Abstract
Prescribed fire is used in the Sudanian savanna-woodland of West Africa as a forest management tool. An experiment was carried out to assess the effects of season of burning, and different vertical probe positions on maximum fire temperature and temperature residence time above 60°C which is considered lethal for plant tissues. Seasons of burning considered were: an early season fire set at the beginning of the dry season (beginning of December), mid-season fire set at the peak of the dry season (mid-January), and a late season fire at the end of the dry season (end of March). The effects of these fires on the germination of buried seeds of three socio-economically valuable tree species were also examined. Results indicated significant differences in maximum fire temperature and residence time with respect to season of burning and vertical probe position (p < 0.001). The highest and longest lasting temperatures were observed at 20 cm above ground during early fire and at the soil surface during mid-season and late fires. This, in turn, affected germination responses of seeds buried at different soil depths. Implications of these findings in the current management practices are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Auld TD, O’Connell MA. 1991. Predicting patterns of post-fire germination in 35 eastern Australian Fabaceae. Australian Journal of Ecology, 16: 53–70.
Baskin CC, Baskin JM. 1998. Seeds: ecology, biogeography, and evolution of dormancy and germination. Academic Press: San Diego, California, 666 pp.
Bellefontaine R, Gaston A, Petrucci Y. 2000. Management of natural forests of dry tropical zones. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations Rome, Italy, 318 pp.
Bewley JD, Black M. 1994. Seeds: Physiology of Development and Germination. 2nd edition. New York: Plenum Press, 445 pp.
Bond WJ, Van Wilgen BW. 1996. Fire and plants. 1rst edition. London, United Kingdom: Chapman & Hall, 263 pp.
Bradstock RA, Auld TD. 1995. Soil temperatures during experimental bushfires in relation to fire intensity: consequences for legume germination and fire management in south-eastern Australia. Journal of Applied Ecology, 32: 76–84.
Cohen J. 1988. Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum, 567 pp.
Daniell JW, Chappell WE, Couch HB. 1969. Effect of sublethal and lethal temperatures on plant cells. Plant Physiology, 44: 1684–1689.
Danthu P, Ndongo M, Diaou M, Thiam O, Sarr A, Dedhiou B, Ould Mohamed Vall A. 2003. Impact of bush fire on germination of some West African acacias. Forest Ecology and Management, 173: 1–10.
Dayamba SD, Tigabu M, Sawadogo L, Oden PC. 2008. Seed germination of herbaceous and woody species of the Sudanian savanna-woodland in response to heat shock and smoke. Forest Ecology and Management, 256: 462–470.
De Luis M, Raventos J, Gonzalez-Hidalgo JC. 2005. Factors controlling seedling germination after fire in Mediterranean gorse shrublands. Implications for fire prescription. Journal of Environmental Management, 76: 159–166.
Driessen P, Deckers J, Spaargaren O. 2001. Lecture notes on the major soils of the world. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome, Italy, 334 pp.
Gashaw M, Michelsen A. 2002. Influence of heat shock on seed germination of plants from regularly burnt savanna woodlands and grasslands in Ethiopia. Plant Ecology, 159: 83–93.
Gillon D. 1983. The fire problem in tropical savannas. In: Boulière, F. (ed.), Tropical savannas ecosystems of the world. Amsterdam: Elsevier, pp. 617–641.
Gomez KA, Gomez AA. 1976. Statistical procedures for agricultural research. New York: John Whiley & Sons, 680 pp.
Govender N, Trollope WSW, Van Wilgen BW. 2006. The effect of fire season, fire frequency, rainfall and management on fire intensity in savanna vegetation in South Africa. Journal of Applied Ecology, 43: 748–758.
Herranz JM, Ferrandis P, Martinez-Sánchez JJ. 1998. Influence of heat on seed germination of seven Mediterranean Leguminosae species. Plant Ecology, 136: 95–103.
Nikiema A. 2005. Agroforestry parkland species diversity: uses and management in semi-arid West Africa. PhD Thesis, Wageningen University: Nertherlands, 102 pp.
Sawadogo L, Nygard R, Pallo F. 2002. Effects of livestock and prescribed fire on coppice growth after selective cutting of Sudanian savannah in Burkina Faso. Annals of Forest Science, 59: 185–95.
Sawadogo L, Tiveau D, Nygård R. 2005. Influence of selective tree cutting, livestock and prescribed fire on herbaceous biomass in the savannah woodlands of Burkina Faso, West Africa. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 105: 335–345.
Savadogo P, Tiveau D, Sawadogo L, Tigabu M. 2008. Herbaceous species responses to long-term effects of prescribed fire, grazing and selective tree cutting in the savanna-woodlands of West Africa. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 10: 179–195.
Savadogo P, Zida D, Sawadogo L, Tiveau D, Tigabu M, Oden PC. 2007. Fuel and fire characteristics in savanna-woodland of West Africa in relation to grazing and dominant grass type. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 16: 531–539.
Trollope WSW, Trollope LA. 2004. Prescribed burning in African grasslands and savannas for wildlife management. Arid Lands Newsletter 55 Fire Ecology II.
Trollope WSW, Trollope LA, Hartnett DC. 2002. Fire behaviour a key factor in the fire ecology of African grasslands and savannas. In: “Proceedings of IV International Conference on Forest Fire Research & Wildland Fire Safety” 18–23 November 2002, Luso, Coimbra, Portugal Ed DX Viegas Millpress: Rotterdam, ISBN: 90-77017-72-0.
Valbuena L, Vera ML. 2002. The effects of thermal scarification and seed storage on germination of four heathland species. Plant Ecology, 161: 137–144.
Valette JC, Gomendy V, Marechal J, Houssard C, Gillon D. 1994. Heattransfer in the soil during very low-intensity experimental fires — the role of duff and soil-moisture content. International Journal of Wildland Fire, 4: 225–237.
Walters M, Midgley JJ, Somers MJ. 2004. Effects of fire and fire intensity on the germination and establishment of Acacia karroo, Acacia nilotica, Acacia luederitzii and Dichrostachys cinerea in the field. BMC Ecology 4, Article No. 3.
Whelan RJ. 1995. The ecology of fire. New York: Cambridge University Press, New York, 346 pp.
White F. 1983. The vegetation of Africa. A Descriptive Memoir to Accompany the UNESCO/AETFAT/UNSO Vegetation Map of Africa. UNESCO: Paris.
Zar JH. 1999. Biostatistical analysis. Fourth Edition. Upper Saddle River: New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 662 pp.
Zida D, Sawadogo L, Tigabu M, Tiveau D, Oden PC. 2007. Dynamics of sapling population in savanna woodlands of Burkina Faso subjected to grazing, early fire and selective tree cutting for a decade. Forest Ecology and Management, 243: 102–115.
Zida D, Tigabu M, Sawadogo L, Oden PC. 2005. Germination requirements of seeds of four woody species from the Sudanian savanna in Burkina Faso, West Africa. Seed Science and Technology, 33: 581–593.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Foundation project: This work was supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida).
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dayamba, S.D., Savadogo, P., Zida, D. et al. Fire temperature and residence time during dry season burning in a Sudanian savanna-woodland of West Africa with implication for seed germination. Journal of Forestry Research 21, 445–450 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-010-0095-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-010-0095-y