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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants
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FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Carnegiea gigantea | Saguaro
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
Saguaro is not truly adapted to fire because there is no postfire
stimulation of flowering or seed production [73]. It has several
prominent morphological characteristics, however, that may aid its
survival when burned. The apex is protected to some degree by tissue
folds and spines. Vascular tissue is protected by a thick cortex that
has a high thermal capacity close to that of water. As saguaro ages,
ribs at the base of a plant may develop a woody bark which is more
resistant to burning than young tissue [73].
Although mortally injured by fire, death may be delayed if the saguaro
can live off of its reserves, which may enable a plant to flower for 1 to 6
years more [73]. Singed saguaro have been observed to flower from
unburned branches. However, scorched plants may die due to reduced
vigor [58]. Fire may remove spines from a saguaro, making it vulnerable
to herbivory [73].
Nurse plant species influence saguaro fire survival. Although desert
fire temperatures are variable, fire temperatures beneath foothills
paloverde were lower than under triangleleaf bursage (Ambrosia
deltoidea) [16].
Fire-free periods in the Sonoran Desert are greater than 250 years [73].
Saguaro would be eliminated under a fire frequency of less than 30 years
[58]. Fires that do occur are usually of low intensity due to small
fuel loads [41].
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
Tree without adventitious-bud root crown
Secondary colonizer - off-site seed
Related categories for Species: Carnegiea gigantea
| Saguaro
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