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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants
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FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Sporobolus airoides
| Alkali Sacaton
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT:
Alkali sacaton is classified as tolerant of, but not resistant to, fire [81,92,93].
Top-killing by fire is probably frequent, and the plants can be killed by severe
fire [77].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT:
No entry
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE:
The recovery time of alkali sacaton following fire has been reported as 2 to 4 years. In an Arizona study alkali sacaton
basal area recovered
in 2 postfire years, although only 54% of plant height was recovered in that time. The effect of fires in the 1st postfire growing season was to decrease
height and basal area of alkali sacaton while stimulating growth of other grasses and forbs. Summer fires had a more
pronounced effect on alkali sacaton than winter fires [10,92,93].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE:
No entry
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:
In a 1982 summary of fire in the southern desert grasslands and shrublands, Wright and Bailey [93]
conclude that if rangelands are in good condition, fire can be used as an effective management tool
to reduce some shrubs and small trees during wet weather cycles. Fire probably has the greatest value for managing tobosa, big sacaton, alkali sacaton, and mixed grama ranges [12,93].
According to Wright and Bailey [93], sacaton communities are similar in
density, coarseness, and structure to tobosagrass; Payson and others [56]
indicate that prescribed fire causes low mortality, improves palatability, and
increases biomass of tobosagrass.
Related categories for
SPECIES: Sporobolus airoides
| Alkali Sacaton
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