FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Quercus shumardii | Shumard Oak 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Information concerning fire severity and damage to Shumard oak is
lacking in the literature.  Mature trees are probably intermediate in
resistance to low- and moderate-severity fires.  Severe fires would
probably top-kill or kill mature trees.  Seedlings and saplings are
likely to be killed by any fire.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Hot fires will stimulate root sprouting in Shumard oak, presumably after
top-kill [3,40].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Management of Shumard oak as deer browse in Ashe juniper woodlands
includes prescribed burning of previously chained sites.  These sites
should be burned with hot fires, with intervals of at least 7 to 10
years between fires [3].  Prescribed fire on chained Ashe juniper sites
removed dead Ashe juniper debris and killed young Ashe juniper trees.
Over 10 years, Shumard oak was one of three dominant secondary species
which provided browse and cover for game birds and white-tailed deer
[40].

Shumard oak occurs in bottomland hardwood forests, which are not usually
subjected to prescribed fires since the risk of fire damage is high.  It
also occurs on sites where pines, particularly loblolly pine (Pinus
taeda) and shortleaf pine (P. echinata), are the desired species.
Prescribed fire is used to control hardwoods on these sites when the
pines have reached pole size or larger [43].

Related categories for Species: Quercus shumardii | Shumard Oak