Journal Article

Modeling controlled burning and trampling reduction for conservation of Hudsonia montana

Frost, C.C, Lockwood, J.R. III, Gross, K. (Duke University, Durham, NC.), Morris, W.F

1998

Overview

Populations of mountain golden heather (Hudsonia montana), a threatened North Carolina shrub, are declining due to the suppression of natural fires and increased trampling by hikers and campers. Consequently, proposed management strategies have focused on conducting controlled burns and restricting human traffic. To help design an optimal management plan, we used demographic data from a 5-year field study of H. montana--which included a controlled burn--to construct size-based population projection matrices. Using these matrices, we projected the consequences of instituting controlled burns and hiking and camping restrictions separately and in tandem. We also determined the burn frequency that would maximize H. montana's population growth rate. Finally, we used a stochastic model to determine how environmental fluctuations could alter the efficacy of conservation measures. Our results suggest that, although neither burning nor trampling reduction alone can reverse H. montana's decline, a judicious combination of the two has an excellent chance of doing so. A burn frequency of once every 6-8 years should maximize H. montana's population growth, although the interburn interval could be increased to 12-16 years without significantly jeopardizing the success of the management plan. Our results show that, even with the limited data available, size-based projection matrix models can be useful tools for identifying promising combinations of multiple management strategies for most threatened plants.

• Publisher: Blackwell Scientific Publications,Blackwell
• Subject: Animal, plant and microbial ecology / Applied ecology / Biological and medical sciences / BRULAGE DIRIGE / CAROLINA DEL NORTE / CAROLINE DU NORD / CISTACEAE / Conservation biology / Conservation, protection and management of environment and wildlife / CONTROLLED BURNING / Depopulation / ESPECE PROTEGEE / ESPECIES PROTEGIDAS / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Hudsonia montana / MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES / MODELE / Modeling / MODELOS / Mortality / NORTH CAROLINA / Parks, reserves, wildlife conservation. Endangered species: population survey and restocking / PIETINEMENT / PISOTEO / Population growth rate / POPULATION MODELS / Population size / Prescribed burning / PROTECTED SPECIES / QUEMA CONTROLADA / Shrubs / Size distribution / Stochastic models / TRAMPLING