Effects of fire intensity on vital rates of an endemic herb of the Florida keys, USA
Natural Areas Journal
By: H. Liu, E.S. Menges, J.R. Snyder, S. Koptur, and M.S. Ross
Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
Fire intensity is one of the important components of a fire regime. However, relatively few studies have linked fire intensity with post-fire population vital rates. In this study, we explored the effects of fire intensity on population vital rates of Chamaecrista keyensis Pennell (Fabaceae) up to two years post-fire. C. keyensis is an endemic understory plant of pine rockland, a fire-dependent ecosystem of the Lower Florida Keys. We measured one fire intensity indicator, fire temperature reached by steel plates on the ground, during three prescribed fires at different sites. We followed marked individuals up to two years post-fire to derive annual survival, annual growth rate, percentage of fruiting plants, mean number of fruits per reproductive plant, and number of seedlings per census plot (1 m2) of C. keyensis. We found fire intensity had significant effects on reproduction in the first year post-fire only. More specifically, mean number of fruits and percentage of fruiting plants increased as fire intensity increased. Results from this study suggest that extremely low fire intensity caused by very short fire return intervals (e.g., less than three years) may not provide sufficient stimulation to reproduction to achieve the best post-fire recovery for C. keyensis.
Suggested Citation
Liu, H., Menges, E., Snyder, J., Koptur, S., and Ross, M., 2005, Effects of fire intensity on vital rates of an endemic herb of the Florida keys, USA: Natural Areas Journal, v. 25, no. 1, p. 71-76.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Effects of fire intensity on vital rates of an endemic herb of the Florida keys, USA |
| Series title | Natural Areas Journal |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Year Published | 2005 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Natural Areas Association |
| Description | 6 p. |
| First page | 71 |
| Last page | 76 |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| Other Geospatial | Big Pine Key, Florida Keys |