The effects of fire on plants, fungi and vegetation communities

This is the second Note in the Land for Wildlife fire series and looks at the effects of fire on plants, fungi and vegetation communities. Plants and fungi respond in different ways to fire; some species regenerate quickly after fire, others undergo mass flowering and fruiting, some germinate, and others contract or perish from exposure to fire. For some plant and fungi species, fire plays an important role in their lifecycle. At a broader scale, fire can be an important determinant of vegetation communities and can help form boundaries between vegetation communities.