FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Lewisia rediviva | Bitterroot 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Fire information is lacking for this species.  Fire during periods of
active growth presumably top-kills bitterroot.  Fires occurring during
plant dormancy probably do not harm this geophyte.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Cool-season forbs such as bitterroot are susceptible to fall fire
occurring in the period of active growth [25].  Fall burning probably
adversely affects the rate of spring growth.  It may also curtail
flowering by consuming floral buds.  Carbohydrate reserves in the root
are probably adequate, however, for bitterroot to survive occasional
fall fire and still resume growth in spring.

Spring burning is more harmful.  Root-stored carbohydrates are greatly
depleted by spring growth.  If leaves are burned at this time,
bitterroot is unable to manufacture and store the photosynthate required
to support growth in fall [17,25].  Frequent spring fire would probably
kill bitterroot.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Summer or early fall burning, before fall growth has been initiated,
would probably favor bitterroot by maintaining or regressing its plant
community to early seres of plant succession.  Blaisdell [2] found that
forbs such as bitterroot increased after late summer burning of a big
sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata)-bluebunch wheatgrass community of the
Upper Snake River Plains, Idaho.

Related categories for Species: Lewisia rediviva | Bitterroot