FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Smilax bona-nox | Saw Greenbrier 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Saw greenbrier is probably top-killed by most fires and subsequently
sprouts from the rhizomes.  Mortality due to a winter prescribed fire in
Texas ranged from 11 percent to 31 percent for most understory plants,
including saw greenbrier [36].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
In Oklahoma, a post oak (Quercus stellata)-blackjack oak (Quercus
marilandica) and tallgrass prairie mosaic was subjected to prescribed
fire to determine the response of understory species to fire and timing
of fire.  The groundlayer vegetation was dominated by little bluestem
(Schizachyrium scoparium).  Saw greenbrier was present only on sites
that were selected to receive prescribed fire in summer (July 1979), and
showed very little difference in cover following the fire [1].

In Texas, a prescribed fire in March, 1974, consumed 80 to 90 percent of
the previous year's needle and leaf cast and 50 percent of old litter
under a loblolly pine-shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) plantation.
Average saw greenbrier height decreased from 11.8 feet (3.60 m) to 4.79
feet (1.46 m) and the average number of stems per plant increased from
1.47 to 1.62 (measured July 1975) [36].  Also in Texas, prescribed
surface fires were conducted in February, 1982 to assess the response of
vegetation under either Texas live oak (Quercus virginiana var.
fusiformis) or post oak.  By July, saw greenbrier had increased in
relative dominance and frequency on both site types [20].

In Florida, frequent prescribed fires in longleaf pine-slash pine (Pinus
elliotii) communities have prevented the formation of a hardwood
midstory.  Saw greenbrier was the most common vine in these
fire-maintained stands [38].  Also in Florida, longleaf pine-turkey oak
(Quercus laevis) stands were subjected to periodic prescribed fire.
Greenbriers were present in low numbers (15 percent occurrence) and were
subjected to heavy spring browsing (90 percent of twigs browsed=90
percent utilization) on 1-year-old burns.  Greenbriers were not reported
from study plots that represented postfire years 2, 3, and 4 [18].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Since herbicides alone do not control saw greenbrier, prescribed burning
has been suggested to help hold it to desired densities for wildlife
habitat and to improve its browse value [32].  However, in the Cross
Timbers of Oklahoma, herbicides plus annual spring fires had no effect
on saw greenbrier cover [37].

Related categories for Species: Smilax bona-nox | Saw Greenbrier