Effect of experimental fire on seedlings of Australian and Gondwanan trees species from a Tasmanian montane vegetation mosaic
Lynda D. Prior A B , Ben J. French A and David M. J. S. Bowman A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Natural Sciences, Private Bag 55, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: lynda.prior@utas.edu.au
Australian Journal of Botany 66(7) 511-517 https://doi.org/10.1071/BT18124
Submitted: 13 June 2018 Accepted: 11 October 2018 Published: 1 November 2018
Abstract
The montane area of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area was recently burnt by large fires ignited by lightning, and such fires are predicted to become more frequent with climate change. The region has a mix of fire-sensitive and fire-tolerant vegetation, but there is little information available on resprouting ability of seedlings of the dominant species of these mosaics. We predicted that seedlings of species found in fire-prone locations would exhibit more post-fire resprouting than seedlings of Gondwanan relictual species, which typically occur in fire-protected locations. To test this hypothesis we compared topkill and resprouting ability of seedlings from five tree species characteristic of the montane vegetation mosaics by exposing them to a propane burner flame for 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 s, simulating a fire intensity of 33 kW m–1. Overall, 93 of 100 flame-exposed plants were topkilled. Topkill was related to duration of flame exposure and seedling size rather than species. By contrast, resprouting of topkilled seedlings was strongly correlated with species rather than seedling size, and was not affected by duration of flame exposure. Contrary to expectations, the rainforest plant Nothofagus cunninghamii was the strongest resprouter, whereas few of the topkilled eucalypt seedlings resprouted. Our study shows the commonly held association between palaeoendemic Gondwanan species and low fire tolerance versus Australian species and high fire tolerance is overly simplistic. We need to better understand fire recovery mechanisms in the Tasmanian flora using a combination of field observation and experimental approaches.
Additional keywords: Athrotaxis cupressoides, Eucalyptus coccifera, Eucalyptus delegatensis subsp. tasmaniensis, Leptospermum lanigerum.
References
Boland DJ, Brooker MIH, Chippendale GM, Hall N, Hyland BPM, Johnson RD, Kleinig DA, McDonald MW, Turner JD (2006) ‘Forest trees of Australia.’ (5th edn) (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne)Bond WJ, Midgley JJ (2001) Ecology of sprouting in woody plants: the persistence niche. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 16, 45–51.
| Ecology of sprouting in woody plants: the persistence niche.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bond WJ, van Wilgen BW (1996) ‘Fire and plants.’ (Chapman & Hall: London)
Bowman DMJS, Kirkpatrick JB (1986) 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, 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 |
Clarke PJ, Lawes MJ, Midgley JJ, Lamont BB, Ojeda F, Burrows GE, Enright NJ, Knox KJE (2013) Resprouting as a key functional trait: how buds, protection and resources drive persistence after fire. New Phytologist 197, 19–35.
| Resprouting as a key functional trait: how buds, protection and resources drive persistence after fire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dodson JR, Mitchell FJG, Bogenholz H, Julian N (1998) Dynamics of temperate rainforest from fine resolution pollen analysis, Upper Ringarooma River, northeastern Tasmania. Australian Journal of Ecology 23, 550–561.
| Dynamics of temperate rainforest from fine resolution pollen analysis, Upper Ringarooma River, northeastern Tasmania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ellis R (1985) The relationships among eucalypt forest, grassland and rainforest in a highland area in north‐eastern Tasmania. Australian Journal of Ecology 10, 297–314.
| The relationships among eucalypt forest, grassland and rainforest in a highland area in north‐eastern Tasmania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
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 |
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 |
Grose MR, Barnes-Keoghan I, Corney SP, White CJ, Holz GK, Bennett JB, Gaynor SM, Bindoff NL (2010) ‘Climate futures for Tasmania: general climate impacts technical report.’ (Hobart: Tasmania)
Harle KJ, Kershaw AP, Macphail MK, Neyland MG (1993) Paleoecological analysis of an isolated stand of Nothofagus cunninghamii (Hook) Oerst in eastern Tasmania. Australian Journal of Ecology 18, 161–170.
