Table 1 Sample of African fire experiments, their locations, land management, and factors studied. For additional reviews of savanna fire studies globally, see Laris et al. 2017 and Furley et al. 2008. Fires set under low, medium, and high fire-weather conditions to modify intensity are marked with as asterisk (*). NA Not available
From: Determinants of fire intensity in working landscapes of an African savanna
Author | Site location in Africa, savanna type | Precipitation (mm) | Land management | Fire type | Fire timing | Study focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ivory Coast, Guinea savanna | 1200 to 1250 | Reserve | NA | Early: 15 December Late: 1 to 15 May | Long-term fire-timing effects on tree cover | |
Zambia, Miombo savanna | 1170 | Reserve (felled trees) | NA | Early: June to July Late: September | Long-term fire-timing effects on tree growth and diversity | |
Ramsay and Rose-Innes 1963 | Mali and Nigeria, Soudan savanna | 1000+ | Reserves | NA | Early and Late | Long-term fire-timing effects on tree cover |
Afolayan and Ajayi 1979 | Nigeria | 1100 | National park (some plots grazed) | NA | Early and Late | Tree density as function of fire timing and grazing |
Brookman-Amissah et al. 1980 | Ghana, Guinea savanna | 1100 | Forest reserve (felled trees) | NA | Early: November Late: April | Long-term fire-timing effects on tree growth |
Eldroma 1984 | Uganda | 880 | National park (some plots grazed) | NA | Early: June Late: August | Effects s of fire timing and fuel load on grasses and small trees |
South Africa, Kruger (multiple studies) | 450 to 750 | National park | Head- and back-fires | Multiple dates | Fire intensity and severity, effects on juvenile trees | |
Govender et al. 2006 | South Africa, Kruger | 450 to 750 | National park | NA | Multiple dates | Fire intensity as function of fuel moisture content |
Higgins et al. 2007 | South Africa, Kruger | 450 to 750 | National park | NA | Early: April; Late: August Wet season | Long term effects of fire timing and frequency on tree density and biomass |
Savadogo et al. 2007 | Burkina Faso, Soudan savanna | 850 | State forest (some plots grazed) | Head- and back-fires | Early: November to December | Effects of fuel load and weather on fire intensity |
Furley et al. 2008 | Zimbabwe, Miombo | 900 | Reserve | NA | Late | Long-term fire frequency effects on tree cover |
Ryan and Williams 2011 | Mozambique, Miombo | 850 | Reserve | NA* | Late: September | Fire intensity and severity |
Devine et al. 2015 | South Africa, Kruger | 450 to 750 | National park | NA | Late: August | Long-term fire frequency effects on tree growth and cover |
Smit et al. 2016 | South Africa, Kruger | 450 to 750 | National park | NA* | Early: June to July Late: September | Fire timing and fuel moisture effects on intensity |
N’Dri et al. 2018 | Ivory Coast, Guinea savanna | 1200 | Reserve | Head-fire | Early: November Middle: January Late: March | Fire timing and fuel moisture effects on intensity |