Time since fire and average fire interval are the best predictors of Phytophthora cinnamomi activity in heathlands of south-western Australia
Nicole Moore A B , Sarah Barrett A , Kay Howard B , Michael D. Craig B C D , Barbara Bowen B , Bryan Shearer A B and Giles Hardy B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Parks and Wildlife Albany District, 120 Albany Highway, Albany, WA 6330, Australia.
B Centre for Phytophthora Science and Management, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
C School of Plant Biology, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: m.craig@murdoch.edu.au
Australian Journal of Botany 62(7) 587-593 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT14188
Submitted: 11 August 2014 Accepted: 21 November 2014 Published: 19 February 2015
Abstract
Fires are features of ecological communities in much of Australia; however, very little is still known about the potential impact of fire on plant diseases in the natural environment. Phytophthora cinnamomi is an introduced soil-borne plant pathogen with a wide host range, affecting a large proportion of native plant species in Australia and other regions of the world, but its interaction with fire is poorly understood. An investigation of the effects of fire on P. cinnamomi activity was undertaken in the Stirling Range National Park of south-western Australia, where fire is used as a management tool to reduce the negative impact of wildfires and more than 60% of the park is infested with, and 48% of woody plant species are known to be susceptible to, P. cinnamomi. At eight sites confirmed to be infested with P. cinnamomi, the proportion of dead and dying susceptible species was used as a proxy for P. cinnamomi activity. Subset modelling was used to determine the interactive effects of latest fire interval, average fire interval, soil water-holding capacity and pH on P. cinnamomi activity. It was found that the latest and average fire interval were the variables that best explained the variation in the percentage of dead and dying susceptible species among sites, indicating that fire in P. cinnamomi-infested communities has the potential to increase both the severity and extent of disease in native plant communities.
Additional keywords: Phytophthora dieback, Stirling Range National Park, susceptible.
References
Barber BA, Burgess TJ, Hardy GEStJ, Slippers B, Keane PJ, Wingfield MJ (2005) Botryosphaeria species from Eucalyptus in Australia are pleoanamorphic, producing Dichomera syanamorphs in culture. Mycological Research 109, 1347–1363.| Botryosphaeria species from Eucalyptus in Australia are pleoanamorphic, producing Dichomera syanamorphs in culture.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXhtF2rur7I&md5=78b2b7e8fa786c0ba120950af951a894CAS |
Barrett SR (2000) ‘Montane heath and thicket of the south west botanical province, above approximately 900 m above sea level (Eastern Stirling Range montane heath and thicket community). Interim recovery plan 1999–2002.’ (Department of Conservation & Land Management: Perth)
Barrett SR (2005) ‘Montane mallee thicket of the Stirling Range interim recovery plan (mallee–heath and mallee–thicket community on mid to upper slopes of Stirling Range Mountains and hills) 2004–2009.’ (Department of Conservation and Land Management: Albany, WA)
Barrett S, Gillen K (1997) Mountain protected areas of south Western Australia. Parks: The International Journal of Protected Areas and Conservation 7, 23–30.
Barrett SR, Shearer BL, Crane CE, Cochrane A (2008) An extinction-risk assessment tool for flora threatened by Phytophthora cinnamomi. Australian Journal of Botany 56, 477–486.
| An extinction-risk assessment tool for flora threatened by Phytophthora cinnamomi.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bates BC, Hope P, Ryan B, Smith I, Charles S (2008) Key findings from the Indian Ocean Climate Initiative and their impact on policy development in Australia. Climatic Change 89, 339–354.
| Key findings from the Indian Ocean Climate Initiative and their impact on policy development in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Beh MM, Metz MR, Frangioso KM, Rizzo DM (2012) The key host for an invasive forest pathogen also facilitates the pathogen’s survival of wildfire in California forests. New Phytologist 196, 1145–1154.
| The key host for an invasive forest pathogen also facilitates the pathogen’s survival of wildfire in California forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 23046069PubMed |
Bell DT, Koch JM (1980) Post-fire succession in the northern jarrah forest of Western Australia. Australian Journal of Ecology 5, 9–14.
| Post-fire succession in the northern jarrah forest of Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bell DT, Hopkins AJM, Pate JS (1984) Fire in the kwongan. In ‘Kwongan: plant life of the sandplain’. (Eds JS Pate, JS Beard) pp. 178–204. (University of Western Australia: Perth)
Bishop CL, Wardell-Johnson GW, Williams MR (2010) Community-level changes in Banksia woodland following plant pathogen invasion in the Southwest Australian Floristic Region. Journal of Vegetation Science 21, 888–898.
