FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Carex stricta | Tussock Sedge 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Fires that occur when meadows are moist or wet probably top-kill tussock
sedge.  The rhizomes are probably killed by severe fires that remove
most of the soil organic layer [5].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Tussock sedge is typically an increaser following fire.  In a study on
the effects of burning on sedge meadows in Wisconsin, tussock sedge was
found to occur at higher numbers on burned areas than on unburned areas
[29].  A spring fire was set in 1973 in Ontario to study the short-term
response of the shrub and herb layers.  Tussock sedge had already
emerged at the time of the fire.  Percent cover of tussock sedge was
similar in control and burned plots that summer.  Later-emerging
associated species, however, showed more vigorous postfire growth; the
initially lower cover of tussock sedge may have been due to fire damage
to early spring growth.  At postfire month 15, tussock sedge cover was
significantly (p=0.05) greater on burned plots than on unburned plots
[23].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Species: Carex stricta | Tussock Sedge