Welcome to the CNPS Wildfire Research Database
Search here to find research papers covering many wildfire topics, including: fire severity, effects of wildfire on ecosystems, strategies to reduce the severity of wildfires, and strategies to protect natural and human communities.
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| Title | Authors | Publication | Volume | Issue | Year | Pages | Citation | DOI Link | Downloaded | Direct Link | Subject | Sub Catagory | Annotation | Outline | Relevance | Summary | Notes | County | Location | Plant Community / Association | Family | Genus | species | Additional search terms |
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| Human ignitions on private lands drive USFS crossboundary wildfire transmission and community impacts in the western US | Downing WM, Dunn CJ, Thompson MP, et al | Scientific Reports | 12 | 2022 | 2624 | Downing, William M.; Dunn, Christopher J.; Thompson, Matthew P.; Caggiano, Michael D.; Short, Karen C., 2022, Human ignitions on private lands drive USFS cross‑boundary wildfire transmission and community impacts in the western US, Scientific Reports, vol. 12, pp. 2624. | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-06002-3 | Fire Ignition | Multiple Land Ownership and Cross Boundry Fires | This study exmines cross boundry fires finding that most fires come from human ignitions on private land and move into public land. | High | This study shows that the blame for most severe fires should not be placed on the USFS's managment practices and the private land ownwers and municipalities should take a more proactive role in fire prevention. | Completed | Multiple | Western United States | Multiple | Cross Boundry Fire, Multiple Ownership, Multiple Land Ownership, Ignition Source, Fire Severity, Management, WUI, USFS, Fire Prevention, Structure Loss, Cost | |||||||
| Wildfire management in Mediterranean-type regions: paradigm change needed | Francisco Moreira, Davide Ascoli, Hugh Safford, Mark A Adams, José M Moreno, José M C Pereira, Filipe X Catry, Juan Armesto, William Bond, Mauro E González, Thomas Curt, Nikos Koutsias, Lachlan McCaw, Owen Price, Juli G Pausas, Eric Rigolot, Scott Stephens, Cagatay Tavsanoglu, V Ramon Vallejo, Brian W Van Wilgen, Gavriil Xanthopoulos and Paulo M Fernandes | Environmental Research Letters | 15 | 1 | 2020 | Francisco Moreira, Davide Ascoli, Hugh Safford, Mark A Adams, José M Moreno, José M C Pereira, Filipe X Catry, Juan Armesto, William Bond, Mauro E González, Thomas Curt, Nikos Koutsias, Lachlan McCaw, Owen Price, Juli G Pausas, Eric Rigolot, Scott Stephens, Cagatay Tavsanoglu, V Ramon Vallejo, Brian W Van Wilgen, Gavriil Xanthopoulos and Paulo M Fernandes, 2020, ‘Wildfire management in Mediterranean-type regions: paradigm change needed’, Environmental Research Letters, vol. 15, no. 1 | Fire Management | Change in tactics needed to help curb the effects of fire in Mediterranean-type climates | In this article the authors argue that given the increased occurrence of megafires in Mediterranean-type climate regions (MCRs), due to changes in climate and land use, current wildfire management policies are destined to fail and new approaches focusing on fuels reduction as opposed to a focus on suppression should be evaluated. | High | This study offers many practical suggestions for changes in land management practices and the policies that guide them, though some recomendations may need more reasearch. Low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Multiple | Mediterranean | Mediterranean-type Climate Region, Extreme Wildfire Events, Prescribed Burning, Policy, WUI, defensible space, home hardening, fire suppression, fire weather, Africa, Australia, Europe, North America, South America, global warming, climate change, California, Portugal, Chile, Greece, South Africa | ||||||||
| Whither the paradigm shift? Large wildland fires and the wildfire paradox offer opportunities for a new paradigm of ecological fire management. | Ingalsbee, T. | International Journal of Wildland Fire | 26 | 7 | 2017 | 557-561 | Ingalsbee, T., 2017, Whither the paradigm shift? Large wildland fires and the wildfire paradox offer opportunities for a new paradigm of ecological fire management., International Journal of Wildland Fire, vol. 26, no. 7, pp. 557-561 | https://doi.org/10.1071/WF17062 | Fire Management | Paradigm change from active suppression to ecological fire management, | This article summarizes current research regarding the effects of fire exclusion and suppression on fire severity, effectivness of suppression techniques, and use of prescibed burning and managed wildfire. It also eximnes the social and political issues and constraints that are slowing the shift from current tactics of aggresive fire suppresion towards ecological fire managemnet. | High/Moderate | This article offers a good overview of the changing views on fire suppression and fuel management, and a snapshot of the direction of fire research and management. The effects of suppression are shown to be a causal factor for increased severity and many of the shortfalls and costs of current fire suppression techniques are outlined. The fact that the public and policy makers need to be made aware of the current understanding of fire suppression is made clear, but offers little guidance as to how to share this knowledge in a broad and meaningful way. Though the article reads as an opinion piece on current firefighting policies, the recommendations for modified suppression strategies and the analysis of the costs of fire suppression outlined in this article are backed by the review of scientific research. However, this compilation of research allows for a moderate potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | United States | fire severity, fuel reduction, firefighting trap, wildfire paradox, exclusion, active suppression, ecological fire management, policy, political, public, press, prescibed burn, managed wildfire, fuel management. | |||||||
| Accommodating mixed-severity fire to restore and maintain ecosystem integrity with a focus on the Sierra Nevada of California, USA. | DellaSala, D.A., Hutto, R.L., Hanson, C.T., Bond, M.L., Ingalsbee, T., Odion, D. and Baker, W.L. | Fire Ecology | 13 | 2 | 2017 | 148-171 | DellaSala, D.A., Hutto, R.L., Hanson, C.T., Bond, M.L., Ingalsbee, T., Odion, D. and Baker, W.L., 2017, Accommodating mixed-severity fire to restore and maintain ecosystem integrity with a focus on the Sierra Nevada of California, USA., Fire Ecology, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 148-171. | Fire Management | Recomendations for implamenting a mixed severity fire regime | This article advocates for applying 2012 Forest Planning Rule and the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy provisions for managing public resources to maintain and restore ecological function by implamenting a mixed severity fire regime, offering management strategies that may help reach this goal. | Moderate | This paper offers valid reasoning to adopt management strategies that would include the provisions of the 2012 Forest Planning Rule and the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy, and offers basic management guidelines that could be used to achieve these goals. These guidelines would need to be further examined to evaluate their real world effectiveness. The fine filter guidelines are limited and more research would be needed to evaluate the effects that the recommended management approach would have on plant communities and other species. This article does not make recommendations to address social and political concerns, which are the main constraints to implementation of these management strategies. Using two endangered bird species as a proxy for overall diversity may create some potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Sierrra Nevada | Mixed-Conifer Forest | mixed severity fire, fire severity, fire suppression, fuel reduction, WUI, ecological restoration, biodiversity, heterogeneity, management | |||||||
| Patterns of fire severity and forest conditions in the western Klamath Mountains, California | Odion, D. C., E. J. Frost, J. R. Strittholt, H. Jiang, D. A. DellaSala, and M. A. Moritz | Conservation Biology | 18 | 4 | 2004 | 927-936 | Odion, D. C., E. J. Frost, J. R. Strittholt, H. Jiang, D. A. DellaSala, and M. A. Moritz, 2004, Patterns of fire severity and forest conditions in the western Klamath Mountains, California, Conservation Biology, vol. 18, no. 4, pp. 927-936 | Fire Severity | Based on fire interval and forest type | This study shows that in the Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion fires are more severe in areas that have burned more recently, and that increased fire interval has a negative effect on the likelihood of high severity fires. This study also shows that forest plantations burn more severely and can influence the severity of fires in surrounding areas. | Moderate | This study shows that management strategies broadly recomended for fuel reduction treatments in the US may cause more severe fires in some forest types. The introduction talks about the effects that fire has on creating and maintaining biodiversity, and while the study does examine forest heterogeneity it does not tie this directly to biodiversity or support the claim that fuel reduction treatments used in other forest types have a negative effect on biodiversity.There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion | Mixed-Conifer Forest | Klamath-Siskiyou ecoregion, fire severity, plantation, fire interval, fuel reduction, Douglas-fir, fire regime, Klamath National Forest, | |||||||
