Plant traits linked to field-scale flammability metrics in prescribed burns in Eucalyptus forest

Abstract

Vegetation is a key determinant of wildfire behaviour at field scales as it functions as fuel. Past studies in the laboratory show that plant flammability, the ability of plants to ignite and maintain combustion, is a function of their traits. However, the way the traits of individual plants combine in a vegetation community to affect field flammability has received little attention. This study aims to bridge the gap between the laboratory and field by linking plant traits to metrics of field-scale flammability. Across three prescribed burns, in Eucalyptus dominated damp and dry forest, we measured pre-burn plant species abundance and postburn field flammability metrics (percentage area burn..