Impact of Wet Season and Dry Season Prescribed Fires on Miami Rock Ridge Pineland, Everglades National Park

摘要

The subtropical Pinus elliottii var. densa forests on limestone in Dade County, Florida, have a species-rich understory of tropical hardwoods, palms, and herbs. Fires prevent rapid conversion to hardwood forest. Paired wet season/dry season burns were conducted at two sites in Everglades National Park. Aboveground understory biomass (vegetation and litter) and nutrients were measured immediately before and after, and at 2, 7, and 12 months after the four burns. The burns topkilled all the understory vegetation. The amount of hardwood recovery was determined more by fire temperature than by season of burning.