
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Wills, Timothy J. 
A1  - Read, Jennifer 
T1  - Effects of heat and smoke on germination of soil-stored seed in a south-eastern Australian sand heathland
JF  - Australian Journal of Botany
JO  - Aust. J. Bot.
Y1  - 2002
VL  - 50
IS  - 2
SP  - 197
EP  - 206
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/BT01017 
N2  - Various fire-related agents, including heat, smoke, ash and charred wood, have been shown to break dormancy and promote germination of soil-stored seed in a broad range of species in mediterranean-type systems. However, relatively little work has been conducted in south-eastern Australian heathlands. This study examined the effects of heat and smoked water on germination of the soil seed bank in a mature sand heathland within the Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park, in south-eastern Australia. Heat was clearly the most successful treatment for promoting seed germination, followed by smoked water, then controls, with 55% of species present in the germinable soil seed bank requiring a heat or smoke stimulus to promote seed germination. Mean species richness of the germinable soil seed bank was found to be significantly higher in heat-treated soil than in smoke and control treatments. Seedling density of heat-treated soil was almost 10 times that of controls, while smoke-treated soil was almost five times that of controls. Seedling emergence was fastest in heat-treated soil, followed by smoke and control soils. Of the species found in the soil seed bank, 25% were absent from the extant vegetation, suggesting the existence of post-fire colonisers in the soil seed bank. The results have implications for the design of soil seed bank experiments and the use of fire as a tool in vegetation management. 
ER  -

