“Fire and Fauna in the Southeast: Lessons Learned from Recent Research”

Guest and PresenterDr. Chris Moorman

Professor and Coordinator of the Fisheries, Wildlife, and 

Conservation Biology ProgramNC State University

Webinar HostDr. David Godwin

Outreach CoordinatorSouthern Fire ExchangeUniversity of Florida

Southern Fire Exchange Webinar July 25, 2013

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FireandFaunaintheSoutheast:LessonsLearnedfromRecent

Research

Chris Moorman, PhDNCSU Dept. of Forestry and Env. ResourcesFisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology

Outline

• Effectsonleaf‐litterobligates– Woodlandsalamandersandshrews

• Effectsonground‐nestingbirds– Wildturkeynestsurvival

• Effectsonacornsandotherwildlifefood– Forage,softmast,acornavailability

• Summaryofconsistentthemes

Long‐termResponseofSalamandersandShrewsto

Fire&FuelReductionTreatments

Charlotte Matthews’ MS ThesisCollaborators: Katie Greenberg and Tom Waldrop

RelevantEnvironmentalChange

• Reductioninleaflittercoveranddepth• Canopyreductionandgreatergroundtemps• Increaseinherbaceouslayer

WhatWeKnow

• Salamandersnotaffectedby:– singleprescribedfires(Fordetal.1999,Floydetal.2001,Moselyetal.2003,GreenbergandWaldrop2008)

– twolow‐intensityfires(Fordetal.2010)

• Shrewsnotaffectedby:– Single,low‐intensityfires(Fordetal.1999)– But,declinedaftersinglehighintensityfire(Greenbergetal.2007)

GreenRiverGameLand

• 5,841ha• Elevation:366‐ 793m• Oak‐hickoryoverstorywithpineonridges• Understory:rhododendron&mt.laurel• Notthinnedorburned>50years

GreenRiverGameLands

PolkCo.

FuelReductionTreatments

• 3replicates• 3treatments(10ha)+control:

– Twice‐burned(2003,2006)– Mechanicalunderstorycut(2002)– Mechanicalunderstorycut+2burns

• NationalFire&FireSurrogateStudy

Control

July 2006

Mechanical(2002)

July 2006

Twice‐burned(2003,2006)

July 2006

Mechanical+2Burns

July 2006

FireTemperatures

• 1st burn(2003)– B:180° C– M+B:370° C

→Overstorymortality

• 2nd burn(2006)– 2B:155° C– M+2B:222° C

→Overstorymortality

Herpetofauna/Shrewsampling

• May– August2006&2007• 3driftfencearrays/unit=36arrays

– 4pitfalltraps&6funneltraps

7.6m

Herpetofauna/Shrewsampling

• May– August2006&2007• 3driftfencearrays/unit=36arrays

– 4pitfalltraps&6funneltraps

7.6m

Herpetofauna/Shrewsampling

• May– August2006&2007• 3driftfencearrays/unit=36arrays

– 4pitfalltraps&6funneltraps

7.6m

AllShrewResponse

SoutheasternShrewResponse

SoutheasternShrewResponse

SalamanderResponse

SalamanderResponse

LizardResponse

LizardResponse

ChangeinHabitat(2006)

• Leaflitterdepthlowerin2B&M+2B• DuffdepthlowerinM+2B• CanopycoverlowerinM+2B• Downwoodydebrisnotdifferent• Arthropodsnotdifferent

ConservationImplications

• Firesthatreduceoverstorylikelyto:– negativelyaffectsalamanders– benefitlizardsandotherreptiles

• Effectsoflowintensityfireslimitedandshortterm– negativelyaffectsomeshrews,temporarily– indicationsofsalamanderincreaseafterfiresrelatedtodetectability?