| The fire frequency-severity relationship and the legacy of fire suppression in California forests. | Steel, Z.L., H.D. Safford, and J.H. Viers | Ecosphere | 6 | 2015 | 1-23 | Steel, Z. L., H. D. Safford, and J. H. Viers, 2015, The fire frequency-severity relationship and the legacy of fire suppression in California forests, Ecosphere. vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 1-23. | Fire Severity | Fire Frequency and Severity Relations, Impacts of Fire Supression | This study examines five forest types in California examining the effects time since last fire and fire return interval have on the proportion of high severity fire, showing that fuel build up due to fire suppression has led to increased fire severity in mixed evergreen and mixed conifer forests, but this relation is not evident in red fir and redwood forests. It defines fire regimes as fuel-driven or climate-driven. | High | This study clearly showes that the effects of fuel build up in mixed conifer and mixed evergreen forest types have led to more severe fire events, and shows that differentiating between fuel-driven and climate-driven fire regimes can help guide managment. There was limited data for bigcone Douglas-fir forests, and the data for redwood forests was limited to the southern portion of their range. The methods did not describe how the pre-settlement FRIs were determined. The prevalence of large high intensity fires since the publication of this study would likely show that the proportion of area that has burned under high fire severity is much higher than was described in 2015. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | California | Coniferous Forest | mixed conifer, mixed evergreen, big cone douglas fir, red fir, redwood, forest, fire severity, fire return interval, time since last fire, ignition, SOD, historical, fuel build up, fuel load, fire suppression, fuel-driven, climate-driven, California, Klamath | ||||||||
| Does increased forest protection correspond to higher fire severity in frequent-fire forests of the western United States? | Bradley, C. M., C. T. Hanson, and D. A. DellaSala | Ecosphere | 7 | 2016 | e01492 | Bradley, C. M., C. T. Hanson, and D. A. DellaSala, 2016, Does increased forest protection correspond to higher fire severity in frequent-fire forests of the western United States?, Ecosphere, vol. 7, pp. E01492. | Fire Severity | Forest protection effects on fire severity | This study compares Gap Analysis Program protection classes of pine and mixed conifer forests in the western US to burn severity to examine whether logging for fuel reduction is accociated with reduced fire risk. | Low | This study does not accurately characterize the relation between fuel reduction treatments and protection from logging. Many studies have shown that plantations for timber harvest are more susceptible to severe fire, and that increased light penetration from timber harvesting can increase surface fuels and the shrub layer, which increases risk of severe fires. Many modern fuel reduction treatments, i.e. shaded fuel breaks, do not remove large trees but rather reduce the shrub layer and surface fuels, which counters the assumptions made by the authors. This study recommends reducing fuel treatments, which would, at least according to these findings, decrease high severity fire, while also recommending that high severity fire is needed to maintain a diverse ecosystem and improve biodiversity. There are many studies that have findings that do not agree with the conclusions of this study (Steel, Z.L., H.D. Safford, and J.H. Viers, 2015, The fire frequency-severity relationship and the legacy of fire suppression in California forests., Ecosphere, vol. 6, pp. 1-23). | Completed | Multiple | Western United States | Pine and Mixed-Conifer Forests | fuel treatment, fire severity, logging, protection class, GAP, management, mixed conifer forest, pine forest, fire exclusion, suppression, fuel reduction, fuel build up | ||||||||
| Examining historical and current mixedseverity fire regimes in Ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests of western North America | Odion, D. C., et al. | PLoS ONE | 9 | 2014 | e87852 | Odion, D. C., et al., 2014, Examining historical and current mixed-severity fire regimes in Ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests of western North America, PLoS ONE, vol. 9, pp. e87852 | Fire Severity | Historical severity vs post exclusion severity in Ponderosa Pine and mixed-conifer forrests | This study compares historical fire severity to fire severity since fire exclusion practices in ponderosa pine and mixed-conifer forests, showing that high severity fires were historically more frequent than commonly assumed. | Moderate/Low | This study shows that fire severity has not increased since the exclusion of fire, however the study only included data up to 2009. If the severe fires since the end of the study were included they may be significant enough to change the findings to show that fire severity may be increasing. The method used to approximate pre-historical fire regimes using US Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis and General Land Office data may not be reliable, and likely does not accurately account for the frequency of low severity fires. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Western United States | Ponderosa Pine and Mixed-Conifer Forests | Fire severity, historical, stand age, diversity, fire regime, klamath, sierra nevada, cascades, rockies, southwest, fire return interval, fire exclusion | ||||||||
| Fuelbreaks for wildland fire management: a moat or a drawbridge for ecosystem fire restoration? | Ingalsbee T | Fire Ecology | 1 | 2005 | 85-99 | Ingalsbee T, 2005, ‘Fuelbreaks for wildland fire management: a moat or a drawbridge for ecosystem fire restoration?’, Fire Ecology, vol. 1, 85-99 | Fuel Break | Controversy of construction of fuelbreaks as a pre-suppression fuels treatment strategy. | In this article Ingalsbee summarizes the historical use and controversy surrounding the use of fuel breaks as preventative fire suppression measures and analyzes a broad scope of research to suggest more effective and practical approaches to the use and implementation of various types of fuel breaks to better serve the landscape or community that they are intended to protect. By re-thinking fuel break use, land managers can develop projects that address concerns of critics, and improve the natural environment while still reducing the potential severity of fires. | Moderate | The recommendations of this paper are very pragmatic, but need to be further implemented and researched to prove their effectiveness. There is a potential for bias in the compilation of the research. | Completed | Multiple | Western United States | Forest | Fuel break, public concerns, fuel break placement, fuel break maintenance, prescribed burning, WUI, remote fuel break, fire line, mosaic, pollution, compaction, erosion, sedimentation, environment, habitat, surface fuels, finacial motives | ||||||||
| Recommendations for fuel-break design and fuel management at the Wildland Urban Interface: an empirical approach in South Eastern France | Rigolot, Eric; Castelli, L; Cohen, M; Costa, Marie; Duché, Y | Institute of Mediterranean forest ecosystems and forest products warm international workshop, Athènes | 2004 | 131-142 | Rigolot, Eric; Castelli, L; Cohen, M; Costa, Marie; Duché, Y, 2004, ‘Recommendations for fuel-break design and fuel management at the Wildland Urban Interface: an empirical approach in South Eastern France’, Institute of Mediterranean forest ecosystems and forest products warm international workshop, Athènes, pp. 131-142. | Fuel Break | Design & Maintenance in the WUI | In this study the authors attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of new WUI fuel management rules enacted in Corsica in 2001. After the Coti Chiavari fire in Spring of 2003 burned ~200ha and threatened 60 buildings, the research team assessed the pre-fire fuel treatments that had been applied, how the fire interacted with the treatment, and if there was any structural damage. They also assessed whether firefighters were involved in protecting the structure during the fire. The team hoped to show the effectiveness of the fuel management rules by evaluating the findings. | Moderate | I really like the approach to fuel management, it seems much more dynamic than many of the recommendations we have seen in California. Unfortunately, the relative lack of compliance to these rules makes this study inconclusive. There is a low possibility for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Corsica | Mediterranean | Corsica, France, fuel break, Mediterranean, WUI, structure, fuel management, regulations, law, fuel reduction, Coti Chiavari fire | |||||||||
| Dozer Line Impacts on Local Vegetation Recovery after the Carr Fire | Matthew Mayer, Kristen Kaczynski | Fire Poster, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, California State University, Chico | 2021 | Matthew Mayer, Kristen Kaczynski, 2021, ‘Dozer Line Impacts on Local Vegetation Recovery after the Carr Fire’, Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, California State University, Chico, Research Summary Poster | Fuel Break | Dozer Line Impacts on Local Vegetation Recovery | This poster offers a quick overview of the effects of dozer lines on introducing non native species by examining vegetation in and along dozer lines after the Carr Fire. | High/Moderate | This brief report (in the form of a poster) shows how non natives can use dozer lines as a point of establishment, and that wider fuel breaks have a higher proportion of non native species. The study on its own does not show that this would lead to type conversion as plots away from the dozer line had relatively few occurrences of non natives, showing that more research and longer term studies are needed. There is a low potential for bias in this study. | Completed | Multiple | Carr Fire | High Elevation Shrubland, Mixed Oak and Pine Woodland | Fire Line, Fuel break, dozer line, type conversion, invasive species, Carr Fire, High Elevation Shrubland, Mixed Oak and Pine Woodland, non native, Bromus tectorum | ||||||||||
| Factors affecting fuel break effectiveness in the control of large fires on the Los Padres National Forest, California | Alexandra D. Syphard, Jon E. Keeley and Teresa J. Brennan | International Journal of Wildland Fire | 20 | 6 | 2011 | 764-775 | Alexandra D. Syphard, Jon E. Keeley and Teresa J. Brennan, 2011, ‘Factors affecting fuel break effectiveness in the control of large fires on the Los Padres National Forest, California’, International Journal of Wildland Fire, vol. 20, no. 6, pp. 765-775. | https://doi.org/10.1071/WF10065 | Fuel Break | Effectiveness & Placement | In this article Syphard et al. review fuel break effectiveness based on many factors, and establish which factors can help predict where fire breaks should be implemented in the landscape. The main goals of the study were to show which fuel breaks were intersected by fires and what roles the fuel breaks played in controlling the fires. | High | This study illustrates the importance of strategic location of fuel breaks because they have been most effective where they were intersected by fires and provided access for firefighting activities. Low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Los Padres National Forest | Chaparral | Chaparral, riparian woodlands, oak woodlands, coastal sage scrub, grasslands, coniferous forest, Southern California Mountains and Valleys, Fuel Break, Los Padres, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, WUI, fuel break effectivness, fuel break placement, fire fighting, access, pre-fire fuel treatment | ||||||
