More info for the terms: association, caudex, cover, density, fire regime, fuel, fuel continuity, low-severity fire, moderate-severity fire, natural, presence, shrub, shrubs, stand-replacement fire, stand-replacement fire regime
Fire adaptations: Little is known about fire tolerance in gooseberryleaf globemallow. It has been described as "resistant to burning" [57]. Certain morphological characteristics of gooseberryleaf globemallow support this statement. Although aboveground tissue may be killed by fire, the caudex and the deep, woody taproot are likely to survive low- to moderate-severity fire. Carbohydrates stored in the taproot likely aid in the production of new aboveground tissue after fire. After fire and other disturbances, globemallows are thought to regenerate from seeds stored in the soil [61]. Gooseberryleaf globemallow readily invades disturbed areas [44,46] and is a likely postfire colonizer [42,57].
FIRE REGIMES: FIRE REGIMES in communities where gooseberryleaf globemallow occurs vary with location and associated vegetation. Presented below is information on FIRE REGIMES in several plant communities where gooseberryleaf globemallow is common.
Sagebrush: Presettlement FIRE REGIMES in sagebrush ecosystems varied among sagebrush types and locations. Historic fire return intervals in sagebrush ecosystems were variable, ranging from approximately 20 to 100 years. Most fires were mixed-severity and of small extent, although more widespread fires occurred on some sites [67,68]. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae), nonnative annual grasses, have altered FIRE REGIMES and successional patterns in many sagebrush communities. Fine fuel loads from dry cheatgrass and/or medusahead can support fire return intervals as short as 3 to 6 years [43,66].
Pinyon-juniper woodlands: Fire return intervals in pinyon-juniper woodlands vary greatly, depending upon fine fuel loads and stand density. Livestock grazing in pinyon-juniper tends to increase fire return intervals by reducing fine fuels and increasing woody fuel density (review by [68]). Cheatgrass invasion in some pinyon-juniper communities has greatly decreased fire return intervals [30]. Historical fire return interval for western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) woodlands is estimated at 10 to 30 years (review by [68]).
Salt-desert shrubland: Historically, a lack of continuous fuels made fire rare to nonexistent in salt-desert shrublands except under unusual circumstances [64,69]. Increased presence of nonnative annual grasses in salt-desert ecosystems has shortened fire return intervals [6,65,69]. Wet years such as those brought by El Niño encourage growth of fine fuels in salt-desert communities. In particular, annual grasses such as cheatgrass and red brome (Bromus rubens) develop enough fine fuel biomass to support wildfires [10,41]. Once fire occurs, cover of annuals and probability of subsequent fire increase [10]. Harper [17] found little to no cheatgrass on saltbush and other desert shrub sites on the Desert Experimental Range of west-central Utah in 1959, a dry year. In 1990, a wet year, Sparks and others [54] found the same sites had converted to cheatgrass and other annual weeds "on a massive scale" and fuels were continuous enough to carry fire. Long recovery periods are needed when large-acreage fires occur in salt-desert shrub [9,10].
Blackbrush: The blackbrush association is composed of dense to scattered low-stature shrubs and dense to open grasses. It maintains the highest plant cover of any desert shrub community. Blackbrush experiences a stand-replacement fire regime, though historical documentation of blackbrush fire cycles is limited. Frequent large fires have eliminated blackbrush from some areas. Blackbrush occurs in areas with approximately 7 inches (180 mm) of annual precipitation. Cyclic desert precipitation above 10 to 14 inches (250-360 mm) may increase biomass and fuel continuity enough to increase fire potential [40].
The following table provides fire regime information that may be relevant to gooseberryleaf globemallow.
