Woodferns
Group: Ferns
Examples: D. abbreviate, D. carthusiana, D. dilatate, D. filix-mas
Dryopteris spp.
Fire effect on plant
Woodferns can survive and resprout after low-severity surface fire when organic layer moisture inhibits heat damage to rhizomes. When the organic layer moisture is low (e.g. in dry patches, or after prolonged warm weather), survival is greatly reduced (Ahlgren, 1960; Hamilton & Peterson, 2003).
Key traits
Resprouting from rhizomes.
Plant response to fire
Woodferns recover rapidly after low-severity fire via resprouting from rhizomes. The production of large numbers of wind-dispersed spores (thousands per individual; Farrer, 1976) aids the colonisation of post-fire habitats from individuals both on-site and off-site. As woodferns grow best in organic soil horizons, which will be reduced or removed by fire, woodferns are unlikely to be enhanced by fire (Johnson, 1999) and could be eliminated by burning (Hamilton & Peterson, 2003).
Timing of history
Perennial species. Seeds likely produced from second growing season. Spores ripen August to November.
Conservation Status
BAP - Dryopteris cristata.
References
Woodferns
Dryopteris spp.
Group: Ferns
Examples: D. abbreviate, D. carthusiana, D. dilatate, D. filix-mas
Plant response to fire
Woodferns can survive and resprout after low-severity surface fire when organic layer moisture inhibits heat damage to rhizomes. When the organic layer moisture is low (e.g. in dry patches, or after prolonged warm weather), survival is greatly reduced (Ahlgren, 1960; Hamilton & Peterson, 2003).
Key traits
Resprouting from rhizomes.
Plant response to fire
Woodferns recover rapidly after low-severity fire via resprouting from rhizomes. The production of large numbers of wind-dispersed spores (thousands per individual; Farrer, 1976) aids the colonisation of post-fire habitats from individuals both on-site and off-site. As woodferns grow best in organic soil horizons, which will be reduced or removed by fire, woodferns are unlikely to be enhanced by fire (Johnson, 1999) and could be eliminated by burning (Hamilton & Peterson, 2003).
Timing of history
Perennial species. Seeds likely produced from second growing season. Spores ripen August to November.
Conservation Status
BAP - Dryopteris cristata.
References
Ahlgren, Clifford E. 1960. Some effects of fire on reproduction and growth of vegetation in northeastern Minnesota. Ecology. 41(3): 431-445. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Hamilton, Evelyn; Peterson, Les. 2003. Response of vegetation to burning in a subalpine forest cutblock in central British Columbia: Otter Creek site. Research Report 23. Victoria, BC: British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Forest Science Program. 60 p [Empirical evidence; grey literature]
Johnson, Leslie Main. 1999. Aboriginal burning for vegetation management in northwest British Columbia. In: Boyd, Robert, ed. Indians, fire and the land in the Pacific Northwest. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University Press: 238-254. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Farrar, Donald R. 1976. Spore retention and release from overwintering fern fronds. American Fern Journal. 66(2): 49-52. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Munger, Gregory T. 2007. Dryopteris spp. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.usda.gov /database/feis/plants/fern/dryspp/all.html [Expert opinion; grey literature]