FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Arbutus menziesii | Pacific Madrone 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Pacific madrone depends on periodic fire to eliminate or greatly reduce
the conifer overstory [4,62].  Postburn regenerative modes include both
the production of prolific sprouts and abundant seed [4].  Following
fires which kill aerial stems, madrone sprouts vigorously via dormant
buds located on an underground regenerative organ known as a burl
[16,26,61].  Burls serve as a source of stored carbohydrates and
aggregations of adventitious buds, enabling madrone to rapidly occupy
the initial postburn environment [31,39].  Burl development also
enhances survival after repeated burning [4,33].  On favorable growth
sites within redwood and mixed-evergreen forests, trees attain diameters
and bark thicknesses capable of surviving light groundfires [4].
Exposed mineral soil seedbeds and light canopy densities associated with
recent burns are conducive to madrone seedling establishment [4,46,59].


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   survivor species; on-site surviving root crown or caudex
   off-site colonizer; seed carried by animals or water; postfire yr 1&2
   crown stored residual colonizer; short-viability seed in on-site cones

Related categories for Species: Arbutus menziesii | Pacific Madrone