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FIRE DEPENDENT ECOSYSTEM MAP |
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* Roll over a region and click to see information |
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Common in Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of the Rocky Mountains. |
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Natural Fires in this ecosystem usually occur during 5- to 25-year cycles. |
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Variations in species in these areas are attributed partly through the frequency of wildland fires. |
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Fire adaptations include vigorous stump sprouting after fires by many shrubs, including the Manzanitas, Ceanothus, and Scrub Oak. Chamise produces dormant seeds that require fire for germination; these seeds create a large seed bank during non-fire years. |
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Many of the shrubs, especially Chamise, promote fire by producing highly flammable dead branches after about 20 years. |
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After a year, the plant community is dominated by annual grasses. Five years after a fire, chaparral shrubs once again dominate the ecosystem; for this reason, more frequent fires favor grasses over shrubs. |
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