Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Australian Journal of Botany Australian Journal of Botany Society
Southern hemisphere botanical ecosystems
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Recovery of subalpine grasslands 15 years after landscape level fires

Brodie Verrall A B and Catherine Marina Pickering A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Environment Futures Research Institute, Griffith University, Gold Coast Mail Centre, Qld 4222, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: brodie.verrall@griffithuni.edu.au

Australian Journal of Botany 67(5) 425-436 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT19020
Submitted: 17 February 2019  Accepted: 9 August 2019   Published: 23 September 2019

Abstract

As conditions warm, previously rare landscape level fires are more likely to affect vegetation in the Australian Alps including in subalpine grasslands. The recovery of this community was assessed using paired unburnt and burnt plots (30 × 20 m) at 10 sites 15 years after largescale fires that burnt >70% of the subalpine zone in Kosciuszko National Park. There were few significant differences found: higher cover of shrubs (17.8% burnt vs 11.3% unburnt plots), and taller vegetation (22.6 vs 19 cm). However, vegetation cover (97%), species richness (38 taxa), composition and limited presence of invasive plants (10 species, 8.5% cover) were not significantly different. This differs from results six weeks and one year post-fire, when there were clear differences in the cover and composition of vegetation. These results indicate that subalpine grasslands recover from single fires, but with warmer and drier conditions becoming more common, and repeat fires in some areas, the distribution, structure and composition of this and other communities in the Australian Alps will change.

Additional keywords: Australian Alps, fire ecology, Kosciuszko National Park, vegetation cover, vegetation recovery.


References

Barlow BA (1986) ‘Flora and fauna of alpine Australasia: ages and origins.’ (CSIRO: Melbourne)

Barrow MD, Costin AB, Lake P (1968) Cyclical changes in an Australian fjaeldmark community. Journal of Ecology 56, 89–96.
Cyclical changes in an Australian fjaeldmark community.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bear R, Hill W, Pickering CM (2006) Distribution and diversity of exotic plant species in montane to alpine areas of Kosciuszko National Park. Cunninghamia 9, 559–570.

Bear R, Pickering CM (2006) Recovery of subalpine grasslands from bushfire. Australian Journal of Botany 54, 451–458.
Recovery of subalpine grasslands from bushfire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Billings WD (1974) Arctic and alpine vegetation: plant adaptations to cold summer climates. In ‘Arctic and Alpine environments’. (Eds JD Ives, RG Barry) pp. 403–443. (Methuen: London)

Bond WJ, Keeley JE (2005) Fire as a global ‘herbivore’: the ecology and evolution of flammable ecosystems. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 20, 387–394.
Fire as a global ‘herbivore’: the ecology and evolution of flammable ecosystems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bowman DM, Murphy BP, Neyland DL, Williamson GJ, Prior LD (2014) Abrupt fire regime change may cause landscape wide loss of mature obligate seeder forests. Global Change Biology 20, 1008–1015.
Abrupt fire regime change may cause landscape wide loss of mature obligate seeder forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24132866PubMed |

Bradstock R, Penman T, Boer M, Price O, Clarke H (2014) Divergent responses of fire to recent warming and drying across south‐eastern Australia. Global Change Biology 20, 1412–1428.
Divergent responses of fire to recent warming and drying across south‐eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24151212PubMed |

Bridle KL, Kirkpatrick JB, Cullen P, Shepherd RR (2001) Recovery in alpine heath and grassland following burning and grazing, Eastern Central Plateau, Tasmania, Australia. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 33, 348–356.
Recovery in alpine heath and grassland following burning and grazing, Eastern Central Plateau, Tasmania, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Bryant WG (1973) The effect of grazing and burning on a mountain grassland, Snowy Mountains, New South Wales. Journal of the Soil Conservation Service of New South Wales 29, 1–16.