| Comparing the role of fuel breaks across southern California national forests | Alexandra D. Syphard, Jon E. Keeley and Teresa J. Brennan | Forest Ecology and Management | 261 | 11 | 2011 | 2038-2048 | Alexandra D. Syphard, Jon E. Keeley, and Teresa J. Brennan, 2011, ‘Comparing the role of fuel breaks across southern California national forests’, Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 261, no. 11, pp. 2038-2048. | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2011.02.030 | Fuel Break | Effectiveness & Placement | In this arctic the authors examine fuel break effectiveness in the Los Padres, Angeles, San Bernardino, and Cleveland National Forests in Southern California to determine which factors are consistently important in the outcome of a fuel break controlling the spread of large fires, factors that affect where fires and fuel breaks are most likely to intersect, and how these factors vary across the forests studied. Historical fire frequency is hypothesized to be strongly correlated to fuel break intersection, fire data from 1878 to 2007 and ignition density were also evaluated. | High | Strategic location of fuel breaks could reduce potential resource costs. Easily accessible fuel breaks may be more cost-effective than remote fuel breaks. Firefighting activities were most important in the control of fires at fuel breaks. Fire weather and fuel break maintenance also influenced fuel break outcome. Low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Southern California National Forests | Chaparral | Southern California Mountains and Valleys, WUI, Los Padres, Angeles, San Bernidino, Clevland, South Coast Ecoregion, chaparral shrublands, coastal sage scrub shrublands, grasslands, oak woodlands, coniferous forests, fuel break, fuel break effectivness, fuel break placement, fire fighting, access, pre-fire fuel treatment, Santa Ana, sundowner, | ||||||
| Fuel Breaks Affect non native Species Abundance In Californian Plant Communities | Kyle E. Merriam, Jon E. Keeley, Jan L. Beyers | Ecological Applications | 16 | 2 | 2006 | 515-527 | Kyle E. Merriam, Jon E. Keeley, Jan L. Beyers, 2006, ‘Fuel Breaks Affect non native Species Abundance In Californian Plant Communities’, Ecological Applications, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 515-527. | https://doi.org/10.1890/1051-0761(2006)016[0515:FBANSA]2.0.CO;2 | Fuel Break | Effects On non native Species Abundance | In this study the authors evaluate species density of native and non native plants in and adjacent to various types of fuel breaks throughout California in several plant communities. The goal of this study is to show the potential influence fuel breaks have on the spread of invasive non native plants, and what factors influence the density and occurrence of non natives.less likely to promote non native plants. | High | This study shows that fuel breaks constructed by all methods studied introduce invasive species to the landscape, and that once introduced the abundance of nonnatives increases over time. Fuel breaks created by dozers had the most abundant populations of nonnatives, fuel breaks created by hand crews also had large populations of nonnatives when compared to fuel breaks created by mechanical thinning which left more canopy cover, move litter, and a deeper layer of duff. Fire and grazing both greatly increased the abundance of nonnatives. The results of this study show that the effects of fuel breaks introducing nonnative species are most severe in scrubland and chaparral communities. This study has a low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | California | Multiple | Invasive species, Type Conversion, non native, coastal scrub, chaparral, oak woodland, coniferous forest, hand crew, dozer line, mechanical equipment, fuel break, bromus, canopy cover, duff, litter, grazing, fire frequency, nonnative | ||||||
| Fuel-break assessment with an expert appraisement approach | Eric Rigolot | Forest fire research and wildland fire safety (Proceedings of IV International Conference on Forest Fire Research 2002 Wildland Fire Safety Summit, Luso, Coimbra, Portugal) | 0 | 0 | 2002 | 32 | Rigolot, Eric, 2002, ‘Fuel-break assessment with an expert appraisement approach’, Forest fire research safeand wildland fire safety (Proceedings of IV International Conference on Forest Fire Research 2002 Wildland Fire Safety Summit, Luso, Coimbra, Portugal), pp. 32 (full report in supplemental CD-ROM, 026.pdf) | N/A | Fuel Break | Factors Contibuting To Fuel Break Effectivness | In the study Rigolot used expert analysis to help identify which fuel breaks would be most effective at controlling the spread of fire and establish thresholds for the main parameters affecting fuel break performance to help guide fuel break maintenance. Reduction of the shrub layer is the main focus of fuel breaks, however limited success of fuel breaks during the 1989 and 1990 fire seasons suggested that the factors that play a role in the effectiveness of fuel breaks should be studied more closely. | High | Excelent examples of well planed and maintained fuel break systems, though an important conclusion was that the treatment of the tree component was extremely important and needed to be included in future maintenance, a finding that contrasts with the previously held belief that fuel-break construction should focus mostly on control of the shrub layer. Selectivly removing pine species over oak species is recomended. This study does not address the potential for increased understory growth with increased light penetration. If tree cover is reduced it could require that understory treatments be performed more frequently. This study does not mention environmental concerns of treatments, although the shade fuel brake techniques used in the French Mediterranean region appear to be less damaging than the dozerlines commonly used in the United States. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | French Mediterranean Region | Multiple | Fuel break, woodland, shrubland, Mediterranean, wildfire prevention, fire management, forest, Quercus ilex, Quercus suber, Pinus halepensis, Pinus pinaster, fuel break maintenance, tree cover, shrub volume, fuel break width, effectiveness, france | ||||||
| Plant community response to fuel break construction and goat grazing in a southern California shrubland | Ashley Grupenhoff & Nicole Molinari | Fire Ecology | 17 | 0 | 2021 | Article 28 | Ashley Grupenhoff & Nicole Molinari, 2021, ‘Plant community response to fuel break construction and goat grazing in a southern California shrubland’, Fire Ecology, vol. 17, no. 28. | https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-021-00114-3 | Fuel Break | Fuel Break and Grazing Effects on Plant Communities | In this study the authors examine the effects of fuel breaks on the composition and structure of Southern California Chaparral, and shifts in composition caused by the use of short term grazing by goats as a maintenance technique. | High | In this study the goats did not forage the shrub layer, which was the intent of the grazing, and instead mainly consumed the herbaceous layer. This study shows the immediate effects of goat grazing on reducing grasses and other herbaceous species in the fuel breaks but does not show if the reduction in cover of herbaceous species would persist through the next season or if timing of grazing would affect the recurrence of nonative grass species. Fuel breaks play a great role in the abundance of native and non native herbaceous species. In areas where control of woody biomass is the primary objective, land managers should consider grazing duration and plant species composition when contemplating goats as a tool for fuel break maintenance, as short duration grazing had little effect on reducing woody biomass. This study has a low potential for bias. | Completed | San Diego | Clevland National Forest, Lake Morena | Chaparral | Chaparral, Southern California Shrubland, Adenostoma fasciculatum, Eriogonum fasciculatum, Quercus berberidifolia, Artemisia tridentata, Cercocarpus betuloides, Ceanothus perplexans, Malosma laurina, Quercus agrifolia, Quercus engelmannii, Arctostaphylos spp., Plagiobothrys spp., Stephanomeria, Bromus diandrus, Bromus madritensis, Bromus tectorum, Vulpia myuros, Clevland National Forest, Lake Morena, Grazing, Goat, Fuel Break, San Diego, fuel break maintenance, invasive species, nonnative, fuel reduction | ||||||
| We Had to Do Something: Futility and Fatality in Fighting the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire | Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, & Ecology | Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, & Ecology | 2019 | Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, & Ecology, ‘We Had To Do Something, Futility and Fatality in Fighting the 2018 Mendocino Complex Fire’ | Fuel Break | Fuel break misuse in the fighting Mendocino Complex Fires | This report shows how dozer fire lines were irresponsibly and ineffectivly implemented despite RMAT recomendations, and that managment decisions put firefighters at risk. | Moderate | This report does effectivly illustrate that RMAT recomendations were disregarded and a great deal of time and reasorces were wasted instaling ineffective fire lines, that put the lives of many firefighters in danger. One firefighter lost their life while and three were injured while fighting fire in the WUI. This report does not include citations to support many of its claims and most links supporting the data are no longer active. There is a potential for bias in the compalation of this report. | Completed | Multiple | Mendocino National Forest | Coniferous Forest | Snow Mountain Wilderness, Mendocino, Lake, Colusa, Glenn, Coniferous forest, Mendocino Complex, Ranch Fire, River Fire, U. S. Forest Service, USFS, Cal Fire, fuel break, fire line, wilderness fuel break, dozer, mismanagment, poor fuel break placement, cost, ineffective fuel break, WUI, Risk Management Assistance Teams, RMAT | ||||||||||
