FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Achnatherum richardsonii | Richardson Needlegrass 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Perennial needlegrasses are among the least fire resistant of the
bunchgrasses [35].  No specific information on adaptations of Richardson
needlegrass to fire was found.

Season of burn and plant size contribute to needlegrasses' ability to
survive fire.  Needlegrasses tend to be more susceptible to fire when
burned during midsummer.  Plants with smaller crown diameters more often
survive fire than do larger plants.  Successive years' accumulation of
dead culm and leaves make older needlegrasses highly susceptible to
burning.  Needlegrasses may often survive low-intensity fires, as heat
is not transferred below the soil surface [37].
  


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Tussock graminoid

Related categories for Species: Achnatherum richardsonii | Richardson Needlegrass