Earth Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Prescribed Fire On Biomass And Plant Succession In Western Aspen, United States Department Of Agriculture, Forest Service

Forestry

Biomass of grasses, forbs, shrubs, and aspen suckers was determined annually for three prescribed fires in aspen and aspen-conifer forests in southeastern Idaho and western Wyoming. Fires ranged from low to high severity and overstory mortality from 20 to 100 percent. Over 4 postburn years, production of grasses and forbs averaged 1.5 to 3.3 times that of controls. After 5 years, shrub biomass was 21 to 100 percent of preburn biomass. The varied patterns of seral vegetation and their management implications are discussed.