| Chaparral fuel modification: what do we know – and need to know? | Keeley JE | Fire Management Today | 65 | 4 | 2005 | 11-12 | Jon E. Keeley, 2005, ‘Chaparral fuel modification: what do we know – and need to know?’, Fire Management Today, vol. 65, no. 4, pp. 11-12. | Fuel Break | In Chaparral and Wind Effects | A brief description of vegetation age effects on spread of fire dependant on wind conditions. | High | This brief report shows that vegetation age and fuel reduction trreatments have little effect on fire spread in high wind events. Low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Multiple | Chaparral | Chaparral, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Ana Wind, Otay Fire, Cedar Fire, Romero Fire, Coyote Fire, fuel break, WUI, backcountry, fuel break, fuel reduction, age class, fire spread, fire severity | |||||||
| The Sky’s the Limit: The Soberanes Fire Suppression Siege of 2016. | Ingalsbee, Timothy., Beasley, Michael., Cowen, Madeline., & Plummer, Dylan | Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, & Ecology | 2018 | Ingalsbee, Timothy., Beasley, Michael., Cowen, Madeline., & Plummer, Dylan, 2018, ‘The Sky’s the Limit: The Soberanes Fire Suppression Siege of 2016.’, Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, & Ecology | Fuel Break | In Wilderness Area | This report illustrates the overuse and mismanagement of dozers and airtankers to protect the Ventana Wilderness, there are many examples of poorly planned and placed fuel breaks which greatly inflated the costs of fighting this fire. | Moderate | This report has great examples of poorly planned and implemented use of dozers and air tankers in the Ventana Wilderness, and shows that the USFS implemented expensive, and in some cases dangerous, firefighting tactics despite Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS) recommendations regarding the fires ability to spread. This report analyzes cited USFS incident reports, action plans, reviews, and summarys to document the progression of the fire and suppression measures; there may be a potential for bias in the compilation of the report. | Completed | Multiple | Los Padres National Forest | Chaparral | Ventana Wildernes, Chaparral, air tanker, dozer, fire line, Big Sur, Monterey, Soberanes, Los Padres, fuel break, wilderness fuel break, mismanagment, poor fuel break placement, cost, ineffective fuel break, Wildland Fire Decision Support System, WFDSS, retardant, air tanker, wilderness repair, remote fuel break, Cal Fire, USFS | ||||||||||
| Long‐term fuel and understorey vegetation response to fuel treatments in oak and chaparral stands of northern California | Martorano, C.A., Kane, J.M., Engber, E.A. and Gibson | Applied Vegetation Science | 24 | 1 | 2021 | e12551 | Martorano, C.A., Kane, J.M., Engber, E.A. and Gibson, J., 2021, Long‐term fuel and understorey vegetation response to fuel treatments in oak and chaparral stands of northern California., Applied Vegetation Science, vol. 24, no. 1, pp. e12551. | https://DOI: 10.1111/avsc.12551 | Fuel Reduction | Comparing effects of fuel treatments on shrub height and cover and understory vegetation in chaparral and oak-dominated vegetation | This study examines the long term (15 year) effects of four fuel treatment types on shrub hieght and cover, and the effects on the diversity and composition of understory species in chaparral-dominated and oak-dominated ecosystems in the southeastern Klamath Mountains. | High | This study offers many clear examples of the pros and cons of treatment types over time relative to the vegetation type that they were implemented in, and short and long term impacts of five fuel reduction treatment types on fuel loads and vegetation diversity, including the introduction and spread of non native species. The findings from the low intensity burn only treatment are valuable, however the results of a burn only treatment might be more similar to the mastication plus burning treatment if a more effective level of fire severity was implemented. There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Shasta County | Klamath Mountains | Chaparral, Oak woodland | chapparal, oak woodland, whskeytown, klamath, fuel treatment, fuel reduction, mastication, hand thinning, prescribed burn, shrub height, shrub cover, species diversity, species richness, management, invasive grasses, exotic, non native, effectivness | ||||||
| Wildfire risk and hazardous fuel reduction treatments along the US-Mexico border: a review of the science (1986-2019) | Laushman, K.M., Munson, S.M. and Villarreal, M.L. | Air, Soil and Water Research | 13 | 2020 | 1178622120950272 | Laushman, K.M., Munson, S.M. and Villarreal, M.L., 2020, Wildfire risk and hazardous fuel reduction treatments along the US-Mexico border: a review of the science (1986-2019)., Air, Soil and Water Research, vol. 13, pp.1178622120950272. | https://doi.org/10.1177/1178622120950272 | Fuel Reduction | Review of science along US-Mexico border. | This study reviews 90 studies relating to the effects of fuel reduction treatments on plant communities and fire severity in ecosystems found along the US/Mexico border, genrealizing the results and identifying knowledge gaps to be filled by future research. | Moderate | This study shows that fuel reduction treatments can reduce fire severity, reduce native plant mortality, and enhance post fire recovery, although these results vary by treatment and vegetation type. Woody vegetation is typically adversely affected by fire, while mechanical treatments and grazing require frequent retreatment due to wood species recovering quickly from these treatments. Fire also has the potential to spread non native species, which leads to a feedback loop between fire and invasive species. Fires were generally less severe on the Mexico side of the border due to a government sponsored fire suppression combined with a history of cultural burning. This is a good review of available research and offers a genereal overview of the effects of fuel treatments on fire severity and plant communities. It does make good recomendadtions for research needed to gain a better understanding of the effects of fuel treatments in this region. Despite the broad scope of this study it offers few management recommendations that can be broadly applied in these ecosystems. There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | US/Mexico Border | Desert Scrub and Montane Forest | fuel treatment, fire severity, invasive, non native, woody encroachment, prescribed fire, mechanical treatment, grazing, Chihuahuan Desert, Sonoran, Mojave, Madrean Archipelago, desert scrub, montain forest, fuel reduction | |||||||
| Impacts of mastication fuel treatments on California, USA, chaparral vegetation structure and composition | Brennan, T.J. and Keeley, J.E | Fire Ecology | 13 | 3 | 2017 | 120-138 | Brennan, T.J. and Keeley, J.E., 2017, Impacts of mastication fuel treatments on California, USA, chaparral vegetation structure and composition, Fire Ecology, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 120-138. | Fuel Reduction | The effects of mastication on plant community dynamics in southern California chaparral | This study evalutes mastication treatments from one to eight years after treatment to evalute the effects on plant community dynamics over time. The study also compares effects mastication to the effects of fire on community dynamics to see if mastication could work as a surrogate for fire. | High | This study outlines many of the downfalls of mastication, and makes a good argument for the use of fire as a more ecologically beneficial form of fuel reduction. Though fire did promote non native species abundance the densities tended to be much less than in masticated plots, where this density was more persistent. Additionally, fire had the additional benefit of promoting post-fir endemic species, though some of these are non native. The study does not examine post-fire sites for the same time period that masticated sites were studied and this comparison only offers a slice of the first two years of post fire recovery. The discussion mentions research showing some evidence of longer term post fire recovery, but it does not draw a direct comparison to mastication. A longer term study comparing mastication to fire would offer a clearer representation of this relation. There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, and San Bernardino National Forests | Chaparral | mastication, fuel treatment, vegetation type, community dynamics, Angeles, Cleveland, Los Padres, San Bernidino, Sothern California Chaparral, post-fire succession, recovery, diversity, richness, non native, invasive, post-fire endemic | |||||||
| Combining active restoration and targeted grazing to establish native plants and reduce fuel loads in invaded ecosystems | Porensky, L.M., Perryman, B.L., Williamson, M.A., Madsen, M.D. and Leger, E.A. | Ecology and Evolution | 8 | 24 | 2018 | 12533-12546 | Porensky, L.M., Perryman, B.L., Williamson, M.A., Madsen, M.D. and Leger, E.A., 2018, ‘Combining active restoration and targeted grazing to establish native plants and reduce fuel loads in invaded ecosystems.’, Ecology and Evolution, vol. 8, no. 24, pp.12533-12546. | https://DOI:10.1002/ece3.4642 | Grazing | Combining active restoration and targeted grazing to establish native plants and reduce fuel loads in invaded ecosystems | The authors examine active restoration by seeding native grass species combined with targeted grazing to control non native species to create recommendations for the most effective species and seeding rates and timing of grazing. | High | The results of this study showed that grazing had little effect on the density of non native species. Fall grazing had a larger negative impact on native grass seedlings than spring grazing, and some native species were much more impacted by grazing than others. This study shows that increasing seeding rates, selecting resilient species, and timing grazing to minimize impacts to desirable species are good first steps towards restoring landscapes, but much more research in this area is needed. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | Lander | TS Ranch | Sagebrush Steppe | Poaceae | Bromus | tectorum | type conversion, restoration, precision restoration, seeding, grazing, targeted grazing, timing, duration, sagebrush steppe, bromus tectorum, invasive, non native, natve plant etablishment, reestablishment, Lander County, TS Ranch, Nevada, Bromus tectorum, Poa secunda, Elymus elymoides, Poa fendleriana, Elymus trachycaulus, Vulpia microstachys, seed coating, seeding rate, great basin, cattle, livestock | |||
