Seed viability of early maturing alpine ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis subsp. delegatensis) in the Australian Alps, south-eastern Australia, and its implications for management under changing fire regimes
Michael D. Doherty A B C , A. Malcolm Gill A , Geoffrey J. Cary A and Mike P. Austin B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia.
B CSIRO Land and Water, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: michael.doherty@anu.edu.au
Australian Journal of Botany 65(7) 517-523 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT17068
Submitted: 12 April 2017 Accepted: 31 August 2017 Published: 12 October 2017
Abstract
Eucalyptus delegatensis R.T. Baker subsp. delegatensis is an interval-sensitive, fire-killed eucalypt that dominates large tracts of montane forest in the Australian Alps. Although it has been widely accepted in forest management that E. delegatensis takes 20 years to flower and fruit after stand-replacing fire events, recent observations after high intensity fires in the Australian Alps have shown that early flowering and fruiting is occurring from what can be termed ‘precocious’ individuals in some areas. In some instances, early flowering and fruit set is occurring within 6 years after stand-replacing fire. One historical study in the Australian Capital Territory had noted that such seed was viable, but we found no reported experiments documenting this or detailing the degree of viability. Here we discuss the results of a germination experiment undertaken on seed collected from Namadgi National Park from early-maturing alpine ash trees. Although at the low end of known viability estimates for E. delegatensis, seed from these individuals was nonetheless found to be viable, with a mean of 455 (s.d. = 139) germinants per 10 g of chaff and seed mix. We discuss this result in relation to fire management in the Australian Alps and suggest further research that needs to be undertaken to better document and understand the phenomenon.
Additional keywords: climate change and adaptation, eucalypts, fire ecology.
References
Adomeit EM, Austin MP, Hutchinson MF, Stein JL (1977) Annual mean rainfall and temperature surfaces and contour maps of south-eastern Australia. Technical Memorandum 87/15. CSIRO Division of Water Resources Research, Canberra.Arnold ML (2008) ‘Evolution through genetic exchange.’ (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK)
Ashton DH (1976) The development of even-aged stands of Eucalyptus regnans F.Muell. in Central Victoria. Australian Journal of Botany 24, 397–414.
| The development of even-aged stands of Eucalyptus regnans F.Muell. in Central Victoria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ashton DH (1981) The ecology of the boundary between Eucalyptus regnans F.Muell. and E. obliqua L’Herit. in Victoria. Proceedings of the Ecological Society of Australia 11, 75–94.
Ashton DH, Sandiford EM (1988) Natural hybridisation between Eucalyptus regnans F.Muell. and E. macrorhyncha F.Muell. in the Cathedral Range, Victoria. Australian Journal of Botany 36, 1–22.
| Natural hybridisation between Eucalyptus regnans F.Muell. and E. macrorhyncha F.Muell. in the Cathedral Range, Victoria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Austin MP, van Niel K (2011) Impact of landscape predictors on climate change modelling of species distributions: a case study with Eucalyptus fastigata in southern New South Wales, Australia. Journal of Biogeography 38, 9–19.
| Impact of landscape predictors on climate change modelling of species distributions: a case study with Eucalyptus fastigata in southern New South Wales, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Banks SC, Cary GJ, Smith AL, Davies ID, Driscoll DA, Gill AM, Lindenmayer DB, Peakall R (2013) How does ecological disturbance influence genetic diversity? Trends in Ecology & Evolution 28, 670–679.
| How does ecological disturbance influence genetic diversity?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Barrett TW (2006) Modelling burn severity for the 2003 NSW/ACT wildfires using LANDSAT imagery. In ‘Life in a fire-prone environment: translating science into practice’. Proceedings of the Bushfire 2006 Conference, 6–9 June 2006, Brisbane.
