Secondary fire effects on Symphoricarpos albus-Rosa spp. plant association in the canyon grasslands of north-central Idaho

Call Number:

Keywords:

Abstract:

The snowberry-rose (Symphoricarpos albus-Rosa spp.) plant association is a significant component of the canyon grasslands of Hells Canyon. Fire has impacted this area in the past while the historic fire frequency is unknown. The Corral Creek fire of 2001 burned 645 ha of the Corral Creek drainage within the Garden Creek Nature Preserve which is located on the west side of Craig Mountain in Nez Perce County, Idaho. Ten unburned and 10 burned plots were sampled in order to compare cover and composition of shrubs, grasses, forbs, and ground cover. The line intercept method was used to measure shrub cover and a modified Daubenmire cover class method was used for grass and forb cover. Statistical analyses were done with the SAS statistical software package. ANCOVA (Analysis of Covariance) was used for species group analysis. Individual species were analyzed with the Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney) nonparametric statistical test. Snowberry cover was lower on burned plots while rose cover was not different. Total grass cover was not different across treatments. Japanese brome (Bromus arvensis)/cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), had higher cover on burned plots. Rattlesnake brome (Bromus briziformis) cover was higher on unburned plots. Total forb and total herbaceous cover was not different. Western yarrow (Achillea millefolium), slender cinquefoil (Potentilla gracilis), Missouri goldenrod (Solidago missouriensis), spring draba (Draba verna), and Lewiston cornsalad (Valerianella locusta) had higher cover on burned plots. Bedstraw (Galium aparine) and winter vetch (Vicia villosa) were higher on unburned plots. Bare ground was higher in burned plots while lichen and moss cover was lower in the burned plots. Litter was not different between treatments. Litter recovery shows resilience of this plant association following fire. Species composition was different across the treatments which probably resulted from the change in resources and competition following the fire and variable species responses to fire. As the shrub canopy closes it can be expected that the understory species will respond to the subsequent changes in environmental conditions. Further study in these areas would be beneficial to determine future changes in these shrub communities.

Notes:

Reference Code: U07GUE01IDUS <br>

Full Citation: Guettler BL. 2007. Secondary fire effects on Symphoricarpos albus-Rosa spp. plant association in the canyon grasslands of north-central Idaho. Thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science with a Major in Rangeland Ecology and Management in the College of Graduate Studies, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho. 66 pp. <br>

Location: ELECTRONIC FILE - BOTANY: OTHER <br>

Keywords: fire, fire effects, Symphoricarpos albus, Rosa spp, canyon grasslands, north-central Idaho, Idaho <br>