| Grazing effects on plant diversity in the endemic Erica mackayana heathland community of north-west Spain | Fagúndez, J. | Plant Ecology & Diversity | 9 | 2 | 2016 | 207-217 | Fagúndez, J., 2016, ‘Grazing effects on plant diversity in the endemic Erica mackayana heathland community of north-west Spain.’ Plant Ecology & Diversity, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 207-217. | https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2016.1191555 | Grazing | Effects on plant diversity in the endemic Erica mackayana heathland community of north-west Spain | This study examines the effects of type of grazer and stocking rate on vegetation structure and plant diversity, it shows that appropriate densities of appropriate grazers can be used to maintain healthy and diverse plant communities. | High | This study showed that low levels of grazing had a benefit to plant diversity, however this benefit quickly turned to a negative relation as stocking rates increased. Cattle had a much more detrimental effect to diversity than ponies, especially to rare plant species that were targets in this study. The detrimental effects of grazing by cattle would likely be evident in other habits, although the findings of this study are specific to this unique habitat and the management recommendations would not necessarily be applicable to a wide range of plant communities. Excellent example of how the proper use of grazing can maintain a healthy plant community. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | La Coruna, Lugo | Galicia, Spain | Atlantic Wet Heathlands | Ericaceae | Erica | mackayana | Grazing, ponies, cattle, plant diversity, rare plants, targeted grazing, maintenance, heathland, Erica mackayana, spain, species richness, grazing species, grazing density, vegetation height, variance, heterogeneity | |||
| Goat grazing as a wildfire prevention tool: a basic review | Raffella Lovreglio, Ouahiba Meddour-Sahar, Vittorio Leone | iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry | 7 | 4 | 2014 | 260-268 | Raffella Lovreglio, Ouahiba Meddour-Sahar, Vittorio Leone, 2014, ‘Goat grazing as a wildfire prevention tool: a basic review.”, iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry, vol. 7, no. 4, pp. 260-268. | https://doi.org/10.3832/ifor1112-007 | Grazing | Goat grazing as a wildfire prevention tool: a basic review | A short review of history and potential use of goat grazing for fire hazard reduction. | High/Moderate | This study shows that despite misconceptions about grazing, stemming from a history of humans allowing livestock to over-graze, goats can be an effective tool in fuel reduction. Grazing can be used to reduce fine fuels and increase landscape heterogeneity, when confined goats can effectively remove all vegetation to create and maintain fuel breaks. This report does provide “a basic review” but illustrates the large number of factors that influence the effectiveness of grazing and shows that more analysis is needed to recommend timing, duration, density and species composition of grazers depending on the goal of the project. There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Multiple | Multiple | fuel break maintenance, grazing, goats, ladder fuels, fuels reduction, woody biomass, herbaceous biomass, fire severity, fire prevention, cattle, sheep, horses, targeted grazing, fine fuels reduction, landscape heterogeneity, WUI, prescribed grazing | ||||||
| Effects of Livestock Grazing On The Ecology Of Sierra Meadows: A Review of The Current State of Scientific Knowledge To Inform Meadow Restoration And Management. | Vernon, M.E., Campos, B.R. & Burnett, R.D | Environmental Management | 69 | 2022 | 1118-1136 | Vernon, M.E., Campos, B.R. & Burnett, R.D., 2022, Effects of Livestock Grazing On The Ecology Of Sierra Meadows: A Review of The Current State of Scientific Knowledge To Inform Meadow Restoration And Management, Environmental Management, vol. 69, pp. 1118–1136. | https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-022-01634-7 | Grazing | Impacts in sierra meadows and recomendations for mitigation and restoration | This paper is a review of research on the effects of grazing in Sierra meadows showing negative effects to all ecological resources examined. | High | This review clearly outlines the adverse effects that grazing can have on the meadow ecosystem, and offers a few recommendations for restoration, as well as active management to reduce the negative impacts of grazing. There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Sierrra Nevada | Wet Montane Meadows of the Sierra Nevada | grazing, ecology, degridation, hydrology, water quality, cattle, wet montane meadows, sierra nevada, restoration, riparian, management, targeted grazing, revegetation, channel incision, type conversion | |||||||
| Riparian meadow response to modern conservation grazing management | Oles KM, Weixelman DA, Lile DF, Tate KW, Snell LK, Roche LM | Environmental Management | 60 | 2017 | 383-395 | Oles, K.M., Weixelman, D.A., Lile, D.F. et al., 2017, Riparian Meadow Response to Modern Conservation Grazing Management., Environmental Management, vol. 60, pp. 383–395. | Grazing | Impacts to riparian meadows at the allotment and meadow scale | This study examined the effects of livestock grazing preasure and environmental conditions (precipitation) on plant species richness, diversity, and relative frequencies of forbs, non native species, wetland obligate species, and upland species in riparian meadows of California. | High | Grazing had a negative impact on species richness, proportion of wetland obligate species, and the proportion of upland species. These results suggest that current riparian grazing standards may be insufficient to achieve conservation goals for meadows, and more monitoring and active management may be necessary to protect the values of meadows. The authors recommend that the implementation of new monitoring and grazing distribution strategies in all meadows may be key to meeting riparian grazing standards and obtaining conservation objectives. There are additional concerns that changes in weather patterns due to climate change may make riparian meadows more susceptible to the effects of grazing. There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | California Mountains | Riparian Meadows | grazing, ecology, degridation, hydrology, water quality, cattle, riparian meadows, restoration, riparian, management, species richness, diversity, forbs, non native species, wetland obligate species, upland species, climate change | ||||||||
| The Impacts of Livestock Grazing in the Sonoran Desert: A Literature Review and Synthesis. | Hall, J.A., S. Weinstein, and C.L. McIntyre | The Nature Conservancy in Arizona, Tucson | 2005 | Hall, J.A., S. Weinstein, and C.L. McIntyre. 2005. The Impacts of Livestock Grazing in the Sonoran Desert: A Literature Review and Synthesis. The Nature Conservancy in Arizona, Tucson | Grazing | Impacts to the ecology of the Sonoran Desert | This study reviews scientific literature regarding ecological impacts of grazing to many interconnected systems in the Sonoran Desert. | High | The conclusions of the review suggest that current grazing management practices are not compatible with the health of the Sonoran Desert ecosystem. There is lots of great information that could be aplicable to other hot deserts, including impacts to; biodiversity and species richness, riparian areas and the piosphere surrounding water sources, saguaro cactus, rare species, and biological soil crusts. Low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Sonoran Desert | Sonoran Desert | Cactaceae | Carnegiea | gigantea | grazing, cattle, desert, sonoran, management, ecology, restoration, saguaro, invasive, non native, pioshpere, xeroriparian, annual, perennial grasses, infiltration, erosion, biological soil crusts,Carnegiea gigantea, rare species, degridation, diversity, species richness | |||||||
| Targeted grazing for the restoration of sub-alpine shrub-encroached grasslands | M. Probo, M. Pittarello, M. Lonati, G. Lombardi | Italian Journal of Agronomy | 11 | 2016 | 268-272 | M. Probo, M. Pittarello, M. Lonati, G. Lombardi, 2016, Targeted grazing for the restoration of sub-alpine shrub-encroached grasslands, Italian Journal of Agronomy, vol. 11, pp. 268-272. | https://doi.org/10.4081/ija.2016.775 | Grazing | Target grazing to restore shrub encroached grasslands | This study reveiws the effects of using managed grazing, specifically temporary night camp areas and mineral mix suplements, in efforts to restore shrub encroached sub alpine grasslands. | Moderate | The main goal of this study was to show that the use of TNCA and MMS could improve the quality of forage in these semi-natural grasslands, not to return them to a truly natural state. Studies in wet montane meadows in the Sierra Nevada have shown that cattle grazing can cause ecosystem function degradation that can lead to type conversion to woody species, though it does mention that management strategies, such as the MMSs used in this study or additional water sources, could mitigate these effects. The goals of the reversal of conversion outlined here may not align with goals in many California ecosystems where there is concern about forests and shrublands converting to grassland due to climate change and fire frequency. There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Piedmont | Val Troncea Natural Park, Italy | Sub-alpine grassland | Piedmont, Val Troncea Natural Park, Italy, Sub-alpine grassland, type conversion, Pastoral abandonment, shrub encroachment, meso-eutrophic grasslands, landscape heterogeneity, plant diversity, wildfire risk, targeted grazing, temporary night camp areas, mineral mix supplements | |||||||
