FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Pteridium aquilinum | Bracken Fern 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Bracken fern is considered a fire-adapted species throughout the world
[192].  It is not only well adapted to fire, it promotes fire by
producing a highly flammable layer of dried fronds every fall
[2,79,128,234].  In the Pacific Northwest bracken fern fronds grow to 6
feet, resulting in several tons of flashy fuel per acre [162] and
bracken fern adds to the high fuel loads in northern Idaho brushfields
[95].  Repeated fires favor bracken fern [2,127,128,206].

Most sources agree that bracken fern's primary fire adaptation is its
deeply buried rhizomes which sprout vigorously following fires before
most competing vegetation is established [6,30,192,209,220,221,224].
Bracken fern's windborne spores may disperse over long distances.  Fire
removes competition and creates the alkaline soil conditions suitable
for its establishment from spores [192].


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   survivor species; on-site surviving rhizomes
   off-site colonizer; spores carried by wind; postfire years one and two

Related categories for Species: Pteridium aquilinum | Bracken Fern