Common liverwort
Marchantia polymorpha
Fire effect on plant
Not noted.
Key traits
Wind blown spores (Matthews, 1993).
Plant response to fire
Common liverwort is an early coloniser of burned sites and can grow rapidly following fire attaining 100% coverage. Colonisation capability of this species is rapid (Ryoma and Laaka-Lindberg, 2007). It does not however persist after subsequent stages of succession, but has been noted as persisting for 2-3 years as mats on thin mineral soil with charred humus in New Jersey, USA (Torrey, 1932).
Timing of history
Sexual reproduction occurring in the spring and summer.
Conservation status
None.
References
Tesky, Julie L. 1992. Hylocomium splendens. 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/bryophyte/hylspl/all.html [2024, Feb 22] [Empirical evidence; grey literature]
Matthews, Robin F. 1993. Marchantia polymorpha. 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/bryophyte/marpol/all.html [Empirical evidence; grey literature]
Ryoma, R., Laaka-Lindberg S (2007) Bryophyte recolonization on burnt soil and logs. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 20, 5-16. Torrey, Raymond H. 1932. Marchantia polymorpha after forest fires. Torreyana. 32: 9-10 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]