Microhabitat Temperature Variations and the Post-Burn Response of Vegetation in the Edwards Plateau of Texas

With the increased use of prescribed fires in the Edwards Plateau comes a need for a greater understanding of factors affecting fire temperatures and post-burn vegetational response. In the winter of 1980, a joint study was initiated on the Kerr Wildlife Management Area, near Kerrville, Texas, to assess the impact of: (1) microhabitat differences in fuel load and fuel moisture on temperature and (2) microhabitat temperature variations on vegetational response. The results of this study indicate that fire temperatures are generally higher under tree canopies (73°C-102°C) than in grasslands (64°C) due to the presence of more fuel in these areas. High fuel moisture under some tree canopies has, however, a dampening effect on temperature. Herbaceous vegetation was largely unaffected by the fire over one growing season, whereas the undesirable woody species Juniperus Ashei was effectively controlled.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Grantor

Southwest Texas State University

Year dc:date.issued

1984

Author dc:creator

• Stone, Melvin Wade

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Fonteyn, Paul J.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Baccus, John T.
• Hannan, Herbert H.

• prescribed burning
• fire ecology
• niche
• Kerr Wildlife Management Area

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10877/21821

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.library.txst.edu:10877/21821