Slide 1
Fire can deliver a growing cue
Some plants in fire-prone habitats germinate in response to heat or smoke-related chemicals. A fire can change when their seeds begin growing.
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These responses vary among species, even within one region. Fire adaptation describes particular traits and environments, not a claim that burning benefits every plant or every population.
Slide 2
Heat can open a barrier
For some seeds, heat helps make a resistant coat permeable. Water can then enter and support the start of growth.
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Too much heat can kill the embryo. The useful cue lies within a range, which is why fire intensity and where a seed sits can affect whether it survives.
Slide 3
Smoke carries a signal
Some seeds respond to compounds associated with smoke. They can begin growing after a burn without being directly exposed to flames.
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Laboratory germination tests separate smoke and heat treatments to identify the cue. This avoids assuming that every plant appearing after fire responded to the same part of the event.
Slide 4
Release is a different step
Some lodgepole pine cones remain sealed with resin until heated. Opening the cone releases stored seeds onto the changed landscape.
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This delayed release is called serotiny. It concerns when seeds leave a cone, whereas dormancy concerns when a seed germinates; the two processes should not be confused.
Slide 5
Timing can change the outcome
A fire can open space and change competition, but new seedlings still need suitable conditions. Another burn too soon may interrupt recovery.
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Plants must survive long enough to replenish seed supplies. Understanding the interval between fires can therefore be as important as knowing that a species has a fire-responsive trait.
Sources
- Wildfires, seed dispersal and germination in Leucadendron
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
- Wildland Fire in Lodgepole Pine
National Park Service