Growth and elemental content of several sagebrush-steppe species in unburned and post-wildfire soil and plant effects on soil attributes

Blank, Robert R.; Allen, Fay; Young, James A.

doi:10.1007/bf00010108

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Fire can increase the availability of NO 3 2 and NH 4 + in both canopy and interspace areas for several months following a fire (Kaye and Hart 1998;Kutiel and Naveh 1987;Rapp 1990;Singh 1994), but be heterogeneously distributed (Blank et al 1994). Burned soils under shrubs can contain significantly less NO 3 2 immediately after the wildfire (possibly due to volatilization), but increase significantly after one year (Blank et al 1994). In contrast, Evans et al (2001) show a decrease in N following a fire because of volatilization.…”

Section: Nitrogen Demand By Microbes and Plantsmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Fire can increase the rate of N mineralization (Hobbs and Schimel 1984;Knicker 2007) whereby immediately after a fire, there can be an accumulation of mineralized NH 4 + , which is then converted to NO 3 2 by nitrifying bacteria Covington et al 1991;DiTomaso et al 2006). Fire can increase the availability of NO 3 2 and NH 4 + in both canopy and interspace areas for several months following a fire (Kaye and Hart 1998;Kutiel and Naveh 1987;Rapp 1990;Singh 1994), but be heterogeneously distributed (Blank et al 1994). Burned soils under shrubs can contain significantly less NO 3 2 immediately after the wildfire (possibly due to volatilization), but increase significantly after one year (Blank et al 1994).…”

Section: Nitrogen Demand By Microbes and Plantsmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Creating Invasion Resistant Soils via Nitrogen Management

Vasquez¹,

Sheley²,

Svejcar³

2008

Invasive Plant Science and Management

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Invasion by annual grasses, such as cheatgrass, into the western U.S. sagebrush-steppe is a major concern of ecologists and resource managers. Maintaining or improving ecosystem health depends on our ability to protect or re-establish functioning, desired plant communities. In frequently disturbed ecosystems, nutrient status and the relative ability of species to acquire nutrients are important drivers of invasion, retrogression, and succession. Thus, these processes can potentially be modified to direct plant community dynamics toward a desired plant community. The overall objective of this review paper is to provide the ecological background of invasion by exotic plants and propose a concept to facilitate the use of soil nitrogen (N) management to achieve desired plant communities that resist invasion. Based on the literature, we propose a model that predicts the outcome of community dynamics based on N availability. The model predicts that at low N levels, native mid- and late-seral species are able to successfully out-compete early-seral and invasive annual species up to some optimal level. However, at some increased level of N, early-seral species and invasive annual grasses are able to grow and reproduce more successfully than native mid- and late-seral species. At the high end of N availability to plants, the community is most susceptible to invasion and ultimately, increased fire frequency. Soil N level can be managed by altering microbial communities, grazing, mowing, and using cover crops and bridge species during restoration. In these cases, management may be more sustainable since the underlying cause of invasion and succession is modified in the management process.

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Section: Nitrogen Demand By Microbes and Plantsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Nitrogen Demand By Microbes and Plantsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Creating Invasion Resistant Soils via Nitrogen Management

Vasquez¹,

Sheley²,

Svejcar³

2008

Invasive Plant Science and Management

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…This may explain why we did not see overwhelming evidence of elevated nutrient uptake in burned plots. In a pot study, Blank et al (1994b) (Sturges 1983), and the burned plots had higher late season moisture availability than the control plots (Chambers and …”

Section: Biomass and Nutrient Content Of Vegetationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Restoring riparian corridors with fire: effects on soil and vegetation

Blank¹,

Chambers²,

Zamudio³

2003

REM

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In many riparian corridors of the semi-arid west, stream incision has resulted in lowered water tables, basin big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata var. tridentata Nutt.) encroachment and the loss of the dominant herbaceous vegetation. To determine the potential for restoring basin big sagebrush-dominated riparian corridors to greater herbaceous cover, a fall prescribed burn on sites with relatively shallow (-153 to -267 cm) and deep (-268 to > -300 cm) water tables was conducted. We evaluated the separate and interacting effects of water table depth and burning on total soil C and N, soil nutrient availability, and soil enzyme activities by microsite (sagebrush subcanopy, sagebrush interspace), and soil depth (ash/liter, 0-2, 2-5, and 10-20 cm ResumenEn muchos corredores riberenos del oeste semiarido la incision de corrientes ha resultado en mantos freaticos mas bajos, la expansion de "Basin big sagebrush" (Artemisia tridentata var. tridentata Nutt.) y la perdida de vegetacion herbacea dominante.Para determiner el potencial para restaurar los corredores riberenos dominados por "Basin big sagebrush con una mayor cobertura herbacea se llevo a cabo un fuego prescrito en otono en sitios con mantos freaticos relativamente poco profundos (-153 to -267 cm) y mantos freaticos profundos (-268 to > -300 cm). Evaluamos los efectos separados a interactuantes de la profundidad del manto freatico y la quema en el C y N total del suelo, la disponibilidad de nutrientes del suelo y las actividades enzimaticas del suelo por micrositio ("Sagebrush" subcopa, "Sagebrush" interespacio) y profundidad del suelo (ceniza /mantillo, 0-2, 2-5 y 10-20 cm). Tres anos despues del fuego prescrito se midio por micrositio, el contenido de nutrientes de los tejidos de "Silvery lupine" (Lupinus argenteus Pursh) y "Douglas sedge" (Carex douglasii Boott), creciendo en areas quemadas y sin quemar de un sitio con manto freatico somero. La influencia del fuego en los atrrbutos del suelo se limito principalmente a los 5 cm superiores. Como consecuencia del fuego prescrito, los sitios con manto freatico profundo perdieron relativamente mas N y C de los horizontes con mantillo y liberaron mas Ca+2 soluble en agua de los horizontes minerales de 0-2 cm que los horizontes correspondientes en los sitios con manto freatico poco profundo. En general, comparado con los controles sin quemar, la quema (1) incremento el 5042 extractables en agua, K+ y KClextractable NH4, (2) Disminuyo la actividad de las enzimas asparaginasa, ureasa y acido-fosfatasa y (3) disminuyo el KClextractable, N03-y los ortho-P soluble en agua. De los 16 atributos de suelo medidos, 7 fueron influenciados por un efecto principal de micrositio y/o interaccion. El tejido nuevo de "Silvery lupine"en las parcelas quemadas tuvo mayor contenido de N, Zn y Fe (solo en los micrositios de abajo de la copa) y menos Ca que las plantas en las parcelas control; el nuevo tejido del "Douglas sedge"tuvo mas S y menos Na, P y Zn. Z. Los resultados indican que la quema sola es un tratamiento apropiad...

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“…Fire increased mnineralized N in the organic fraction of soil beneath sagebrush canopies (Blank et al 1994). Burned soil supported greater growth of squirreltail and cheatgrass than unburned soil, but growth of Indian ricegrass [Achnatherum hymenoides (Roem.…”

Section: Secondary Succession Several Studies Have Provided Instructimentioning

confidence: 97%