Camac JS, Williams RJ, Wahren CH, Hoffmann AA, Vesk PA (2017) Climatic warming strengthens a positive feedback between alpine shrubs and fire. Global Change Biology 23, 3249–3258.
Climatic warming strengthens a positive feedback between alpine shrubs and fire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28063181PubMed |

Carr SG, Turner JS (1959) The ecology of the Bogong High Plains. Australian Journal of Botany 7, 12–33.
The ecology of the Bogong High Plains.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Cary GJ (2005) Research priorities arising from the 2002–2003 bushfire season in south-eastern Australia. Australian Forestry 68, 104–111.
Research priorities arising from the 2002–2003 bushfire season in south-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Chapman M, Underwood A (1999) Ecological patterns in multivariate assemblages: information and interpretation of negative values in ANOSIM tests. Marine Ecology Progress Series 180, 257–265.
Ecological patterns in multivariate assemblages: information and interpretation of negative values in ANOSIM tests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Clarke KR (1993) Non-parametric multivariate analyses of changes in community structure. Australian Journal of Ecology 18, 117–143.
Non-parametric multivariate analyses of changes in community structure.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Clarke KR, Gorley RN (2006) PRIMER for Windows, Version 6. PRIMER-E: Plymouth, USA.

Costin AB (1954) ‘A study of the ecosystems of the Monaro region of New South Wales with special reference to soil erosion.’ (Soil Conservation Service of New South Wales: Sydney)

Costin AB (1959) Vegetation of high mountains in Australia in relation to land use. In ‘Biogeography and ecology in Australia’. (Eds A Keast, RL Crocker, CS Christian) pp. 427–451. (Springer: Dordrecht)

Costin AB, Gray M, Totterdell CJ, Wimbush DJ (2000) ‘Kosciuszko Alpine flora.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne)

Davis NE, Bennett A, Forsyth DM, Bowman DM, Lefroy EC, Wood SW, Woolnough PW, Hampton JO, Johnson CN (2016) A systematic review of the impacts and management of introduced deer (family Cervidae) in Australia. Wildlife Research 43, 515–532.
A systematic review of the impacts and management of introduced deer (family Cervidae) in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Doherty MD, Wright G, McDougall KL (2015) The flora of Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales: Summary and overview. Cunninghamia 15, 13–68.

Fairman TA, Nitschke CR, Bennett LT (2016) Too much, too soon? A review of the effects of increasing wildfire frequency on tree mortality and regeneration in temperate eucalypt forests. International Journal of Wildland Fire 25, 831–848.
Too much, too soon? A review of the effects of increasing wildfire frequency on tree mortality and regeneration in temperate eucalypt forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gallagher RV, Hughes L, Leishman MR (2009) Phenological trends among Australian alpine species: using herbarium records to identify climate-change indicators. Australian Journal of Botany 57, 1–9.
Phenological trends among Australian alpine species: using herbarium records to identify climate-change indicators.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gandoger MM (1899) Note Sur La Flore Du Mont Kosciusko (Australie Méridionale). Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France 46, 391–394.
Note Sur La Flore Du Mont Kosciusko (Australie Méridionale).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gill AM (1975) Fire and the Australian flora: a review. Australian Forestry 38, 4–25.
Fire and the Australian flora: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gill AM (1981) Adaptive responses of Australian vascular plant species to fires. In ‘Fire and the Australian biota’. (Eds A Gill, R Groves, I Noble) pp. 243–271. (Australian Academy of Science: Canberra)

Gill AM, Zylstra P (2005) Flammability of Australian forests. Australian Forestry 68, 87–93.
Flammability of Australian forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Good RB (1982) The effects of prescribed burning in the subalpine area of Kosciuszko National Park. MSc Thesis, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

Good RB (1992) Fire management in the Australian Alps. Revue de Geographie Alpine 80, 39–63.
Fire management in the Australian Alps.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Green K, Osborne WS (2012) ‘Field guide to wildlife of the Australian snow-country.’ (New Holland Publishers: Sydney)

Grime JP (2006) ‘Plant strategies, vegetation processes, and ecosystem properties.’ (John Wiley and Sons: New Jersey)

Growcock AJ, Pickering CM, Johnston SW (2004) Walking on ashes: short term impacts of experimental trampling on soils after bushfire. Victorian Naturalist 121, 199–206.

Happold DC (1998) The subalpine climate at Smiggin Holes, Kosciusko National Park, Australia, and its influence on the biology of small mammals. Arctic and Alpine Research 30, 241–251.
The subalpine climate at Smiggin Holes, Kosciusko National Park, Australia, and its influence on the biology of small mammals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Harden GJ (1992) ‘Flora of New South Wales.’ (New South Wales University Press: Sydney)

Helms R (1893) Report on the grazing leases of the Mount Kosciusko plateau. Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales 4, 530–531.

