Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
55. Cypert, E. 1973. Plant succession on burned areas in Okefenokee Swamp following
the fires of 1954 and 1955. Proc. Tall Timbers Fire Ecol. Conf. 12:199-217.
The three areas severely burned in 1954 and 1955 are all returning to swamp forest. Coppice growth rapidly replaces trees if the root systems are not killed by fire, even when shallow layers of peat are also burned. It thus seems that extremely severe or repeated fires are necessary to develop Okefenokee prairies (marshes). Fire appears responsible for the mosaic of habitats in the swamp. Either total exclusion of fire or completely uncontrolled fire would be detrimental to swamp wildlife. [K-L-S]
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/literatr/firewild/bib/055.htm
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