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Submitted to: Great Plains Fire Science Exchange
Publication Type: Popular Publication Publication Acceptance Date: 1/5/2015 Publication Date: 1/5/2015 Citation: Dufek, N.A. 2015. A review of ecological consequences of shifting the timing of burning tallgrass prairie. Great Plains Fire Science Exchange. 2014-26. Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Prescribed burning is widely accepted as a critical management tool in the tallgrass prairie, however, the ecological effects of burning at different times of the season are poorly understood. In the Kansas Fleet Hills, timing of fire is an important management issue that carries socio-economic as well as ecological implications. Early studies on the effects of early spring burning suggest reductions in total biomas production, increases C3 grasses and undesirable forbs, and little success in controlling woody species. These findings have led managers and local ranchers in the Flint Hills to burn almost exclusively in late spring to maintain high quality forage production and control undesirable plant species. Despite the myriad of benefits these fires have on agricultural sustainability and ecological function, nearby cities experience a sharp decline in air quality due to the release of concentrated smoke that facilitates tropospheric ozone production. This facilitation is exacerbated in late spring, realtive to early spring and winter, due to higher temperatures and insolation. |