Hennessy K, Whetton P, Smith I, Bathols J, Hutchinson M, Sharples J (2003) ‘The impact of climate change on snow conditions in mainland Australia. Report to Department of the Environment and Heritage.’ (Department of the Environment and Heritage, CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research: Aspendale) Available at: http://www.cmar.csiro.au/e-print/open/hennessy_2003a.pdf (accessed 21 January 2019)

Hennessy K, Lucas C, Nicholls N, Bathols J, Suppiah R, Ricketts J (2005) Climate change impacts on fire-weather in south-east Australia. Report to Department of the Environment and Heritage. CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Aspendale. Available at: http://www.cmar.csiro.au/e-print/open/hennessykj_2005b.pdf (accessed 21 January 2019).

Hennessy KJ, Whetton PH, Walsh K, Smith IN, Bathols JM, Hutchinson M, Sharples J (2008) Climate change effects on snow conditions in mainland Australia and adaptation at ski resorts through snowmaking. Climate Research 35, 255–270.
Climate change effects on snow conditions in mainland Australia and adaptation at ski resorts through snowmaking.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hone J (2002) Feral pigs in Namadgi National Park, Australia: dynamics, impacts and management. Biological Conservation 105, 231–242.
Feral pigs in Namadgi National Park, Australia: dynamics, impacts and management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Hone J (2012) ‘Applied population and community ecology: the case of feral pigs in Australia.’ (John Wiley and Sons: Brisbane)

IBM (2016) IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 24.0. IBM Corporation, Armonk, USA.

Johnston FM, Johnston SW (2003) WeedWeeds set to flourish following fires. Victorian Naturalist 120, 194–197.

Johnston FM, Johnston SW (2004) Impacts of road disturbance on soil properties and on exotic plant occurrence in subalpine areas of the Australian Alps. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 36, 201–207.
Impacts of road disturbance on soil properties and on exotic plant occurrence in subalpine areas of the Australian Alps.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kirkpatrick JB, Bridle KL (1998) Environmental relationships of floristic variation in the alpine vegetation of southeast Australia. Journal of Vegetation Science 9, 251–260.
Environmental relationships of floristic variation in the alpine vegetation of southeast Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kirkpatrick JB, Bridle KL (2013) Natural and cultural histories of fire differ between Tasmanian and mainland Australian alpine vegetation. Australian Journal of Botany 61, 465–474.
Natural and cultural histories of fire differ between Tasmanian and mainland Australian alpine vegetation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kirkpatrick JB, Dickinson KJM (1984) The impact of fire on Tasmanian alpine vegetation and soils. Australian Journal of Botany 32, 613–629.
The impact of fire on Tasmanian alpine vegetation and soils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kirkpatrick JB, Bridle KL, Wild AS (2002) Succession after fire in alpine vegetation on Mount Wellington, Tasmania. Australian Journal of Botany 50, 145–154.
Succession after fire in alpine vegetation on Mount Wellington, Tasmania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Körner C (2003) ‘Alpine plant life: functional plant ecology of high mountain ecosystems.’ (Springer Science and Business Media: Dordrecht)

Leaver B, Good R (2004) Fire values. In ‘An assessment of the values of Kosciuszko National Park: a report to the independent scientific committee’. pp. 117–128. (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Department: Sydney)

Leigh JH, Wimbush DJ, Wood DH, Holgate MD, Slee AV, Stanger MG, Forrester RI (1987) Effects of rabbit grazing and fire on a subalpine environment. I. Herbaceous and shrubby vegetation. Australian Journal of Botany 35, 433–464.
Effects of rabbit grazing and fire on a subalpine environment. I. Herbaceous and shrubby vegetation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Mallen-Cooper J (1990) Introduced plants in the high altitude environments of Kosciuszko National Park, South-eastern Australia. PhD Thesis, Department of Biogeography and Geomorphology, Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

McCune B, Grace JB, Urban DL (2002) Analysis of ecological communities (Vol. 28). MjM Software Design, Gleneden Beach.

McDougall KL, Walsh NG (2007) Treeless vegetation of the Australian Alps. Cunninghamia 10, 1–57.