• Longer‐termstudiesneeded

EffectsofGrowing‐seasonFireonWildTurkeyNestSurvival

EricKilburg’s MSThesisCollaborators:ChrisDePerno,CraigHarper,DavidCobb

Growing‐seasonFireandTurkeys

PotentialBenefits

• Greatervisibility

• Spring/summerforage

• Broodcover

PotentialDisadvantages

• Nestdestruction

• Nestingcoverreduction

• Poult mortality

• Temporaryforagereduction

Growing‐seasonFireandTurkeys

PotentialBenefits

• Greatervisibility

• Spring/summerforage

• Broodcover

PotentialDisadvantages

• Nestdestruction

• Nestingcoverreduction

• Poult mortality

• Temporaryforagereduction

FortBragg

CapturedHens(2011‐2012)

GPSdatalogger

VHFtransmitter

NestMonitoring

• Locatedhens>3xweekly

• Flaggedstationaryhens

• Determinedfatefromeggshells/

incubationduration

NestSearchResultsRadio‐tagged65hens

Located42nestsonbase

Monitored30nestsforsurvival

• 1nestdestroyedbyfire

• 1nestabandoned(militaryactivity)

• 16nestsdepredated

• 12nestshatched

Nest‐siteSelection(n=42)

Nest‐siteSelection(n=42)

Nest‐siteSelection(n=42)

NestSurvival(n=30)

FireExposure(~6%ofnestsperyear)

SummaryandImplications• 1outof30nestsdestroyedbyfireover2years• Fire‐maintainedecotones wereimportantnestsites• Lessthan6%ofnestsexposedtofireeachyear

• Growing‐seasonfire:• Haslimitedinfluenceonnestsurvival• Mayincreasenestingcoverinlowlands/ecotones• Mayreducenestingcoverinuplands,especiallyonlowproductivitysites

• Dormantseasonfiresmayincreasenestingcoverinuplands

EffectsofFireSeasonandFrequencyonFoodAvailabilityMarcusLashley PhDResearch

Collaborators:ChrisDePerno,CraigHarper

WhatWeWantedtoKnow

• Effectsoffireseasonondeerforageavailability• Effectsoffireseasononfruitabundance• Effectsoftimesincefireonunderstoryfruitabundance

• Long‐termeffectsoffireapplicationondistributionofacornavailability

StudyDesign

• UplandHardwood• BottomlandHardwood• UplandPine

– Following>2dormant‐seasonfires– Following>2growing‐seasonfires(April‐August)

• Sameyearasfire• 1yearsincefire• 2yearssincefire

HowWeMeasuredFood

• Biomassofdeerforageinexclusioncages• Understoryfruitsmeasuredalongtransects• Acorn(andpersimmon)transects

Deer Forage AvailableKg

/Ha

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

BH Dormant Growing UH

WiregrassNonselectedSelected Food

Deer Forage AvailableKg

/Ha

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

BH Dormant Growing UH

WiregrassNonselectedSelected Food

Soft Mast (By Cover Type)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

BH Dormant Growing Open UH

September

August

July

June

Fruits /tran

sect

Soft Mast in Pines (Years Since Burned)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

0 1 2+

September

August

July

June

Fruits / acre

11Foot1 Foot

11Foot

11Foot

4 Foot

10 Foot

Acorns and Persimmons

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

70.00

Mean Fruits / Transect Mean Stems / Transect

LIFTZ

UH

BH

UP

Open

Num

ber /

 Transect

Acorns and Persimmons

0.00

10.00

20.00

30.00

40.00

50.00

60.00

70.00

Mean Fruits / Transect Mean Stems / Transect

LIFTZ

UH

BH

UP

Open

Num

ber /

 Transect

6%

17%

2%

11%

36%

28%

Relative Land Area Acorn/Persimmon Abundance

80%

8%

1% 11%

Firebreaks

LIFTZ

UH

BH

UP

Open

ConservationImplications

• Include dormant‐season fires to maintain:– Forage and cover for deer– Wider diversity of soft mast

• Longer return intervals (>2 years) needed to maintain soft mast production

• Include strategies to protect oaks/hardwoods

SummaryThemes• Define target species when predicting fire effects• Effects of prescribed burning vary with time

– After a single fire– After additive effects of repeated fires

• Behavioral adaptations allow coexistence with fire• Consider historical fire occurrence• Heterogeneous fire application is encouraged

– Variable fire seasons– Variable return intervals within and among stands

Acknowledgments

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