Pacific Southwest

Title: Prescribed fire effects on erosion parameters in a perennial grassland

Author: O'Dea, Mary E.; Guertin, D. Phillip

Date: 2003

Source: Journal of Range Management 56: 27-32

Description: A 2-year field experiment was undertaken to quantify theinteracting effects of a late-spring prescribed burn and summerrainfall on seasonal runoff and erosion in a southern Arizonagrassland. Six blocks with walled subplots (n = 24) were installedon a hillslope to measure changes to plant, soil, and hydrologicvariables in response to treatments. Increased bulk density, erosion,and runoff volumes; and lowered plant cover and waterintake rates were observed within the burned plots following thefirst summer season. In the second year, higher bulk density,runoff volumes, and erosion measures were again observed withinthe burned plots, as well as lower plant cover, aggregate stability,and water intake rates. The results of this study indicate thatfollowing late-spring burning, semi-desert grasslands are susceptibleto greater summer runoff and erosion compared tounburned grasslands.

Keywords: Arizona, sediment yield, summer rainfall

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Citation

O'Dea, Mary E.; Guertin, D. Phillip  2003.  Prescribed fire effects on erosion parameters in a perennial grassland.   Journal of Range Management 56: 27-32.