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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Response Of Conifer-Encroached Shrublands In The Great Basin To Prescribed Fire And Mechanical Treatments, Richard F. Miller, Jaime Ratchford, Bruce A. Roundy, Robin J. Tausch, April Hulet, Jeanne C. Chambers
Response Of Conifer-Encroached Shrublands In The Great Basin To Prescribed Fire And Mechanical Treatments, Richard F. Miller, Jaime Ratchford, Bruce A. Roundy, Robin J. Tausch, April Hulet, Jeanne C. Chambers
Articles
In response to the recent expansion of piñon and juniper woodlands into sagebrush-steppe communities in the northern Great Basin region, numerous conifer-removal projects have been implemented, primarily to release understory vegetation at sites having a wide range of environmental conditions. Responses to these treatments have varied from successful restoration of native plant communities to complete conversion to nonnative invasive species. To evaluate the general response of understory vegetation to tree canopy removal in conifer-encroached shrublands, we set up a region-wide study that measured treatment-induced changes in understory cover and density. Eleven study sites located across four states in the Great …
Mechanical Mastication Of Utah Juniper Encroaching Sagebrush Steppe Increases Inorganic Soil N, Kert R. Young, Bruce A. Roundy, Dennis L. Eggett
Mechanical Mastication Of Utah Juniper Encroaching Sagebrush Steppe Increases Inorganic Soil N, Kert R. Young, Bruce A. Roundy, Dennis L. Eggett
Articles
Juniper (Juniperus spp.) has encroached on millions of hectares of sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) steppe. Juniper mechanical mastication increases cover of understory species but could increase resource availability and subsequently invasive plant species. We quantified the effects of juniper mastication on soil resource availability by comparing total C, total N, C : N ratio, Olsen extractable P, sulfate S, and pH using soil samples and inorganic N (NO3-+NH4+) using ion exchange membranes. We compared resource availability in paired masticated and untreated areas in three juniper-dominated sagebrush and bunchgrass ecosystems in the Utah portion …
Hydrologic And Erosion Responses To Wildfire Along The Rangeland-Xeric Forest Continuum In The Western Us: A Review And Model Of Hydrologic Vulnerability, Christopher Jason Williams, Frederick B. Pierson, Peter R. Robichaud, Jan Boll
Hydrologic And Erosion Responses To Wildfire Along The Rangeland-Xeric Forest Continuum In The Western Us: A Review And Model Of Hydrologic Vulnerability, Christopher Jason Williams, Frederick B. Pierson, Peter R. Robichaud, Jan Boll
Articles
The recent increase in wildfire activity across the rangeland–xeric forest continuum in the western United States has landscape-scale consequences in terms of runoff and erosion. Concomitant cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) invasions, plant community transitions and a warming climate in recent decades along grassland–shrubland–woodland–xeric forest transitions have promoted frequent and large wildfires, and continuance of the trend appears likely if warming climate conditions prevail. These changes potentially increase overall hydrologic vulnerability by spatially and temporally increasing soil exposure to runoff and erosion processes. Plot and hillslope-scale studies demonstrate burning may increase event runoff or erosion by factors of 2–40 over …