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Fire effects

Re-measure selected additional studies

Rationale: Severe fires are thought to have large environmental consequences as well as endangering communities and fire fighters. Immediate effects include changes in water infiltration, erosion, and mortality of large and small trees, plants, animals, and microbes; long-term effects include losses of nutrients through volatilization and leaching (Raison et al. 1985, Brown and DeBoyle 1987, DeBano et al. 1998). Losses of soil

Tree plots

Understory seedlings and shrubs

Herbs and mosses

Litter and woody debris

Re-sample soil

Sample soil respiration

Soil biota: re-measure ectomycorrhizae and their associated fruiting bodies, mushrooms and truffles

Birds: re-measure birds (spring breeding only)

organic matter may affect soil structure and fertility as well (Belillas and Feller 1998). If a fire slows vegetative recovery by eliminating sprouting plants and buried-seed banks, erosion can be amplified (Neuenschwander et al. 2000). Effects on mineral soil are particularly important because xeric, fire-dependent forests tend to have a large proportion of their nutrient capital belowground (Keyes and Grier 1981).

Initial results and graphs
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Initial results
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