1
|
Hanson CT, Chi TY, Baker BC, Khosla M, Dorsey MK. Postfire reproduction of a serotinous conifer, the giant sequoia, in the Nelder Grove, California. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11213. [PMID: 38571806 PMCID: PMC10990047 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The giant sequoia, a serotinous conifer naturally occurring in mixed-conifer forests of the southern and central Sierra Nevada, California, USA, is the world's largest tree species. Giant sequoia reproduction has been severely lacking over the past century, due to fire exclusion, creating a significant conservation threat. Previous research on postfire sequoia reproduction in high-severity fire areas, relative to low- and moderate-severity areas, is limited. At 6 years postfire, we investigated giant sequoia reproduction in a high-severity fire area, and nearby low-/mixed-severity fire areas, in the Nelder Grove, which burned in 2017 in the Railroad fire. Postfire giant sequoia reproduction was positively correlated with fire severity in terms of density, height (growth), and proportion (relative to other conifer species), and sequoia seedling/sapling density was positively correlated with percent shrub cover. There was no correlation between distance to live sequoia seed source and density of sequoia reproduction. More research is needed in other mixed-severity fire areas, with larger high-severity fire patches, to determine whether a similar postfire response occurs elsewhere.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Michael K. Dorsey
- Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions ServiceArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Beck JJ, McKone MJ, Wagenius S. Masting, fire-stimulated flowering, and the evolutionary ecology of synchronized reproduction. Ecology 2024; 105:e4261. [PMID: 38363004 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Synchronized episodic reproduction among long-lived plants shapes ecological interactions, ecosystem dynamics, and evolutionary processes worldwide. Two active scientific fields investigate the causes and consequences of such synchronized reproduction: the fields of masting and fire-stimulated flowering. While parallels between masting and fire-stimulated flowering have been previously noted, there has been little dialogue between these historically independent fields. We predict that the synthesis of these fields will facilitate new insight into the causes and consequences of synchronized reproduction. Here we briefly review parallels between masting and fire-stimulated flowering, using two case studies and a database of 1870 plant species to facilitate methodological, conceptual, geographical, taxonomic, and phylogenetic comparisons. We identify avenues for future research and describe three key opportunities associated with synthesis. First, the taxonomic and geographic complementarity of empirical studies from these historically independent fields highlights the potential to derive more general inferences about global patterns and consequences of synchronized reproduction in perennial plants. Second, masting's well developed conceptual framework for evaluating adaptive hypotheses can help guide empirical studies of fire-stimulated species and enable stronger inferences about the evolutionary ecology of fire-stimulated flowering. Third, experimental manipulation of reproductive variation in fire-stimulated species presents unique opportunities to empirically investigate foundational questions about ecological and evolutionary processes underlying synchronized reproduction. Synthesis of these fields and their complementary insights offers a unique opportunity to advance our understanding of the evolutionary ecology of synchronized reproduction in perennial plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jared J Beck
- Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois, USA
| | - Mark J McKone
- Department of Biology, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota, USA
| | - Stuart Wagenius
- Negaunee Institute for Plant Conservation Science and Action, Chicago Botanic Garden, Glencoe, Illinois, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wei P, Lamont B, He T, Xue W, Wang PC, Song W, Zhang R, Keyhani AB, Zhao S, Lu W, Dong F, Gao R, Yu J, Huang Y, Tang L, Lu K, Ma J, Xiong Z, Chen L, Wan N, Wang B, He W, Teng M, Dian Y, Wang Y, Zeng L, Lin C, Dai M, Zhou Z, Xiao W, Yan Z. Vegetation-fire feedbacks increase subtropical wildfire risk in scrubland and reduce it in forests. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 351:119726. [PMID: 38052142 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Climate dictates wildfire activity around the world. But East and Southeast Asia are an apparent exception as fire-activity variation there is unrelated to climatic variables. In subtropical China, fire activity decreased by 80% between 2003 and 2020 amid increased fire risks globally. Here, we assessed the fire regime, vegetation structure, fuel flammability and their interactions across subtropical Hubei, China. We show that tree basal area (TBA) and fuel flammability explained 60% of fire-frequency variance. Fire frequency and fuel flammability, in turn, explained 90% of TBA variance. These results reveal a novel system of scrubland-forest stabilized by vegetation-fire feedbacks. Frequent fires promote the persistence of derelict scrubland through positive vegetation-fire feedbacks; in forest, vegetation-fire feedbacks are negative and suppress fire. Thus, we attribute the decrease in wildfire activity to reforestation programs that concurrently increase forest coverage and foster negative vegetation-fire feedbacks that suppress wildfire.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- P Wei
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - B Lamont
- Ecology Section, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
| | - T He
- College of Science Engineering & Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
| | - W Xue
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - P C Wang
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - W Song
- College of Agronomy, Northwest Agriculture & Forestry University, Xianyang, 712100, China.
| | - R Zhang
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - A B Keyhani
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - S Zhao
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - W Lu
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - F Dong
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - R Gao
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - J Yu
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - Y Huang
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - L Tang
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - K Lu
- Hubei Forestry Survey and Design Institute, East Lake Science and Technology, District, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China.
| | - J Ma
- Hubei Forestry Survey and Design Institute, East Lake Science and Technology, District, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China.
| | - Z Xiong
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - L Chen
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - N Wan
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - B Wang
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - W He
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - M Teng
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - Y Dian
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - Y Wang
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - L Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China.
| | - C Lin
- Hubei Forestry Survey and Design Institute, East Lake Science and Technology, District, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China.
| | - M Dai
- Hubei Forestry Survey and Design Institute, East Lake Science and Technology, District, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei, China.
| | - Z Zhou
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| | - W Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Environment, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China.
| | - Z Yan
- Department of Forestry, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, Hubei, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
de Souza DG, Ramalho WP, de Arruda FV, Camarota F, da Cunha HF. Fire seasonality plays a limited role in the reproduction of Anacardium humile A. St.-Hil. in a tropical savanna. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2023; 25:1196-1204. [PMID: 37823877 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic fires are an increasing threat to tropical savannas and their plant populations. In the Brazilian Cerrado, human-made fires at the end of the dry season are replacing natural fires at the beginning of the dry season. Critically, these late burns occur under more intense climate variables. Here, we aimed to understand the potential role of fire seasonality on individuals of Anacardium humile, a widespread Cerrado species of cultural and economic importance. We conducted two prescribed burnings, one at the beginning of the dry season (early burning) and one at the end of the dry season (late burning) when climate variables were remarkably different. We assessed the reproductive responses of A. humile individuals over 4 years and compared individuals from the fire treatments with those from an unburned area (control). The reproductive phenology of A. humile varied over time and was influenced by climate variables. The seasons of different burning had similar impacts on the reproductive phenology of A. humile, and this impact lasted for at least 4 years. While A. humile populations do not depend on fire for reproduction, they produced more flowers and fruits for up to 2 years with the fire treatments. We provide empirical evidence of the role of climate variables on the phenology of A. humile and demonstrate the importance of considering the role of time after fire events. The similar responses of A. humile to fire seasonality show that Cerrado fire management can be more complex than previously thought.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D G de Souza
- Departmento Técnico, Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e de Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA), Goiás, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Naturais do Cerrado, Universidade Estadual de Goiás, Anápolis, Goiás, Brazil
| | - W P Ramalho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Conservação, Instituto Federal Goiano, Campus Rio Verde, Rio Verde, Goiás, Brazil
| | - F V de Arruda
- Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia (IPAM), Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - F Camarota
- Departamento de Genética, Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - H F da Cunha
