FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Leymus salinus | Salina Wildrye 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Although a common bunchgrass throughout its rather restricted
geographical range [2,4].  A review of the available literature yielded
no information pertaining specifically to the fire ecology of Salina
wildrye.  Basin wildrye, Leymus cinereus, is a morphologically similar
species characteristically occupying saline and/or alkaline lowland
sites throughout the Great Basin and northern Rocky Mountains [27].
General fire adaptations for basin wildrye are summarized below; it is
presently unknown to what extent this information can be extrapolated to
Salina wildrye.

Basin wildrye is a cool-season bunchgrass that is generally considered
to be well adapted to disturbance by fire [10,51,57].  Crowns are
characterized by coarse stems which tend to insulate perannating buds
located at or just below the ground surface [52]; as a result, the
majority of plants survive fire to become components of the postburn
community [36,47].  Apparently basin wildrye relies primarily upon
residual plant surival for postburn regeneration, resprouting via basal
buds and also rhizomes in some ecotypes.  Young and Evans [57] reported
that yield, viability, and germination of seed from native stands in the
central Great Basin is characteristically low; germination rates rarely
exceed 35 to 40%.  However, basin wildrye exhibits widespread ecotypic
variation in seed fill and germination potential [41,48].

Widely cited as being stimulated by fire [11,13,16] trends in postburn
frequencies and coverages of basin wildrye have received little study.
Recent research following prescribed burning of sagebrush-grassland
communities in Nevada [57] indicated recovery is rapid following fire;
although basal diameters and plant heights are initially reduced,
limited information suggests that preburn levels are typically regained
within 4 years.  (Detailed information from this study is available
under basin wildrye cases studies).  Recovery is generally related to
season of burn and fire severity; burning during periods of plant
dormancy appears to be most condusive to the rapid recovery of this
native bunchgrass [45,50,57].


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Rhizomatous herb, rhizome in soil
   Caudex, growing points in soil
   Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)

Related categories for Species: Leymus salinus | Salina Wildrye