FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Rhamnus californica | California Coffeeberry 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
California coffeeberry is quite resistant to fire mortality [62,66].
Although aerial portions may be top-killed, most plants survive fire
[66].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Vigorous sprouting is the primary means by which California coffeeberry
reestablishes itself in the postburn environment [38,40,41,62]. The
degree to which seedlings contribute to its postburn recovery seems to
vary with fire intensity, community type, and perhaps geographical
location [41,66].

Vegetative regeneration:  California coffeeberry sprouts vigorously
following fires which kill the aerial stems [6,36,39,63].  Although
cover and basal area may be initially reduced following burning [26,47],
most plants rapidly regain their preburn size and biomass [59].

Seedling reproduction:  California coffeeberry produces short-lived
seeds, the majority of which germinate readily under favorable
temperature and moisture conditions [34,41,62].  Consequently, postburn
establishment may occur through bird dispersal of off-site seed [41,42].
Seed production by residual plants may also be a factor on some sites.
Generalized information on obligate sprouters suggests that resprouted
plants begin to produce seed crops within 1 to 2 years of burning and
that postburn fruit crops are often substantial [40].  Although most
seeds are not well adapted to resist fire or for long-term survival in
the soil [41], germination in a portion of the seeds may be cued to the
postburn environment.  Sampson [62] reported a slight increase in
germination when California coffeeberry seeds were exposed for 5 minutes
to heat treatments of 140 to 180 degrees F (60 to 82 degrees C).  Heat
treated samples from both southern California (San Bernardino Co.) and
northern California (Mendicino Co.) showed an increase in germination
over controls; the greatest increase occurred in the northern California
sample [62].  Keeley [41] found that heat treatments generally decreased
germination; optimal germination occurred when charred wood was added to
dark incubated controls.

Limited information presents an unclear pattern of postburn seedling
establishment in California coffeeberry.  In southern California
chaparral, it apparently behaves as an obligate spouter and rarely
establishes seedlings in the initial postburn environment [40,41].
Generalized information indicates that seedlings of obligate sprouting
species are rarely observed during the first postburn season except
during periods of above-normal precipitation [40,73].  Although
seedlings may initially establish in fire-created gaps in very wet
years, successful establishment seems restricted to mesic sites beneath
mature chaparral where litter layers are well developed [40,72].

On chaparral sites in northern California, however, Sampson [62] found
seedling densities of 4,400 /acre (10,872 seedlings/ha) on 1-year-old
burns.  Although individual seedling survival was not followed, there
were 2,300 seedlings/acre (5,683 seedlings/ha) at the end of the fifth
postburn season.  Prior to burning, seedlings were not observed beneath
adjacent unburned stands consisting of a cover of sprouting manzanita
and ceanothus (stand age not given) [62].  California coffeeberry
seedlings did not establish the first year after a wildfire burned a
summit sugar pine forest in the Santa Lucia Range of central California
despite its common occurrence in the preburn vegetation [66].  This
wildfire was described as intense and burned an extensive area.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Wildlife management:  Burning initially increases the palatability of
California coffeeberry browse [27,62,63].  Plants on recently burned
sites are higher in crude protein and crude fiber values than plants in
unburned stands [62].  Sprouts are generally utilized for up to two
postburn growing seasons [7].  On small burns, use of California
coffeeberry may be so concentrated that plants are weakened to the point
that mortality ensues [27].

Related categories for Species: Rhamnus californica | California Coffeeberry