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Recursos Naturais do Cerrado, Universidade Estadual de Goiás, Anápolis, Goiás, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zahed M, Bączek-Kwinta R. The Impact of Post-Fire Smoke on Plant Communities: A Global Approach. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:3835. [PMID: 38005732 PMCID: PMC10674613 DOI: 10.3390/plants12223835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Smoke is one of the fire-related cues that can alter vegetation communities' compositions, by promoting or excluding different plant species. For over 30 years, smoke-derived compounds have been a hot topic in plant and crop physiology. Research in this field was initiated in fire-prone areas in Australia, South Africa and some countries of both Americas, mostly with Mediterranean-type climates. Then, research extended to regions with moderate climates, like Central European countries; this was sometimes determined by the fact that in those regions, extensive prescribed or illegal burning (swailing) occurs. Hence, this review updates information about the effects of smoke compounds on plant kingdoms in different regions. It also focuses on research advances in the field of the physiological effects of smoke chemicals, mostly karrikins, and attempts to gather and summarize the current state of research and opinions on the roles of such compounds in plants' lives. We finish our review by discussing major research gaps, which include issues such as why plants that occur in non-fire-prone areas respond to smoke chemicals. Have recent climate change and human activities increased the risk of wildfires, and how may these affect local plant communities through physiologically active smoke compounds? Is the response of seeds to smoke and smoke compounds an evolutionarily driven trait that allows plants to adapt to the environment? What can we learn by examining post-fire smoke on a large scale?
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mahboube Zahed
- Department of Plant Production, Faculty of Agronomy, University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in Gorgan, Basij Square, Pardis No. 2, Gorgan 49189-43464, Iran
| | - Renata Bączek-Kwinta
- Department of Plant Breeding, Physiology and Seed Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Economics, University of Agriculture in Krakow, ul. Podłuzna 3, 30-239 Kraków, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Resco de Dios V. Interpreting shoot flammability experiments: from fire behaviour to plant evolution. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:5-6. [PMID: 37488706 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
This article is a Commentary on Cui et al. (2023), 240: 105–113.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Resco de Dios
- Department of Forest and Agricultural Sciences, Universitat de Lleida, 25198, Lérida, Spain
- Joint Research Unit CTFC-AGROTECNIO-CERCA Center, 25198, Lérida, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Pausas JG, Keeley JE. Evolutionary fire ecology: An historical account and future directions. Bioscience 2023; 73:602-608. [PMID: 37680689 PMCID: PMC10481411 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biad059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The idea that fire acts as an evolutionary force contributing to shaping species traits started a century ago, but had not been widely recognized until very recently. Among the first to realize this force were Edward B. Poulton, R. Dale Guthrie, and Edwin V. Komarek in animals and Willis L. Jepson, Walter W. Hough, Tom M. Harris, Philip V. Wells, and Robert W. Mutch in plants. They were all ahead of their time in their evolutionary thinking. Since then, evolutionary fire ecology has percolated very slowly into the mainstream ecology and evolutionary biology; in fact, this topic is still seldom mentioned in textbooks of ecology or evolution. Currently, there is plenty of evidence suggesting that we cannot understand the biodiversity of our planet without considering the key evolutionary role of fire. But there is still research to be done in order to fully understand fire's contribution to species evolution and to predicting species responses to rapid global changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juli G Pausas
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Montcada, Spain
| | - Jon E Keeley
- Sequoia-Kings Canyon Field Station, at theWestern Ecological Research Center, US Geological Survey, Three Rivers, California, United States
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ocampo-Zuleta K, Parrado-Rosselli Á. Functional diversity in an Andean subpáramo affected by wildfire in Colombia. PLANT DIVERSITY 2023; 45:385-396. [PMID: 37601548 PMCID: PMC10436060 DOI: 10.1016/j.pld.2022.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
