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Project ID:

09-1-10-1

Year:

2009

Date Started:

09/01/2009

Date Completed:

09/19/2013

Title:

Impacts of Repeated Wildfire on Vegetation in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Project Proposal Abstract:

Abstract: Most current knowledge of fire effects in the southern Appalachian Mountains is from observations on single small prescribed fires. Until recently, large wildfires have been infrequent in the region, offering little opportunity to study biological effects. Four separate wildfires that occurred in Linville Gorge in western NC offer a valuable and unique opportunity for re-measurement to observe the impacts of multiple wildfires. An extensive set of vegetation plots was measured before and after a wildfire in 2000. Portions of the same area burned a second time in either 2007 (2 fires) or 2008 (1 fire). This unique set of events will allow us to compare fire severity and effects in areas burned once (2000, 2007 or 2008) or twice (both 2000 and 2007 or 2008). The effects of repeated fire in the southern Appalachians are largely unknown and there is a need to understand its effects on regeneration of Table Mountain pine and oak species, species diversity, and invasion of exotic species. The results will allow us to compare the range of variation in fire severity and effects of single and repeated wildfires with that observed in other studies of prescribed fire in the southern Appalachian Mountains. This knowledge will enable managers to understand potential outcomes of future wildfires and their effects on management goals.

Principal Investigator:

Thomas A. Waldrop

Agency/Organization:

Forest Service

Branch or Dept:

SRS-Department of Forest Resources

Other Project Collaborators

Type	Name	Agency/Organization	Branch or Dept
Agreements Contact	Joyce M. Gorgas	Forest Service	SRS-Southern Research Station
Budget Contact	Shelly M. Gates	Forest Service	SRS-Southern Research Station
Co-Principal Investigator	Matthew J. Reilly	Forest Service	PNW-Forestry Sciences Lab-Corvallis
Co-Principal Investigator	Michael C. Wimberly	South Dakota State University	GIS Center of Excellence
Federal Cooperator	Thomas A. Waldrop	Forest Service	SRS-Department of Forest Resources
Federal Fiscal Representative	Shelly M. Gates	Forest Service	SRS-Southern Research Station