CSIRO Publishing blank image blank image blank image blank imageBooksblank image blank image blank image blank imageJournalsblank image blank image blank image blank imageAbout Usblank image blank image blank image blank imageShopping Cartblank image blank image blank image You are here: Journals > The Rangeland Journal   
The Rangeland Journal
http://www.austrangesoc.com.au/
  Rangeland Ecology & Management
 
blank image Search
 
blank image blank image
blank image
 
  Advanced Search
   

Journal Home
About the Journal
Editorial Structure
Contacts
Content
Online Early
Current Issue
Just Accepted
All Issues
Special Issues
Research Fronts
Sample Issue
For Authors
General Information
Notice to Contributors
Submit Article
Open Access
For Referees
Referee Guidelines
Review Article
Annual Referee Index
For Advertisers
For Subscribers
Subscription Prices
Customer Service
Print Publication Dates

blue arrow e-Alerts
blank image
Subscribe to our Email Alert or RSS feeds for the latest journal papers.

New Feature

New Commenting Tool
Join the conversation and leave comments on all new journal articles.


red arrow Connect with us
blank image
facebook   youtube

 

Article << Previous     |     Next >>   Contents Vol 34(2)

Response of woody species to different fire frequencies in semiarid rangelands of central Argentina#

Daniel V. Peláez A B D G, Romina J. Andrioli A, Omar R. Elia A C D, Eliana E. Bontti E and María A. Tomas F

A Departamento de Agronomía, Universidad Nacional del Sur, San Andrés 800, 8000 Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
B Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (CIC), Calle 526 entre 10 y 11, 1900 La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
C Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Av. Rivadavia 1917, C1033AAJ Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
D Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiárida (CERZOS), Camino La Carrindanga km 7, B8000FWB, Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
E Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, USA.
F Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Ruta 34 km 227, 2300 Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina.
G Corresponding author. Email: dpelaez@criba.edu.ar

The Rangeland Journal 34(2) 191-197 http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/RJ11050
Submitted: 31 August 2011  Accepted: 9 February 2012   Published: 26 March 2012
 
PDF (482 KB) $25
 Export Citation
 Print
  
Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of different controlled fire frequencies on cover, density and mortality of the most common woody species in semiarid rangelands of the Caldenal district of central Argentina over a 20-year period. The study comprised three fire treatments: (1) high fire frequency (controlled burns every 3–4 years; HFF); (2) low fire frequency (controlled burns every 8 years; LFF); and (3) unburned control. Repeated burns of moderate intensity, regardless of frequency, reduced the cover and the individual height and canopy area of the most common woody species. Their density was barely affected and the mortality rates were negligible with woody species producing new sprouts after each burn. The woody species under study had a similar response to the high- and low fire frequency treatments. A controlled burn every 3–4 years, permitted the control of woody species cover, height and canopy area, which in turn may favour the production of desirable perennial grasses. The important managerial implication is that the repeated use of controlled fires of moderate intensities in the autumn, given appropriate grazing management, is likely to be essential to maintain these rangelands.

Additional keywords: Caldenal, Condalia microphylla, controlled burning, Larrea divaricata, Prosopis caldenia.


References

Bóo, R. M. (1990). Algunos aspectos a considerar en el empleo del fuego. Revista de la Facultad de Agronomía de la Universidad Nacional de La Pampa 5, 63–80.

Bóo, R. M., and Peláez, D. V. (1991). Ordenamiento y clasificación de la vegetación en un área del sur del Caldenal. Boletín de la Sociedad Argentina de Botánica 7, 135–141.

Bóo, R. M., Peláez, D. V., Bunting, S. C., Elia, O. R., and Mayor, M. D. (1996). Effect of fire on grasses in central semi-arid Argentina. Journal of Arid Environments 32, 259–269.
| CrossRef |

Bóo, R. M., Peláez, D. V., Bunting, S. C., Mayor, M. D., and Elia, O. R. (1997). Effect of fire on woody species in central semi-arid Argentina. Journal of Arid Environments 35, 87–94.
| CrossRef |

Braun, R. H., and Lamberto, S. A. (1976). Modificaciones producidas por incendios en la integración de los componentes leñosos de un monte natural. Revista de Investigaciones Agropecuarias 11, 11–27.

