ABSTRACT

The amount of moisture in the soil coupled with the heat released in the fire is important. Excessive post-fire drought can result in major failure in germination and/or establishment of a previously major element in the vegetation. The chaparral is comprised mainly of evergreen, sclerophyllous shrub species which are either resprouters or are obligate seeders which do not resprout. The ability of the seedlings to survive low plant water potentials is much higher than originally predicted. At the initiation of the research, it was expected that seedlings, not being hardened to the drought environment, would be quite sensitive to drought. Parameters necessary to predict and control the establishment of chaparral seedlings after fire include stand composition, the physiological state of the resprouters at the time of fire, the soil seed bank before the fire, the fire intensity, the moisture content of the soil at the time of the fire, and, following fire, through the seedling establishment phase.