how do understory plants come back after fire?

HOW DO UNDERSTORY HOW DO UNDERSTORY PLANTS COME BACK PLANTS COME BACK

AFTER FIRE?AFTER FIRE?

BURIED TREASURES:BURIED TREASURES:PerennialsPerennials

• Underground buds or growing pointsUnderground buds or growing points– Dormant before fire Dormant before fire – Meristem tissues (i.e. stem cells)Meristem tissues (i.e. stem cells)

• Insulated from the heat of fireInsulated from the heat of fire

• Released from dormancy by the death of the Released from dormancy by the death of the buds on the aerial portions of the plantbuds on the aerial portions of the plant

DEPENDS ON WHERE DEPENDS ON WHERE THEY’RE GROWINGTHEY’RE GROWING

HOW DOES FIRE AFFECT HOW DOES FIRE AFFECT UNDERGROUND PLANT UNDERGROUND PLANT

STRUCTURES?STRUCTURES?

Litter & Duff

Mineral soil

FOREST FLOOR LAYERSFOREST FLOOR LAYERS

• Root collarRoot collar• Root crownRoot crown• RhizomeRhizome• CaudexCaudex• BulbBulb• CormCorm

UNDERGROUNDUNDERGROUNDSTRUCTURES THAT STRUCTURES THAT

SUPPORT DORMANT BUDSSUPPORT DORMANT BUDS

Litter & Duff

Mineral soil

ROOT COLLARROOT COLLAR

Litter & Duff

Mineral soil

ROOT CROWNROOT CROWN

Litter & Duff

Mineral soil

RHIZOMERHIZOME

Litter & Duff

Mineral soil

CAUDEXCAUDEX

CAUDEXCAUDEX

Litter & Duff

Mineral soil

BULB/CORMBULB/CORM

BULBBULB CORMCORM

Root Root collar collar

Root Root crowncrown RhizomeRhizome

CaudexCaudex

Bulb/ Bulb/ CormCorm

Litter & Duff

Mineral soil

Another treasure: BURIED SEEDAnother treasure: BURIED SEED

• Insulated from the heat of the fireInsulated from the heat of the fire

• Remain in the soil for decadesRemain in the soil for decades

• Are still able to germinate and growAre still able to germinate and grow

BURIED TREASURES: SeedsBURIED TREASURES: Seeds

Buried TreasuresBuried Treasures

• Fire adaptation of understory plants—if top-killed Fire adaptation of understory plants—if top-killed can still be alive below groundcan still be alive below ground

• Underground buds Underground buds – insulated from the heat of a fireinsulated from the heat of a fire– dormantdormant

• Located on underground structures that are species Located on underground structures that are species specificspecific

• Sprouting ability variableSprouting ability variable– depends upon bud location—litter/duff vs. depends upon bud location—litter/duff vs.

mineral soilmineral soil– depends on duration of fire and duff depends on duration of fire and duff

consumptionconsumption