Informations et ressources scientifiques
sur le développement des zones arides et semi-arides

Titre : Potential wildlife benefits of fire in ponderosa pine forests

Auteur : Lowe, Philip Orval

Université de soutenance : University of Arizona

Grade : Master of Science (MS) 1975

Résumé
In ponderosa pine forests, wildfire can be a dominating influence on associated natural resources. Very often, detrimental effects have been emphasized in the evaluation of the impact of wildfire, with little or no regard to benefits. However, certain wildlife species have been found to benefit from wildfire. A study designed to quantify these benefits (or losses) and convert them to an index that could be used in an analysis of post-fire values was conducted on several burned areas near Flagstaff, Arizona. Wildlife and habitat components were quantified over a projected twenty-year period after fire and represented as flows of benefits (increases) or losses (decreases) relative to an unburned site. Flows of benefits or losses, called time-trend response curves, were converted to annuities, or annualized return from the resource. The results indicated that benefits could be expected for deer, elk, some rodents, some birds, and forage. Losses could be expected for cottontail, chipmunks, some birds, and ponderosa pine. Annuities, calculated for two interest rates and three time periods after fire, could be used as either indices of the benefit or loss, or to calculate monetary value. Annuities were designed for a wide application of use under different management and economic systems.

Mots clés : Forest fires — Arizona. ; Forest fires — Research.

Présentation

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