Resilience of anostracan cysts to fire

Abstract

California's Mediterranean ecosystems include shrubland and grassland vegetation types that are fire-prone. Dotted within this landscape are ephemeral wetlands called vernal pools. Since surrounding upland vegetation is adapted to survive fire, it is expected that vernal pool organisms should be able to survive as well. One group of animals common to vernal pools are anostracan crustaceans that survive the pool's dry period as encysted embryos. We hydrated anostracan cysts from the soil of a recently burned pool and from soil samples intentionally burned in a prescribed fire. We also sampled burned pools when refilled the next rainy season. We found that anostracan cysts in the soil can survive fire and that shrimp occur in pools in the first post-burn season. This information is important from a management perspective concerning fire effects, controlled or natural, on vernal pools and their rare and endangered species. ©1997 Kluwer Academic Publishers.