The Effect of Prescribed Burning at Different Fuel Moisture Levels on Vegetation and Soils of Grasslands in Wind Cave National Park

Abstract

One of the major grassland communities in Wind Cave National Park is the little bluestem - big bluestem - sideoats grama (Schizachyrium scoparius-Andropogon gerardi-Bouteloua curtipendula) Community. The effects of fire on the components of this plant community were deemed important because: 1) this warm season community occupies a significant portion of the grasslands of the Park; 2) the community occurs on soils that are usually shallow, rocky, and weakly developed and are, therefore, highly susceptible to erosion if the plant cover is reduced by fire; and 3) previous pilot studies have indicated a wide variation in response to fire by the major components of this community, possibly due to variations in fuel and soil moisture at the time of ignition.