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Impact of two wildfires on endemic granite outcrop vegetation in Western Australia

2003; Wiley; Volume: 14; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1658/1100-9233(2003)014[0185

1654-1103

Colin J. Yates, Stephen D. Hopper, D. Andrew Brown, Stephen van Leeuwen,

Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies

Journal of Vegetation ScienceVolume 14, Issue 2 p. 185-194 Impact of two wildfires on endemic granite outcrop vegetation in Western Australia Colin J. Yates, Corresponding Author Colin J. Yates Science Division, Department of Conservation and Land Management, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983, Australia Corresponding author; Fax +610893340515; E-mail [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorStephen D. Hopper, Stephen D. Hopper Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Kings Park, West Perth, WA 6005, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this authorAndrew Brown, Andrew Brown Western Australian Threatened Species and Community Unit, Department of Conservation and Land Management, PO Box 51, Wanneroo, WA 6946, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this authorStephen van Leeuwen, Stephen van Leeuwen Science Division, Department of Conservation and Land Management, PO Box 835, Karratha, WA 6714, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this author Colin J. Yates, Corresponding Author Colin J. Yates Science Division, Department of Conservation and Land Management, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983, Australia Corresponding author; Fax +610893340515; E-mail [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorStephen D. Hopper, Stephen D. Hopper Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, Kings Park, West Perth, WA 6005, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this authorAndrew Brown, Andrew Brown Western Australian Threatened Species and Community Unit, Department of Conservation and Land Management, PO Box 51, Wanneroo, WA 6946, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this authorStephen van Leeuwen, Stephen van Leeuwen Science Division, Department of Conservation and Land Management, PO Box 835, Karratha, WA 6714, AustraliaSearch for more papers by this author First published: 24 February 2003 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-1103.2003.tb02143.xCitations: 34AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Abstract Abstract. In seasonally dry regions of the world fire is a recurring disturbance but little is known of how fire interacts with granite outcrop vegetation. We hypothesize that the floristic composition in granite vegetation, usually attributed to the edaphic environment, may also reflect the impact of disturbances such as fire. Dramatic differences in floristic composition and cover over 13 years and two fires were observed in vegetation on a Western Australian granite outcrop. This was very marked in the first year following the two fires, with annuals and geophytes showing the greatest turnover of species. Even among the perennial shrubs there was considerable turnover in a number of obligate seeders. After the first fire the number of species declined for woody perennials, herbaceous perennials and annuals, remained unchanged for perennial grasses and sedges, and varied with highest richness 4 yr after fire for geophytes. Demographic studies of two endemic woody obligate seeders and three endemic mallee eucalypt resprouters similarly showed dramatic differences within and between species in seedling recruitment following the two fires. Fire does have a significant impact on the floristic composition of semi-arid granite outcrop vegetation communities. Studies on other granite outcrop systems are needed to test the generality of this conclusion. References Bell, D. T. 1999. Turner Review No. 1. The process of germination in Australian species. Aust. J. Bot. 47: 475–517. 10.1071/BT98007 Web of Science®Google Scholar Bell, D. T. & Koch, J. M. 1980. Post-fire succession in the northern jarrah forest of Western Australia. Aust. J. 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