FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Elymus trachycaulus | Slender Wheatgrass 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Moderate-severity fire will top-kill slender wheatgrass and kill some
tillers [59].  Fire effects upon this species differ according to the
growth habit of the variety.  Elymus trachycaulus spp.  trachycaulus,
for example, has moderately to densely clustered long leaves and stems.
Studies show that bunchgrasses of this form generate high temperatures
at the soil surface because fire burns down into the clump, resulting in
tiller and root damage [64].  Tall, decadent plants with many dead basal
leaves sustain the most fire damage.  E.  trachycaulus spp. latiglumis,
having a short, sparse growth form, is least likely to sustain damage to
the root system during fire [22,64].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Plant response varies with season and fire severity.  Slender wheatgrass
is most sensistive to spring fire that coincides with its active growing
period [27,64].  Three months following spring fire in a bracken
fern-grassland community in northeastern Wisconsin, slender wheagrass
frequency was reduced by 19.6 percent [57].  Moderate-severity summer
and fall fires usually do not affect the frequency of slender wheatgrass
[31].  Postfire recovery of this species is rapid.  Biomass production
is lowered the first year, but original biomass is equalled or exceeded by
postfire year 2.  Biomass production is usually highest at postfire year
3.  By postfire year 4 production has usually reuturned to prefire
levels.  Moderate-severity fire causes the greatest increase in biomass.
Variations in biomass production according to fire severity were noted
in western Wyoming at postfire year 3 [4]:

                  Biomass Production (air-dry kg/ha)              
                
                before     light     moderate     severe
                burning    burn        burn        burn
                  49        57         139          60

Flower production usually increases following fire, especially on
sites already disturbed prior to fire [43].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Frequent spring fire coinciding with the active growing period can be
used to control slender wheatgrass [2].  In mixed stands, summer or fall
burning favors slender wheatgrass by removing the thatch or litter layer
that inhibits seedling establishment [41].

Related categories for Species: Elymus trachycaulus | Slender Wheatgrass