| Paleoecological analysis of an isolated stand of Nothofagus cunninghamii (Hook) Oerst in eastern Tasmania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hill RS, Macphail MK, Jordan GJ (2005) Tertiary history and origins of the flora and vegetation. In ‘Vegetation of Tasmania’. (Eds JB Reid, RS Hill, MJ Brown, MJ Hovenden) pp. 39–63. (Australian Biological Resources Study: Canberra)
Hoffmann WA, Adasme R, Haridasan M, de Carvalho MT, Geiger EL, Pereira MAB, Gotsch SG, Franco AC (2009) Tree topkill, not mortality, governs the dynamics of savanna-forest boundaries under frequent fire in central Brazil. Ecology 90, 1326–1337.
| Tree topkill, not mortality, governs the dynamics of savanna-forest boundaries under frequent fire in central Brazil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Holz A, Wood SW, Veblen TT, Bowman DMJS (2015) Effects of high-severity fire drove the population collapse of the subalpine Tasmanian endemic conifer Athrotaxis cupressoides. Global Change Biology 21, 445–458.
| Effects of high-severity fire drove the population collapse of the subalpine Tasmanian endemic conifer Athrotaxis cupressoides.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Howard TM (1973) Studies in ecology of Nothofagus cunninghamii Oerst. 1. Natural regeneration on Mt Donna Buang Massif, Victoria. Australian Journal of Botany 21, 67–78.
| Studies in ecology of Nothofagus cunninghamii Oerst. 1. Natural regeneration on Mt Donna Buang Massif, Victoria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jackson WD (1968) Fire, air, water and earth – an elemental ecology of Tasmania. Proceedings of the Ecological Society of Australia 3, 9–16.
Jackson WD (2005) The Tasmanian environment. In ‘Vegetation of Tasmania’. (Eds JB Reid, RS Hill, MJ Brown, MJ Hovenden) pp. 11–38. (Australian Biological Resources Study: Canberra)
Jordan GJ, Harrison PA, Worth JRP, Williamson GJ, Kirkpatrick JB (2016) Palaeoendemic plants provide evidence for persistence of open, well-watered vegetation since the Cretaceous. Global Ecology and Biogeography 25, 127–140.
| Palaeoendemic plants provide evidence for persistence of open, well-watered vegetation since the Cretaceous.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kirkpatrick JB (1997) ‘Alpine Tasmania: an illustrated guide to the flora and vegetation.’ (Oxford University Press Australia: Melbourne)
Kirkpatrick JB, Backhouse S (2007) ‘Native trees of Tasmania.’ (7th edn) (Pandani Press: Sandy Bay, Tasmania)
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 |
Lawes MJ, Richards A, Dathe J, Midgley JJ (2011) Bark thickness determines fire resistance of selected tree species from fire-prone tropical savanna in north Australia. Plant Ecology 212, 2057–2069.
| Bark thickness determines fire resistance of selected tree species from fire-prone tropical savanna in north Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Marris E (2016) Blazes threaten iconic trees. Nature 530, 137–138.
| Blazes threaten iconic trees.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Michaletz ST, Johnson EA (2007) How forest fires kill trees: A review of the fundamental biophysical processes. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 22, 500–515.
| How forest fires kill trees: A review of the fundamental biophysical processes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Nicholson A, Prior LD, Perry GLW, Bowman DMJS (2017) High post-fire mortality of resprouting woody plants in Tasmanian Mediterranean-type vegetation. International Journal of Wildland Fire 26, 532–537.
| High post-fire mortality of resprouting woody plants in Tasmanian Mediterranean-type vegetation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Nicolle D (2006) A classification and census of regenerative strategies in the eucalypts (Angophora, Corymbia and Eucalyptus – Myrtaceae), with special reference to the obligate seeders. Australian Journal of Botany 54, 391–407.
