FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Shepherdia argentea | Silver Buffaloberry 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Silver buffaloberry is probably killed by severe fires.  In the northern
Great Plains, silver buffaloberry abundance was greatly reduced by "hot"
fires in early August [37].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Silver buffaloberry sprouts from the root crown following fire
[24,28,85].  Varying responses to fire have been reported.  In northern
mixed-grass prairies, silver buffaloberry percent cover decreased after
spring and summer fires [45].

A 5 acre (2 ha) fire occurred in a plains cottonwood forest in Dinosaur
Park, Alberta, in August 1989.  In July 1990, average percent canopy
cover of silver buffaloberry on burned and unburned sites was 0.0 and
0.3, respectively [53].

In North Dakota an October 1976 fire burned mixed-prairie and wooded
draw plant communities.  Average densities (stems/sq m) of silver
buffaloberry within wooded draw transects in the summers of 1977 and
1978 were as follows [88]:

                               1977          1978 

lower draw-burned               0.5           1.2
upper draw-burned               1.5           1.9
unburned                        ---           0.6



DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Uses of fire specifically for managing silver buffaloberry are not
described in the literature.  In the northern Great Plains prescribed
fire may be useful for opening up shrub thickets or triggering sprout
reproduction of remnant shrubs in failing stands [65].

Related categories for Species: Shepherdia argentea | Silver Buffaloberry