FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Pinus virginiana | Virginia Pine 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Virginia pine is not well adapted to survive fire due to thin bark and
shallow roots [12].  Large trees however, are apparently able to survive
fires.  Virginia pine stands that include six size classes (d.b.h) have
nbeen documented.  This size distribution is apparently due to fires
that burned at approximately 20- to 30-year intervals.  The larger
trees, therefore, survived at least one fire [3].  Virginia pine
populations are maintained by fire or other disturbance; Virginia pine
is a colonizer of recently burned sites [37].  Root crown sprouts have
been reported, but are apparently not an important fire survival
mechanism [7].

Fire regimes in habitats containing Virginia pine have been altered by
humans for many years.  It is thought that prior to European settlement,
Indians maintained large tracts of pine forests through intentional
burning of forest lands for various purposes (e.g., agriculture,
wildlife harvest) [9,57].  These fires created a patchwork of
communities, increasing the amount of area covered by pioneer or
pyrophytic species such as Virginia and pitch pines [57].  Currently,
lightning fires do occur, but are of low importance compared to those
started by people [9].  Landers [27] estimated the fire return interval
in the southeastern United States at approximately 2 fires of high
intensity per 100 years.  In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park,
Tennesee and South Carolina, fire intervals for 1856 to 1900 and for
1900 to 1940 were both estimated to be 9.2 years below 2,000 feet (610
m) elevation, and 11.3 years above that elevation [22].

Virginia pine occurs in the area in and around Shenandoah National Park,
Virginia, which has two fire seasons:  spring (February 15 to May 15) and
fall (October 15 to December 15) [57].


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Tree without adventitious-bud root crown
   Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)

Related categories for Species: Pinus virginiana | Virginia Pine