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Sablan O, Ford B, Gargulinski E, Hammer MS, Henery G, Kondragunta S, Martin RV, Rosen Z, Slater K, van Donkelaar A, Zhang H, Soja AJ, Magzamen S, Pierce JR, Fischer EV. Quantifying Prescribed-Fire Smoke Exposure Using Low-Cost Sensors and Satellites: Springtime Burning in Eastern Kansas. GEOHEALTH 2024; 8:e2023GH000982. [PMID: 38560558 PMCID: PMC10975953 DOI: 10.1029/2023gh000982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Prescribed fires (fires intentionally set for mitigation purposes) produce pollutants, which have negative effects on human and animal health. One of the pollutants produced from fires is fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The Flint Hills (FH) region of Kansas experiences extensive prescribed burning each spring (March-May). Smoke from prescribed fires is often understudied due to a lack of monitoring in the rural regions where prescribed burning occurs, as well as the short duration and small size of the fires. Our goal was to attribute PM2.5 concentrations to the prescribed burning in the FH. To determine PM2.5 increases from local burning, we used low-cost PM2.5 sensors (PurpleAir) and satellite observations. The FH were also affected by smoke transported from fires in other regions during 2022. We separated the transported smoke from smoke from fires in eastern Kansas. Based on data from the PurpleAir sensors, we found the 24-hr median PM2.5 to increase by 3.0-5.3 μg m-3 (based on different estimates) on days impacted by smoke from fires in the eastern Kansas region compared to days unimpacted by smoke. The FH region was the most impacted by smoke PM2.5 compared to other regions of Kansas, as observed in satellite products and in situ measurements. Additionally, our study found that hourly PM2.5 estimates from a satellite-derived product aligned with our ground-based measurements. Satellite-derived products are useful in rural areas like the FH, where monitors are scarce, providing important PM2.5 estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Sablan
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Bonne Ford
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Emily Gargulinski
- National Institute of AerospaceHamptonVAUSA
- NASA Langley Research CenterHamptonVAUSA
| | - Melanie S. Hammer
- Department of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Giovanna Henery
- Department of Journalism and Media CommunicationColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | | | - Randall V. Martin
- Department of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Zoey Rosen
- Department of Journalism and Media CommunicationColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Kellin Slater
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health SciencesColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Aaron van Donkelaar
- Department of Environmental and Chemical EngineeringWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMOUSA
| | - Hai Zhang
- I.M. Systems Group at NOAACollege ParkMDUSA
| | | | - Sheryl Magzamen
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health SciencesColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Jeffrey R. Pierce
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
| | - Emily V. Fischer
- Department of Atmospheric ScienceColorado State UniversityFort CollinsCOUSA
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Lemmon JE, Fick WH, Alexander JA, Gatson GA, Olson KC. Effects of late-season sheep grazing following early-season steer grazing on population dynamics of sericea lespedeza in the Kansas Flint Hills. Transl Anim Sci 2023; 7:txad037. [PMID: 37091047 PMCID: PMC10118299 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txad037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Mature ewes were used in a 4-yr study to evaluate effects of intensive late-season sheep grazing on vigor of sericea lespedeza in native tallgrass prairie. Pastures (N = 8; 31 ± 3.6 ha) infested with sericea lespedeza (initial basal frequency = 1.4%) were assigned randomly to one of two treatments: early-season beef steer grazing (1.1 ha/steer; initial BW = 258 ± 34 kg) from April 15 to July 15 followed by no grazing for the rest of the year (control; STR) or steer grazing from April 15 to July 15 followed by intensive grazing by mature ewes (0.2 ha/ewe; SHP) from August 1 to October 1. Ewes (initial BW = 65 ± 3.1 kg) were assigned randomly to graze four of eight pastures; remaining pastures were not grazed from August 1 to October 1. Vegetation responses to treatment were measured along four permanent 100-m transects in each pasture. Herbivory on sericea lespedeza was monitored weekly in each pasture from July 21 to October 7. Herbivory on sericea lespedeza in SHP and STR after steer grazing and before sheep grazing was not different (P = 0.51). In contrast, sericea lespedeza herbivory following sheep grazing was greater (P < 0.01) in SHP than in STR. Herbivory of individual sericea plants was greater (P < 0.01) in SHP than in STR by the end of week 1 of the sheep-grazing period (10.6% vs. 0.5%); moreover, herbivory on sericea lespedeza steadily increased (P ≤ 0.01) such that 92.1% of sericea