| Community-level changes in Banksia woodland following plant pathogen invasion in the Southwest Australian Floristic Region.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bowman DJMS (2003) Australian landscape burning: a continent and evolutionary perspective. In ‘Fire in ecosystems of south-west Western Australia: impacts and management’. (Eds I Abbott, N Burrows) pp. 107–118. (Backhuys Publishers: Leiden, The Netherlands)
Bradstock RA, Bedward M, Scott J, Keith DA (1996) Simulation of the effect of spatial and temporal variation in fire regimes on the population viability of a Banksia species. Conservation Biology 10, 776–784.
| Simulation of the effect of spatial and temporal variation in fire regimes on the population viability of a Banksia species.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brown MJ, Balmer J, Podger FD (2002) Vegetation change over 20 years at Bathurst Harbour, Tasmania. Australian Journal of Botany 50, 499–510.
| Vegetation change over 20 years at Bathurst Harbour, Tasmania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Burnham KP, Anderson DR (2002) ‘Model selection and multimodel inference: a practical information-theoretic approach.’ 2nd edn. (Springer: New York)
Burrows N (1985) Reducing the abundance of Banksia grandis in the jarrah forest by the use of controlled fire. Australian Forestry 48, 63–70.
| Reducing the abundance of Banksia grandis in the jarrah forest by the use of controlled fire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Burrows N (2008) Linking fire ecology and fire management in south-west Australian forest landscapes. Forest Ecology and Management 255, 2394–2406.
| Linking fire ecology and fire management in south-west Australian forest landscapes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Burrows N, Wardell-Johnson GW (2003) Fire and plant interactions in forested ecosystems of south-west Western Australia. In ‘Fire in ecosystems of south-west Western Australia: impacts and management’. (Eds I Abbott, N Burrows) pp. 225–268. (Backhuys Publishers: Leiden, The Netherlands)
CALM (1999) ‘Stirling Range National Park and Porongorup National Park management plan 1999–2009.’ (Department of Conservation and Land Management: Perth)
Cheal D (2000) Seed regeneration in long-unburnt and recently-burnt heathland at Wyperfeld National Park. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 112, 111–118.
Clarke V (2009) ‘Monitoring the impacts of fire and Phytophthora within the shallow soil plant communities of the Mt Lindesay Threatened Ecological Community, Denmark WA.’ Prepared for Significant Native Species and Ecological Communities – Resource Condition Monitoring Project. (Department of Environment and Conservation: Perth)
Cooke DE, Drenth A, Duncan JM, Wagels G, Brasier CM (2000) A molecular phylogeny of Phytophthora and related Oomycetes. Fungal Genetics and Biology 30, 17–32.
| A molecular phylogeny of Phytophthora and related Oomycetes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXmtlekt78%3D&md5=0230b3175b907a840522d04989a741d5CAS | 10955905PubMed |
Dawson P, Weste G, Ashton D (1985) Regeneration of vegetation in the Brisbane Ranges after fire and infestation by Phytophthora cinnamomi. Australian Journal of Botany 33, 15–26.
| Regeneration of vegetation in the Brisbane Ranges after fire and infestation by Phytophthora cinnamomi.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Environment Australia (2001) ‘Threat abatement plan for the dieback caused by the root-rot fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi.’ (Environment Australia: Canberra)
Erwin DC (1983) Variability among and within species of Phytophthora. In ‘Phytophthora: its biology, taxonomy, ecology and pathology’. (Eds DC Erwin, S Barnicki-Garcia, PH Tsao) pp. 149–165. (American Phytopathological Society Press: St. Paul, MN)
Fisher JL, Loneragan WA, Dixon K, Delaney J, Veneklaas EJ (2009) Altered vegetation structure and composition linked to fire frequency and plant invasion in a biodiverse woodland. Biological Conservation 142, 2270–2281.
