• IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT
• DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT
• PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE
• DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE
• FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS

IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT:

Small turkey oaks are top-killed by low-severity fire [28]. Turkey oak is more likely to suffer crown mortality in the vicinity of a longleaf pine. In two late spring fires in Florida, turkey oak crown survival was positively related to the d.b.h. of the turkey oak and to the distance from the nearest longleaf pine. Crown survival was inversely related to the d.b.h. of the nearest pine. Turkey oaks less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) in d.b.h. were very sensitive to the proximity of longleaf pine which had up to a 33 foot (10 m) radius of influence on these small oaks. Turkey oaks smaller than 2.2 inches (5.5 cm) in d.b.h. had high crown mortality, but low tree mortality [29].

Turkey oak survival was higher near groves of sand live oak [29].

DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT:

No entry

PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE:

If turkey oak is top-killed, it sprouts vigorously from the root collar. Turkey oaks can recover easily from repeated top-kill because sprouting individuals may have more than 85 percent of their biomass underground. If the crown is killed immediately, the root collar sprouts more vigorously than if the crown dies slowly. A slowly dying crown retains apical dominance, which suppresses sprouting and uses up root reserves [29].

Small oaks sprout more vigorously than large oaks. Turkey oaks of an intermediate size [3.1 to 3.9 inches (8-10 cm) in d.b.h.] had the lowest survival after a spring fire in Florida because they were too small to be immune from crown mortality, but too large to be vigorous sprouters [29].

DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE:

No entry

FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS:

Prescribed burning to eradicate turkey oak is ineffective. Generally, there is inadequate fuel to carry the fire, and vigorous sprouting after fire will increase rather than decrease the number of oak stems [31]. Prescribed burning at 5-year intervals maintains a longleaf pine-turkey oak pyrophytic sandhill community [39].

Related categories for SPECIES: Quercus laevis | Turkey Oak