AllRefer - Species: Green Ephedra | Ephedra viridis FIRE ECOLOGY


		• Earth & Environment • History • Literature & Arts • Health & Medicine • People • Places • Plants & Animals • Philosophy & Religion • Science & Technology • Social Science & Law • Sports & Everyday Life • Wildlife, Animals, & Plants • Country Study • Encyclopedia A -Z • North America Gazetteer

You are here >1Up Info > Wildlife, Animals, and Plants > Plant Species > Shrub > SPECIES: Ephedra viridis | Green Ephedra

Wildlife, Animals, and Plants

Kuchler

Plants

FIRE ECOLOGY

SPECIES: Ephedra viridis | Green Ephedra

FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY

FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS:

Green ephedra generally sprouts vigorously from the roots or woody root crown after fire [6,48,99,109] and rapidly produces aboveground biomass from surviving meristematic tissue [26]. Green ephedra has also been documented in southern California as nonsprouting postfire [18]. It is capable of reestablishing disturbed areas through seed [7], though no significant difference was found between its occurrence on seeded versus nonseeded postburn sites in a Great Basin pinyon-juniper woodland [48]. Fires are relatively uncommon in some green ephedra communities due to insufficient fuels [99]. Green ephedra has been found in plant communities with a wide range of fire return intervals, and has been found in ecosystems following large, stand replacing fires as well as small, patchy, erratic fires [61]. Green ephedra establishes early after fire but with relatively low occurrence compared to mid- and late successional stages [48].

Fire regimes for plant communities and ecosystems in which green ephedra occurs are summarized below. For further information regarding fire regimes and fire ecology of communities and ecosystems where green ephedra is found, see the "Fire Ecology and Adaptations" section of the FEIS species summary for the plant community or ecosystem dominants listed below.

Community or Ecosystem Dominant Species Fire Return Interval Range (years)

sagebrush steppe Artemisia tridentata/Pseudoroegneria spicata 20-70 [11]

basin big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata var. tridentata 12-43 [70]

mountain big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata var. vaseyana 5-15 [110]

Wyoming big sagebrush Artemisia tridentata var. wyomingensis 10-70 (40)** [95,110]

saltbush-greasewood Atriplex confertifolia-Sarcobatus vermiculatus < 35 to < 100

desert grasslands Bouteloua eriopoda and/or Pleuraphis mutica 5-100

grama-galleta steppe Bouteloua gracilis-Pleuraphis jamesii < 35 to < 100

California montane chaparral Ceanothus and/or Arctostaphylos spp. 50-100 [11]

curlleaf mountain-mahogany* Cercocarpus ledifolius 13-1000 [2,72]

mountain-mahogany-Gambel oak scrub Cercocarpus ledifolius-Quercus gambelii < 35 to < 100

blackbrush Coleogyne ramosissima < 35 to < 100

western juniper Juniperus occidentalis 20-70

creosotebush Larrea tridentata < 35 to < 100

pinyon-juniper Pinus-Juniperus spp. < 35

Colorado pinyon Pinus edulis 10-49

Jeffrey pine Pinus jeffreyi 5-30

Arizona pine Pinus ponderosa var. arizonica 2-10

galleta-threeawn shrubsteppe Pleuraphis jamesii-Aristida purpurea < 35 to < 100 [11]

*fire return interval varies widely; trends in variation are noted in the species summary
**(mean)

POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY [85]:

Small shrub, adventitious bud/root crown
Ground residual colonizer (on-site, initial community)

Related categories for SPECIES: Ephedra viridis | Green Ephedra


<MAP NAME="boxmap"><AREA SHAPE="RECT" COORDS="379, 50, 460, 57" HREF="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm/privacy-policy.html?o=1" ><AREA COORDS="0,0,10000,10000" HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/1upinfo-20" ></MAP><img src="http://rcm-images.amazon.com/images/G/01/rcm/468x60.gif" width="468" height="60" border="0" usemap="#boxmap" alt="Shop at Amazon.com">

Content on this web site is provided for informational purposes only. We accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by any person resulting from information published on this site. We encourage you to verify any critical information with the relevant authorities. Information Courtesy: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. Fire Effects Information System