| Altered vegetation structure and composition linked to fire frequency and plant invasion in a biodiverse woodland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Groves E, Hardy GEStJ, McComb J (2003) ‘Native garden plants resistant to dieback (Phytophthora cinnamomi).’ (Murdoch University: Murdoch, WA). Available at http://www.cpsm.murdoch.edu.au/ downloads/resources/B_resistantspecies.pdf.[Accessed December 2012]
Hill TCJ, Tippett JT, Shearer BL (1994) Invasion of Bassendean Dune Banksia woodland by Phytophthora cinnamomi. Australian Journal of Botany 42, 725–738.
| Invasion of Bassendean Dune Banksia woodland by Phytophthora cinnamomi.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hobbs RJ, Atkins L (1990) Fire-related dynamics of a Banksia woodland in south-western Western Australia. Australian Journal of Botany 38, 97–110.
| Fire-related dynamics of a Banksia woodland in south-western Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hüberli D, Tommerup IC, Hardy GEStJ (2000) False-negative isolations or absence of lesions may cause mis-diagnosis of diseased plants infected with Phytophthora cinnamomi. Australasian Plant Pathology 29, 164–169.
| False-negative isolations or absence of lesions may cause mis-diagnosis of diseased plants infected with Phytophthora cinnamomi.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hüberli D, Tommerup IC, Dobrowolski MP, Calver MC, Hardy GEStJ (2001) Phenotypic variation of a clonal lineage of two Phytophthora cinnamomi populations from Western Australia. Mycological Research 105, 1053–1064.
| Phenotypic variation of a clonal lineage of two Phytophthora cinnamomi populations from Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Keith DA, McCaw WL, Whelan RJ (2002) Fire regimes in Australian heathlands and their effects on plants and animals. In ‘Flammable Australia: the fire regimes and biodiversity of a continent’. (Eds RA Bradstock, JE Williams, AM Gill) pp. 199–237 (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK)
Lamont BB, Groom PK, Richards MB, Witkowski ETF (1999) Recovery of Banksia and Hakea communities after fire in mediterranean Australia: the role of species identity and functional attributes. Diversity & Distributions 5, 15–26.
| Recovery of Banksia and Hakea communities after fire in mediterranean Australia: the role of species identity and functional attributes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lamont BB, Enright NJ, Witkowski ETF, Groeneveld J (2007) Conservation biology of banksias: insights from natural history to simulation modelling. Australian Journal of Botany 55, 280–292.
| Conservation biology of banksias: insights from natural history to simulation modelling.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Maloney KO, Schmid M, Weller DE (2012) Applying additive modelling and gradient boosting to assess the effects of watershed and reach characteristics on riverine assemblages. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 3, 116–128.
| Applying additive modelling and gradient boosting to assess the effects of watershed and reach characteristics on riverine assemblages.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Marks GC, Kassaby FY, Fogg PC (1975) Variation in population levels of Phytophthora cinnamomi in Eucalyptus forest soils of eastern Victoria. Australian Journal of Botany 23, 435–449.
| Variation in population levels of Phytophthora cinnamomi in Eucalyptus forest soils of eastern Victoria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Meadows IM, Zwart DC, Jeffers SN, Waldrop TA, Bridges WC (2011) Effects of fuel reduction treatments on incidence of Phytophthora species in soil of a southern Appalachian Mountain forest. Plant Disease 95, 811–820.
| Effects of fuel reduction treatments on incidence of Phytophthora species in soil of a southern Appalachian Mountain forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Meney KA, Nielssen GM, Dixon KW (1994) Seed bank patterns in Restionaceae and Epacridaceae after wildfire in kwongan in southwestern Australia. Journal of Vegetation Science 5, 5–12.
| Seed bank patterns in Restionaceae and Epacridaceae after wildfire in kwongan in southwestern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moore NA (2005) Role of fire on Phytophthora cinnamomi in the Stirling Range National Park, Western Australia. BSc(Hons) Thesis, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA.
Moritz MA, Odion DC (2005) Examining the strength and possible causes of the relationship between fire history and Sudden Oak Death. Oecologia 144, 106–114.
| Examining the strength and possible causes of the relationship between fire history and Sudden Oak Death.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 15891855PubMed |
Noble IR, Slatyer RO (1980) The use of vital attributes to predict successional changes in plant communities subject to recurrent disturbances. Vegetatio 43, 5–21.
| The use of vital attributes to predict successional changes in plant communities subject to recurrent disturbances.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
O’Gara E, Howard K, Wilson B, Hardy GEStJ (2005) Management of Phytophthora cinnamomi for biodiversity conservation in Australia. Part 2: national best practice guidelines. A report funded by the Commonwealth Government Department of the Environment and Heritage by the Centre for Phytophthora Science and Management, Murdoch University, Perth.
