Effect of prescribed burning on temperate and boreal forest biodiversity: a systematic review

This systematic review analyzed 244 studies to determine the impact of prescribed burning on biodiversity in temperate and boreal forests, finding positive effects on certain plant richness but noting high heterogeneity and potential risks to conservation-dependent taxa.

• The systematic review analyzed 244 studies derived from 235 articles, with a majority of the studied forests located in the USA (172 out of 244), and others located in Canada, Europe, and Australia.
• Quantitative synthesis of 82 studies (219 comparisons) showed that prescribed burning significantly increased the richness of vascular plants, non-native vascular plants, and herbaceous plants specifically within broadleaf forests. The effect on herbaceous plant richness was significantly moderated by climate zone, forest type, and the time elapsed since the burn.
• The authors avoid making general recommendations for biodiversity restoration due to unpredictable outcomes and the potential for prescribed burning to harm conservation-dependent taxa. They emphasize the need for careful planning and monitoring in restoration projects to improve the evidence base for conservation guidelines.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2018). Effect of prescribed burning on temperate and boreal forest biodiversity: a systematic review. https://www.sei.org/publications/effect-prescribed-burning-temperate-boreal-forest-biodiversity-systematic-review/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Effect of prescribed burning on temperate and boreal forest biodiversity: a systematic review. 2018. https://www.sei.org/publications/effect-prescribed-burning-temperate-boreal-forest-biodiversity-systematic-review/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Effect of prescribed burning on temperate and boreal forest biodiversity: a systematic review |date=30 August 2018 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/effect-prescribed-burning-temperate-boreal-forest-biodiversity-systematic-review/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2018effect, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Effect of prescribed burning on temperate and boreal forest biodiversity: a systematic review}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2018}, month = aug, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/effect-prescribed-burning-temperate-boreal-forest-biodiversity-systematic-review/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }