FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Sporobolus asper | Rough Dropseed 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Rough dropseed is characterized by loosely clustered, coarse culms
(stems).  During a fire these culms usually burn rapidly with little
heat transfered downward into meristematic tissue.  Plants spread via
seeds, tillers, and occasionally by short rhizomes.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Early spring burning favors warm-season rough dropseed, whereas late
spring burning favors cool-season species [1].  Yields of rough dropseed
increased after spring burns during both wet and dry years in an ashe
juniper (Juniperus ashei) community in southeastern Texas [15].  Fall
burns also favor the growth of rough dropseed, as shown by a study on
the influence of fire on southern Texas chaparral communities [3].

In an Oklahoma tallgrass prairie with rough dropseed, big bluestem
(Andropogon gerardii var. gerardii), and little bluestem (Schizachyrium
scoparium), the interaction between disturbances, such as grazing and
fire, on plant community structure was studied.  It was found that
species richness increased with increasing disturbance intensity.  In
addition, species diversity decreased after burning on the ungrazed
treatments, but increased in response to grazing on the burned
treatments [4].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Species: Sporobolus asper | Rough Dropseed