Project Number: 5362-13610-007-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Apr 02, 2003
End Date: Feb 07, 2008

Objective:
Research under this CRIS addresses problems of landscape disturbance, rangeland health and sustainable resource management in the Columbia Plateau and Great Basin ecoregions. The objectives include: 1) Assess impacts of wildfire, prescribed fire and invasive plants on ecosystem processes; and 2) Test remote sensing technologies, enhance simulation models and devise management strategies for assessment and mitigation of fire and weed impacts.

Approach:
Wild and prescribed-fire impacts will be assessed on vegetation, soil and water resources at the Reynolds Creek Experimental Watershed in southwestern Idaho and other field locations in Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and Montana. The interaction of fire, sagebrush (Artemesia spp.) and associated invasive weeds will be investigated with special emphasis on western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) in mountain-sage plant communities, and cheatgrass (Bromus tectorus) in Wyoming-big-sage communities. Experimental and monitoring data in these systems will be used to test remote sensing technologies, enhance simulation models and to derive management strategies for assessment and mitigation of fire and invasive-week impacts. Specific areas of investigation include: fire and weed impacts on soil infiltration, erosion, stream-flow and sediment yield; post-fire grazing effects; plant material evaluation and rangeland rehabilitation; and development and validation of remote sensing and modeling tools to assess fire and weed impacts, and to assist in prediction and mitigation of rangeland disturbance. Formerly 5362-12610-002-00D (2/03).