Answer
To evaluate the effects of periodic forest fires on the Amazonian forests, a control and a treatment plot need to be created for comparison. The comparison should cover aspects of species diversity, richness, temperature, precipitation, topography, and soil health.
Work Step by Step
To perform such a study, a control forest patch should be maintained within the forest premises, which should be protected from fire. The data on the plant species including diversity as well as richness needs to be recorded annually. The temperature, precipitation, light intensity, and soil erosion also need to be recorded.
The productivity of the treatment (burned forest patch) should also be measured on the basis of its soil health (nutrients). The primary productivity data obtained should be compared with the control. In this way, it is possible to study the effects of forest fire and drought on the primary productivity of the Amazonian forests.
