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Effects of Fire Retardant Chemical and Fire Suppressant Foam on Shrub Steppe Vegetation in Northern Nevada

Summary

We studied the effects of fire retardant chemical (Phos-Chek G75-F) and fire suppressant foam (Silv-Ex), alone and in combination with fire, on Great Basin shrub steppe vegetation. Plots treated with Phos-Chek initially had greater declines in species richness than other treatments, but these differences vanished by the end of this one-year study. A larger community response was observed to burning than to any chemical treatment. The few effects we detected on vegetation suggest that either Phos-Chek or Silv-Ex, applied as directed, can be used to control wildland fire in this area of the Great Basin without disrupting vegetative communities.

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