Impacts of repeated wildfire on long-unburned plant communities of the southern Appalachian Mountains
Donald L. Hagan A E , Thomas A. Waldrop B , Matthew Reilly C and Timothy M. Shearman D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Clemson University, Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Room 212, Lehotsky Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
B US Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Room 239, Lehotsky Hall, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
C Oregon State University, College of Forestry, Room 204, Peavy Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA.
D Clemson University, Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Room 217, Lehotsky Hall, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
E Corresponding author. Email: dhagan@clemson.edu
International Journal of Wildland Fire 24(7) 911-920 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF14143
Submitted: 16 August 2014 Accepted: 4 June 2015 Published: 30 July 2015
Abstract
The infrequent occurrence of large wildfires in the southern Appalachian Mountains over the last several decades has offered few opportunities to study their impacts. From 2000 to 2008, five wildfires burned a large portion of the area in and surrounding the Linville Gorge Wilderness in North Carolina. Areas were burned either once or twice. The response of acid cove and thermic oak plant communities (structure, cover, richness, diversity) was measured in 78 vegetation monitoring plots, established in 1992 and remeasured in 2010–11. Fire altered forest structure in both communities, resulting in the mortality of larger trees and increases in the abundance of smaller (<5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH)) stems. Burning twice decreased stem counts for mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) in both communities, whereas oaks (Quercus spp.) responded positively to burning twice in the thermic oak community. Table Mountain pine stem counts increased in acid cove and thermic oak communities burned once. Fire appears to promote princesstree (Paulownia tomentosa) invasion. Herbaceous species cover responded positively to fire (once or twice; both communities), with concurrent increases in woody species richness and diversity. Tree species composition in acid cove plots was not affected by burning, although some slight changes occurred in thermic oak plots burned twice.
Additional keywords: climate change, ecosystems, fire frequency, fire management.
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