Live oak saplings survive prescribed fire and sprout

Tietje, W; Vreeland, J; Weitkamp, W

Live oak saplings survive prescribed fire and sprout

Authors

William D. Tietje
Justin K. Vreeland
William H. Weitkamp

Authors Affiliations

W.D. Tietje is Natural Resource Specialist, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, UC Berkeley; J.K. Vreeland was Staff Research Associate. Vreeland is currently Master's Candidate, Penn State; W.H. Weitkamp is Livestock and Natural Resource Advisor Emeritus, UCCE San Luis Obispo County.

Publication Information

Hilgardia 55(2):18-22. DOI:10.3733/ca.v055n02p18. March 2001.

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Abstract

Sapling surveys conducted before and after a prescribed fire in an oak woodland revealed that approximately half of marked blue oak and coast live oak saplings were top-killed (aboveground tissue of sapling killed) by the fire. Most top-killed saplings sprouted, and sprout growth was strong within one growing season. Light-intensity prescribed fires probably have little effect on overall sapling survival and recruitment, and may benefit individual saplings by reducing competition and recycling nutrients.

References

[CDF] California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. California fire plan—A framework for minimizing costs and losses from wildland fires. 1996. Sacramento CA: Report to California Board of Forestry. 104.

Lathrop EW, Osborne CD, Standiford R. Influence of fire on oak seedlings and saplings in southern oak woodland in the Santa Rosa Plateau Preserve, Riverside County, CA. Proceedings of the Symposium on Oak Woodlands and Hardwood Rangeland Management 1991. 22. US Forest Service General Technical Report GTR-PSW-126

Hossi RS, Plumb TR. History of cultural influences on the distribution and reproduction of oaks in California. Proceedings or the Symposium on the Ecology, Management and Utilization of California oaks 1980. 18. US Forest Service General Technical Report GTR-PSW-44

Schwan J, Fong H, Hug H, Pillsbury N, Verner J, Tietje WD. Wildfire and oak regeneration at the urban fringe. Proceedings of the Symposium on Oak Woodlands: Ecology, Management and Urban Interface Issues 1997. 64. US Forest Service General Technical Report GTR-PSW-160

Tietje WD, Vreeland JK. Vertebrates diverse and abundant in well-structured oak woodland. Cal Ag. 1997. 51(6):8-14.

Tietje WD, Vreeland JK, Siepel NR, JL Dockter, Pillsbury N, Verner J, Tietje WD. Relative abundance and habitat associations of vertebrates in oak woodlands in coastal-central California. Proceedings of the Symposium on Oak Woodlands: Ecology, Management and Urban Interface Issues 1997. 400. US Forest Service General Technical Report GTR-PSW-160

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