The influence of ground fires on the pine forests of the lower Ishim

Tyumen State University Herald. Natural Resource Use and Ecology


Release:

Bulletin of Tyumen State University. Medico-Biological Sciences (№6). 2014

Title: 
The influence of ground fires on the pine forests of the lower Ishim


About the author:

Mariya N. Kazantseva, Cand. Sci. (Biol.), Associate Professor, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Tyumen; Leading Researcher, Institute of the Problems of Northern Development, Federal Research Center, Tyumen Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; mnkazantseva@yandex.ru

Abstract:

The article investigates consequences of ground fires of low and  moderate intensity in the mixed grass pine forests of the Lower Ishim subtaiga (West Siberian Plain). The condition of the low forest, young growth, and the living ground cover in the areas which burned from 1 to 7 years ago has been assessed. It is shown that this type of fire does not lead to complete loss of forest stands, but significantly reduces their productivity and worsens the sanitary condition of surviving trees. Natural regeneration of woody vegetation in the fire-damaged forest areas occurs due to the  major tree species — pine, but the number of its viable undergrowth even 7 years after the fire is not sufficient for successful reforestation. The recovery of the living ground cover is determined by the extent of destruction. After low-intensity fires the projective cover of the areas with grass vegetation reaches its original value in three years. After a moderate-intensity fire the grass cover was not fully recovered even 7 years later. With the restoration of the living ground cover changes in the species composition and the ratio of the ecological-coenotic groups of plants are observed. The meadow vegetation, which prevails in freshly burned forests, is gradually replaced by the forest vegetation proper.

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