Fire is an integral process in savannas ecosystems as it alters the extent of woody cover in these systems. This study examined the effects of varying fire frequencies and fire exclusion over a 60-year time period in South Africa. The presence of fire, irrespective of frequency, was influential in lowering tree abundance in the wet savanna, whilst the effect of fire in the dry savanna was limited. This study suggests that vegetation responses to fire are most likely influenced by rainfall, thus it is recommended that management strategies should take account of whether a savanna is a wet or dry system when implementing fire management regimes

Archer

Backer

Biggs

Bond

Buitenwerf

Chidumayo

Devineau

Glitzenstein

Govender

Graz

Higgins

Lehmann

Mabunda

Mitchard

Murphy

Parr

Pinheiro

R Core Team

Ryan

Sankaran

Sirami

Smit

Vesk

Werner

1. Fire is an integral process in savannas because it plays a crucial role in altering woody cover of this globally important biome. 2. In this study we examine the long term effects of varying fire frequencies over a 60 year time period in South Africa. We analyse the effects of fire exclusion and of experimental burns every 1, 2 and 3 years on woody cover, tree abundance and stem structure on a wet and dry savanna. 3. Increased fire frequency did not display a consistent effect on woody cover. The presence of fire, irrespective of frequency, was much more influential in lowering tree abundance in the wet savanna than the dry savanna. In the dry savanna, fire was more effective in greatly increasing coppicing in trees, when compared to the wet savannas. 4. Synthesis: The effects of fire on three measures of savanna woody vegetation differed between wet and dry experimental sites. We suggest that vegetation responses to fire are dependent on local conditions, which are likely influenced by rainfall. Therefore we suggest that management strategies should take account of whether a savanna is a wet or dry system when implementing fire management regimes.Woody vegetation cover at Experimental Burn Plots at Kruger National Park 2012Data was collected on the Pretoriuskop and Skukuza Experimental Burn Plots at Kruger National Park, South Africa in March-June 2012. Specific details of the headings are as follows: "Treatment" = fire frequency (0.3- triennial burning, 0.5 – biennial burning 1 – annual burning and 0  -control/fire exclusion). "Region" = savanna type (Pretoriuskop - wet savanna Skukuza - dry savanna). Dataset includes tree abundance, percentage of multi and single stemmed trees and woody cover calculated as a proportion of tree basal area density cm2. Please note the heading "Plot" refers to unique field id created by the author and not KNP's plot codes.Pretoriuskop_and_Skukuza_EBP_woodydata.cs

Devine, Aisling P.

Stott, Iain

McDonald, Robbie A.

Maclean, Ilya M. D.

NEUROSURGERY ENTHUSIASTIC WOMEN SOCIETY

Data from: Woody cover in wet and dry African savannas after six decades of experimental fires

ZENODO

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley via the DOI in this recordSummary: Fire is an integral process in savannas because it plays a crucial role in altering woody cover of this globally important biome. In this study, we examine the long-term effects of varying fire frequencies over a 60-year time period in South Africa. We analyse the effects of fire exclusion and of experimental burns every 1, 2 and 3 years on woody cover, tree abundance and stem structure on a wet and dry savanna. Increased fire frequency did not display a consistent effect on woody cover. The presence of fire, irrespective of frequency, was much more influential in lowering tree abundance in the wet savanna than the dry savanna. In the dry savanna, fire was more effective in greatly increasing coppicing in trees, when compared to the wet savannas. Synthesis. The effects of fire on three measures of savanna woody vegetation differed between wet and dry experimental sites. We suggest that vegetation responses to fire are dependent on local conditions, which are likely influenced by rainfall. Therefore, we suggest that management strategies should take account of whether a savanna is a wet or dry system when implementing fire management regimes. We examined the effects of varying fire frequencies over a 60-year time period upon woody vegetation on a wet and dry savanna. We suggest that vegetation responses to fire are influenced by regional differences in rainfall. Therefore, management strategies should take account of whether a savanna is a wet or dry system when implementing fire management regimes.This work was funded by NERC (NE/I528334/1)

Devine, AP

Stott, I

Mcdonald, RA

Maclean, IMD

Open Research Exeter

Journal of Ecology

Woody cover in wet and dry African savannas after six decades of experimental fires

Aisling Devine

Cronfa at Swansea University

1. Fire is an integral process in savannas because it plays a crucial role in altering woody cover of this globally important biome. 2. In this study we examine the long term effects of varying fire frequencies over a 60 year time period in South Africa. We analyse the effects of fire exclusion and of experimental burns every 1, 2 and 3 years on woody cover, tree abundance and stem structure on a wet and dry savanna. 3. Increased fire frequency did not display a consistent effect on woody cover. The presence of fire, irrespective of frequency, was much more influential in lowering tree abundance in the wet savanna than the dry savanna. In the dry savanna, fire was more effective in greatly increasing coppicing in trees, when compared to the wet savannas. 4. Synthesis: The effects of fire on three measures of savanna woody vegetation differed between wet and dry experimental sites. We suggest that vegetation responses to fire are dependent on local conditions, which are likely influenced by rainfall. Therefore we suggest that management strategies should take account of whether a savanna is a wet or dry system when implementing fire management regimes

Woody cover in wet and dry African savannas after six decades of experimental fires

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NEUROSURGERY ENTHUSIASTIC WOMEN SOCIETY

ZENODO

Open Research Exeter

Cronfa at Swansea University

Dryad Digital Repository (Duke University)

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