McDougall KL, Morgan JW, Walsh NG, Williams RJ (2005) Plant invasions in treeless vegetation of the Australian Alps. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 7, 159–171.
Plant invasions in treeless vegetation of the Australian Alps.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

McDougall KL, Walsh NG, Wright GT (2015) Recovery of treeless subalpine vegetation in Kosciuszko National Park after the landscape-scale fire of 2003. Australian Journal of Botany 63, 597–607.
Recovery of treeless subalpine vegetation in Kosciuszko National Park after the landscape-scale fire of 2003.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

McVean D (1969) Alpine vegetation of the Central Snowy Mountains of New South Wales. Journal of Ecology 57, 67–86.
Alpine vegetation of the Central Snowy Mountains of New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Miller BP, Murphy BP (2017) Fire and Australian vegetation. In ‘Australian vegetation’. (Ed. DA Keith) pp. 113–128. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK)

Mooney SD (2004) ‘Looking back as a way forward: pre-historic fire in the high-altitude ecosystems of mainland south-eastern Australia.’ Report to Department of Environment and Conservation. (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: Sydney)

Mooney SD, Harrison SP, Bartlein PJ, Daniau AL, Stevenson J, Brownlie KC, Buckman S, Cupper M, Luly J, Black M, Colhoun E (2011) Late Quaternary fire regimes of Australasia. Quaternary Science Reviews 30, 28–46.
Late Quaternary fire regimes of Australasia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Murphy BP, Prior LD, Cochrane MA, Williamson GJ, Bowman DM (2019) Biomass consumption by surface fires across Earth’s most fire prone continent. Global Change Biology 25, 254–268.
Biomass consumption by surface fires across Earth’s most fire prone continent.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 30270480PubMed |

NPWS (New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service) (2018) ‘Fire history – wildfires and prescribed burns.’ (Office of Environment and Heritage, Fire and Incident Management: Sydney) Available at: https://www.datasets.seed.nsw.gov.au/dataset/fire-history-wildfires-and-prescribed-burns-1e8b6 (accessed 21 January 2019)

Paton DM (1988) Genesis of an inverted treeline associated with a frost hollow in south-eastern Australia. Australian Journal of Botany 36, 655–663.
Genesis of an inverted treeline associated with a frost hollow in south-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Pickering CM, Venn SE (2013) ‘Increasing the resilience of the Australian flora to climate change and associated threats: a plant functional traits approach.’ (National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility Publishing: Gold Coast)

Pickering CM, Appleby M, Good R, Hill W, McDougall KL, Wimbush D, Woods D (2002) Plant diversity in subalpine and alpine vegetation recorded in the Kosciuszko 2002 Biodiversity Blitz. In ‘Biodiversity in the mountains’. (Ed. K Green) pp. 27–46. (Australian Institute of Alpine Studies: Canberra)

Pickering CM, Hill W, Green K (2008) Vascular plant diversity and climate change in the alpine zone of the Snowy Mountains, Australia. Biodiversity and Conservation 17, 1627–1644.
Vascular plant diversity and climate change in the alpine zone of the Snowy Mountains, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Sánchez-Bayo F, Green K (2013) Australian snowpack disappearing under the influence of global warming and solar activity. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 45, 107–118.
Australian snowpack disappearing under the influence of global warming and solar activity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Scherrer P, Wimbush D, Wright G (2004) ‘The assessment of pre and post 2003 wildfire data collected from subalpine transects in Kosciuszko National Park.’ Report to Department of Environment and Conservation. (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: Sydney)

Tolsma AD, Read SM, Tolhurst KG (2007) Roots of Australian alpine plant species contain high levels of stored carbohydrates independent of post-fire regeneration strategy. Australian Journal of Botany 55, 771–779.
Roots of Australian alpine plant species contain high levels of stored carbohydrates independent of post-fire regeneration strategy.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Venn SE, Pickering CM, Green K (2014) Spatial and temporal functional changes in alpine summit vegetation are driven by increases in shrubs and graminoids. AoB Plants 6, 1–15.
Spatial and temporal functional changes in alpine summit vegetation are driven by increases in shrubs and graminoids.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Venn SE, Kirkpatrick JB, McDougall K, Walsh N, Whinam J, Williams RJ (2017) Alpine, sub-alpine and sub-Antarctic vegetation of Australia. In ‘Australian vegetation’. (Ed. DA Keith) pp. 461–489. (Cambridge University Press: Melbourne)

Wahren CH, Walsh NG (2000) ‘Impact of fire in treeless subalpine vegetation at Mt Buffalo National Park, 1982–1999.’ Report to the Australian Alps Liaison Committee. (La Trobe University: Melbourne)

Wahren CH, Papst WA, Williams RJ (2001) Early post‐fire regeneration in subalpine heathland and grassland in the Victorian Alpine National Park, south‐eastern Australia. Austral Ecology 26, 670–679.
Early post‐fire regeneration in subalpine heathland and grassland in the Victorian Alpine National Park, south‐eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wahren CH, Camac JS, Jarrad FC, Williams RJ, Papst WA, Hoffmann AA (2013) Experimental warming and long-term vegetation dynamics in an alpine heathland. Australian Journal of Botany 61, 36–51.
Experimental warming and long-term vegetation dynamics in an alpine heathland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wales NS (2006) ‘Kosciuszko National Park Plan of Management. Report for Department of Environment and Conservation.’ (NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: Sydney)

Walsh NG, McDougall KL (2004) Progress in the recovery of the flora of treeless subalpine vegetation in Kosciuszko National Park after the 2003 fires. Cunninghamia 8, 439–452.

Whelan RJ, Rodgerson LO, Dickman CR, Sutherland EF (2002) Critical life cycles of plants and animals: developing a process-based understanding of population changes in fire-prone landscapes. In ‘Flammable Australia: the fire regimes and biodiversity of a continent’. (Eds RA Bradstock, JE Williams) pp. 94–124. (Cambridge University Press: Melbourne)

Williams RJ (1990) Growth of subalpine shrubs and snowgrass following a rare occurrence of frost and drought in southeastern Australia. Arctic and Alpine Research 22, 412–422.
Growth of subalpine shrubs and snowgrass following a rare occurrence of frost and drought in southeastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Williams RJ, Ashton DH (1987) Effects of disturbance and grazing by cattle on the dynamics of heathland and grassland communities on the Bogong High Plains, Victoria. Australian Journal of Botany 35, 413–431.
Effects of disturbance and grazing by cattle on the dynamics of heathland and grassland communities on the Bogong High Plains, Victoria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Williams RJ, Costin AB (1994) Alpine and subalpine vegetation. In ‘Australian vegetation’. (Ed. RH Groves) pp. 467–500. (Cambridge University Press: Melbourne)

Williams RJ, Wahren CH (2005) Potential impacts of global change on vegetation in Australian Alpine landscapes: climate change, land-use, vegetation dynamics and biodiversity conservation. In ‘Global change and mountain regions’. (Eds UM Huber, HKM Bugmann, MA Reasoner) pp. 401–408. (Springer: Dordrecht)

Williams RJ, Wahren CH, Tolsma AD, Sanecki GM, Papst WA, Myers BA, Green K (2008) Large fires in Australian alpine landscapes: their part in the historical fire regime and their impacts on alpine biodiversity. International Journal of Wildland Fire 17, 793–808.
Large fires in Australian alpine landscapes: their part in the historical fire regime and their impacts on alpine biodiversity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wimbush DJ, Costin AB (1979a) Trends in vegetation at Kosciusko. 1. Grazing trials in the subalpine zone, 1957–1971. Australian Journal of Botany 27, 741–787.
Trends in vegetation at Kosciusko. 1. Grazing trials in the subalpine zone, 1957–1971.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wimbush DJ, Costin AB (1979b) Trends in vegetation at Kosciusko. II. Subalpine range transects, 1959–1978. Australian Journal of Botany 27, 789–831.
Trends in vegetation at Kosciusko. II. Subalpine range transects, 1959–1978.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Worboys G (2003) A brief report on the 2003 Australian Alps bushfires. Mountain Research and Development 23, 294–295.
A brief report on the 2003 Australian Alps bushfires.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Zylstra P (2006) ‘Fire history of the Australian Alps. Prehistory to 2003.’ (Australian Alps Liaison Committee: Canberra)

Zylstra P (2016) Explaining feedbacks between fire and flammability in the Snowgums and beyond. Australasian Plant Conservation 24, 14–15.

Zylstra P (2018) Flammability dynamics in the Australian Alps. Austral Ecology 43, 578–591.
Flammability dynamics in the Australian Alps.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |