What interactions change in upland oak ecosystems when we expand the burn window into the fall? How does this change acorn preference of wildlife like deer and squirrels? In this episode of Fire University, Dr. Marcus Lashley sits down with deer biologist and old graduate student Moriah Boggess to discuss their recent study assessing the effects of fire on acorn consumer preference. Paper: Boggess, C.M., Baruzzi, C., Alexander, H.D., Strickland, B.K. and Lashley, M.A., 2022. Exposure to fire affects acorn removal by altering consumer preference. Forest Ecology and Management, 508, p.120044.

Moriah Boggess: IG @moriah_biologist

Other relevant studies:

• Alexander et al. 2021: "Mesophication of Oak Landscapes: Evidence, Knowledge Gaps, and Future Research." BioScience
• Boggess et al. 2021: "Facultative seed predators drive community-level indirect effects of mast seeding." For. Ecol. Manage. 502, 119713
• Chiodi et al. 2018: "An analysis of Southeastern US prescribed burn weather windows: Seasonal variability and El Nino associations." Int. J. Wildland Fire 27 (3), 176–189.
• Greenler et al. 2019: "Prescribed fire and partial overstory removal alter an acorn–rodent conditional mutualism." Ecological Applications 29.7: e01958.
• Greenler et al. 2020: "Prescribed fire promotes acorn survival and seedling emergence from simulated caches." Forest Ecology and Management 464 (2020): 118063.
• Nichols et al. 2021: "Alter fire timing to recouple forage nutrients with herbivore nutrient demands." Forest Ecology and Management 500: 119646.

Research Video: https://youtu.be/gnQr9BdzUSc

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