Comparative Leaf Water Potentiais of Plants in Burnt and Unburnt Dry Sclerophyll Vegetation

Abstract

Leaf (xylem) water potentials were measured in summer and autumn on four species, Eucalyptus fasciculosa, Pultenaea daphnoides, Platylobium obtusangulum and Acacia myrtifolia growing in the understorey of sclerophyll stringybark vegetation in the Mt Lofty Ranges, South Australia. Plants regenerating in an area burnt by bushfire 2 years previously were compared with plants in an adjacent unburnt area. The Acacia was killed by fire and subsequently regenerated from seed. The other three species survived and resprouted from basal or epicormic buds. It was expected that shrubs regenerating from basal buds would be better hydrated in summer, as a large intact root system would supply a reduced canopy, and that seedlings, with smaller root systems than unburnt adults, would be more stressed. The Acacia was indeed significantly more stressed during summer in the burnt area. However the Platylobium was also more stressed than the controls, while the Pultenaea showed no significant differences between burnt and control areas. The Eucalyptus showed no differences between sites, nor between any of the three sampling times. The more negative water potentials of some of the regenerating plants are explained by greater exposure of surface soil on the burnt site, leading to more rapid drying of the surface soil in summer.