Patch Burning and Biodiversity (H’)

Ecological Tolerance and Limiting Factors

Limiting Factors: The environmental factor that is most often in short supply. Even if all the other factors are optimum, it’s the one most likely to regulate population growth.

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Ecological Resilience

Natural Disturbances: Storms, volcanoes, earthquakes, flooding, mudslides, tornados, heat waves, drought, freezing, fires, disease

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Fire Ecology

Fire:

1. Removes old and dead vegetation so that sunlight can penetrate and new species grow.
2. Removes invasive grasses that have not evolved to rebound after a fire.
3. Heats up the soil and increases the rates of important microbial growth.

Foundation of a Project

Images from OSU-NREM E-998

Percent = Final – Initial X 100

Change Initial

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Percent Change H=

0-12 to 25-36 months

Percent Change Forb=

0-12 to 25-36 months

Percent Change Tall G=

0-12 to 25-36 months

The biodiversity was highest at __________ months. The biodiversity of the patch increased or decreased by ______ percent going from _____ in months 0-12 to _____ in months 25-36 because __________. Burning would/would not be recommended again at ________ mo.