Avian response to fire in pine–oak forests of Great Smoky Mountains National Park following decades of fire suppression

Decades of fire suppression in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park have significantly altered bird communities, particularly those adapted to xeric pine-oak forests that rely on frequent fires. Research indicates that while management changes have increased fire presence over the past 20 years, no single fire regime benefits all species. The study found that 13 bird species thrived in burned areas, 2 declined, and 9 showed no significant difference, with fire severity and time since burn influencing their occurrence patterns. To support peak occupancy for the entire avian community, at least three distinct fire regimes—frequent low-severity, infrequent low-severity, and infrequently applied high-severity fires—are necessary. The research combined avian point counts and remote sensing data to model species occurrence over up to 28 years post-fire.

Rose, E. T., & Simons, T. R. (2016). Avian response to fire in pine–oak forests of Great Smoky Mountains National Park following decades of fire suppression. The Condor, 118(1), 179–193. https://doi.org/10.1650/condor-15-85.1