Seasonal moisture fluctuations four species of pocosin vegetation

George W. Wendel; Theodore G. Storey

Treesearch

Seasonal moisture fluctuations four species of pocosin vegetation

Informally Refereed

Authors:

George W. Wendel, Theodore G. Storey

Year:

1962

Type:

Other

Station:

Southern Research Station

Source:

Station Paper SE-SP-147. Asheville, NC: USDA-Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. 10 p.

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Download (PDF 587 KB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/45866.pdf

Abstract

During the most severe burning conditions practically all of the living understory vegetation on pocosins may be consumed by fire (9). Even under less severe conditions leaves and branch tips are readily consumed. Whether the moisture content in the living vegetation is high, as it is in the spring, or low, as in the winter, exerts a strong influence on fuel flammability and fire behavior. The moisture content in live pocosin fuels is generally higher than in dead fuels; however, the moisture content of individual plant species and the seasonal moisture changes are not known. This paper reports on the moisture content fluctuations for one year in four common understory plants in North Carolina pocosins: common gallberry (Ilex glabra), redbay (Persea borbonia (L.) Spreng.), swamp cyrilla (Cyrilla racemiflora L. ), and switch cane (Arundinaria tecta (Walt.) Muhl.) (figures 1 to 4).

Citation

Wendel, George W.; Storey, Theodore G. 1962. Seasonal moisture fluctuations four species of pocosin vegetation. Station Paper SE-SP-147. Asheville, NC: USDA-Forest Service, Southeastern Forest Experiment Station. 10 p.