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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants |
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FIRE ECOLOGY
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS:Historically, shadscale dominant salt-desert shrub communities were free of exotic invaders, and seeded range grasses produced relatively low amounts of fine fuels [123]. A lack of continuous fuels to carry fires made fire rare to non-existent in shadscale communities [160]. Increased presence of exotic annual grasses has greatly altered fire regimes in areas of the Intermountain West where shadscale is a major vegetational component. Exotic annuals increase fire frequency under wet to near-normal summer moisture conditions. Relatively high moisture levels promote the spread of exotic annuals and the increased production of fine fuels. Fine fuels generated by annual grasses are long lived because grass biomass decomposes slowly under the continually low atmospheric moisture conditions inherent to the Intermountain Region. In general, wet years followed by dry years increase the probability of fire, with large fires most likely in July or August [96]. Fuel loads for shadscale/black greasewood have been measured at 250 to 750 lb/acre [121]. Late-succession shadscale communities of Nevada naturally revegetate within 5 postfire years, generally producing a stand of 2 to 5 shrubs per meter. Recolonization occurs solely from soil seed reserves [161]. Fire regimes for plant communities and ecosystems in which shadscale occurs are summarized below. For further information regarding fire regimes and fire ecology of communities and ecosystems where shadscale is found, see the 'Fire Ecology and Adaptations' section of the FEIS species summary for the plant community or ecosystem dominants listed below.
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY [138]:Shrub without adventitious bud/root crown Secondary colonizer (on-site or off-site seed sources)
Related categories for SPECIES: Atriplex confertifolia | Shadscale |
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