Wildfires were somewhat common the portions of Wisconsin until around the 1950s. According to surveys conducted in 1958, pine barrens canopy cover was at 55% and a 2012 survey of the same barrens recorded shading at a 90% average. While the species diversity didn't decrease, the ratios of the dominant species did change. Previously, pine barrens were comprised of fire-tolerant trees and sun-loving forbs. Those types of plants have become more rare as woody shrubs, shade-tolerant plants (mostly ferns), and fire-susceptible trees have had the opportunity to grow in those areas. Due to the reduction of wildfires, Wisconsin as a whole is becoming a more homogeneous and uniform ecosystem.
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| prescribed fire is a tool used to mimic wildfires in ecosystems where regular fires no longer occur. Image by USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station Archive, USDA Forest Service, SRS, Bugwood.org |
Source Article:
Starved for fire, Wisconsin's pine barrens disappear