Cabrera, A. L. (1976). Regiones fitogeográficas argentinas. In ‘Enciclopedia Argentina de Agricultura y Jardinería’. Vol. 2, Fasc. 1. (Ed. L. R. Parodi.) pp. 1–85. (ACME: Buenos Aires.)

Canfield, R. H. (1941). Application of the line interception method in sampling range vegetation. Journal of Forestry 39, 388–394.

Cano, E., Estelrich, H. D., and Holgado, H. (1985). Acción del fuego en los estratos graminosos y arbustivos de un bosque de caldén. Revista de la Facultad de Agronomía de la Universidad Nacional de La Pampa 1, 81–95.

Gill, A. M. (1995). Stems and fires. In ‘Plant Stems Physiology and Functional Morphology’. (Ed N. G. Gartner.) pp. 323–342. (Academic Press: San Diego, CA.)

Giorgetti, H. D., Rodríguez, G. D., Montenegro, O. A., Garcilazo, G., Bolla, D., Alvarez, J. M., Bóo, R. M., Peláez, D. V., Elia, O. R., and Mayor, M. D. (2009). Uso de la quema controlada en el monte nativo para incrementar la productividad de los rodeos de cría. Revista de Producción Animal 1, 371–373.

INTA (1980). ‘Inventario Integrado de Los Recursos Naturales de la Provincia de La Pampa.’ (INTA: Buenos Aires.)

Kröpfl, A. I., Deregibus, V. A., and Cecchi, G. A. (2007). Disturbios en una estepa arbustiva del Monte: cambios en la vegetación. Ecología Austral 17, 257–268.

Lell, J. D. (1990). Incendios de bosques en La Pampa. Revista de la Facultad de Agronomía de la Universidad Nacional de La Pampa 5, 29–33.

Miller, M. (2000). Fire autecology. In ‘Wildland Fire in Ecosystems: Effects of Fire on Flora’. (Eds J. K. Brown and J. K. Smith.) pp. 9–34. (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station: Flagstaff, AZ.)

Peláez, D. V., Bóo, R. M., and Elia, O. R. (1992). Emergence and seedling survival of caldén in the semi-arid region of Argentina. Journal of Arid Environments 45, 564–568.

Peláez, D. V., Bóo, R. M., and Elia, O. R. (1996). The germination and seedling survival of Condalia microphylla Cav. in Argentina. Journal of Arid Environments 32, 173–179.
| CrossRef |

Peláez, D. V., Bóo, R. M., Elia, O. R., and Mayor, M. D. (2003). Effect of fire on growth of three perennial grasses from central semi-arid Argentina. Journal of Arid Environments 55, 657–673.
| CrossRef |

Peláez, D. V., Giorgetti, H. D., Montenegro, O. A., Elia, O. R., Rodríguez, G. D., Bóo, R. M., Mayor, M. D., and Busso, C. A. (2010). Vegetation response to a controlled fire in the Phyto-geographical Province of the Monte, Argentina. Phyton: Journal of Experimental Botany 79, 169–176.

Peláez, D. V., Elia, O. R., and Blázquez, F. R. (2011). Effects of defoliation and competition on the post-fire response of Poa ligularis Ness. in semi-arid central Argentina. The Rangeland Journal 33, 59–66.
| CrossRef |

SAS Institute (2007). ‘JMP User Guide, Release 7.’ (SAS Institute: Cary, NC.)

Snedecor, G. W., and Cochran, W. G. (1980). ‘Statistical Methods.’ 7th edn. (Iowa State University Press: Ames, IA.)

Vallentine, J. F. (1989). ‘Range Development and Improvements.’ 3rd edn. (Academic Press: New York.)

Whelan, R. J. (1995). ‘The Ecology of Fire.’ (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.)

Willard, E. E. (1973). Effects of wildfires on woody species in the monte region of Argentina. Journal of Range Management 26, 97–100.
| CrossRef |

Wright, H. A., and Bailey, A. W. (1982). ‘Fire Ecology.’ (John Wiley and Sons: New York.)

Wright, H. A., Bunting, S. C., and Neuenschwander, L. F. (1976). Effect of fire on honey mesquite. Journal of Range Management 29, 467–471.
| CrossRef |


   
Subscriber Login
Username:
Password:  

 


    
Legal & Privacy | Contact Us | Help

CSIRO

© CSIRO 1996-2013