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Background <p>Limiting nutrient loss is an important component of a conservative life history strategy, with relevance for species in fire-prone ecosystems. Substantial research has focused on plant tissue nutrient dynamics associated with seasonal senescence, but little is known about whether plants mitigate nutrient loss from fire-damaged tissues. To explore this question, we compared foliar, branch, and stem carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), total phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) concentrations of unburned longleaf pine (<i>Pinus palustris</i>) saplings to completely scorched (100%) and partially scorched (30–80%) saplings at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 24 weeks post-fire. We also measured soil nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>), ammonium (NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>), Ca, Mg, total P, and K content under the same framework 2 weeks post-fire.</p> Results <p>Burning created patterns in the longleaf pine saplings that varied over time. Soil P, K, and Mg availability was statistically higher near completely scorched saplings compared to unburned saplings 2 weeks post-fire. At the time of scorched needle abscission (4 weeks post-fire), longleaf pine residual foliage and woody tissue N and P concentrations did not statistically differ between completely and incompletely scorched saplings. At this time, however, incompletely scorched sapling foliar N statistically exceeded that of unburned saplings. After 24 weeks post-fire, completely and incompletely scorched longleaf pine saplings maintained lower foliar C:N, C:P, and N:P than unburned saplings.</p> Conclusions <p>We found little evidence that crown scorch influences residual foliage N and P concentrations immediately prior to scorched needle abscission. This suggests that post-fire nutrient recovery of longleaf pine saplings is primarily driven by root acquisition or remobilization from surviving tissues.</p>

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Crown scorch severity has little impact on foliar N and P concentrations of longleaf pine saplings prior to post-fire needle abscission

  • 期刊论文

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月2日

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  • John L. Willis,
  • Timothy M. Shearman,
  • J. Morgan Varner,
  • Ajay Sharma,
  • Mary Anne Sayer

摘要

Background

Limiting nutrient loss is an important component of a conservative life history strategy, with relevance for species in fire-prone ecosystems. Substantial research has focused on plant tissue nutrient dynamics associated with seasonal senescence, but little is known about whether plants mitigate nutrient loss from fire-damaged tissues. To explore this question, we compared foliar, branch, and stem carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), total phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) concentrations of unburned longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) saplings to completely scorched (100%) and partially scorched (30–80%) saplings at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 24 weeks post-fire. We also measured soil nitrate (NO3−), ammonium (NH4+), Ca, Mg, total P, and K content under the same framework 2 weeks post-fire.

Results

Burning created patterns in the longleaf pine saplings that varied over time. Soil P, K, and Mg availability was statistically higher near completely scorched saplings compared to unburned saplings 2 weeks post-fire. At the time of scorched needle abscission (4 weeks post-fire), longleaf pine residual foliage and woody tissue N and P concentrations did not statistically differ between completely and incompletely scorched saplings. At this time, however, incompletely scorched sapling foliar N statistically exceeded that of unburned saplings. After 24 weeks post-fire, completely and incompletely scorched longleaf pine saplings maintained lower foliar C:N, C:P, and N:P than unburned saplings.

Conclusions

We found little evidence that crown scorch influences residual foliage N and P concentrations immediately prior to scorched needle abscission. This suggests that post-fire nutrient recovery of longleaf pine saplings is primarily driven by root acquisition or remobilization from surviving tissues.