FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Xanthium strumarium | Common Cocklebur 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Most postfire environments are favorable for the establishment of common
cocklebur, which requires bare ground and full sunlight for germination.
Postfire establishment would depend, however, on local seed sources.
These would include animal- or water-transported off-site seeds and/or
on-site soil-stored seeds.

Common cocklebur is an annual that survives fire only if the seeds
survive.  This seems likely because the seeds are encased by a hard,
woody bur and are thus somewhat insulated from the heat of fire [12].
Seeds which become even shallowly buried by soil are further insulated
by heat during fire.  Seedbanking, at least to a limited extent, is
probable, since some seeds have innate dormancy for 1 or more years
[18].

No fire studies have been conducted on common cocklebur.  Discussions by
Duabenmire [4] and Vogl [29], however, suggest that seeds of most
annuals will survive grassland fires if they on the ground at the time
of burning.  This is because the fire front passes quickly, which
prevents high soil surface temperatures lethal to seeds.

In beach and dune habitats, common cocklebur typically occurs in
sparsely populated communities with much bare ground between individuals
[17,18].  Here fire spread seems unlikely.


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Ground residual colonizer (on-site, initial community)
   Secondary colonizer - off-site seed

Related categories for Species: Xanthium strumarium | Common Cocklebur