FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Ambrosia dumosa | White Bursage 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Fire generally kills white bursage.  A low-severity fire occurred in the
Coachella Valley, California, after 7 years of above normal
precipitation.  Some white bursage plants survived because the fire
burned patchily.  However, most white bursage plants burned because
their canopies contained numerous small branches in proximity to
herbaceous fuels.  A few white bursage plants were only scorched; they
retained most of their branches and dried foliage.  Eighty-nine percent
of white bursage plants were killed by the fire [9].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
White bursage sprouted at low rates after the low-severity fire in the
Coachella Valley, California.  Only 6 out of 16 scorched plants and 2
out of 81 burned plants sprouted [9].  White bursage seedling
establishment on burned sites was poor during the first growing season
after the fire but increased in later growing seasons.  Poor seedling
establishment was probably unrelated to seed availability since white
bursage occurred in adjacent unburned areas [9].  In postfire year 5,
cover of white bursage on burned sites was 1 percent while cover on
adjacent unburned sites was about 5.8 percent [9].



DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Biomass production and thus fuel loadings vary seasonally and annually
for white bursage.  In 1971 and 1974 in Rock Valley, Nevada, estimated
abovegound stem dry mass of white bursage was 31 and 41 grams per square
meter, respectively.  Net aboveground production was consistently higher
in spring than in fall.  In 1973, after an above average year of
rainfall, flowers and fruits made up almost half of the new tissue
produced by white bursage [47].

Related categories for Species: Ambrosia dumosa | White Bursage