The following abstract describes the effects of prescribed burning on amphibian species in the upland hardwood forests of South Carolina. Upland Ozark forests managed with repeated prescribed burns may see similar declines in amphibian species richness and diversity. -VI

Fire alters the abundance and diversity of many species, but its effects on
amphibians are poorly known. We tested whether prescribed burning affected
amphibian abundance and diversity within the Francis Marion National Forest,
South Carolina, by monitoring assemblages at 15 temporary ponds with five
different burn histories: 0, 1, 3, 5, and 12 years after burns. We also
monitored terrestrial and aquatic environmental variables likely to
influence amphibian diversity, such as leaf-litter depth, pond water
chemistry, and distance to neighboring ponds. Fire had significant negative
effects.

Immediate effects ( burning during the study ) explained 12.8% and
10.8% of the variation in anuran and amphibian abundance, respectively,
whereas short-term effects explained 31.8% and 24.6% of variation in
amphibian species richness and evenness, respectively. Species richness
increased and evenness decreased with time since burn, primarily because
salamanders were rarely encountered at sites burned within 2 years. These
sites had the shallowest leaf litter and highest soil temperature variances.

Environmental factors unrelated to burning also significantly influenced
amphibian diversity. Water chemistry explained 31.1% of variation in species
richness, 32.2% of evenness, and>25% of anuran, salamander, and total
amphibian abundances. Salamanders were most sensitive to water chemistry
factors, particularly pH. Our results suggest that decreasing the frequency
of prescribed burns from the current 2-3 years to 3-7 years will better
maintain diverse amphibian and plant assemblages. Substituting
growing-season burns for the current practice of winter and spring burns
would avoid repeatedly interrupting amphibian breeding and would maintain
the desired longleaf pine community.
Document Type: Research article

Authors: Schurbon J.M.; Fauth J.E.

Source: Conservation Biology, Volume 17, Number 5, October 2003 , pp.
1338-1349(12)

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing

DOI: 10.1046/j.1523-1739.2003.01514.x

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