Bassett OD, Prior LD, Slijkerman CM, Jamieson D, Bowman DMJS (2015) Aerial sowing stopped the loss of alpine ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis) forests burnt by three short-interval fires in the Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia. Forest Ecology and Management 342, 39–48.
| Aerial sowing stopped the loss of alpine ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis) forests burnt by three short-interval fires in the Alpine National Park, Victoria, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Battaglia M (1993) Seed germination physiology of Eucalyptus delegatensis R.T. Baker in Tasmania. Australian Journal of Botany 41, 119–136.
| Seed germination physiology of Eucalyptus delegatensis R.T. Baker in Tasmania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Boland DJ, Brooker MIH, Turnbull JW, Kleinig DA (1980) ‘Eucalyptus seed.’ (CSIRO Division of Forest Research: Canberra)
Bolotin M (1975) Photoperiodic induction of precocious flowering in a woody species Eucalyptus occidentalis Endl. Botanical Gazette 136, 358–365.
| Photoperiodic induction of precocious flowering in a woody species Eucalyptus occidentalis Endl.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bowman DMJS, Kirkpatrick JB (1986a) Establishment, suppression and growth of Eucalyptus delegatensis R.T. Baker in multiaged forests. I. The effects of fire on mortality and seedling establishment. Australian Journal of Botany 34, 63–72.
| Establishment, suppression and growth of Eucalyptus delegatensis R.T. Baker in multiaged forests. I. The effects of fire on mortality and seedling establishment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bowman DMJS, Kirkpatrick JB (1986b) Establishment, suppression and growth of Eucalyptus delegatensis R.T. Baker in multiaged forests. II. Sapling growth and its environmental correlates. Australian Journal of Botany 34, 73–80.
| Establishment, suppression and growth of Eucalyptus delegatensis R.T. Baker in multiaged forests. II. Sapling growth and its environmental correlates.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bowman DMJS, Murphy BP, Boer MM, Bradstock RA, Cary GJ, Cochrane MA, Fensham RJ, Krawchuk MA, Price OF, Williams RJ (2013) Forest fire management, climate change and the risk of catastrophic carbon losses. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 11, 66–68.
| Forest fire management, climate change and the risk of catastrophic carbon losses.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bowman DMJS, Murphy BP, Neyland DLJ, 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 |
Bowman DMJS, Perry GWL, Marston JB (2015) Feedbacks and landscape-level vegetation dynamics. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 30, 255–260.
| Feedbacks and landscape-level vegetation dynamics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bowman DMJS, Williamson GJ, Prior LD, Murphy BP (2016) The relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in the decline of obligate seeder forests. Global Ecology and Biogeography 25, 1166–1172.
| The relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in the decline of obligate seeder forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brooker MIH, Kleinig DA (2006) ‘Field guide to eucalypts. Vol. 1: South-eastern Australia.’ (3rd edn) (Bloomings Books: Melbourne)
Burrows GE (2013) Buds, bushfires and resprouting in the eucalypts. Australian Journal of Botany 61, 331–349.
| Buds, bushfires and resprouting in the eucalypts.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cary GJ (2002) Importance of a changing climate for fire regimes in Australia. In ‘Flammable Australia: the fire regimes and biodiversity of a continent’. (Eds RA Bradstock, JE Williams, AM Gill) pp. 26–46. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK)
Colloff MJ, Doherty MD, Lavorel S, Dunlop M, Wise RM, Prober SM (2016) Adaptation services and pathways for the management of temperate montane forests under transformational climate change. Climatic Change 138, 267–282.
| Adaptation services and pathways for the management of temperate montane forests under transformational climate change.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cremer KW (1962) The effect of fire on eucalypts reserved for seeding. Australian Forestry 26, 129–154.
| The effect of fire on eucalypts reserved for seeding.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cremer KW, Cromer RN, Florence RG (1984) Stand establishment. In ‘Eucalypts for wood production. (Eds WE Hillis, AG Brown) pp. 81–135. (CSIRO and Academic Press: Sydney)
Cunningham TM (1957) Seed production and seed fall of E. regnans (F.Muell.). Australian Forestry 21, 30–39.
| Seed production and seed fall of E. regnans (F.Muell.).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cunningham TM, Cremer KW (1965) Control of the understorey in wet eucalypt forests. Australian Forestry 29, 4–14.
| Control of the understorey in wet eucalypt forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Doherty MD (1997) Vegetation survey and mapping of Brindabella National Park and adjacent vacant crown lands. A report prepared for NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Queanbeyan District. CSIRO Division of Wildlife and Ecology, Canberra.