| The effectiveness of using targeted grazing for vegetation management: a meta‐analysis | Marchetto, K.M., Wolf, T.M. and Larkin, D.J. | Restoration Ecology | 29 | 5 | 2021 | e13422 | Marchetto, K.M., Wolf, T.M. and Larkin, D.J., 2021, ‘The effectiveness of using targeted grazing for vegetation management: a meta‐analysis’, Restoration Ecology, vol. 29, no. 5, pp. E13422. | Grazing | Targeted grazing effects on target species, diversity, abundance | In this study the authors synthesized existing literature on the use of grazing to control invasive plant species and analyzed the findings to address which factors contribute to the effectiveness of these treatments. The goal of this review is to suggest management techniques to control invasive plant species using grazing and to identify knowladge gaps for future research. | Moderate | In general target species recover one to two years after grazing, but there are individual studies that show longer term reductions in target species. This suggests that proper timing and intensity of grazing could provide a more impactful solution to nonnative plants, but many factors must be evaluated for these methods to be effective, and much more research needs to be done. There is little practical guidance that can be directly applied from the results. Though it is often assumed that increased diversity and richness is a positive attribute of grazing, this may not be the case if grazing is increasing the diversity of invasive nonnatives. This study identifies the need for more research for a wide range of target species and plant communities to develop effective targeted grazing management strategies. There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Multiple | Multiple | targeted grazing, richness, diversity, abundance, recovery, non native, invasive species, ecological restoration, livestock, cattle, goat, sheep, active management, | |||||||
| Synthesis paper: targeted livestock grazing: prescription for healthy rangelands. | Bailey DW, Mosley JC, Estell RE, Cibils AF, Horney M, Hendrickson JR, Walker JW, Launchbaugh KL, Burritt EA | Rangeland Ecology & Management | 72 | 2019 | 865-877 | Derek W. Bailey, Jeffrey C. Mosley, Richard E. Estell, Andres F. Cibils, Marc Horney, John R. Hendrickson, John W. Walker, Karen L. Launchbaugh, Elizabeth A. Burritt, 2019, Synthesis Paper: Targeted Livestock Grazing: Prescription for Healthy Rangelands, Rangeland Ecology & Management, vol. 72, no. 6, pp. 865-877 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2019.06.003. | Grazing | Targeted grazing, prescriptions for project design, active management, and monitoring | In this literature review the authors examined 89 studies related to targeted and prescribed grazing to summarize the factors that need to be considered when designing a targeted grazing plan and to offer active management and monotoring strategies to help acheive the goals of the grazing project. | High | This paper offers great examples and basic guidance for building a targeted grazing plan, as well as active management and monitoring techniques to help achieve the project goals. It does not cover a broad enough range of plant communities to offer clear guidance for biotypes not specifically covered, but the consideration of factors influencing design, management, and monitoring listed in this review could help guide the production of any targeted grazing project. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Multiple | Multiple | targeted grazing, richness, diversity, abundance, recovery, non native, invasive species, ecological restoration, livestock, cattle, goat, sheep, fuel break, forage, suppress undesired plant species, management, species selection, timing duration, active managment, monitoring, project design, plant secondary metabolites (PSM), prescriptive grazing rangelands, vegetation manipulation | |||||||
| Grazing management to reduce wildfire risk in invasive annual grass prone sagebrush communities | Davies, K.W., Wollstein, K., Dragt, B. and O'Connor, C. | Rangelands | 2022 | Davies, K.W., Wollstein, K., Dragt, B. and O'Connor, C., 2022, Grazing management to reduce wildfire risk in invasive annual grass prone sagebrush communities, Rangelands, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2022.02.001 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rala.2022.02.001 | Grazing | Using cattle grazing to reduce fine fuel loads in sagebrush communities | Fires in sagebrush ecosystems have become much more frequent and severe largely due to the invasion of nonnative annual grasses. In this report the authors synthesize the proceedings of a panel discussion on using grazing management to reduce wildfire probability that was part of the December 2020 Invasive Annual Grass Workshop organized by the High Desert Partnership, the SageCon Partnership, and Oregon State University. | High | This synthesis offers clear examples of the benefits of grazing to reduce wildfire risk in sagebrush ecosystems, including management strategies to achieve goals while preserving native species. Fall and winter grazing can effectively reduce fine fuels from annual grasses without adversely affecting dormant perennial species. There is also discusion of limitations due to current regulations. There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Multiple | Sagebrush Steppe | grazing, targeted grazing, cattle, fuel reduction, fuel management, wildfire, artemesia, perennial bunchgrass, fine fuel, annual grasses, invasive, non native, restoration, BLM, management, allotment, stocking rate, grazing season, timing | |||||||||
| Severe fire weather and intensive forest management increase fire severity in a multiownership landscape | Zald HSJ and Dunn CJ | Ecological Applications | 28 | 2018 | 1068-1080 | Zald HSJ and Dunn CJ, 2018, Severe fire weather and intensive forest management increase fire severity in a multi-ownership landscape, Ecological Applications, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 1068-1080 | Industrially Managed Forest | Higher Fire Severity In and Near Industrially Managed Forests | This study examined fire severity accross private timber production land compaired to publicly managed landto see if intensive plantation forestry is associated with higher fire severity. | High | The results clearly show that the fire burned more severely in the forests managed for intensive timber production, and that the homoginized and continuous fuel loads are a large driver of fire severity. This study examined a single forest in a single fire event, providing an opportunity to easily compare land ownership, but the results may not directly apply to other fires or forests. The satellite imagery used to calculate prefire biomass and stand age are not effective at capturing vertical and below-canopy vegetation structure. The younger trees in the privately managed plantation are more likely to die from fire which may affect the likelihood of a higher RdNBR. The data did not include the effects of fire suppression or if there were any differences in fire suppression activities between the management types. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | Douglas, and Josephine | Douglas Complex Fires | Timber Plantation, Mixed Conifer Forest | Land Management, Industrially Managed Forest, BLM, Oregon & California Railroad, Mixed Conifer Forest, Fire Severity, Fire Weather, Stand Age, Biomass, Plantation, Fuel Continuity | ||||||||
| Higher incidence of high-severity fire in and near industrially managed forests | Jacob I Levine, Brandon M Collins, Zachary L Steel, Perry de Valpine, and Scott L Stephens | Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment | 2022 | Levine, J.I., Collins, B.M., Steel, Z.L., de Valpine, P. and Stephens, S.L., 2022. Higher incidence of high‐severity fire in and near industrially managed forests. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. | https://doi.org/10.1002/fee.2499 | Industrially Managed Forest | Higher Fire Severity In and Near Industrially Managed Forests | This study examines the role land ownership and the associated management practices have on the severity of wildfires in yellow pine and mixed conifer forests in California. The goal of this study was to quantify the impact of land ownership on the incidence of high severity fires (conditional on fire occurrence) through large scale analyses of wildfires in California, and to see if the proximity to ownership boundaries affects fire severity. | High | This study clearly shows that privatly managed forests have a greater risk of high severity fires than public lands. In general it is almost twice as likley that privatly managed forest land will burn at high severity as compaired to public land, and public lands in close proximity to industrial forest land are more likley to burn at high severity. There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | California | Yellow Pine Forest/Mixed Conifer Forest | land managment, timber, industrially managed forest, even aged stand, private land, public land, fire severity, management, yellow pine forest, mixed conifer forest, California | |||||||||
| Vegetation‐type conversion of evergreen chaparral shrublands to savannahs dominated by exotic annual herbs: causes and consequences for ecosystem function. | Pratt, R.B. | American Journal of Botany | 109 | 1 | 2022 | 9-28 | Pratt, R.B., 2022, Vegetation‐type conversion of evergreen chaparral shrublands to savannahs dominated by exotic annual herbs: causes and consequences for ecosystem function, American Journal of Botany, vol. 109, no. 1, pp.9-28. | Type Conversion | Causes and consequences to ecosystem function of chaparral conversion to savannah | In this study the author reviews studies on the causes, exent, and ecological impacts of type conversion of chaparral to invasive grasslands in southern California. The main focus of this review is on the impacts to the ecological functions affected by type conversion; hydrology, energy balance, carbon sequestration, nitrogen cycling, and impacts these have to the microbiome, faunae, and the potential for continued conversion or recovery. | High | This review offers a great outline of the drivers of type conversion and the progression and outcome of conversion due to these drivers. The bulk of this review focuses on how the ecological function of an intact ecosystem compares to that of a converted ecosystem, and how the change or loss of these functions affect the potential for recovery or enforce the conversion process. Each ecological factor that may be influenced by conversion is reviewed offering a more comprehensive view of the complex implications of vegetation type conversion. The greater consequences of reduced carbon sequestration, altered hydrology, and loss of diversity at a broader scale are considered as well. There are many recommendations for further research, as current information offers few viable management options for stopping conversion or for restoring converted areas, and our understanding of the broader implications of conversion is still limited. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Southern California | Chaparral | chaparral, type conversion, southern california, fire return interval, fire frequency, drought stress, disturbance, climate change vegetation-type conversion, hydrology, nitrogen deposition, nitrogen fixing, non native, invasive, annual grass, mycorrhiza, recovery, energy balance, carbon sequestration, Bromus, California sage scrub, coastal sage scrub, | |||||||
