Cranberries
Vaccinium spp.
Family: Ericaceae
Examples: V. oxycoccos and V. microcarpum
Fire effect on plant
Low- to moderate-severity fires usually kills above ground biomass of cranberry species, but high-severity fires generally kill underground reproductive structures (Matthews 1992).
Key traits
Cranberry resprouts rapidly after fires (Finn and Wein 1988) and is considered a fire-survivor (Matthews 1992). It resprouts from rhizomes, which are typically deeply buried (Flinn and Wein 1977).
Seeds are dispersed by birds and animals that eat the fruits.
Plant response to fire
Cranberry was observed to become more abundant following repeated fires (Flinn and Wein 1977), although others noted that it suffers after fire if sphagnum layers are burned and removed (Vogl 1964), implying that high-severity fires do not favor cranberry, but that low- to moderate-severity fires including prescribed fires may be beneficial. It has been observed to flower and fruit profusely where the surrounding overstory is removed by burning (Vogl 1964), and prescribed burning is recommended to maintain fruiting and prevent shading out by taller shrubs. Indeed, commercial cranberry growers in New Jersey USA have used prescribed burning since the 1920s (https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/fire/program/aboutrxb.html).
In other regions fruiting has been seen to peak from 10 years post wildfire (Martin 1980; Nelson et al. 2008).
Timing of life history
Perennial species. Seeds likely produced from second growing season. Flowering May to July.
Conservation status
None.
References
Flinn, M. A., Wein, R.W. 1977. Depth of underground plant organs and theoretical survival during fire. Canadian Journal of Botany 55: 2550-2554. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Flinn, M.A., Wein, R.W. 1988. Regrowth of forest understory species following seasonal burning. Canadian Journal of Botany 66: 150-155. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Martin, P. 1983. Factors influencing globe huckleberry fruit production in northwestern Montana. Bears: Their Biology and Management 5: 159-165 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Matthews, R. F. 1992. Vaccinium oxycoccos. 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/shrub/vacoxy/all.html [Expert opinion; Grey literature]
Nelson, J.L., Zavaleta, E.S. and Chapin, F.S. 2008. Boreal fire effects on subsistence resources in Alaska and adjacent Canada. Ecosystems 11: 156-171. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Vogl, R.J. 1964. The effects of fire on a muskeg in northern Wisconsin. Journal of Wildlife Management 28: 317-329. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]