Doherty MD, Lavorel S, Colloff MJ, Williams KJ, Williams RJ (2017) Moving from autonomous to planned adaptation in the montane forests of southeastern Australia under changing fire regimes. Austral Ecology 42, 309–316.
| Moving from autonomous to planned adaptation in the montane forests of southeastern Australia under changing fire regimes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ellis RC, Lockett E (1991) The management of high altitude eucalypt forests in Tasmania. In ‘Forest management in Australia’. (Eds FH McKinnell, ER Hopkins, JED Fox) pp. 131–145. (Institute of Foresters Australia and Surrey Beatty & Sons: Sydney)
Enright NJ, Fontaine JB, Bowman DMJS, Bradstock RA, Williams RJ (2015) Interval squeeze: altered fire regimes and demographic responses interact to threaten woody species persistence as climate changes. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 13, 265–272.
| Interval squeeze: altered fire regimes and demographic responses interact to threaten woody species persistence as climate changes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fagg P, Lutze M, Slijkerman C, Ryan M, Bassett O (2013) Silvicultural recovery in ash forests following three large bushfires in Victoria. Australian Forestry 76, 140–155.
| Silvicultural recovery in ash forests following three large bushfires in Victoria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
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 |
Ferguson I (2011) Strategic seedbanks to meet fire risks for Victorian ash-type species. Australian Forestry 74, 97–107.
| Strategic seedbanks to meet fire risks for Victorian ash-type species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fielding JM (1956) Notes on the flowering and seeding of Eucalyptus delegatensis and E. fastigata in the Australian Capital Territory. Australian Forestry 20, 40–43.
| Notes on the flowering and seeding of Eucalyptus delegatensis and E. fastigata in the Australian Capital Territory.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Florentine SK, Westbrooke ME (2004) Effects of windthrow on a stand of Eucalyptus delegatensis (Myrtaceae) and early understorey succession at Snowy River National Park, Victoria. Australian Forestry 67, 54–58.
| Effects of windthrow on a stand of Eucalyptus delegatensis (Myrtaceae) and early understorey succession at Snowy River National Park, Victoria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Forestry Tasmania (2010) Eucalyptus delegatensis forests. Native Forest Silviculture Technical Bulletin No. 2. Forestry Tasmania, Hobart.
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 |
Good R (1992) ‘Kosciusko heritage: the conservation significance of Kosciusko National Park.’ (National Parks and Wildlife Service of New South Wales: Hurstville, NSW)
Grose RJ (1957) A study of some factors associated with the natural regeneration of Eucalyptus delegatensis. Forests Commission of Victoria Bulletin No. 4. Forests Commission of Victoria, Melbourne.
Grose RJ (1963) The Silviculture of Eucalyptus delegatensis. Part 1. Germination and seed dormancy. Bulletin 2. School of Forestry, University of Melbourne, Melbourne.
Hamilton DI, Cowley NB (1991) Southern Tablelands eucalypts of New South Wales. In ‘Forest management in Australia’. (Eds FH McKinnell, ER Hopkins, JED Fox) pp. 170–181. (Institute of Foresters Australia and Surrey Beatty & Sons: Sydney)
House SM (1997) Reproductive biology of eucalypts. In ‘Eucalypt ecology: individuals to ecosystems’. (Eds JE Williams, JCZ Woinarski) pp. 30–55. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK)
Keeley JE, Fotheringham CJ (2000) Role of fire in regeneration from seed. In ‘Seeds: the ecology of regeneration in plant communities’. (2nd edn) (Ed. M Fenner) pp. 311–330. (CAB International: Wallingford, UK)
Kitajima K, Fenner M (2000) Ecology of seedling regeneration. In ‘Seeds: the ecology of regeneration in plant communities’. (2nd edn) (Ed. M Fenner) pp. 331–360. (CAB International: Wallingford, UK)
Lavorel S, Colloff MJ, Mcintyre S, Doherty MD, Murphy HT, Metcalfe DJ, Dunlop M, Williams RJ, Wise RM, Williams KJ (2015) Ecological mechanisms underpinning climate adaptation services. Global Change Biology 21, 12–31.
