FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Acer rubrum | Red Maple 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Red maple is a common fire type in the Acadian Forest of New Brunswick,
where mean fire intervals have been estimated at 370 years [32].  In the
New Jersery Pine Barrens, mean fire intervals averaged 20 years in the
early 1900's, but due to a variety of factors including fire suppression
and increased prescribed burning, now average 65 years [34].  Red maple
regeneration in the Pine Barrens is favored in the absence of fire [34].
In upland oak forests of central Pennsylvania fire suppression has led
to the replacement of oaks by red maple, beech, black cherry, and sugar
maple [71].

Red maple has also increased in the absence of fire throughout much of
the Southeast [11].  In parts of the Appalachians, fire suppression has
allowed maple stems to grow large enough and develop bark thick enough
to enable them to survive fires [47].  As a result, restoration to
presettlement conditions would be "a very long-term process" [47].

Red maple sprouts vigorously from the root crown after aboveground
vegetation is killed by fire [87].  Seedling establishment may also
occur [87].


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   survivor species; on-site surviving root crown or caudex
   off-site colonizer; seed carried by wind; postfire yrs 1 and 2

Related categories for Species: Acer rubrum | Red Maple