Wildlife, Animals, and Plants
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FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Carya glabra | Pignut Hickory
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
Pignut hickory is readily damaged by fire [51], but the specific effects
of fire vary with topography, slope, aspect, and season of burn [34].
Seedlings are often top-killed by fire [35,48], while larger trees with
thicker bark tend to be somewhat more resistant to fire. Ward and
Stephens [56] reported that postfire mortality of hickory saplings was
much greater than for sawtimber. Fires which occur when hickories are
dormant tend to be less damaging [34].
The tight, solid bark of hickories tends to be more severely scarred by
fire than the rough or corky bark of other species [26]. Once
fire-scarred, trees often succumb to rot or fungi.
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
NO-ENTRY
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
Hickories often sprout from the base after plants are top-killed by fire
[35]. Seedlings commonly sprout from dormant buds located on the root
collar or lower part of the stem [48]. Postfire increases in stem
density have been reported, but recovery may be relatively slow [56].
Some seedling establishment may also occur.
Origin of postfire ingrowth was reported as follows after a late summer
wildfire in a mixed hardwood stand of Connecticut [56]:
sprout nonsprout
(# of sprouts per ha)
burned 4 9
unburned 105 162
Stems of sprout origin accounted for 31 percent of the total on unburned
sites and 39 percent on burned plots [56]. Postfire increases in stem
numbers are often described as "long-term." Fifty-five years after a
summer wildfire, Ward and Stephens [56] reported greater "relative and
absolute levels" of hickories on burned than on unburned plots.
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Wildlife considerations: Scattered surviving hickories often develop
large crowns and produce good nut crops. These trees may be
particularly valuable for wildlife [35].
Mortality: Equations developed for black oak may be used to predict
fire-caused mortality in pignut hickory [34].
Related categories for Species: Carya glabra
| Pignut Hickory
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