Fire regime information on vegetation communities in which gooseberryleaf globemallow may occur. For each community, fire regime characteristics are taken from the LANDFIRE Rapid Assessment Vegetation Models [32]. These vegetation models were developed by local experts using available literature, local data, and/or expert opinion as documented in the PDF file linked from the name of each Potential Natural Vegetation Group listed below. Cells are blank where information is not available in the Rapid Assessment Vegetation Model. Pacific Northwest California Southwest Great Basin Northern Rockies Pacific Northwest
Vegetation Community (Potential Natural Vegetation Group) Fire severity* Fire regime characteristics Percent of fires Mean interval
(years) Minimum interval
(years) Maximum interval
(years) Northwest Shrubland Salt desert scrubland Replacement 13% 200 100 300 Mixed 87% 31 20 100 Salt desert shrub Replacement 50% >1,000 500 >1,000 Mixed 50% >1,000 500 >1,000 Wyoming big sagebrush semidesert Replacement 86% 200 30 200 Mixed 9% >1,000 20 Surface or low 5% >1,000 20 Wyoming sagebrush steppe Replacement 89% 92 30 120 Mixed 11% 714 120 Low sagebrush Replacement 41% 180 Mixed 59% 125 Mountain big sagebrush (cool sagebrush) Replacement 100% 20 10 40 California
Vegetation Community (Potential Natural Vegetation Group) Fire severity* Fire regime characteristics Percent of fires Mean interval
(years) Minimum interval
(years) Maximum interval
(years) California Shrubland Saltbush Replacement 70% 100 60 200 Mixed 30% 235 10 California Woodland Ponderosa pine Replacement 5% 200 Mixed 17% 60 Surface or low 78% 13 Southwest
Vegetation Community (Potential Natural Vegetation Group) Fire severity* Fire regime characteristics Percent of fires Mean interval
(years) Minimum interval
(years) Maximum interval
(years) Southwest Grassland Desert grassland Replacement 85% 12 Surface or low 15% 67 Desert grassland with shrubs and trees Replacement 85% 12 Mixed 15% 70 Plains mesa grassland Replacement 81% 20 3 30 Mixed 19% 85 3 150 Plains mesa grassland with shrubs or trees Replacement 76% 20 Mixed 24% 65 Southwest Shrubland Salt desert scrubland Replacement 13% 200 100 300 Mixed 87% 31 20 100 Desert shrubland without grass Replacement 52% 150 Mixed 48% 165 Southwestern shrub steppe Replacement 72% 14 8 15 Mixed 13% 75 70 80 Surface or low 15% 69 60 100 Southwestern shrub steppe with trees Replacement 52% 17 10 25 Mixed 22% 40 25 50 Surface or low 25% 35 25 100 Low sagebrush shrubland Replacement 100% 125 60 150 Mountain sagebrush (cool sage) Replacement 75% 100 Mixed 25% 300 Mountain-mahogany shrubland Replacement 73% 75 Mixed 27% 200 Southwest Woodland Pinyon-juniper (mixed fire regime) Replacement 29% 430 Mixed 65% 192 Surface or low 6% >1,000 Pinyon-juniper (rare replacement fire regime) Replacement 76% 526 Mixed 20% >1,000 Surface or low 4% >1,000 Ponderosa pine/grassland (Southwest) Replacement 3% 300 Surface or low 97% 10 Great Basin
Vegetation Community (Potential Natural Vegetation Group) Fire severity* Fire regime characteristics Percent of fires Mean interval
(years) Minimum interval
(years) Maximum interval
(years) Great Basin Grassland Great Basin grassland Replacement 33% 75 40 110 Mixed 67% 37 20 54 Great Basin Shrubland Blackbrush Replacement 100% 833 100 >1,000 Salt desert scrubland Replacement 13% 200 100 300 Mixed 87% 31 20 100 Salt desert shrub Replacement 50% >1,000 500 >1,000 Mixed 50% >1,000 500 >1,000 Basin big sagebrush Replacement 80% 50 10 100 Mixed 20% 200 50 300 Wyoming big sagebrush semidesert Replacement 86% 200 30 200 Mixed 9% >1,000 20 >1,000 Surface or low 5% >1,000 20 >1,000 Wyoming big sagebrush semidesert with trees Replacement 84% 137 30 200 Mixed 11% >1,000 20 >1,000 Surface or low 5% >1,000 20 >1,000 Wyoming sagebrush steppe Replacement 89% 92 30 120 Mixed 11% 714 120 Mountain big sagebrush Replacement 100% 48 15 100 Mountain big sagebrush with conifers Replacement 100% 49 15 100 Mountain sagebrush (cool sage) Replacement 75% 100 Mixed 25% 300 Black and low sagebrushes Replacement 33% 243 100 Mixed 67% 119 75 140 Black and low sagebrushes with trees Replacement 37% 227 150 290 Mixed 63% 136 50 190 Great Basin Woodland Juniper and pinyon-juniper steppe woodland Replacement 20% 333 100 >1,000 Mixed 31% 217 100 >1,000 Surface or low 49% 135 100 Ponderosa pine Replacement 5% 200 Mixed 17% 60 Surface or low 78% 13 Northern Rockies
Vegetation Community (Potential Natural Vegetation Group) Fire severity* Fire regime characteristics Percent of fires Mean interval
(years) Minimum interval
(years) Maximum interval
(years) Northern Rockies Shrubland Salt desert shrub Replacement 50% >1,000 500 >1,000 Mixed 50% >1,000 500 >1,000 Wyoming big sagebrush Replacement 63% 145 80 240 Mixed 37% 250 Basin big sagebrush Replacement 60% 100 10 150 Mixed 40% 150 Low sagebrush shrubland Replacement 100% 125 60 150 Mountain shrub, nonsagebrush Replacement 80% 100 20 150 Mixed 20% 400 Mountain big sagebrush steppe and shrubland Replacement 100% 70 30 200 *Fire Severities:
Replacement=Any fire that causes greater than 75% top removal of a vegetation-fuel type, resulting in general replacement of existing vegetation; may or may not cause a lethal effect on the plants.
Mixed=Any fire burning more than 5% of an area that does not qualify as a replacement, surface, or low-severity fire; includes mosaic and other fires that are intermediate in effects.
Surface or low=Any fire that causes less than 25% upper layer replacement and/or removal in a vegetation-fuel class but burns 5% or more of the area [16,31].
