Bracken
Group: Ferns
Pteridium aquilinum
Fire effect on plant
The fronds of bracken plants are generally killed by fire, but rhizomes can survive (Flinn & Pringle 1983).
Key traits
Bracken has a vigorous and wide-spreading rhizome system belowground, reaching depths of 50cm, and even as deep as a metre in some soils (Natural England 2008). Bracken vigorously resprouts from rhizomes following fire.
Plant response to fire
Bracken is thought to be a fire-adapted species and increases its cover greatly when burned repeatedly (Natural England, 2008). Fire benefits bracken by removing its competition and any standing dead biomass, and it resprouts profusely from surviving rhizomes (Page 1986). Bracken spores germinate well on alkaline soils, allowing them to establish in the basic conditions created by fire (Gliesmann, 1978).
Timing of history
Perennial species. Seeds likely produced from second growing season. Spores ripen July to August.
Conservation status
None.
References
Bracken
Pteridium aquilinum
Group: Ferns
Plant response to fire
The fronds of bracken plants are generally killed by fire, but rhizomes can survive (Flinn & Pringle 1983).
Key traits
Bracken has a vigorous and wide-spreading rhizome system belowground, reaching depths of 50cm, and even as deep as a metre in some soils (Natural England 2008). Bracken vigorously resprouts from rhizomes following fire.
Plant response to fire
Bracken is thought to be a fire-adapted species and increases its cover greatly when burned repeatedly (Natural England, 2008). Fire benefits bracken by removing its competition and any standing dead biomass, and it resprouts profusely from surviving rhizomes (Page 1986). Bracken spores germinate well on alkaline soils, allowing them to establish in the basic conditions created by fire (Gliesmann, 1978).
Timing of history
Perennial species. Seeds likely produced from second growing season. Spores ripen July to August.
Conservation status
None.
References
Natural England. 2008. Natural England Species Information Note SIN011 - Bracken. [Empirical evidence; grey literature]
Flinn, Marguerite A.; Pringle, Joan K. 1983. Heat tolerance of rhizomes of several understory species. Canadian Journal of Botany. 61: 452-457. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Page, C. N. 1986. The strategies of bracken as a permanent ecological opportunist. In: Smith, R. T.; Taylor, J. A., eds. Bracken: ecology, land use and control technology; 1985 July 1 - July 5; Leeds, England. Lancs: The Parthenon Publishing Group Limited: 173-181. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Gliessman, S. R. 1978. The establishment of bracken following fire in tropical habitats. American Fern Journal. 68(2): 41-44 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Crane, M. F. 1990. Pteridium aquilinum. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis//plants/fern/pteaqu/all.html [2024, January 22]. [Expert opinion; grey literature]