FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Rhus typhina | Staghorn Sumac 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Staghorn sumac is probably killed or top-killed by most fires.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Staghorn sumac may sprout immediately after fire.  Skutch [46] observed
a staghorn sumac shoot 4.3 inches (11 cm) long within 20 days of a
wildfire in a spruce (Picea spp.)-hardwood stand in Maine.

In Michigan staghorn sumac had its highest frequency indices in
postfire years 3 and 51 of a longitudinal study.  Bigtooth aspen
(Populus grandidentata) was the early dominant tree species, and was
eventually replaced by red maple (Acer rubrum) and eastern white pine
(Pinus strobus).  Northern red oak (Quercus rubra) and paper birch
(Betula papyrifera) also increased in the later years of the study [36].

Marks [29] observed abundant staghorn sumac seedlings in northern New
York on sites where logging slash piles had been burned.  He noted that
the sites had not contained any adult staghorn sumac stems prior to
harvest, but that staghorn sumac seed sources did exist within 0.37 mile
(0.6 km) of the burns.  Staghorn sumac had been present early in
oldfield succession, but had apparently died out.  Staghorn sumac
seedlings were restricted to the burned areas, most of them concentrated
on the edges; the centers of the slash piles had experienced extreme
heat.  According to Marks, staghorn sumac germination appeared to have
been either directly triggered by the fire or by the fire's effect on
the site [29].  Given the impermeability of the seedcoat, coupled with
the fact that heat treatments will enhance germination, it seems
possible that staghorn sumac seeds were scarified by the fire.  High
heat in the centers of slash piles probably killed seeds.

In central New York staghorn sumac was a dominant shrub in an
Acer-Betula-Aster community that established after heavy logging
followed by a severe fire [43].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Species: Rhus typhina | Staghorn Sumac