Effect of fire factors (smoke, ash, charcoal and heat) on seeds of plant species

Abstract

The effect of the main fire factors (smoke, ash, charcoal and heat) can influence the germination of species through their seeds. Hence, a methodology has been devised in order to have a common protocol for those who work in this area and serve as a valuable tool to compare different species that can be beneficial or detrimental to the conditions of a forest fire. Moreover, the methodology was completed with a check of the viability of the seeds before starting the germination process and another viability test with the non-germinated seeds (dormant or dead) after carrying out the germination test. In this way, the study of the main factors of fire, in combination with the study of the viability of the seeds, can be very useful to know the reproductive behaviour of herbaceous, shrub and tree species in a forest fire scenario. In addition, from the data obtained during the germination process of the seeds, a series of explained parameters can be obtained to better interpret the data acquired from the laboratory experiment and subsequent comparison. For all these reasons, the study of the germination of species in laboratory conditions can help us understand how they behave in the field.