| Abstract Detail
Bryological and Lichenological Section/ABLS St. Clair, Larry L. [1], Tratebas, Alice M. [2], Knight, Katy B. [1]. Impact of Wildfire on Saxicolous Lichen Communities in Eastern Wyoming. LICHEN encroachment onto rock art panels in eastern Wyoming was researched between 1999 and 2001. In the summer of 2001, a wildfire burned over several of the panels with significant impact to the lichen communities. Follow up surveys of burned panels were conducted in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Our data effectively documented patterns of fire impact on saxicolous lichen communities. Specific factors that made lichens on vertical rock surfaces more vulnerable to fire damage included: thallus size, growth form, vertical profile, extent of thallus attachment, and specific location of thalli relative to the microtopography of the rock surface. The intensity of fire impact varied between sites, but was consistently related to the amount of fuel available at the base of the panels. Exfoliation and recovery patterns suggested that some species were killed immediately, while other species sustained some fire-related damage but appear to be recovering; other species survived the fire with no detectable damage.
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1 - Brigham Young University, Department of Integrative Biology, 401 Widtsoe Building, Provo, Utah, 84602, USA
2 - Bureau of Land Management, New Castle Field Office, 1101 Washington Blvd, New Castle, Wyoming, 82701, USA
Keywords:
lichens
fire-impact
lichen recovery.
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: 48-2
Location: Auditorium/Bell Memorial Union
Date: Tuesday, August 1st, 2006
Time: 12:30 PM
Abstract ID:773 |