| Extent and drivers of vegetation type conversion in Southern California chaparral. | Syphard, A.D., Brennan, T.J. and Keeley, J.E. | Ecosphere | 10 | 7 | 2019 | e02796 | Syphard, A.D., Brennan, T.J. and Keeley, J.E., 2019, Extent and drivers of vegetation type conversion in Southern California chaparral, Ecosphere, vol. 10, no. 7, pp. E02796. | Type Conversion | Chaparral in San Diego County | In this study the authors examine the extent of type conversion of chaparral shrublands in San Diego County and to identify the factors that contribute to conversion. They evaluated vegetation change from 1953 to 2016 and relates these changes to fire frequency, human disturbance, and landscape characteristics to: quantify how much chaparral has converted to herbaceous vegetation; examine the role of fire frequency and determine a minimum fire return interval needed to induce significant change; examine the role of environmental and anthropogenic factors associated with decline of chaparral; and compare the results from this study to the results of a similar study located in the Santa Monica Mountains. | High | This study clearly shows that there have already been substantial losses of chaparral and that fire combined with drought are main drivers of this loss. The long minimum fire return interval shows that these slow growing communities take many years to reestablish a seed bank or to replenish stored reserves. A fire return interval of 15 years or less would lead to type conversion, and climate change and drought can inhibit or prevent post-fire recovery. The sampling methods were unable to detect dead standing woody cover from drought related mortality or chaparral that had converted to sage scrub, which may have contributed to overestimation of initial cover and an underestimation of conversion. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | San Diego | San Diego | Chaparral | Chaparral, type converison, San Diego County, Southern Coastal Ecoregion, invasive grassland, non native, fire frequency, fire return interval, fuel break, ignition, water deficit, actual evapotraspiration, AET, probability of conversion, predicting conversion, wildfire, disturbance, minimum retern interval | |||||||
| Drivers of chaparral type conversion to herbaceous vegetation in coastal Southern California | Syphard, A.D., Brennan, T.J. and Keeley, J.E. | Diversity and Distributions | 25 | 1 | 2018 | 90-101 | Syphard, A.D., Brennan, T.J. and Keeley, J.E., 2018, Drivers of chaparral type conversion to herbaceous vegetation in coastal Southern California, Diversity and Distributions, vol. 25, no. 1, pp.90-101. | Type Conversion | Chaparral in the Santa Monica Mountains | In this study the authors examine shifts in shrubland communities to invasive grasslands in the Santa Monica Mountains from 1943 to 2014 to identify why and where conversion has occurred and help to identify areas where conversion is likely to occur. In addition to fire frequency, water deficit, topography, nitrogen deposition, and anthropogenic variables can all affect the progression of type conversion. The goal of this study was to identify and quantify drivers of type conversion in chaparral and develop a map highlighting areas that have the probability to be vulnerable to conversion. | High | This study offers a more indepth view of the factors influencing type conversion over a longer period of time than many other studies. The data seems to show that water deficit (aridity) is a main driver of conversion, as opposed to fire frequency on its own. In this study the threshold for fire return intervals leading to type conversion was <10 years. The discussion could have clarified the role of drought by addressing whether type conversion in arid sites would occur without fire, or if less arid areas that experience fire return intervals of <10 years are able to recover. The description of the map data shows that hot spots (areas susceptible to conversion) are in areas with high fire frequency and close proximity to roads, and results show that post-fire recovery is largely driven by AWC. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | Los Angeles, Ventura | Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area | Chaparral | Chaparral, type converison, Santa Monica Mountains, invasive grassland, non native, fire frequency, fire return interval, fuel break, ignition, water deficit, soil available water capacity, AWC, probability of conversion, predicting conversion, wildfire, disturbance, minimum return interval | |||||||
| Extensive drought‐associated plantmortality as an agent of type‐conversion in chaparral shrublands | Jacobsen, A. L., and R. B. Pratt | New Phytologist | 219 | 2018 | 498-504 | Jacobsen, A.L. and Pratt, R.B., 2018, Extensive drought‐associated plant mortality as an agent of type‐conversion in chaparral shrublands., New Phytologist, vol. 219, no. 2, pp. 498-504. | Type Conversion | Drough Driven Type Conversion in Southern California Chaparral | In this study the authors examine the effects of drought on mortality of chaparral species and the potential for type conversion due to these losses. The goal of this study is to determine what factors make certain species more susceptible to drought than others, and examine the factors that may limit or encourage recovery of chaparral communities that have been strongly affected by drought. | High | This study shows that drought is causing the loss of many chaparral species and that these losses create gaps that can lead to functional and vegetation type conversion. Obligate seeding species tend to be the most likely to be lost and the first species to be lost to water deficit. The outcome of initial losses are dependent on continued drought, availability of native shrub or invasive grass seed, or effects of fire. Severe drought on its own may eventually lead to full conversion however fire and introduction of invasive grasses have a large influence on the speed and direction of conversion. The section on recovery from conversion does not seem comprehensive, and only touches on a couple factors that may affect recovery. The conclusion mentions that active restoration may be needed for the recovery of obligate seeding species but no other potential management strategies discussed here. There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Southern California | Chaparral | chaparral, vegetation type conversion, climate change, drought, invasive, non native, annual grass, obligate seeder, recovery, restoration, water stress, rooting depth, nitrogen fixing, functional type conversion, fire return interval, fire frequency | ||||||||
| Fire-driven alien invasion in a fireadapted ecosystem | Keeley, J.E. and Brennan, T.J. | Oecologia | 169 | 4 | 2012 | 1043-1052 | Keeley, J.E. and Brennan, T.J., 2012, Fire-driven alien invasion in a fire-adapted ecosystem., Oecologia, vol. 169, no. 4, pp.1043-1052. | Type Conversion | Fire driven type conversion in chaparral | This study eximines the effects of stand age on the outcomes to plant community composition of southern California chaparral after fire and the effects to community composition when they are reburned at a short interval. | High | This study illustrates the effects of repeated short frequency fires in southern California shrublands, showing a great potential for type conversion with shortened fire return intervals. It also shows how these effects can quickly cause the loss of obligate seeding species after a single shortened fire return interval. The study does not address management options or techniques to resist or guide conversion. It also mentions that availability of non native seed is a large driver of conversion, but does not address initial seed sources or how seed is introduced. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | San Diego | San Diego | Chaparral | Poaceae | Bromus | madritensis | chaparral, vegetation type conversion, Bromus madritensis, Adonostema fasciculatum, Ceanothus, obligate seeder, fire severity, fire return interval, fire frequency, stand age, reburn, fire regime, fire feedback, invasive, non native | ||||
| Living on the edge: Trailing edge forests at risk of fire-facilitated conversion to non-forest | Parks SA, Dobrowski SZ, Shaw JD, Miller C | Ecosphere | 10 | 2019 | e02651 | Parks, S.A., Dobrowski, S.Z., Shaw, J.D. and Miller, C., 2019, Living on the edge: trailing edge forests at risk of fire‐facilitated conversion to non‐forest, Ecosphere, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. E02651. | Type Conversion | Fire driven type conversion of trailing edge forests of the intermountain western United States | In this study the authors examine which currently forested areas in the intermountain western United States will become climaticly unsuitable to support forests by the mid-21st century, and which of these areas are more likely to experience stand replacing fire events to predict where fire facilitated conversion of forest to non-forest may be most likely occur. | High | This study illustrates the effects of climate change on intermountain forest resilience and shows that fire and other disturbances can facilitate the conversion of trailing edge forests, and that the risk of forest loss is expected to increase going into the mid-21st century, and beyond. The study points out several flaws that could account for the over or underestimation of at risk leading edge forests, however the overall trend of vulnerability is valid although the findings have an unknown degree of uncertainty. The data on fire severity during extreme weather conditions was only available for part of the study area and in the ecoregions where this data was available the risk of conversion was greatly increased. Yet there was no discussion of how to incorporate models of extreme and average weather conditions; what is the probability of a fire burning under either extreme or average conditions, could the values be averaged or weighted to offer a single risk assessment instead of two drastically different potentials. The management strategies suggested would only buy time in retaining trees that will eventually be lost to climate change in areas that no longer support recruitment. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Intermountain Western United States | Forest | forest to non-forest type conversion, fire driven type conversion, climatic water deficit, evapotranspiration, leading edge forest, climate change, fire severtiy, stand replacing fire, climatic debt, resiliance debt, disturbance, ecological threshold, recruitment, wildfire, trailing edge forest | ||||||||
