1. Fire Ecology and ARFO Burn Program

2. Goals of the Talk History of fire Effects of fire on AR ecosystems
Ecosystem fire regimes
Fire adapted species and effects of fire exclusion
Factors controlling effects of fires
Fire as a management tool
Tell a story how we and our partners met and developed an idea, obtained funding, and implementing - from my perspective

3. The Natural State Arkansas is Great! Four major ecoregions
105 G1-G2 species
117 Endemic species
Large intact landscapes and ecological processes

4. The role of fire in ecosystems
Fire-maintained ecosystems
Fire-influenced ecosystems
Fire-independent ecosystems
Ecosystems fall into three categories

5. Fire-maintained Ecosystems
Ecosystems where fire is essential. If fire is removed, or if the fire regime is altered beyond its normal range of variability, the ecosystem changes to something else; habitats and species are lost.
Fire is not a disturbance
Fire is not a succession initiating process

6. Fire-influenced Ecosystems
Ecosystems where fire can influence structure, relative abundance of species, and/or limit extent.
Fire may create habitats by initiating or affecting succession.
If fires are too frequent or too large, they can be damaging and cause ecosystem shifts and promote invasive species.
Other disturbances may be of equal or greater importance.

7. Fire-independent Ecosystems
Ecosystems where fire plays little or no role
Too cold, too dry, or too wet to burn.

8. There is a relationship between fire-maintained and fire-influenced ecosystems.
Mangrove
Saltmarsh
Frequently the fire maintained ecosystems control the limits of the fire-influenced ecosystems.
At Evrglades national park - burned for two days over water and then went out.
Next to it is mangrove which normally does not burn, except in dry periods - so the fire inlfuences its extent

9. Fire Regime Components of Prescribed Fire Regime
A set of recurring conditions of fire that characterize a given ecosystem
Components of Prescribed Fire Regime
Fire type (crown, surface, ground)
Fire return interval (frequency)
Fire behavior (intensity)
Burn severity (effects on vegetation)
Timing (seasonality)
Size and pattern (shape and patchiness)

10. Prescribed fire regime
Fire History
Derived from fire scars and charcoal on rings
Temporal chauvinism
Be careful of averages
A repeated pattern of burning that produces a (somewhat) predictable result
Design broad goals and measurable objectives

11. General effects of prescribed fire in Arkansas
Specifically within natural communities, the seasonality, frequency, and the intensity have effects in the flora and fauna for:
Prairies
Oak woodlands
Pine woodlands
Bottomlands, swamps, cane
Ecotones

12. Rare and declining species
Fire dependent: 42% - increases with fire
Fire independent: 42% increases with fire, but could be maintained without fire
Fire sensetive: 16% decreases with fire or not enough information

13. In many cases, animals in fire-maintained ecosystems, have behavioral adaptations to fire.
Underground hiding places = refugia
Will re-nest
Hide in unburn areas
Re-populate from unburned areas
Habitat requirements are created or maintained by fire
Food sources are stimulated by fire.

14. Many organisms depend on fire: How do the following?

15. Practices on the property include
Riparian fencing
Riparian buffer reforestation
Alternative watering sources for cattle
Rotational grazing utilizing native grass pastures