This was a late October fire. Surviving bottlebrush squirreltail plants within burned, open saw timber areas had more than twice the vegetative production. Seedling recruitment within open saw timber sites was also greater on burned than control plots. Bottlebrush squirreltail in pole sites and sapling sites showed a more negative response to fire than in open sawtimber sites. No significant phenological differences were found between all burned areas and control.
Seedlings are generally more vulnerable to environmental changes than established plants.
The postfire response of surviving bottlebrush squirreltail plants may result in an increased presence of bottlebrush squirreltail within later postfire stages.