Cody L. Stropki

The 2002 Rodeo-Chediski Wildfire's impacts on southwestern ponderosa pine ecosystems, hydrology, and fuels

The Rodeo-Chediski Wildfire burned nearly 462,600 acres in north-central Arizona in the summer of 2002. The wildfire damaged or destroyed ecosystem resources and disrupted the hydrologic functioning within the impacted ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests in a largely mosaic pattern. Impacts of the wildfire on ecosystem resources, factors important to hydrologic functioning, peak stormflow events and water quality constituents, and loadings of flammable fuels were evaluated on two watersheds in a ponderosa pine forest that was exposed to the burn - one experienced a high severity (stand-replacing) fire (Watershed A), and the other was exposed to only a low severity (stand-modifying) fire (Watershed B). Cumulative impacts of the wildfire on ecosystem resources, hydrologic functioning, and flammable fuels were more pronounced on Watershed A. Recovery of the Stermer Ridge watersheds from the Rodeo-Chediski Wildfire has been related to the respective fire severities that the two watersheds experienced. Watershed A converted from ponderosa pine to grasses, forbs, and a few shrubs. Recovery of the hydrologic functioning on this watershed has begun on a limited scale, but it is anticipated that the overall hydrologic functioning of Watershed A will not approach pre-fire conditions for many years. Flammable fuels represented by standing trees have been eliminated on Watershed A, but there has been an increase in stem sections, branches, twigs, and herbaceous fuels on the forest floor. While the possibility of a future crown fire has declined, the potential for surface fire remains. Much of Watershed B is slowly recovering from the impacts of the wildfire. Much of the hydrologic functioning of this watershed is also returning slowly to its pre-fire level. The post-fire loadings of flammable fuels were largely unchanged from their pre-fire estimates. Watershed B remains vulnerable to future wildfire events as a consequence.

Fire effects on tree overstories in the oak savannas of the Southwestern Borderlands Region

Effects of cool-season and warm-season prescribed burning treatments and a wildfire on tree overstories in oak savannas on the Cascabel Watersheds of the Southwestern Borderlands Region are reported in this paper. Information on the initial survival, levels of crown damage, species compositions and densities, annual growth rates, and basal sprouting following these burning events is presented. Impact of the fires on spatial distributions of trees in the overstories is also described. These events were all of low fire severities. As a consequence, effects of the prescribed burning treatments and the wildfire on tree overstories of the watersheds were similar and, therefore, the data sets were pooled. Effects of these fires on the tree overstories were mostly minor and often insignificant in terms of management implications.

Fire Effects on Herbaceous Plants and Shrubs in the Oak Savannas of the Southwestern Borderlands

Much has been learned in recent years about the ecological, hydrologic, and environmental characteristics of the oak (encinal) woodlands of the Southwestern Borderlands. Comparable information for the lower-elevation oak savannas, including the impacts of fire on ecosystem resources, is also necessary to enhance the knowledge of the oak ecosystems in the region. Oak savannas are more open in stand structure than are the oak woodlands and, as a consequence, a higher level of herbaceous production might be expected in this ecosystem than in the oak woodlands. The effects of prescribed burning treatments and a wildfire on species compositions, production of grass and forb components, growth of shrubs, utilization of forage and browse plants by herbivores, and ecological diversity in a oak savanna are described in this paper.

Coues White-Tailed Deer and Desert Cottontail in the Southwestern Oak Savannas: Their Presence Before and After Burning Events

ABSTRACT Coues white-tallied deer (Odocoileus virginianus couesi) and desert cottontail (Sylvilagus auduboni), also known as Audubon cottontail, are inhabits of oak savannas in the Southwestern Borderlands region. Food, cover, and scattered water for these two species are found in this comparatively open ecosystem. The results of a study on the presence (occurrence) of Coues white-tailed deer and desert cottontail in unburned the oak savannas of the Southwestern Borderlands Region are presented in this paper. Effects of cool-season and warm-season prescribed burning and a wildfire on the presence of these two species are also reported.

Observations of bird numbers and species following a historic wildfire in Arizona ponderosa pine forests

ABSTRACT The Rodeo-Chediski Wildfire, the largest in Arizonas history, damaged or destroyed ecosystem resources or disrupted ecosystem functioning in a mostly mosaic pattern throughout the ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests exposed to the bum. Impacts of the wildfire on the occurrence of birds and their diversities were studied on two watersheds in the area, one burned by a high severity (stand-replacing) fire, while the other was burned by a low severity (stand-modifying) fire. This paper reports on the results of a five-year (2002–2007) evaluation of this wildfire on the bird species and numbers observed on these two watersheds to provide a record of the impacts of the historic fire on avifauna communities.