Bell heather
Erica cinerea
Family: Ericaceae
Fire effect on plant
Fire typically top-kills bell heather.
Key traits
Bell heather is able to recover from fire from stem bases (Grau-Andres et al. 2019) where relatively thick bark around its swollen stem bases aids heat protection (Mallik and Gimingham 1985). Resprouting is also supported by adventitious roots with rooting depths to 24 cm (Bannister 1965).
Bell heather has hard coated seeds, and seed germination is increased after a brief period of heat treatment (Bannister 1965; Holland et al. 2022) from persistent soil seedbanks (Naszarkowski et al. 2023). Seed production is considerable (c. 450 000 potentially viable seeds/m2), and dispersal distances tend to be low (Bannister 1965).
Plant response to fire
Bell heather regenerates rapidly following fire (Grau-Andres et al. 2019). Germination after heat shock has been suggested to explain this rapid germination and often temporary dominance of bell heather after burning (Whittaker and Gimingham 1962). Gimingham (1949) reported between 4000 and 16,000 seedlings of bell heather/m2 emerged after burning. It has more recently been noted that E. cinerea’s seed bank is reduced after burning, but that the cause is suggested to be rapid seed germination after fire (Naszarkowski et al. 2023). E. cinerea may have a stronger response to fire-induced germination cues than Calluna (Naszarkowski et al. 2023). Interestingly, it has been suggested that bell heather might preferentially regenerate by resprouting after fire in raised bogs but from seed in heathland. Erica cinerea can be considered a pioneer species in burned landscapes (Hobbs and Gimingham 1984). Erica cinerea has many features that would suggest it is fire-adapted. It has also been suggested that burn frequencies of 12-15 years would be optimal to maintain community diversity in heathlands that it occupies (Hobbs and Gimingham 1984).
Timing of life history
Perennial species. Seeds likely produced from second growing season. Flowering to June to September.
Conservation status
None.
References
Bannister, P., 1965. Erica cinerea L. Journal of Ecology 53: 527-542. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Bargmann, T., Maren, I.E., Vandvik, V. 2014. Life after fire: smoke and ash as germination cues in ericads, herbs and graminoids of northern heathlands. Applied Vegetation Science 17: 670-679. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Gimingham, C. H. 1949. The effects of grazing on the balance between Erica cinerea L. and Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull. in upland heath and their morphological responses. Journal of Ecology 37: 100-119. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Grau-Andres, R., Davies, G.M., Waldron, S., Scott, E.M., grey, A., 2019. Increased fire severity alters initial vegetation regeneration across Calluna-dominated ecosystems. Journal of Environmental Management 231: 1004-1011 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Hobbs, R.J., and Gimingham, C.H., 1984. Studies on fire in Scottish heathland communities II. Post-fire vegetation development. Journal of Ecology 72: 585-610. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Holland, J.P., Pollock, M., Buckingham, S., Glendinning, J. and McCracken, D. 2022. Reviewing, assessing and critiquing the evidence base on the impacts of muirburn on wildfire prevention, carbon storage and biodiversity. NatureScot Research Report 1302. [Empirical evidence; Grey literature]
Naszarkowski, N.A.L., Woodin, S.J., Ross, L.C., Hester, A.J., Pakeman, R.J. 2023. Wildfire impacts on seedbank and vegetation dynamics in Calluna heath. Nordic Journal of Botany e03937 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Whittaker, E., Gimingham, C.H., 1962. The effects of fire on regeneration of Calluna Vulgaris (L.) Hull. from seed. Journal of Ecology 50: 815–822. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]