Crown sprouting
Crown sprouting is the ability of a
epicormic buds. Plant species that can accomplish crown sprouting are called crown resprouters (distinguishing them from stem or trunk resprouters) and, like them, are characteristic of fire-prone habitats such as chaparral.[2]
In contrast to plant fire survival strategies that decrease the
germinate, crown sprouting allows for the total destruction of the above ground growth. Crown sprouting plants typically have extensive root systems in which they store nutrients allowing them to survive during fires and sprout afterwards. Early researchers suggested that crown sprouting species might lack species genetic diversity; however, research on Gondwanan shrubland[clarification needed] suggests that crown sprouting species have similar genetic diversity to seed sprouters.[3] Some genera, such as Arctostaphylos and Ceanothus, have species that are both resprouters and not, both adapted to fire.[citation needed
]
California Buckeye, Aesculus californica, is an example of a western United States tree which can regenerate from its root crown after a fire event, but can also regenerate by seed.[4]
See also
Notes
References
- Arthur W. Sampson and Arnold M. Schultz, Control of brush and undesirable trees
- William J. Bond and Jeremy J. Midgley (2003) The Evolutionary Ecology of Sprouting in Woody Plants, Int. J Plant Sci. 164(S3):S103–S114. 2003, University of Chicago.
- C. Michael Hogan. 2008. Aesculus californica, Globaltwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg [1]
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