rebekah.c.james
Long Leaf Pine Forest
I took this photo on a rainy day during an Ecology Lab field trip in the Longleaf Pine and Wiregrass forest on the UNCW campus. It depicts a Longleaf Pine that shows scorch marks on the trunk. The forest this photo was taken in was recently burned in a controlled manner in order to allow forest succession (around 2011). Controlled burnings help reduce the occurrence of natural forest fires. These controlled burnings are periodic and of lower intensity than those naturally occurring fires. Fire is absolutely essential to the natural succession of Longleaf Pine forests. Longleaf Pines are well adapted to take advantage of environmental changes caused by fire. Fire removes thick underbrush that blocks growth of young trees, thins areas of dense growth, and provides an open area for young plants/trees to grow. Also, once a fire has ended, the ground is replenished with essential mineral and nutrients for many plants. Adult Longleaf Pines have a harden bark that is extremely fire-resistance, which allows them to be relatively unaffected by forest fires (save scorch marks such as those shown in this image). Longleaf Pines tend to germinate and grow in areas of the forest floor that have greater openings and light. Fire helps increase open space and light, which in turn provides the optimal environment for the Longleaf Pine to grow. If a seed is deposited in an area of little light it will grow slowly in the grass stage until some natural disturbance, most likely fire, provides the necessary increase in light for growth. Seedlings in the grass stage remain stemless, because it protects the apical meristem and allows for large carbon reserves in the roots. Young Longleaf Pines are very fire resistant once they are out of their fire-sensitive stage (once they reach about 5 ft. high). In order to reduce the likelihood of death in this stage, once enough nutrients are stored in the roots, seedling Longleaf Pines have rapid growth which reduces the amount of time spent in their fire-sensitive stage. They have tufts of needles that are relatively unnecessary for growth, so the loss of needles to fire has little effect on these young trees. Resistance to fire in Longleaf Pines is also related to overall fitness of the individual. Pines that are under more stress, tend to have a higher likelihood of death or damage due to fire. Also, Longleaf Pines that are heavily damaged by insects are less likely to survive fires. The height of adult Longleaf Pines is another protection against fire as it allows the apical meristem to be out of reach of fires on the forest floors. UNCW has 3 distinct sections of Longleaf Pine forests, and burnings are periodically prescribed to reduce the likelihood of uncontrolled fires near a residential area. Controlled fires also help the growth of the forest, which is essential as Longleaf Pine forests are drastically decreasing in size and frequency in the South.
Citations:
Wang, G. G., Pile, L. S., Knapp, B. O., & Hung, H. Longleaf pine adaptation to fire: Is early height growth pattern critical to fire survival? USDA: Fire Services, 214-218.
Natural Regeneration of Longleaf Pine. (2011). North Carolina Forest Service- Longleaf Leaflet, 5.
Long Leaf Pine Forest
I took this photo on a rainy day during an Ecology Lab field trip in the Longleaf Pine and Wiregrass forest on the UNCW campus. It depicts a Longleaf Pine that shows scorch marks on the trunk. The forest this photo was taken in was recently burned in a controlled manner in order to allow forest succession (around 2011). Controlled burnings help reduce the occurrence of natural forest fires. These controlled burnings are periodic and of lower intensity than those naturally occurring fires. Fire is absolutely essential to the natural succession of Longleaf Pine forests. Longleaf Pines are well adapted to take advantage of environmental changes caused by fire. Fire removes thick underbrush that blocks growth of young trees, thins areas of dense growth, and provides an open area for young plants/trees to grow. Also, once a fire has ended, the ground is replenished with essential mineral and nutrients for many plants. Adult Longleaf Pines have a harden bark that is extremely fire-resistance, which allows them to be relatively unaffected by forest fires (save scorch marks such as those shown in this image). Longleaf Pines tend to germinate and grow in areas of the forest floor that have greater openings and light. Fire helps increase open space and light, which in turn provides the optimal environment for the Longleaf Pine to grow. If a seed is deposited in an area of little light it will grow slowly in the grass stage until some natural disturbance, most likely fire, provides the necessary increase in light for growth. Seedlings in the grass stage remain stemless, because it protects the apical meristem and allows for large carbon reserves in the roots. Young Longleaf Pines are very fire resistant once they are out of their fire-sensitive stage (once they reach about 5 ft. high). In order to reduce the likelihood of death in this stage, once enough nutrients are stored in the roots, seedling Longleaf Pines have rapid growth which reduces the amount of time spent in their fire-sensitive stage. They have tufts of needles that are relatively unnecessary for growth, so the loss of needles to fire has little effect on these young trees. Resistance to fire in Longleaf Pines is also related to overall fitness of the individual. Pines that are under more stress, tend to have a higher likelihood of death or damage due to fire. Also, Longleaf Pines that are heavily damaged by insects are less likely to survive fires. The height of adult Longleaf Pines is another protection against fire as it allows the apical meristem to be out of reach of fires on the forest floors. UNCW has 3 distinct sections of Longleaf Pine forests, and burnings are periodically prescribed to reduce the likelihood of uncontrolled fires near a residential area. Controlled fires also help the growth of the forest, which is essential as Longleaf Pine forests are drastically decreasing in size and frequency in the South.
Citations:
Wang, G. G., Pile, L. S., Knapp, B. O., & Hung, H. Longleaf pine adaptation to fire: Is early height growth pattern critical to fire survival? USDA: Fire Services, 214-218.
Natural Regeneration of Longleaf Pine. (2011). North Carolina Forest Service- Longleaf Leaflet, 5.