FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Festuca subulata | Bearded Fescue 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Bearded fescue grows best in plant communities that burn infrequently,
but it can grow on open, disturbed sites.  Western hemlock, redwood, and
Pacific silver fir forests, in which bearded fescue occurs, have
fire-return intervals of 500 years or more [26].  The fire-return
interval varies with respect to location, associated species, and
climate.

Bearded fescue has basal culm buds and rhizomes which may sprout after
aerial portions are burned.  Bearded fescue forms densely clumped stems
with persistent dead leaf sheaths at the plant base [9,14].  If thick
tufts form, they may protect the basal buds from fire damage.


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Rhizomatous herb, rhizome in soil
   Surface rhizome/chamaephytic root crown
   Tussock graminoid
   Secondary colonizer - off-site seed

Related categories for Species: Festuca subulata | Bearded Fescue