FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Vaccinium caespitosum | Dwarf Huckleberry 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Patches of dwarf huckleberry commonly develop after fire in lodgepole
pine and fir-spruce communities of the Pacific Northwest and Rocky
Mountains [30,46].  This shrub is also a prominent constituent of
postfire communities in black spruce forests of eastern Canada [20].
The widespread representation of dwarf huckleberry in many postfire
communities suggests that it is capable of surviving many, if not most,
fires.  Dwarf huckleberry has shallow rhizomes [55] and can presumably
resprout after fires of light or moderate severity [37].  Berries are
well adapted to animal dispersal and can be transported long distances
[37,72].  Very limited seedling establishment from off-site sources may
occur in favorable years, but vegetative regeneration appears to be of
primary importance in the postfire reestablishment of most Vacciniums.
Martin [50] notes that "the role of fire in establishing new populations
of western Vacciniums or in maintaining existing ones, is not
well-documented."

Many sites occupied by dwarf huckleberry burn infrequently.  Areas such
as wet meadows, bog and pond margins, and areas below timberline which
are too rocky to support trees are unlikely to experience fires at
frequent intervals.  However, fire is an important influence in many
forested communities.  Fire-free intervals have been estimated at 20
years in Douglas-fir/dwarf huckleberry forests in the Swan Valley of
northwestern Montana and at 28 years in the Bitterroot Mountains of
western Montana.  Fire-free intervals of 17 years have been suggested
for spruce/queencup beadlily-dwarf huckleberry habitat types of western
Montana [22].


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Rhizomatous shrub, rhizome in soil
   Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)

Related categories for Species: Vaccinium caespitosum | Dwarf Huckleberry