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Luo C, Fang Z, Liu J, Han F, Wu Y, Bing H, Zhao P. Root carbon and soil temperature may be key drivers of below-ground biomass in grassland following prescribed fires in autumn and spring. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 349:119337. [PMID: 37951102 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
Under global warming, fire and the season in which the fire occurs both have important impacts on grassland plant biomass. Still, the effect of fire on below-ground biomass (BB) along a natural aridity gradient and the main impact factors remain unclear. Here, we conducted a fire manipulation experiment (including un-fired, autumn fire and spring fire treatments) to investigate the effects of prescribed fire on BB and its critical determinants along a transect of grassland in northern China. BB had different response strategies in different aridity regions and fire seasons, despite above-ground biomass (AB) and root-shoot ratio were not significantly affected by fire. General linear regression models revealed that the fire changed the trend of increasing BB to decreasing along increasing aridity (p < 0.05). Random forest model (RFM) and partial correlations revealed that the BB was primarily influenced by aridity, followed by the nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentration ratio of AB under un-fired disturbance. For autumn fire, the BB was primarily influenced by below-ground biomass carbon concentration (BB c), followed by the C and N concentration ratio of BB. For spring fire, the BB was primarily influenced by soil temperature (ST), followed by aridity and soil total phosphorus concentration (Soil p). Furthermore, partial least squares path model (PLS-PM) revealed that autumn fires weakened the effects of environmental factors on BB, while spring fires enhanced the effects of soil nutrients on BB. These suggested that fire disrupted the original stable nutrient dynamics of BB. Our results suggested that fire promoted the growth of BB in relatively humid areas (aridity = 0.51-0.53) while inhibited the growth of BB in relatively arid areas (aridity = 0.68-0.74). BB c and ST may be key drivers of BB after prescribed fire in autumn and spring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoyi Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China; Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhao Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China; Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Jiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China; Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China
| | - Fengpeng Han
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China; Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Water Resources, Yangling 712100, China.
| | - Yanhong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Haijian Bing
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Peng Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Dole HE, Villamarin-Cortez S, Richards LA. Facing the flames: insect responses to megafires and changing fire regimes. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 60:101129. [PMID: 37802150 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
The rise of megafires and extreme fire behaviors poses a significant threat to insect populations, affecting their survival and postfire recolonization. Megafires threaten the entire insect communities by changing fire regimes and habitats. These fires are now burning non-fire-prone ecosystems, endangering non-fire-adapted insects and habitats. While implementing prescribed burn programs can reduce the chances of megafires from developing, some megafires will be unpreventable. Land managers can mitigate the fire impacts by creating refugia and promoting heterogeneity in burn severity through fire control measures. Last, these post-megafire landscapes can provide an opportunity to restore historical fire regimes through subsequent prescribed burn management. This will revitalize ecosystems, benefit insects, and reduce the likelihood of future megafires and subsequent insect loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haley E Dole
- University of Nevada-Reno, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, USA.
| | - Santiago Villamarin-Cortez
- University of Nevada-Reno, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, USA; Universidad Central del Ecuador, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Dirección de Posgrado, Numa Pompilio Llona y Yaguachi, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Lora A Richards
- University of Nevada-Reno, 1664 North Virginia Street, Reno, NV 89557, USA
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Nemec K, Stephenson A, Losch M. How Engineers and Roadside Vegetation Managers Maintain Roadside Vegetation in Iowa, USA. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2022; 70:593-604. [PMID: 35867149 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-022-01683-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Recently the value of roadside vegetation as habitat for pollinators has gained increased attention, particularly in areas dominated by agriculture where there is little native vegetation available. However, many factors, including safety, cost, public perception, erosion control, and weedy plants must be considered when managing roadside vegetation. Although their decisions influence thousands of hectares of public rights-of-way, how engineers and roadside managers maintain roadside vegetation has been the subject of little research. In this study, we surveyed county engineers and roadside managers who manage vegetation along secondary roads in Iowa, USA to assess how they maintain roadside vegetation. Some counties employ roadside managers, who often have an environmental sciences background, to implement the on-the-ground management of roadside vegetation, while some counties use other staff. Compared to engineers, roadside managers more strongly agreed that using the ecological principles of integrated roadside vegetation management (IRVM) provided environmental benefits. Engineers in counties with a roadside manager more strongly agreed that IRVM practices reduce the spread of invasive species and provide attractive roadsides. Both engineers and roadside managers mentioned challenges to managing roadside vegetation, including interference with some native plantings by adjacent landowners, and ranked safety and soil erosion concerns as the highest priorities when making decisions. Four in ten roadside managers said their counties had protected native plant community remnants on secondary roadsides. Our findings can inform conservation outreach efforts to those responsible for managing roadside vegetation, and emphasize the importance of addressing safety and soil erosion concerns in roadside research and communications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Nemec
- Tallgrass Prairie Center, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, USA.
| | - Andrew Stephenson
- Center for Social and Behavioral Research, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, USA
- Upper Mississippi River Basin Association, Bloomington, MN, USA
| | - Mary Losch
- Center for Social and Behavioral Research, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA, USA
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