FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Ribes lacustre | Bristly Black Currant 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Bristly black currant occurs in many forest types, such as grand fir and
Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii)-subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa),
that are characterized by long fire-free intervals punctuated by severe,
stand-replacing fires [22,77].  The ability of bristly black currant to
regenerate after fire from long-lived seed stored in soil or from
off-site sources makes bristly black currant fairly resilient to
stand-replacing fire [89].  Low-severity fire is probably more favorable
to Ribes spp. than severe fire [78].

After fire bristly black currant canopy cover increases slowly, reaching
a maximum density in several to many decades [15,42,76].  Bristly black
currant cover was reported for sites with a history of fire in the
southern boreal forest region of Quebec.  Postfire ages of sites ranged
from 26 to 230 years.  Bristly black currant was present on all sites at
low cover.  The highest bristly black currant cover recorded (2.2
percent) occurred on the site with a postfire age of 74 [15].  The
percent bristly black currant cover follows:

                                     Years since fire

                  26	 46	74	120	143	167	174	230

Canopy cover      0.1    0.2	2.2	1.0	0.3	0.1	0.1	0.1 

In north-central Idaho, the vegetation was measured for 36 clearcut and
broadcast burned sites and 7 old-growth sites.  Postfire ages of burned
sites ranged from 1 to 23 years.  Bristly black currant average percent
canopy volume (percent of total volume occupied in a 1x1x3 m space)
and average height by postfire year follow [75]:

                                      Years since fire

                         1       3	 8	12	23	 old growth

Avg. % canopy volume	 0.1	 0.1	 0.3	0.8		   trace

Average height (cm)      11	 24	 45	 65	43	     25


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Ground residual colonizer (on-site, initial community)
   Secondary colonizer - off-site seed

Related categories for Species: Ribes lacustre | Bristly Black Currant