Shrub Seed Banks in Mixed Conifer Forests of Northern California and the Role of Fire in Regulating Abundance
Year of Publication
2012
Publication Type
Understory shrubs play important ecological roles in forests of the western US, but they can also impede early tree growth and lead to fire hazard concerns when very dense. Some of the more common genera (Ceanothus, Arctostaphylos, and Prunus) persist for long periods in the seed bank, even in areas where plants have been shaded out.