Fire frequency drives tradeoffs among conservation priorities in tallgrass prairie
This meta-analysis of 37 studies examines how fire frequency and grazing affect plants, arthropods, birds, small mammals, and soils in tallgrass prairie. Results reveal clear tradeoffs among taxa and show no single optimal fire regime, providing evidence to help land managers balance biodiversity, ecosystem function, and disturbance-based goals
Subject Tags
- Fire management
- Ecosystem management
- Grassland
Abstract
Disturbance is a natural part of all ecosystems and often creates a balance of resistance-resilience among taxa. Grassland ecosystems, and in particular tallgrass prairie, are model systems for studying the outcomes of disturbance regime shifts because they are disturbance-dependent (i.e., maintained by fire, grazing, or climate). The effects of changing disturbance regimes, such as fire frequency in mesic grasslands, are often assessed based on one or a few taxa. However, to support diverse management goals, land managers must consider the effects of their choices on many taxa. In this study, we addressed this gap using a meta-analysis of 37 studies from tallgrass prairie to assess the effects of different fire frequencies on arthropods, birds, plants, small mammals, and soil properties (referred to here as ecological factors) and the interactive effects of fire frequency and grazing, another important disturbance.
Citation
Bloodworth, K. J., Koerner, S. E., Kazanski, C. E., Ahlering, M., Boyle, W. A., Gora, S. L., ... & Bach, E. M. (2026). Fire frequency drives tradeoffs among conservation priorities in tallgrass prairie. Fire Ecology, 22(1), 24.
TNC Authors
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Clare E. Kazanski
Senior Scientist. North America Office
The Nature Conservancy
Email: clare.kazanski@tnc.org -
Marissa Ahlering
Director of Science. Tri-State Minnesota and Dakotas
The Nature Conservancy
Email: mahlering@tnc.org -
Chris Helzer
Director of Science and Stewardship
The Nature Conservancy
Email: chelzer@tnc.org -
Brian Obermeyer
Great Plains Grasslands Strategy Director • Tri-State Minnesota and Dakotas
The Nature Conservancy
Email: bobermeyer@tnc.org -
Elizabeth M. Bach
Ecosystem Restoration Scientist. Illinois
The Nature Conservancy
Email: elizabeth.bach@tnc.org -
Robert Hamilton
The Nature Conservancy