lespedeza plants were grazed in SHP compared to 1.4% in STR by week 8 of the sheep-grazing period. Whole-plant DM weight of sericea lespedeza at dormancy was less (P < 0.01) in SHP than in STR. Additionally, annual seed production by sericea lespedeza was less (P < 0.01) in SHP than in STR (114 vs. 864 seeds/plant). Pasture forage biomass was not different (P = 0.76) between SHP and STR after the steer-grazing period. Conversely, STR had more (P < 0.01) residual forage biomass than SHP at the end of the sheep-grazing period. Growth performance of beef steers grazing from April 15 to July 15 annually was not different (P ≥ 0.59) between treatments. Our results were interpreted to suggest that intensive late-season grazing by sheep decreased vigor of sericea lespedeza. Late-season sheep grazing decreased forage biomass by 904 kg DM/ha compared with late-season rest; however, residual biomass was adequate to prevent soil-moisture loss and erosion during the dormant season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack E Lemmon
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Walter H Fick
- Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Jonathan A Alexander
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Garth A Gatson
- Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
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Duncan ZM, Tajchman AJ, Ramirez MP, Lemmon J, Hollenbeck WR, Blasi DA, Fick WH, Olson KC. Effects of prescribed fire timing on grazing performance of yearling beef cattle, forage biomass accumulation, and plant community characteristics on native tallgrass prairie in the Kansas Flint Hills. Transl Anim Sci 2021; 5:txab077. [PMID: 34632310 PMCID: PMC8494120 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txab077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research demonstrated that mid- or late-summer prescribed fires can be
employed to manage sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata)
infestations in the Kansas Flint Hills. The effects of prescribed fire applied
during the growing season (i.e., August to October) on grazing performance of
yearling cattle have not been evaluated. Native pastures (n =
18; 22 ± 4.0 ha) were grouped by watershed and assigned randomly to one of
three prescribed-fire treatments: spring (7 April ± 2.1 d), summer (21
August ± 5.7 d), or autumn (2 October ± 9.9 d). Yearling beef cattle
were grazed from May to August at a targeted stocking density of 280 kg
live-weight/ha following prescribed-fire application. Forage biomass
accumulations, soil cover, plant species composition, and root carbohydrate
concentrations in four native plant species were evaluated. Total body weight
(BW) gains and average daily gain were greater
(P = 0.01) for cattle that grazed the spring and summer
prescribed-fire treatments compared with those that grazed the autumn
prescribed-fire treatment. As a result, final BW were greater
(P = 0.04) in the spring and summer treatments than the
autumn treatment. Conversely, forage biomass accumulations did not differ
(P = 0.91) between fire regimes. Proportions of bare soil
were greater (P < 0.01) in the spring treatment compared
with the summer and autumn treatments, whereas proportions of litter on the soil
surface were greater (P < 0.01) in summer- and
autumn-burned pastures compared with spring-burned pastures. Total basal cover
of graminoids and forbs did not differ (P ≤ 0.15) between
prescribed fire treatments. Likewise, total basal cover of C3 or C4 perennial
grasses did not differ (P ≥ 0.23) between prescribed-fire
treatments. No treatment differences (P = 0.24) in root starch
or root water-soluble carbohydrate concentrations in big bluestem
(Andropogon gerardii), little bluestem
(Schizachyrium scoparium), Indiangrass (Sorghastrum
nutans), or purple prairieclover (Dalea purpurea)
were detected. These data were interpreted to suggest that summer or autumn
prescribed fire can be applied without reducing forage biomass accumulations,
root carbohydrate concentrations in key native plant species, or considerably
altering native plant populations compared with conventional spring-season
prescribed fire; however, summer prescribed fire could be favored over spring or
autumn prescribed fire both to maintain stocker cattle growth performance and to
achieve control over sericea lespedeza.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary M Duncan
- Department of Animal Sciences & Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Alan J Tajchman
- Department of Animal Sciences & Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Micke P Ramirez
- Department of Animal Sciences & Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Jack Lemmon
- Department of Animal Sciences & Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - William R Hollenbeck
- Department of Animal Sciences & Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Dale A Blasi
- Department of Animal Sciences & Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Walter H Fick
- Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - K C Olson
- Department of Animal Sciences & Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
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