Fire Effects on Aquatic Fauna
Despite the widespread use of fire as a management tool, little is known about its effects on aquatic communities (algae or periphyton, macroinvertebrates, and fish). Although the effects of wildfire and prescribed burning on aquatic food webs have been well documented in the western United States (see Gresswell 1999), very little research has been conducted in the Southeast. The climactic, geologic, and biological differences between the two areas potentially could result in different responses to fire. Furthermore, most published research documents the effects of high-intensity wildfires rather than the effects of lower intensity prescribed burning. The prevailing view is that aquatic species are generally adapted to disturbances such as fire and recover accordingly (Bisson et al. 2003). For a review of the available research on this topic, please see:
Encyclopedia ID: p709
