BIOL Pine Forest Ecology

Wildfire

Unplanned, accidental uncontrollable fire that spreads quickly. Examples being a lightning strike or someones cigarette bud.

Controlled burns

Intentionally planned fires, that are low intensity, approved by by the state or federally. Example being targeting burning specific plant or invasive species.

Drip torch

Handheld tool, that is used to safely start controlled fires.

Fire line

A cleared gap in vegetation or material built by firefighters to stop or slow the spread of fire.

Where do long leaf pine ecosystems extend to?

Extend from Virginia to Texas.

Why does this ecosystem have natural fires every 1-5 years?

Fire is necessary to maintain forest growth and promote growth for many plant species.

Adult pines

Bark insulates sap on the inside of the tree.

Pine seeds

Need cracked open in bare soil to germinate. Has a grass stage (looks like grass) and a bolting stage (has a trunk).

Wire grass

Has dense roots to tolerate burns. Needs fire to cue seed production.

Species of longleaf pine

Longleaf pine, turkey oak, post oak, bull bay, wire grass, and bracken fern.

Advantages of quadrat sampling

Done quickly, good way to get relative abundance, and easily replicated.

Disadvantages of quadrat sampling

Misleading if # of quadrats is not adequate to represent size of population area, and might not physically be possible to get to an area.