Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Biology
Date of Award
8-2006
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Timothy D. McDowell
Committee Members
Foster Levy, Istvan Karsai, Thomas F. Laughlin
Abstract
Prescribed fire in the southern Appalachians is a frequently used and controversial forest management practice. Research is limited on the effects of prescribed fire in the mesic southern Appalachians, where many of Tennessee's rare and regionally endemic plant species occur. This study examined the effects of prescribed fire on the herbaceous layer. Field work was conducted on six previously burned sites within the Cherokee National Forest in northeast Tennessee. Complimentary non-burned sites were selected based on similarity of physical characteristics and forest structure. The numbers of herbaceous species and individuals and the total numbers of species and individuals were determined and used to compare burned and unburned forest. Following prescribed fires there were significant reductions in the number of herbaceous species and individuals. Species with myrmecochorous (ant-dispersed) seeds were markedly reduced on burned sites. Despite considerable variation among sites, the negative impact of fire on forest herbs was clearly evident.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Zimmerman, Michael Lee, "The Effects of Prescribed Fire on the Herbaceous Layer in the Southern Appalachian Mountains." (2006). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 2209. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2209
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.