Three year burn frequency effects in a piney flatwoods ecosystem
Overview
Objectives
The objective of this demonstration area is to contrast the effects of fire frequency on understory species composition in a mixed longleaf (Pinus palustris) and slash pine (Pinus elliottii) flatwoods forest. Two adjacent stands feature one- and two-year burn frequencies and offer a visual contrast with this three-year burn area.
Summary
A three year burn interval leads to an understory dominated by gallberry (Ilex glabra), saw palmetto (Serona repens), and other woody shrubs. Likely because of the shrubby understory, there is very little pine regeneration. In contrast, the understory of the one-year burn interval is predominately grasses (i.e., wiregrass (Aristida stricta)), and the two year intervals has a mix of grasses and shrubs. The one-year burn has no pine regeneration, while the two-year burn intervals has pockets of pine regeneration.
Results
| Date (month / year) | Species / Type | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Silvicultural Application(s) Used in Study
What did the study investigate?
Are there any local forest health threats to your target species?
No
Plans for Future Treatments
The site will continue to receive prescribed fire on three-year intervals as a contrast for the nearby one- and two-year burn interval areas.
Additional selection harvests will likely occur between 2045-2055 depending on pine infilling and growth rates.
Plans for Future Measurements
The eddy-covariance tower will continue to measure forest carbon and water cycling.
Tree growth and understory characteristics will continue to be measured at periodic intervals by Jason Vogel and Timothy Martin. See the descriptions of the single tree and group selectin experiments in the forest.