Fire Effects of Flowering and Fruiting Patterns of Understory Plants in Pinelands of Everglades National Park
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Material Information

Title:
Fire Effects of Flowering and Fruiting Patterns of Understory Plants in Pinelands of Everglades National Park Report SFR-83/04
Creator:
South Florida Natural Resources Center/South Florida Research Center, Everglades National Park
Lance Gunderson
Dale Taylor
Jim Craig
Place of Publication:
Homestead
Florida
Publisher:
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior
Publication Date:

Notes

Abstract:
Studies of the phenologic patterns of flowering and fruiting form a component of the knowledge about the reproductive strategies of individual plants and plant assemblages. This information, when combined with seed dispersal mechanisms, germination requirements, and other regeneration modes, can provide insight into observed distributions of plant species. Loope (1980) characterized flowering and fruiting activity in the pinelands of Everglades National Park (EVER). He stated that some pineland species were probably stimulated to flower and fruit by fire, but found no system level fire effects. He also found that the number of species reproductively active remained fairly constant throughout the year, a pattern not attributable to annual f luctuations in climate. This study was aimed primarily at evaluating post-fire flowering and fruiting patterns of understory species in the pinelands of Everglades National Park. Although Loope (1980) included some of the data in his analysis, this study added another year of observation and a more intensive look at individual and group patterns. Secondarily, this study attempted to correlate observed flowering and fruiting patterns with annual climatic fluctuations. Documented fire effects on reproductive activity can have direct implications to management strategies. If certain species, or groups of species, can be shown to benefit or suffer from certain prescribed fire treatments, then management actions can be modified to select for or against these species or groups. For example, a reduction of hardwood shrub species may be one management objective. If a certain fire regime were to impair flowering or fruiting patterns, then this fire regime may be implemented to help contain hardwood population expansion. Or, if a "window" of low flowering or fruiting activity was found for the understory assemblege, then burning prescriptions may be modified to take advantage of a "dormant1' period. ( English )
Issuing Body:
SuDoc number: I 29.95: SFRC- 83/04

Record Information

Source Institution:
Florida International University
Holding Location:
South Florida Natural Resource Center
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