Woodrushes
Luzula spp.
Family: Juncaceae
Examples: L. campestris, L. multiflora, L. Pilosa, L. spicata, L. sylvatica
Fire effect on plant
Fire top-kills woodrushes, but rhizomes or belowground buds may survive.
Key traits
Woodrushes have rhizomes from which they can resprout (Kazanis & Arianoutsou, 2004; Valbuena et al, 2000).
Woodrush species can also develop soil seedbanks that survive fires (Schimmel and Granström, 1996; Ryan, 2002). The seeds of woodrush species are predominantly dispersed by ants, attaining moderate dispersal distances (2-15m; Lososová et al, 2023).
Plant response to fire
Luzula species benefit from fire, and often show an increase in biomass following fire (Crane & Fischer, 1986). Luzula may require fire to maintain favourable conditions and reduce competition, and disappear when fire is absent (Grau-Andrés et al, 2019).
Timing of life history
Perennial species. Seeds likely produced from second growing season. Flowering June to July.
Conservation status
BAP - Luzula arcuata, Luzula pallidula
References
Crane, M. F.; Fischer, William C. 1986. Fire ecology of the forest habitat types of central Idaho. Gen. Tech. Rep. INT-218. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Intermountain Research Station. 85 p [Empirical evidence; Grey literature]
Grau-Andrés, R., Davies, G. M., Waldron, S., Scott, E. M. and grey, A. (2019) Increased fire severity alters initial vegetation regeneration across Calluna-dominated ecosystems. Journal of Environmental Management, 231, pp. 1004-1011. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Kazanis, D., Arianoutsou, M. (2004). Long-term post-fire vegetation dynamics in Pinus halepensis forests of Central Greece: A functional group approach. Plant Ecology 171: 101-121. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Lososová Z., Axmanová I., Chytrý M., Midolo G., Abdulhak S., Karger D.N., Renaud J., Van Es J., Vittoz P. & Thuiller W. (2023). Seed dispersal distance classes and dispersal modes for the European flora. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 32(9), 1485–1494. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Ryan K. C. 2002. Dynamic interactions between forest structure and fire behavior in boreal ecosystems. – Silva Fenn. 36: 13–39 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Schimmel J.Granström A.1996. Fire severity and vegetation response in the boreal Swedish forest. Ecology 77: 1436–1450 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Valbuena, L., Tárrega, R., Luís-Calabuig, E. (2000). Seed banks of Erica australis and Calluna vulgaris in a heathland subjected to experimental fire. Journal of Vegetation Science 11: 161-166 [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]