FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Vaccinium corymbosum | Highbush Blueberry 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Highbush blueberry is not rhizomatous [25].  Little quantitative
information has been written about its sprouting ability; what has been
reported appears contradictory .

Vander Kloet [24] described highbush blueberry as crown forming shrubs
from a single bole that occasionally sucker "when disturbed or burnt."
Describing V. ashei [V. corymbosum] Camp [2] stated that the species
occurs where protected from fire and that "the ease by which various of
its forms are killed by fire may explain their apparent scarcity today
in certain areas where they might be expected."  These authors indicate
that highbush blueberry is not a vigorous sprouter following fire.
However, a study by LeBlanc and Leopold [11] in a central New York
shrubby swamp thicket indicates that highbush blueberry is a good
sprouter following disturbance.  Two years after stems were cut at
ground level, highbush blueberry sprouts averaged 6.9 inches (17.4 cm)
in height.  LeBlanc and Leopold concluded that this population of
highbush blueberry was being maintained through sprout recruitment.
Thus, at least at this central New York site, highbush blueberry is a
vigorous sprouter following disturbance.

Fire may create shade-free environments favorable for highbush blueberry
growth.  It seems probable that highbush blueberry seeds would be
dispersed onto burned sites in animal droppings.  


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Tall shrub, adventitious-bud root crown
   Secondary colonizer - off-site seed

Related categories for Species: Vaccinium corymbosum | Highbush Blueberry