent in southern Europe using fire mapping data from Portugal. The results showed an increase in the number of larger wildfires during the PB era, suggesting that other factors are counteracting its supposed effect. The most important variables affecting wildfire extent were fire weather and ignition density, with a positive effect, and past wildfire and PB extent, with a negative effect.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Susana del Carmen Lopez-Cruz, Deb Raj Aryal, Carlos Alberto Velazquez-Sanabria, Francisco Guevara-Hernandez, Andrea Venegas-Sandoval, Fernando Casanova-Lugo, Manuel Alejandro La O-Arias, Jose Apolonio Venegas-Venegas, Mariela Beatriz Reyes-Sosa, Rene Pinto-Ruiz, Adalberto Hernandez-Lopez, Francisco Javier Medina-Jonapa, Roselia Ramirez-Diaz, Alonso Lopez-Cruz, Alejandro Alcudia-Aguilar
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of prescribed burning on plant diversity, biomass stocks, and soil carbon storage in the tropical highland forests of Southern Mexico. The results showed that prescribed burning had a positive effect on plant diversity and soil carbon storage compared to wildfires.
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. S. Rabin, F. N. Gerard, A. Arneth
Summary: Climate change increases fire risk in forested regions, while urban expansion brings more people in contact with wildfires. Thus, it is important to manage fire in a way that minimizes impacts on human health and forest. Dynamic global vegetation models (DGVMs) can assess the effectiveness of fire management measures under different climate change scenarios. The study found that reducing fuel load can lower fire intensity, but it leads to increased fire emissions. Mechanical thinning can reduce fire intensity and emissions.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Cody L. Dems, Alan H. Taylor, Erica A. H. Smithwick, Jesse K. Kreye, Margot W. Kaye
Summary: Prescribed fire use has increased significantly in Pennsylvania since 2009, prompting the need for more studies on forest response. This study in the Appalachian Mountains region of central Pennsylvania found that forest structure and composition changed significantly after prescribed fire, with different tree species showing varying responses. The shifts in tree species abundance and structural changes highlight the important role of prescribed fire in influencing forest composition and structure.
Article
Ecology
Javier Madrigal, Oscar Rodriguez de Rivera, Cristina Carrillo, Mercedes Guijarro, Carmen Hernando, Jose A. Vega, Pablo Martin-Pinto, Juan R. Molina, Cristina Fernandez, Juncal Espinosa
Summary: Little is known about the interactions between variables involved in the post-fire response of Mediterranean pine species to prescribed burning. A study was conducted to develop an empirical model and assess the influence of various factors on the probability of stem cambium damage. The results showed significant differences in cambium damage between burn seasons and highlighted the importance of bark thickness and crown scorch in protecting the cambium. Prescribed burning generally resulted in a low level of cambium damage in Mediterranean pine species.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cogos Sarah, Ostlund Lars, Roturier Samuel
Summary: The study reveals that forest owners and Indigenous Sami reindeer herders share the same land in northern Sweden, with foresters failing to adequately consider the impacts of fire management on reindeer herding. The Sami prioritize the effects of burning on fodder availability, grazing opportunities, and herd movement patterns.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Laura C. Gigliotti, Goncalo Curveira-Santos, Rob Slotow, Craig Sholto-Douglas, Lourens H. Swanepoel, David S. Jachowski
Summary: This study focused on the impact of fires on carnivores in South Africa, revealing that fire did not promote all carnivores to increase the use of burned areas. While apex predators like lions responded positively to prey-rich burnt areas, other large carnivore species exhibited neutral responses, and medium- to small-sized carnivores had species-specific, both neutral and positive responses. Positive responses to fire by lions were short-lived, emphasizing the complexity of understanding carnivore responses to fire.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
A. Fajardo-Cantos, E. Pena-Molina, A. Diaz-Montero, J. Gonzalez-Romero, D. Moya, M. E. Lucas-Borja, J. De Las Heras
Summary: The study assesses the ecological effects of early-season prescribed burns on Macrochloa tenacissima communities in Pinus halepensis Mill forests. It reveals significant impacts on vegetation diversity and ecophysiology, as well as changes in alpha grass leaf chemical composition.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Aristides Moustakas, Orestis Davlias
Summary: Recent wildfires have surpassed national firefighting capabilities, sparking debates on using prescribed burns to control their spread. Machine learning analysis showed that while fire return interval and seasonality play a role in moderating fire spread rate and intensity, meteorological variables still have the most significant impact.
STOCHASTIC ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND RISK ASSESSMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
C. Espinosa del Alba, J. Hjalten, J. Sjogren
Summary: The study evaluated the impacts of restoration methods on forest stands in northern Sweden. Prescribed burning initially caused a decline in diversity but led to an increase in the long term for vascular plants, while ground layer bryophytes remained lower post-restoration. Gap cutting had no significant effects on diversity or community composition.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Ruicheng Hong, Jialin Li, Jin Wang, Xilong Zhu, Xiaona Li, Cheng Ma, Hengmao Cao, Leiguang Wang, Qiuhua Wang
Summary: This study focuses on the effects of prescribed burning on the composition, structure, growth, regeneration, and bark characteristics of oak trees in Pinus yunnanensis forests. The results showed that prescribed burning significantly affected the species composition and reduced the height and cover of oak plants. Oak regeneration mainly occurred through sprout tillers, and oak plants in prescribed burn areas exhibited thicker bark and higher density. This study provides scientific insights for prescribed burning, forest fuels, and forest fire management.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)