Effects of large mammalian herbivory, previous fire, and year of burn on fire behavior in an African savanna

• DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3980
• Publication Date: 2022-03-17T05:25:10Z
• Authors: Truman. P. Young; Duncan N. Kimuyu; Eric M. LaMalfa; Chhaya M. Werner; Connor Jones; Phyllis Masudi; Robert Ang'ila; Ryan L. Sensenig
• Keywords: Fire regime; Prescribed burn; Fire ecology

Abstract Fire, herbivores, and climatic factors are all major drivers of savanna grassland dynamics, they interact in complex ways, which still the process being explored. In particular, herbivores can reduce fire intensity by removal biomass, this could be reinforced herbivores’ attraction to recently burned sites, although resilience may limit temporal depth such effects. Fire temperature is most common metric reported for fire, but additional aspects behavior also measured. Using a set controlled, replicated experiments, we examined effects year burn, herbivory livestock wildlife, previous weather history on an African savanna. Multiple measures (minimum temperature, flame front speed, residence time, maximum height, length) 36 controlled burns were positively intercorrelated. Burns conducted 2018 significantly cooler, especially at heights >0.5 m above ground, than those 2013, wetter with more grass fuel. Grass fuel loads temperatures reduced presence wildlife. Our sampling methods did not part reveal expected differences or other behaviors between reburned plots first time 2018, without suggesting strong postfire semiarid rangeland.