| Wildfire-driven forest conversion in western North American landscapes | Coop JD, Parks SA, Stevens- Rumann CS, et al | Bioscience | 70 | 8 | 2020 | 659-673 | Coop, J.D., Parks, S.A., Stevens-Rumann, C.S., Crausbay, S.D., Higuera, P.E., Hurteau, M.D., Tepley, A., Whitman, E., Assal, T., Collins, B.M. and Davis, K.T., 2020, Wildfire-driven forest conversion in western North American landscapes, BioScience, vol. 70, no. 8, pp. 659-673 | https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaa061 | Type Conversion | Fire-driven type conversion in forests | This article synthesizes research regarding fire-driven type conversion in forests of western North America. The study examines the factors that led to the severe fire events that begin the conversion process and the factors that inhibit recovery of forests after fire events that drive conversion. The discussion offers suggestions for future research that may help guide management decisions given the increasing likelihood of conversion and the continued progression of climate change. | High | This article shows that anthropogenic climate change, severe fire events, shortened fire return intervals, and fire vegetation feedback are causal factors of forest conversion and illustrates that these drivers are becoming more prevalent. There was a mention of the predicted outcome in boreal forests converting from conifer dominated to deciduous dominated after frequent fire return intervals, but outcomes in other forest types need to be further studied. There are no clear examples of treatments to help direct conversion and the potential goals of directing conversion could have been outlined or proposed despite the lack of science to support achieving these goals. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Western North America | Conifer forests | forest to non-forest type conversion, fire-driven type conversion, forest, fire return interval, fire severity, fire frequency, wildfie, climate change, fuel reduction, management, accept conversion, direct conversion, resist conversion, recruitment, stand replacing fire | ||||||
| Fire‐driven vegetation type conversion in southern California | Syphard, A.D., Brennan, T.J., Rustigian‐Romsos, H. and Keeley, J.E. | Ecological Applications | 2022 | e2626 | Syphard, A.D., Brennan, T.J., Rustigian‐Romsos, H. and Keeley, J.E., 2022, Fire‐driven vegetation type conversion in southern California, Ecological Applications, pp. E2626. | https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2626 | Type Conversion | Fire-driven vegetation type conversion in Southern California | In this study the authors examine the extent and drivers of decline and conversion of chaparral in coastal southern California, showing that departure from historic fire return intervals and minimum fire interval have the largest affect on inducing decline and conversion. Soil moisture, slope, and distance to human disturbances were also important variables, and in some models caried more weight than fire, but overall fire remained the main driver of Vegetation Type Conversion. | High | This study addresses the shortcomings of studies that have found that fire frequency has a weak correlation to VTC and clearly shows that shifts in historic fire frequencies are consistently associated with decline and conversion of chaparral habitats. The study also offers insight as to which regions have experienced the most VTC and which areas are most likely to see declines in woody cover. The multiple complex models used sometimes produced very different results and these differences were not well explained in some cases, as to why AET was more important in region wide models and was less important when the same models were run for the north and south regions. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Orange Counties | Southern California, Coastal | Chaparral | chaparral, vegetation type conversion, decline, fire frequency, fire return interval, departure from historic fire return interval, grassland, southern california, AET, historic fire frequency, wild fire, annual grass, non native, invasive, drought, | ||||||||
| Vulnerability to forest loss through altered postfire recovery dynamics in a warming climate in the Klamath Mountains | Tepley AJ, Thompson JR, Epstein HE, Anderson-Teixeira KJ | Global Change Biology | 23 | 2017 | 4177-4132 | Tepley, A.J., Thompson, J.R., Epstein, H.E. and Anderson‐Teixeira, K.J., 2017, Vulnerability to forest loss through altered postfire recovery dynamics in a warming climate in the Klamath Mountains, Global Change Biology, vol. 23, no. 10, pp. 4117-4132. | https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13704 | Type Conversion | Loss of forest due to altered postfire recovery dynamics in the Klamath mountains | In the study the authors examine the dynamics affecting forest recovery following severe fire events in the Klamath Mountains to identify factors that contribute to vulnerability and resilience to forest loss, specifically effects of competition from broadleaf trees and shrubs, and the effects of aridity and seed availability on recruitment of conifer seedlings. | High | This study shows that portions of the forests are at risk to loss of conifers due to fire and climatic conditions, and outlines the factors that would drive these losses. Seedlings that established shortly after fire were less affected by drought and competition than seedlings that had delayed recruitment; most of the successful recruitment occurred within the first four years post fire. Climatic water deficit can inhibit recruitment when seed is available, and loss of a seed source can prevent recruitment when climatic conditions are favorable. The study does not address the impacts, positive or negative, that loss of conifers would have on the ecological function of a forest that was converted to being dominated by broadleaf species. The study does not make any management recommendations for resisting conversion of mixed-conifer and mixed-evergreen forests. There is low potential for bias. | Completed | Multiple | Klamath Mountains | Mixed-Conifer Forest | Klamath Mountains, Vegetation Type Conversion, Loss of forest, Fire frequency, fire severity, mixed-evergreen, mixed-conifer, competition, seed source, aridity, climate change, climatic water deficit, recovery, recruitment, douglas-fir, ponderosa pine, white fir, | |||||||
| California chaparral case study | Molinari, N.A., Underwood, E.C., Sawyer, S.C. and Butz, R.J. | Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-270. Albany, CA: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station | 270 | 5 | 2021 | 99-122 | Molinari, N.A., Underwood, E.C., Sawyer, S.C. and Butz, R.J., 2021, California chaparral case study, Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-270. Albany, CA: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Chapter 5, no. 270, pp.99-122. | Type Conversion | Post Fire Restoration Priorites and Feasability In Chaparral | In this study the authors developed a restoration portfolio following the 2016 Sand Fire in the Angeles National Forest to identify and prioritize postfire management actions to maintain and enhance chaparral ecosystems and ecosystem services. To evaluate restoration needs within the Sand Fire burn area priority resources were identified, and pre and postfire conditions were determined. | High | This study offers many valuable considerations for the development and implementation of a restoration plan. The questions and flow chart could be used in the development of restoration plans for both recovery from fire and restoration of type converted chaparral in other disturbed areas. This study did not track the implementation of restoration projects after the Sand Fire so the real world effectiveness of the recommended restoration treatments and management actions is unsubstantiated. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | Los Angeles | Sand Fire | Chaparral | chaparral, post fire recovery, post fire restoration, type conversion, fire return interval, drought, invasive, non native, grassland, active management, planting, seeding, ecosytem function, ecosystem services | |||||||
| Restoration in type-converted and heavily disturbed chaparral: lessons learned | VinZant, K. | In Proceedings of the chaparral restoration workshop, California. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-265. Albany, CA: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station | 265 | 2019 | 67-83 | VinZant, K., 2019, Restoration in type-converted and heavily disturbed chaparral: lessons learned. In Proceedings of the chaparral restoration workshop, California. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-265. Albany, CA: US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Vol. 265, pp. 67-83. | Type Conversion | Restoration of Type Converted Chaparral in the Angeles National Forest | In this paper the author describes the restoration planning process for distrubed and converted chaparral in the Angeles National Forest (ANF), and evaluates the factors affecting the success of the various restoration treatments. The goal of this study was to evaluate the results of the restoration projects to determine which methods were the most successful at achieving their goals and which factors influenced the outcome of these treatments. | High | This paper offers excellent empirical evidence of the methods and factors that can influence a successful restoration of type converted chaparral. Despite the lack of statistical analysis this paper describes clear guidelines for project development and implementation that would greatly improve the probability of a successful outcome. There is a low potential for bias. | Completed | Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Ventura | Angeles National Forest | Chaparral | chaparral, type conversion, restoration, disturbance, invasive, non native, annual grass, hydroseed, imprint, broadcast, container planting, seeding, weeding, watering, irrigation, topsoil salvage, decompaction, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura, Angeles National Forest | ||||||||
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