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Author(s):
Robert K. Murphy, Todd A. Grant, Elizabeth M. Madden
Year Published:

Cataloging Information

Topic(s):
Fire Effects
Ecological - Second Order
Vegetation
Wildlife
Fire & Wildlife
Birds
Mammals
Fuels
Fuel Treatments & Effects
Prescribed Fire-use treatments
Ecosystem(s):
Lower montane/foothills/valley grassland

NRFSN number: 11171
FRAMES RCS number: 742
Record updated:

Prescribed fire is used increasingly to reduce accumulated fuels on National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) and other reserves in the mixed-grass prairie region of the northern Great Plains. There is sparse documentation, however, on effects of prescribed fire on habitat and population dynamics of wildlife in the region. This multi-faceted work builds on research initiated in 1996 at J. Clark Salyer NWR in north central North Dakota, by expanding the study focus and extending replications to other NWRs. Objectives are to document effects of prescribed fire or lack of fire in mixed prairie on: productivity and nest site selection of grassland birds; small mammal makeup; vegetation composition and structure; influence of major woody fuels, firebreaks, and other landscape attributes on avian occurrence, productivity, and nest distribution. Some results are briefly summarized below.

Citation

Murphy, Robert K.; Grant, Todd A.; Madden, Elizabeth M. 2005. Prescribed fire for fuel reduction in northern mixed-grass prairie: influence on habitat and population dynamics of indigenous wildlife. Joint Fire Science Project 01-3-2-09. Kenmare, ND: US Fish and Wildlife Service. 40 p.

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