Fire may seem a destructive force, but for some plants, it can be helpful. In wildfire-prone lands, a blaze can bring fresh vitality by recycling and boosting nutrients, and bestowing space and light.
For some species, fire also confers a competitive advantage. In lodgepole pines, for example, seed cones hang high in the canopy, their scales firmly sealed with resin. Only the heat of a forest fire can melt the glue, ensuring the seeds fall on ash-enriched ground
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How do they survive fires?
Many plants have adapted to tolerate fire. For example, larch, eucalyptus and some species of pine have thick, fire-retardant bark; the South African aloe has dense, insulating leaves; and Banksia bushes are equipped with starchy, fire-resistant growths (known as lignotubers) that protect their buds.
Tall growth also helps. Once the flames die down, dormant seeds and shoots are awoken by the charring and the chemicals in the smoke, triggering an explosion of blossom in the scorched landscape.
A diverse community of plants and animals is kept in flux by natural fire cycles. However, there is a limit to how much even the most resilient plants can take.
An increased intensity and frequency of fire events could destroy seed banks, and pressure from introduced grazers can affect species recovery. In a warming world, land managers must consider how they can help forests and grasslands recover by creating restoration seed banks, for instance.
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