Podger FD (1999) A national overview of Phytophthora cinnamomi in Australia: Supplementary information to accompany the draft National Threat Abatement Plan. Environmental Australia, Commonwealth Government of Australia, Canberra.
Podger FD, Brown M (1989) Vegetation damage caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi on disturbed site in temperate rainforest in western Tasmania. Australian Journal of Botany 37, 443–480.
| Vegetation damage caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi on disturbed site in temperate rainforest in western Tasmania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Robinson RM, Bougher NL (2003) The response of fungi to fire in jarrah and karri forests of south-west Western Australia. In ‘Fire in ecosystems of south-west Western Australia: impacts and management’. (Eds I Abbott, N Burrows) pp. 269–289. (Backhuys Publishers: Leiden, The Netherlands)
Sage LW, Blankendaal PA, Moylett A, Agar K (2004) The occurrence and impact of Phytophthora cinnamomi in the central western Avon Wheatbelt bioregion of Western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia 87, 15–18.
Schoeneweiss DF (1975) Predisposition, stress, and plant disease. Annual Review of Phytopathology 13, 193–211.
| Predisposition, stress, and plant disease.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Schwartz MW, Hermann SM, Vogel CS (1995) The catastrophic loss of Torreya taxifolia: assessing environmental induction of disease hypotheses. Ecological Applications 5, 501–516.
| The catastrophic loss of Torreya taxifolia: assessing environmental induction of disease hypotheses.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shearer B, Tippett J (1989) ‘Jarrah dieback: the dynamics and management of Phytophthora cinnamomi in the jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest of south-western Australia.’ (Department of Conservation and Land Management: Perth)
Shearer B, Crane CE, Cochrane A (2004) Quantification of the susceptibility of the native flora of the south-west Botanical Province, Western Australia, to Phytophthora cinnamomi. Australian Journal of Botany 52, 435–443.
| Quantification of the susceptibility of the native flora of the south-west Botanical Province, Western Australia, to Phytophthora cinnamomi.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shearer BL, Dillon MJ, Kinal J, Buehrig RM (2010) Temporal and spatial soil inoculum dynamics following Phytophthora cinnamomi invasion of Banksia woodland and Eucalyptus marginata forest biomes of south-western Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology 39, 293–311.
| Temporal and spatial soil inoculum dynamics following Phytophthora cinnamomi invasion of Banksia woodland and Eucalyptus marginata forest biomes of south-western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Treseder KK, Mack MC, Cross A (2004) Relationships among fires, fungi, and soil dynamics in Alaskan boreal forests. Ecological Applications 14, 1826–1838.
| Relationships among fires, fungi, and soil dynamics in Alaskan boreal forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Watson P, Wardell-Johnson G (2004) Fire frequency and time-since-fire effects on the open-forest and woodland flora of Girraween National Park, south-east Queensland, Australia. Austral Ecology 29, 225–236.
| Fire frequency and time-since-fire effects on the open-forest and woodland flora of Girraween National Park, south-east Queensland, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Weil RR (1993) ‘Laboratory manual for introductory soils.’ 6th edn. (Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company: Dubuque, IA)
Weste G (1974) Phytophthora cinnamomi: the cause of severe disease in certain native communities in Victoria. Australian Journal of Botany 22, 1–8.
| Phytophthora cinnamomi: the cause of severe disease in certain native communities in Victoria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wilson BA, Kuehs J, Valentine LE, Sonneman T, Wolfe KM (2014) Guidelines for ecological burning regimes in Mediterranean ecosystems: a case study in Banksia woodlands in Western Australia. Pacific Conservation Biology 20, 57–74.
Yates CJ, Hopper SD, Brown A, Van Leeuwen S (2003) Impact of two wildfires on endemic granite outcrop vegetation in Western Australia. Journal of Vegetation Science 14, 185–194.
| Impact of two wildfires on endemic granite outcrop vegetation in Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Zentmyer GA (1983) The world of Phytophthora. In ‘Phytophthora: its biology, taxonomy, ecology and pathology’. (Eds DC Erwin, S Barnicki-Garcia, PH Tsao) pp. 145–149. (American Phytopathological Society Press: St. Paul, MN)
