FIRE CASE STUDIES
SPECIES: Typha angustifolia | Narrow-Leaved Cattail 



CASE NAME : 
St. Clair National Wildlife Area


REFERENCE : 
Ball, J. P. 1984 [1]


SEASON/SEVERITY CLASSIFICATION : 
The fires were conducted in late winter, possibly in February of the
first year and March of the second year.  Fires burned over ice and were
considered low intensity.


STUDY LOCATION : 
The fires were conducted at the St. Clair National Wildlife Area on the
shore of Lake St. Clair in southwestern Ontario.


PREFIRE VEGETATIVE COMMUNITY : 
The principle vegetation was cattail, mostly consisting of Typha Xglauca
(a hybrid), although narrow-leaved cattail (T. angustifolia) and common
cattail (T. latifolia) were also present.  The author states that this
marsh contained a "continuum of phenotypes spanning the two parental
types" (T. angustifolia and T. latifolia) and assumes that all three
entities would respond similarly to treatment.  General stand conditions
were not given.


TARGET SPECIES PHENOLOGICAL STATE : 
Treatments were applied when Typha spp. stands were dormant.


SITE DESCRIPTION : 
Soils are Rego Humic Gleysols.  The study was conducted in a marsh on a
lake's edge where water levels were artificially controlled.


FIRE DESCRIPTION : 
A total of 19 circular plots ranging in size from 0.05 to 0.37 acres
(0.02-0.15 ha) were burned.  Fires were started with propane from a
flamethrower and began just after dawn.  The temperature was near
freezing, and the wind speed was less than 12 miles per hour (20 km/hr).
Rate of spread was between 0.6 to 5 miles per hour (1-8 km/hr) and varied
with Typha spp. density and wind speed.  Flame lengths averaged just
over 6 feet (2 m), but sometimes exceeded 21 feet (7 m).  Fire intensity
was considered low until the frost was melted off vegetation.


FIRE EFFECTS ON TARGET SPECIES : 
Following the fires and spring thawing, the marsh was flooded and
reached a maximum depth in April, covering the cattail stubble.  No
depths were given, but water levels were maintained within 0.8 inches (2
cm) until the end of the growing season.

Fires reduced stem density an average of 70 percent compared to control
plots.  Cattails that survived burning were shorter than controls:  8.9
feet (2.7 m) tall compared to 9.6 feet (2.9 m) tall.  No fruiting heads
were produced following fires, although some occurred on control sites.
No seeds germinated on treated or control sites.  No stems occurred at
water depths of 30.7 inches (78 cm) following burning.


FIRE MANAGEMENT IMPLICATIONS : 
Fire is an effective tool for opening up dense cattail stands.  If
marshes are burned in winter, fires are less intense and easier to
control.  Following burning cattail can be killed by submerging stubble
to cut off oxygen to the rhizomes.  In this study slow-moving backfires
left the shortest stubble and, therefore, water levels did not have to
be raised much.  However, stubble layers were left under the ice, and if
snow builds up on the ice before burning, the stubble layer may be even
taller.  Under these conditions water levels may not cover the stubble
layer enough to kill the cattail.  Burning in early winter or early
spring might reduce this problem.  Burning the same sites year after
year may not be feasible because the regrowth is not enough to carry
fire.

Related categories for Species: Typha angustifolia | Narrow-Leaved Cattail