Wr. Davidson et al., INFLUENCE OF ANNUAL AND BIENNIAL PRESCRIBED BURNING DURING MARCH ON THE ABUNDANCE OF AMBLYOMMA-AMERICANUM (ACARI, IXODIDAE) IN CENTRAL GEORGIA, Journal of medical entomology, 31(1), 1994, pp. 72-81
A 5-yr study to evaluate the influence of annual and biennial prescrib
ed burning in March on the abundance of Amblyomma americanum (L.) was
conducted on Oconee Wildlife Management Area in the Piedmont physiogra
phic region of Georgia. Tick abundance on plots embedded in larger bur
ned and unburned areas were monitored with cloth drags and CO2-baited
cloth panels monthly during March through September from 1987 through
1991. Annual and biennial prescribed burning from 1988 to 1991 signifi
cantly reduced the abundance of larvae, nymphs, and adults but did not
alter their seasonal trends of abundance. Annual burning more consist
ently supressed all life stages than biennial burning. The magnitude o
f tick supression tended to increase with sucessive burns, especially
with the annual burning regime. The order of vulnerability to direct i
ncineration appeared to be overwintered larvae > adults > nymphs; howe
ver, only overwintered larvae were highly vulnerable. Consistent reduc
tions in larvae during June-September following burning were associate
d with reduced litter depths and presumably lowered habitat suitabilit
y. During years of fire omission, the abundance of larvae on bienniall
y burned plots increased to levels equal to or exceeding those on unbu
rned plots. Based on cloth drag sampling, mean percentage control duri
ng 1988-1991 for larvae, nymphs, and adults, respectively, was 80, 75,
and 70% on annually burned plots and 48, 73, and 65% on biennially bu
rned plots. Frequent late-winter prescribed burning, which is commonly
used to achieve wildlife habitat management objectives, could be an e
ffective and economical component of an integrated A. americanum contr
ol program in habitats ecologically suited to regimes of frequent fire
.