FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Phlox hoodii | Hood's Phlox 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Fire top-kills Phlox spp. [48].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
In comparison to prefire levels, Hood's phlox cover may be slightly
decreased, increased, or stable at postfire year 1.  From approximately
postfire years 2 to 4, cover increases.  Following a prescribed fire in
Laidlaw Park, Idaho, Hood's phlox frequency in a big sagebrush-bluebunch
wheatgrass community decreased at postfire year 1 and increased to
slightly above prebrun frequency at postfire year 2 [49].  Similar
results were obtained following experimental prescribed burning on
grazed and ungrazed plots in big sagebrush-dominated rangeland in
Wyoming.  Hood's phlox cover increased above prefire levels by postfire
year 2, with frequencies on grazed plots higher than those of ungrazed
plots [43].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
Hood's phlox appears to be sensitive to hot, spring fires.  Forb
frequencies, including that of Hood's phlox, were reduced for several
years following a hot, late-May wildfire on mesic mixed-grass prairie in
North Dakota.  A fall prescribed fire in an adjacent area had no effect
on Hood's phlox frequency [47].


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Prescribed fire alone is not effective in reducing Hood's phlox cover on
degraded rangelands.  Burning followed by reseeding with forage species
has, however, proven effective in reducing Hood's phlox in the Canyon
Mountains of central Utah.  Two July wildfires burned through separate
areas of a big sagebrush community in that area.  In the fall, plots
were established on the two burn areas.  The plots were selectively
chained or drilled, followed by aerial reseeding with desirable
herbaceous species.  At postfire year 3, Hood's phlox was sparse in the
plots of one burn (0.4 percent total cover) and absent from the other
burn.  Drilling resulted in better establishment of planted seeds than
did chaining treatment [11].  Information on prescribed burning regimes
to increase forage production in big sagebrush communities is available
[43].

Related categories for Species: Phlox hoodii | Hood's Phlox