| Ecological mechanisms underpinning climate adaptation services.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
O’Dowd DJ, Gill AM (1984) Predator satiation and site alteration following fire: mass reproduction of Alpine Ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis) in southeastern Australia. Ecology 65, 1052–1066.
| Predator satiation and site alteration following fire: mass reproduction of Alpine Ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis) in southeastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pausas JG, Keeley JE (2014) Evolutionary ecology of resprouting and seeding in fire-prone ecosystems. New Phytologist 204, 55–65.
| Evolutionary ecology of resprouting and seeding in fire-prone ecosystems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pausas JG, Bradstock RA, Keith DA, Keeley JE, The GCTE (Global Change of Terrestrial Ecosystems) Fire Network (2004) Plant functional traits in relation to fire in crown-fire ecosystems. Ecology 85, 1085–1100.
| Plant functional traits in relation to fire in crown-fire ecosystems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pickett STA (1976) Succession: an evolutionary interpretation. American Naturalist 110, 107–119.
| Succession: an evolutionary interpretation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pryor LD (1953) Genetic control in Eucalyptus distribution. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 78, 8–18.
Pryor LD, Johnson LAS (1971) ‘A classification of the eucalypts.’ (ANU Press: Canberra)
Pryor LD, Chattaway MM, Kloot NH (1956) The inheritance of wood and bark characters in Eucalyptus. Australian Journal of Botany 4, 216–239.
| The inheritance of wood and bark characters in Eucalyptus.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sebire I, Fagg P (2009) High elevation mixed species in Victoria’s State Forests. Silviculture Reference Manual No. 2. Department of Sustainability and Environment: Melbourne.
Stephens SL, Agee JK, Fule PZ, North MP, Romme WH, Swetnam TW (2013) Managing forests and fire in changing climates. Science 342, 41–42.
| Managing forests and fire in changing climates.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3sXhsF2jtrjE&md5=b13c6d176a5bdf0e062e16352d81459fCAS |
Takeno K (2012) Stress-induced flowering. In ‘Abiotic stress responses in plants: metabolism, productivity and sustainability. (Eds P Ahmad, MNV Prassad) pp. 331–346. (Springer: New York)
Vivian LM, Cary GJ, Bradstock RA, Gill AM (2008) Influence of fire severity on the regeneration, recruitment and distribution of eucalypts in the Cotter River Catchment, Australian Capital Territory. Austral Ecology 33, 55–67.
| Influence of fire severity on the regeneration, recruitment and distribution of eucalypts in the Cotter River Catchment, Australian Capital Territory.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Waters DA, Burrows GE, Harper JDI (2010) Eucalyptus regnans (Myrtaceae): a fire-sensitive eucalypt with a resprouter epicormic structure. American Journal of Botany 97, 545–556.
| Eucalyptus regnans (Myrtaceae): a fire-sensitive eucalypt with a resprouter epicormic structure.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Williams RJ, Bradstock RA, Matthews S, Price OF, Sullivan AL, Watson P (2011) Climate change, fire regimes and risk in Australian landscapes: lessons for adaptation. Report to the Australian Government Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences, Darwin.
Wright GT, Robertson G (2014) Alpine Ash recovery from the 2003 landscape fires, Kosciuszko National Park, NSW. NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Queanbeyan.
Zylstra P (2006) ‘Fire history of the Australian Alps: prehistory to 2003.’ (Australian Alps National Parks Liaison Committee: Canberra)
