Season and Intensity of Burning on Two Grass Species of the Chihuahuan Desert

摘要: Abstract We investigated effects of three burning seasons under two simulated fuel loads on plant mortality and basal area small large blue grama ( Bouteloua gracilis [H.B.K.] Lag) broomgrass muhly Muhlenbergia rigida plants in the southern Chihuahuan Desert Mexico. prescribed fire with a portable propane burner calibrated to match time temperature curves reached at 1 700 kg · ha -1 2 800 fine loads. Large (initial > 10 cm 2 ) ≤ 10 were used. For each species, we randomly treated 50 size class season load; control species received no treatment. estimated change from measurements recorded photographically. Blue was affected by burning, load, size. Small had higher than plants. Burning high load winter increased plants; contrast, not summer reduced spring load. Basal these responses independent Our results suggest that is most suitable for prescription improve grasslands: during this plants, highest muhly, positive effect