Wm. Ford et al., Effects of a community restoration fire on small mammals and herpetofauna in the southern Appalachians, FOREST ECOL, 114(2-3), 1999, pp. 233-243
As part of the Wine Spring Creek ecosystem management project on the Nantah
ala National forest, North Carolina, we assessed effects of a community res
toration fire on small mammals and herpetofauna in the upper slope pitch pi
ne (Pinus rigida) stands, neighboring midslope oak (Quercus spp.) stands an
d rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) dominated riparian areas during 1995
and 1996. Using drift-fence arrays with pitfalls and snap-trapping, we coll
ected these small mammals: masked shrew (Sorex cinereus), smoky shrew (S. f
umeus), water shrew (S. palustris), pygmy shrew (S. hoyi), northern short-t
ailed shrew (Blarina brevicauda), deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), whit
e-footed mouse (II leucopus), golden mouse (Ochrotomys nuttalli), southern
red-backed vole (Clethrionomys gapperi), pine vole (Microtus pinetorum) and
woodland jumping mouse (Napaeozapus insignis). Herpetofauna collected from
drift-fence arrays and time-constrained searches included: eastern newt (N
otophtalmus viridescens), seepage salamander (Desmognathus aeneus), mountai
n dusky salamander (D. ochrophaeus), Blue Ridge two-lined salamander (Euryc
ea wilderae), spring salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus), Jordan's sala
mander (Plethodon jordani), wood frog (Rana sylvatica), five-lined skink (E
umeces fasciatus), eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis), and northern
ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus). Prior to the prescribed community re
storation fire in the spring of 1995, there were no significant differences
in small mammal or herpetofauna collections between burned and control are
as. Post-treatment in 1995 and 1996, showed no significant differences amon
g collections of most species between burned and control areas. Slope posit
ion accounted for more variation among the species of greatest abundance th
an did burning. Concern for the effects of prescribed fire as a management
tool on small mammals and herpetofauna in the southern Appalachians seems u
nwarranted. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.