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Table 1 Description of conditions under which prescribed burns were conducted by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in Water Conservation Area 3A that was used for wading bird foraging observations and prey studies in 2009 through 2011.

From: Foraging Wading Bird (Ciconiiformes) Attraction to Prescribed Burns in an Oligotrophic Wetland

Burna

Heat N Smoaksb

Jessie’s Holidayb

Lost Lemonb

Hackberry Eastb,c

Bergb,c

9.5 Westc

Apple Campd

Date burned

17 Feb 09

26 Feb 09

27 Mar 09

16 Feb 10

3 Mar 10

1 Apr 10

2 Mar 11

Size (ha)

1003

931

1039

817

548

690

884

Yr last burnede

2004

2005

2005-W

2007-E

2006

1997-N 2006-W

2005

Weather conditions

       

Dispersion

45

62

70

60

48

42

55

Min. mixing ht (m)

914

1219

1524

823

823

NA

1219

Estimated% habitat composition

      

Sawgrass

70

70

85

70

75

70

67

Slough

14

19

7

29

13

25

15

Other

16

11

8

1

12

5

18

Estimated fuel density (%)a

      

Light

30

30

20

40

20

20

15

Moderate

50

55

70

40

25

35

15

Heavy

20

15

10

10

55

45

70

Fine fuel moisture

NA

10

NA

8

8

8

9

Onsite conditions

       

Water depth (cm)

10 to 18

18 to 25

10 to 20

30

10 to 30

10

15 to 20

Time collected

1055

1010

1110

1200

0900

0950

1049

Wind (m s−1; x̄/max)

NE 2.2/4.0

NE 2.7/4.0

SE 4.0/7.2

NW 3.1

W 2.4/4.0

NE 0.5/1.4

NE 4.9

Relative humidity (%)

60

61

62

52

75

80

60

Air temperature (°C)

22.2

23.9

27.2

17.8

12.8

19.4

26.7

Flame length (m)

2.1

 

2.4 to 3.0

1.2 to 3.0

  

0.91 to 4.6

ROS (m min−1)

   

0.61

   
  1. a Data taken from burn prescriptions provided by FWC. Estimated fuel density is visual quantification of sawgrass density (main fuel).
  2. b Burn used for wading bird foraging observations.
  3. c Burn used for pre- and post-burn prey quantification.
  4. d Burn used for comparison of prey densities.
  5. e W, E, and N designate burn occurred in west, east, and north portion, respectively, of burn unit in year listed.
  6. NA = not available.