FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Salix alaxensis | Alaska Willow 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Alaska willow is sometimes present as scattered individuals in white or
black spruce (Picea mariana) forests.  Severe fires in these vegetation
types can kill willows by completely removing soil organic layers and
charring the roots [49].  Less severe fires only top-kill plants.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Alaska willow sprouts from the root crown following most fires.  Sprouts
develop more rapidly than seedlings and probably reach heights over 20
inches (50 cm) after the first growing season [47].

Alaska willow was common on 11- to 19-year-old burns in bottomland black
and white spruce sites in interior Alaska [47].  One 11-year-old burn
had about 4,700 Alaska, grayleaf, and tealeaf willow stems per acre
(11,600 /ha) with lesser amounts of spruce and poplar.  Alaska willow's
density probably increases or remains constant for up to 30 years after
a forest fire, but thereafter declines as young trees overtop it
[14,31].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
Fire severity affects the mode of Alaska willow postfire recovery.
Following light fires most willows recover quickly, sending up new
shoots from undamaged root crowns.  Few if any seedlings establish
following this type of burn because organic soil layers are only
partially consumed and prevent seedling establishment.  Following severe
fires, however, the primary mode of recovery is seedling establishment.
Severe fires that burn deep into organic soils kill willows but expose
mineral soils, which provide excellent seedbeds.

Following experimental burning on black spruce/feather moss sites in
interior Alaska, artificially sown Alaska willow seeds germinated only
on plots where fire removed all of the organic matter [51].  On these
plots, 181 seedlings (out of 400 germinants) survived three growing
seasons, but no seedlings were found on plots where burning only
partially removed organic soil layers.


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
NO-ENTRY

Related categories for Species: Salix alaxensis | Alaska Willow