FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Acer grandidentatum | Bigtooth Maple 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Understory fuels are often sparse under mature maple stands because
shading reduces understory vegetation and maple foliage decomposes
rapidly [26].  Fire spread is, consequently, difficult in bigtooth maple
stands.  Hence, bigtooth maple stands burn less frequently than stands
of Gambel oak, conifers, or other vegetation types that adjoin bigtooth
maple stands in the mountain-brush zone.

In Arizona and New Mexico bigtooth maple is primarily restricted to
moist and shady coniferous habitat types along drainages.  These moist
sites burn less frequently than nearby uplands [23,45].

Following crown destruction by fire, some bigtooth maple plants resprout
from the root crown, but sprouting vigor is generally thought to be low
[9,26].


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   survivor species; on-site surviving root crown or caudex

Related categories for Species: Acer grandidentatum | Bigtooth Maple