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Project ID: 08-1-2-01

Year: 2008

Date Started: 08/01/2008

Date Completed: 11/21/2012

Title: Fire and the Invasive Annual Grass Microstegium Vimineum in Eastern Deciduous Forests

Project Proposal Abstract: Exotic plant invasions have the potential to change natural fire regimes by increasing fuel loads and continuity of fuels, which may alter fire behavior such as intensity, rate of spread, and extent. Fires can subsequently promote additional plant invasions by exposing bare soil and releasing nutrients, resulting in a positive feedback between plant invaders and fire. Here, we propose to examine the interaction between fire and the invasive annual grass Microstegium vimineum in eastern deciduous forests. Microstegium is rapidly invading eastern forests, resulting in a widespread and dense layer of fine fuels following plant senescence. This layer of fuel provides an unnaturally continuous and flammable fuel bed potentially resulting in unusually intense fires. Increased fire frequency and severity in invaded areas may cause increased damage to native vegetation and result in unpredictable prescribed fire behavior and further invasions of Microstegium. We propose to study the differences in fire behavior in invaded and uninvaded areas by examining large-scale prescribed burns conducted at Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge. In addition, to answer specific questions on timing of burns and increased invasions due to fire, we will establish smaller-scale experimental research plots involving 10 different treatments manipulating the timing of fires and management options. We will evaluate vegetation impacts, soil characteristics, and invasion dynamics in addition to evaluating fire behavior in the treatment plots. The results of this research will provide valuable information to land managers regarding the effects of Microstegium invasions on fire behavior, methods to prevent further invasions following prescribed fires, and how the timing of fires affects the spread of Microstegium.

Principal Investigator: S. Luke Flory

Agency/Organization: University of Florida

Branch or Dept: Agronomy Department

Other Project Collaborators

Type	Name	Agency/Organization	Branch or Dept
Co-Principal Investigator	Keith Clay	Indiana University-Bloomington	Department of Biology
Co-Principal Investigator	Sarah Emery	University of Louisville	Department of Biology
Co-Principal Investigator	Joseph R. Robb	FWS-Fish and Wildlife Service	Big Oaks NWR
Federal Cooperator	Joseph R. Robb	FWS-Fish and Wildlife Service	Big Oaks NWR

Project Locations

Consortium

Appalachian

Oak Woodlands

Oak Woodlands

Level	State	Agency	Unit
STATE	IN	FWS	Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge

Project Deliverables

Final Report ("Results presented in JFSP Final Reports may not have been peer-reviewed and should be interpreted as tentative until published in a peer-reviewed source.")

	ID	Type	Title
	8822	Refereed Publication	Fire Effects on Seed Germination of Native and Invasive Eastern Deciduous Forest Understory Plants
	8229	Refereed Publication	Non-Native Grass Invasion Alters Native Plant Composition in Experimental Communities
	8817	Refereed Publication	Nonchemical Methods for Managing Japanese Stiltgrass
	8820	Refereed Publication	Non-Native Invasion Suppresses Forest Succession
	10355	Invited Paper/Presentation	Fire and the Invasive Annual Grass Microstegium vimineum in Eastern Deciduous Forests--Indianapolis, IN
	10354	Invited Paper/Presentation	Fire and the Invasive Annual Grass Microstegium vimineum in Eastern Deciduous Forests--Indianapolis, IN
	8226	Conference/Symposia/Workshop	Fire and Plant Invasions in the Midwest--Indianapolis, IN
	10200	Photo	Fire in area invaded by Microstegium vimineum (2)
	10199	Photo	Dense Microstegium invasion following prescribed fire
	10198	Photo	Abundant fine fuels in Microstegium invaded area
	10197	Photo	Small scale experimental fire in research plot
	10196	Photo	Fire in area invaded by Microstegium vimineum
	10168	Poster	Invasive Grass (Microstegium vimineum) Increases Fire Intensity in Eastern Forests
	8227	Poster	Fire and Microstegium Invasions in Eastern Forests

Supporting Documents

There are no supporting documents available for this project.

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