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Type: Journal Article
Author(s): David Hamer
Publication Date: 1999

Hedysarum (Hedysarum spp.) roots are a primary food of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) in the Front Ranges of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. I studied the effects of recent forest fire on yellow hedysarum (H. sulphurescens) habitat by comparing root density, mass, fibre content, ease of digging, and use by grizzly bears in and adjacent to two prescribed burns that were conducted in Banff National Park, Alberta, in 1986 (Cascade Valley) and 1990 (Panther Valley). Digging was 12-14% easier in burned than in forested habitat. In the Cascade burn, yellow hedysarum roots were significantly more abundant and heavier than in the adjacent forest. This burn was intensively dug by grizzly bears between 1995 and 1997, but no diggings were found in the adjacent forest. In the Panther burn, no significant differences in root quality or mass were found. Bears dug few roots in the burn and did not dig in the adjacent forest. Their use of these two burns demonstrates prescribed fire's potential to create important yellow hedysarum digging habitat for grizzly bears in Banff National Park. © 1999 NRC Canada.

Online Links
Citation: Hamer, D. 1999. Forest fire's influence on yellow hedysarum habitat and its use by grizzly bears in Banff National Park, Alberta. Canadian Journal of Zoology, v. 77, no. 10, p. 1513-1520. 10.1139/cjz-77-10-1513.

Cataloging Information

Topics:
Regions:
Alaska    California    Eastern    Great Basin    Hawaii    Northern Rockies    Northwest    Rocky Mountain    Southern    Southwest    International    National
Keywords:
  • Alberta
  • Canada
  • coniferous forests
  • fire management
  • mammals
  • mountains
  • national parks
  • Picea engelmannii
  • Picea glauca
  • Populus tremuloides
  • roots
  • Ursus
  • Ursus arctos
  • wildlife food habits
  • wildlife food plants
  • wildlife habitat management
Tall Timbers Record Number: 20287Location Status: In-fileCall Number: Fire FileAbstract Status: Fair use, Okay, Reproduced by permission
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 44854

This bibliographic record was either created or modified by Tall Timbers and is provided without charge to promote research and education in Fire Ecology. The E.V. Komarek Fire Ecology Database is the intellectual property of Tall Timbers.