FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Prunus andersonii | Desert Peach 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Due to its diffusely branched nature, desert peach is readily top-killed
by fire.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Vegetative reproduction is the primary means of postburn regeneration in
desert peach.  Plants sprout via perennnating buds located on an
extensive system of underground stems; perennating organs include both
lignotubers and rhizomes [19].  Apparently the majority of sprouts
originate from ligotubers, as sprouts tend to be characterized by a
clumpy distribution pattern that may represent individual or multiple
clones.  Clones can occupy several acres on some sites [19].  A network
of underground runners connects the lignotubers.  Little information is
available concerning rhizome depth or the degree to which rhizome
sprouting occurs after fire.  If rhizomes are located deeper than 1 inch
(2.5 cm) below the soil surface, desert peach would be better adapted to
survive high-severity fires than if perennating buds were located only
on more shallowly buried lignotubers.  Fire severity within desert peach
thickets is probably high; thickets are often characterized by
persistent dead stems which add to fuel buildups.

Generalized fire response information indicates that although initially
damaged by burning, plant recovery is relatively rapid on the majority
of sites.  Within sagebrush communities, desert peach is widely cited as
a vigorous postburn sprouter [16,17,22].  Young and Evans [19] reported
100 percent survival of desert peach one growing season after a late
summer wildfire on sagebrush-grassland site in Nevada; average sprout
density was 0.09 stems per 10 square meter.  Reseach involving
successional patterns following wildfire in the pinyon-juniper woodland
of Nevada indicated that this shrub had a significantly lower occurrence
on 1-year-old burns that in adjacent mature woodlands.  Occurrences
increased gradually during early seral stages (4- to 8-year-old burns),
apparently in response to the release from competition; maximum
occurrences were recorded on mid-successional sites (15- to 17-year-old
burns) [8].  Koniak [8] suggests that desert peach does not persist in
later seral stages because of poor seed regeneration.

Limited data indicate that seedling establishment does not contribute
significantly to the postburn reestablishment of this shrub.  No desert
peach seedlings were observed for up to 4 years following late summer
wildfires on big sagebrush/Thurber needlegrass communities in Nevada
[19].  Seedlings are reported to be quite rare on undisturbed sites,
presumablly due to poor germination characteristics [11].  However,
Young and Evans [16] reported the occurrence of both seed- and
sprout-derived plants on sites where brush species were completely
removed via hand cutting.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Species: Prunus andersonii | Desert Peach