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Wildland Fire and Invasives Species Research

List of Wildland Fire and Invasive Species publications

Through the partnership between the National Invasive Species Council (NISC) and the Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC), research coordination has been identified as a key theme underpinning work to advance integration of invasive species and wildland fire efforts. The NISC/WFLC task team has thereby looked at issues related to identifying and promoting key research questions, as well as supporting information sharing and coordination on agency priorities. One element of this work includes reviewing the scientific literature to understand the scope of work to date as well as key gaps.

NISC staff searched Google Scholar, USGS publications warehouse, USFS TreeSearch, and AGRICOLA using keywords “invasive species”, “invasive species and fire”, “invasive species and wildfire” from 2000 to 2024. Most of the existing research explores the relationship between invasive plants, particularly grass species, and wildfire risk, fire regimes, impacts to native plant communities, and loss of wildlife habitats. Key themes are: 

  • Climate Change and Modeling
  • Invasive Annual Grasses Management
  • Plant Community Structure
  • Vegetation Mapping and Modeling
  • Fine Fuels Management, Wildfire, and Invasives
  • Post-Fire Invasion and Restoration
  • Genetic Studies
  • Social Issues
  • Grazing Management 

The results are listed in the following “Wildland Fire and Invasive Species Publications” table. NISC staff also identified key research need and priorities to support scientific research efforts. This effort is critical in supporting and advancing the interdisciplinary relationship between resource areas (e.g., native and invasive plants, wildlife, fuel/fire management, range, soils) within land management agencies. As research transitions into decision-support tools, best practices, and other guidance - researchers, land managers, universities, policymakers, and local communities would be further empowered to address the complex ecological challenges of invasive plant species and wildfire while trying to restore habitats.  Research needs fell into the following broad categories: pre-fire fuels management, pre- and post-fire restoration, invasive grass-cycles and elements necessary to support future research (monitoring, mapping, spatial data, social considerations, management needs and research coordination and dissemination). One area of interest that NISC staff highlighted as a research need is the species-specific knowledge of flammability and how invasive plant species are changing fire regimes. NISC staff worked with the Forest Service Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) staff, and cross-referenced species already studied with invasive plant species identified by other agencies and state lists. 

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Wildland Fire and Invasive Species Research Overview

Wildland Fire and Invasive Species Published Research Summary

Wildland Fire and Invasive Species Future Research Needs

 

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