| A classification and census of regenerative strategies in the eucalypts (Angophora, Corymbia and Eucalyptus – Myrtaceae), with special reference to the obligate seeders.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ondei S, Prior LD, Vigilante T, Bowman DMJS (2016) Post-fire resprouting strategies of rainforest and savanna saplings along the rainforest-savanna boundary in the Australian monsoon tropics. Plant Ecology 217, 711–724.
| Post-fire resprouting strategies of rainforest and savanna saplings along the rainforest-savanna boundary in the Australian monsoon tropics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Parks and Wildlife Service (2018) ‘World heritage values. Flora.’ (Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmania: Hobart). Available at http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=639 [Verified 13 June 2018]
Pausas JG, Pratt RB, Keeley JE, Jacobsen AL, Ramirez AR, Vilagrosa A, Paula S, Kaneakua-Pia IN, Davis SD (2016) Towards understanding resprouting at the global scale. New Phytologist 209, 945–954.
| Towards understanding resprouting at the global scale.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Prior LD, Williamson GJ, Bowman DMJS (2016) Impact of high-severity fire in a Tasmanian dry eucalypt forest. Australian Journal of Botany 64, 193–205.
R Core Team (2016) ‘R: A language and environment for statistical computing.’ (R Foundation for Statistical Computing: Vienna, Austria) Available at http://www.R-project.org/ [Verified 6 May 2017]
Read J (2005) Tasmanian rainforest ecology. In ‘Vegetation of Tasmania’. (Eds JB Reid, RS Hill, MJ Brown, MJ Hovenden) pp. 160–197. (Australian Biological Resources Study: Canberra)
Russell-Smith J, Edwards AC (2006) Seasonality and fire severity in savanna landscapes of monsoonal northern Australia. International Journal of Wildland Fire 15, 541–550.
| Seasonality and fire severity in savanna landscapes of monsoonal northern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Scott JH (2006) Off the Richter: magnitude and intensity scales for wildland fire. In ‘Proceedings of the 3rd international fire ecology and management congress’. (Association for Fire Ecology: San Diego, CA, USA)
Senate ECRC (2016) ‘Responses to, and lessons learnt from, the January and February 2016 bushfires in remote Tasmanian wilderness.’ (Australian Senate Environment and Communications References Committee: Canberra)
Vesk PA, Westoby M (2004) Sprouting ability across diverse disturbances and vegetation types worldwide. Journal of Ecology 92, 310–320.
| Sprouting ability across diverse disturbances and vegetation types worldwide.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wiltshire R, Potts B (2007) ‘EucaFlip. Life-size guide to the eucalypts of Tasmania.’ (School of Plant Science, University of Tasmania: Hobart)
Wood SW, Ward C, Bowman DMJS (2017) Substrate controls growth rates of the woody pioneer Leptospermum lanigerum colonizing montane grasslands in northern Tasmania. Austral Ecology 42, 9–19.
| Substrate controls growth rates of the woody pioneer Leptospermum lanigerum colonizing montane grasslands in northern Tasmania.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Worth JRP, Sakaguchi S, Rann KD, Bowman CJW, Ito M, Jordan GJ, Bowman DMJS (2016) Gondwanan conifer clones imperilled by bushfire. Scientific Reports 6, 33930
| Gondwanan conifer clones imperilled by bushfire.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Worth JRP, Jordan GJ, Marthick JR, Sakaguchi S, Colhoun EA, Williamson GJ, Ito M, Bowman DMJS (2017) Fire is a major driver of patterns of genetic diversity in two co-occurring Tasmanian palaeoendemic conifers. Journal of Biogeography 44, 1254–1267.
| Fire is a major driver of patterns of genetic diversity in two co-occurring Tasmanian palaeoendemic conifers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
