Fire exclusion and soil texture interact to influence temperate grassland flora in south-eastern Australia
Claire Moxham A D , Josh Dorrough B , Mick Bramwell C and Brad J. Farmilo A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Arthur Rylah Institute, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, PO Box 137, Heidelberg, Vic. 3084, Australia.
B Natural Regeneration Australia, PO Box 9103, Wyndham, NSW 2550, Australia.
C Gippsland Region, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, 574 Main Street, Bairnsdale Vic. 3875, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: Claire.Moxham@delwp.vic.gov.au
Australian Journal of Botany 64(5) 417-426 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT16056
Submitted: 23 March 2016 Accepted: 6 July 2016 Published: 5 August 2016
Abstract
Fire has a major influence on the structure and composition of temperate grasslands and woodlands. We investigated whether the impacts of fire exclusion on a temperate grassland plant community varied according to the scale of investigation and soil texture. Ten sites with known fire histories were selected along a soil texture gradient in south-eastern Australia. Floristics and ground layer attributes were investigated at small (0.25 m2) and large (100 m2) spatial scales in regularly burnt and unburnt grasslands. Fire exclusion over a 10 year period led to declines in native species diversity, richness and cover at both spatial scales and in most cases effects were consistent regardless of soil texture. However, the richness of native plant species at small scales and the cover of native plants at large scales were most negatively influenced by fire exclusion on fine textured soils. Conversely, at large scales, exotic plant richness and cover were only weakly increased by fire exclusion. Responses of eight common species were modelled and in seven of these, fire exclusion was a strong predictor of occurrence, although both positive and negative responses were observed. These results reiterate the importance of frequent fire as a management tool in temperate grasslands, but also shed light on how sites may require specific fire management regimes depending on the underlying soil texture.
Additional keywords: plant community composition, spatial scale, Themeda.
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