Fire Adaptations

Fire adapted species can be either plants or animals.  They have adapted a trait or have traits that allow them to reproduce or regenerate after a fire.  A few examples of fire adaptations for plants are resprouting and bud protection, and thick bark.  

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Quaking Aspen, considered a pioneer species because it is one of the first vegetation that will dominate an area after a fire, resprouts after a fire from its root system.  Since the buds are underground, they are protected from any damage caused by a fire.  

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Longleaf pine is a tree that is able to reproduce after certain fires because the buds are protected by the long, moist needles.  They can withstand low intensity ground fires for two reasons.  One of which is because the fire does not come to the crown of the tree and is not hot enough to affect the bud (seed). When the fire gets close, the moist needles vaporize and the steam puts out the fire.   

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The other reason is because the Longleaf pine also has fire resistant (thick) bark which protects the growing tissue from heat and flakes off as it burns.

Sources:

 

Hilty, John. Illinois Wildflowers. Quaking Aspen – Populus Tremuloides. 2002-2015. http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/quaking_aspen.html. 25 April 2016.

Kuhlmann, Ellen. Washington Native Plant Society Blog. Botanical Rambles. Plant Adaptations and Fire. 2015. https://www.wnps.org/blog/plant-adaptations-and-fire/ 25 April 2016.

Nix, Steve. About Education. Longleaf Pine, a Common Tree in North America. 2016.http://forestry.about.com/od/conifers/tp/Pinus_Palustris.htm 25 April 2016.

U.S. Department of the Interior. National Park Service. Fire and Aviation Management – Learning Center. 2016. https://www.nps.gov/fire/wildland-fire/learning-center/educator-resources/lesson-plans/fire-adaptation.cfm. 25 April 2016.