Fire Autecology of Plants

Fire effects on plants can vary significantly among fires and on different areas of the same fire. Fire behavior, fire duration, the pattern of fuel consumption, and the amount of subsurface heating all influence injury and mortality of plants, and their subsequent recovery. Postfire responses also depend upon the characteristics of the plant species on the site, their susceptibility to fire, and the means by which they recover after fire.

This section addresses the survival, resprouting, and seedling establishment in the initial stages of postfire recovery for vascular plants (plants with specific structures for gathering and transporting water and nutrients). These mechanisms are described in a general way, supported with specific examples from different ecosystems, although no attempt has been made to present examples from every system.

• Fire Autecology of Plants- Overview
• Plant Mortality During and After Fire (crown, stem, and root mortality)
• Vegetative Regeneration After Fire (woody plants, forbs, and grasses)
• Seedling Establishment After Fire (seed supply, dispersal, seed banks, germination and establishment)
• How Seasonal Influences Affect Plant Response to Fire (carbohydrates, flowering, and phenology)