Downy birch
Betula pubescens
Family: Betulaceae
Fire effect on plant
Downy birch is likely top-killed by fire with belowground parts surviving.
Key traits
Downy birch, a deciduous broadleaf tree, can resprout from basal buds after fire (Kauppi, Rinne and Ferm 1987), and can do so from an early age. After a heathland fire, 98% of 6-month-old seedlings had new basal shoots (Davy and Gill 1984). Hobbs et al. (1984) stated that survival of fire by birch results from protection of the stem bases by litter.
Seed germination and seedling establishment are high in recently burned areas (Khoon and Gimingham 1984; Cabiaux and Devillez 1977). Recruitment, however, tends to come from seeds that have dispersed into burned areas on the wind, rather than those stored in the soil seed bank (Hobbs, Mallik and Gimingham 1984), suggesting that seed viability is greatly reduced by fire.
Plant response to fire
Downy birch has high survival after low- to moderate-severity fires, and recruitment from seed is also enhanced after fire. Periodic fires encourage establishment and spread (Sinker 1962). For example, invasion by birch usually follows burning on Scottish heaths (Atkinson 1992).
Timing of life history
Long-lived perennial. Starts to produce seed from about 15 years of age. Flowering April to May.
Conservation status
None.
References
Atkinson, M. D. 1992. Betula Pendula Roth (B. Verrucosa Ehrh.) and B. Pubescens Ehrh. Journal of Ecology 80: 837–870 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Cabiaux, C. and Devillez, F. 1977. Etude de l'influence des facteurs du milieu sur la germination et la levee des plantules du bouleau pubescent. Bulletin de la Societe Royale Botanique de Belgique 110"" 96-112 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Davy, A.J. and Gill, J.A. 1984. Variation due to environment and heredity in birch transplanted between heath and bog. New Phytologist 97: 489-505 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Hobbs, R.J., Mallik, A.U. and Gimingham, C.H. 1984. Studies on fire in Scottish heathland communities. III. Vital attributes of the species. Journal of Ecology 72: 963-976 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Kauppi, A., Rinne, P. and Ferm, A. 1987. Initiation, structure and sprouting of dormant basal buds in Betula pubescens. Flora 179: 55-83 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Khoon, W.G. and Gimingham, C.H. 1984 Birch regen-eration in heath vegetation. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh 85B: 73-81 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Sinker, C.A. (1962) The north Shropshire meres and mosses: a background for ecologists. Field Studies 1: 101-138. [Expert opinion; Academic literature]