Recently, the Andean subpáramo in Colombia has experienced severe wildfires, but little is known about the functional composition of recovering or not after a wildfire. Therefore, we examined the functional community composition subpáramo affected by fire in 2016. We documented how functional traits changed 31 months after the disturbance and compared them with an unburned site. We sampled from one to two years after the fire every four months, then registered all recruits in 16 5 × 5m plots. New individuals were classified into strategy functional groups based on the traits of persistence and dispersal. The first group was stem type and regeneration mechanism (seedling and resprout), and the second was fruit type and dispersal mode. We investigated the degree to which functional diversity changes plant communities over time (woody and non-woody), and we compared it with an unburned site. The most relevant results showed that resprouts and seed regenerated increased post-fire time and significant differences between sampling periods. The anemochory is the most relevant dispersal mode that indicates the community capacity to colonize the new gaps opened by the fire rapidly. We discuss how wildfire appears to be a triggering factor for persistence and dispersal strategy groups in subpáramo burned given their characteristics of tolerance to stress. For this reason, a greater functional divergence between the ecosystems studied post-fire recovery has been related to higher levels of biodiversity at the landscape scale due to the high degree of endemism and significant differences in species composition between páramos.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Korina Ocampo-Zuleta
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas. Facultad de Ciencias. Universidad Austral de Chile. Campus Isla Teja, 5090000 Valdivia, Chile
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Mención Ecología y Evolución, Escuela de Graduados, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Jardín Botánico de Bogotá José Celestino Mutis, Subdirección Científica, Línea de Investigación en Restauración Ecológica, 111071, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Ángela Parrado-Rosselli
- Facultad del Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Sede Vivero, 111711, Bogotá, Colombia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Chiminazzo MA, Bombo AB, Charles-Dominique T, Fidelis A. Bark production of generalist and specialist species across savannas and forests in the Cerrado. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2023; 131:613-621. [PMID: 36651635 PMCID: PMC10147323 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcad014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Bark allows species to survive fire, protecting their inner tissues and allowing new branches to resprout from aerial buds. Thus, bark production is likely to be selected with aerial bud protection in fire-prone ecosystems. By considering the coexistence of fire-prone and fire-free ecosystems, in addition to the different impacts of flames on different growth forms, in this study we tested whether: (1) species from areas with higher fire frequencies have a faster bark production; (2) bark growth rate differs between trees and shrubs; (3) generalists adjust their bark production according to their environment (fire-prone or fire-free ecosystems); and (4) fast bark production results in better aerial bud protection. METHODS We sampled two different types of forests and savannas in the Cerrado and registered every woody individual with height between 1.5 and 3 m tall (directly exposed to the flames). For the 123 species registered, we sampled three different individuals in each vegetation type where the species occurred to assess their bark production and aerial bud protection. We then checked, for each species, their preferred habitat (savanna and forest specialists or generalists) and their predominant growth form. KEY RESULTS A minimal threshold of 0.13 mm per growth unit of bark production differentiated woody communities from savannas and forests. Shrubs and trees did not differ in terms of bark growth rate, despite being exposed to the flames in a different manner. Generalist species in savannas were able to produce bark above the threshold. However, when these species were in forests they produced bark below the threshold. Finally, a higher bark growth rate accounted for a better aerial bud protection. CONCLUSIONS Generalist species are likely to be capable of displaying plasticity in their bark production, which could be important for their success in contrasting ecosystems. The relationship between aerial bud protection and bark growth rate suggests that bark production plays an important role in protecting the dormant buds, in addition to being selected in fire-prone ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Antonio Chiminazzo
- Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Avenida 24-A, 1515, Rio Claro, 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Aline Bertolosi Bombo
- Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Avenida 24-A, 1515, Rio Claro, 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Tristan Charles-Dominique
- AMAP, Univ Montpellier, CIRAD, CNRS, INRAE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences – Paris CNRS UMR 7618, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Alessandra Fidelis
- Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Avenida 24-A, 1515, Rio Claro, 13506-900, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wright BR, Nipper M, Nipper N, Merson SD, Guest T. Mortality rates of desert vegetation during high‐intensity drought at
Uluru‐Kata
Tjuta National Park, Central Australia. AUSTRAL ECOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Boyd R. Wright
- Uluru‐Kata Tjuta National Park Yulara Northwest Territories Australia
- School of Agriculture and Food Science University of Queensland Brisbane Queensland Australia
- Botany, School of Environmental and Rural Science University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
| | - Martin Nipper
- Mutitjulu Community Ranger Program, Mutitjulu Community Yulara Northwest Territories Australia
| | - Nathan Nipper
- Mutitjulu Community Ranger Program, Mutitjulu Community Yulara Northwest Territories Australia
| | | | - Tracey Guest
- Uluru‐Kata Tjuta National Park Yulara Northwest Territories Australia
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Jacobson TKB, Gerber D, Azevedo JC. Invasiveness, Monitoring and Control of Hakea sericea: A Systematic Review. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:751. [PMID: 36840097 PMCID: PMC9963047 DOI: 10.3390/plants12040751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Solutions for ecological and economic problems posed by Hakea sericea invasions rely on scientific knowledge. We conducted a systematic review to analyze and synthesize the past and current scientific knowledge concerning H. sericea invasion processes and mechanisms, as well as monitoring and control techniques. We used ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and CAPES Periodicals to look for publications on the ecological and environmental factors involved in H. sericea establishment (question 1); responses of H. sericea to fire in native and invaded ecosystems (question 2); and H. sericea monitoring and control methods (question 3). We identified 207 publications, 47.4% of which related to question 1, mainly from Australia and South Africa, with an increasing trend in the number of publications on monitoring and modeling. The traits identified in our systematic review, such as adaptations to dystrophic environments, drought resistance, sclerophylly, low transpiration rates, high nutrient use efficiency, stomatal conductance and photosynthetic rates, strong serotiny, proteoid roots and high post-fire seed survival and seedling recruitment, highlighted that H. sericea is a successful invader species due to its long adaptive history mediated by an arsenal of ecophysiological mechanisms that place it at a superior competitive level, especially in fire-prone ecosystems. Integrated cost-effective control methods in selected areas and the incorporation of information on the temporal invasion dynamics can significantly improve invasion control and mitigate H. sericea impacts while maintaining the supply of ecosystem services in invaded areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tamiel Khan Baiocchi Jacobson
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
- Faculdade UnB Planaltina, UnB/FUP—Universidade de Brasília, Brasília 73345-010, Brazil
| | - Dionatan Gerber
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
- Centro de Ecologia Funcional (CFE), Departamento de Ciência da Vida, Universidade de Coimbra, 300-456 Coimbra, Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências Florestais e Arquitetura Paisagista, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
- Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar, Universidade de Coimbra, 3004-531 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Carlos Azevedo
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
- Laboratório Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regiões de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Lamont BB. Grass species with smoke-released seed dormancy: A response to climate and fire regime but not photosynthetic pathway. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2023; 25:24-31. [PMID: 36250211 PMCID: PMC10099466 DOI: 10.1111/plb.13479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Both C3 and C4 photosynthetic pathways and smoke-released seed dormancy occur among grasses. C4 species evolved from C3 species as seasonality and fire frequency increased and might therefore imply that their smoke sensitivity increased. I searched the worldwide literature for reports on germination responses among grasses, whose photosynthetic pathway was known, to treatment by smoke. Data were obtained for 217 species and 126 genera. While subfamilies tended to be C3 (Pooideae), C4 (Chloridoideae) or a mixture (Panicoideae), a beneficial smoke response was independent of their photosynthetic pathway. The only exceptions were Danthonioideae (C3, non-smoke responsive) and Triodia (C4, smoke responsive). One third of both C3 and C4 genera were smoke responsive. Even within genera, 90% of species showed contrasting smoke responses, confirming that smoke sensitivity is rarely taxonomically constrained. Data on photosynthetic pathway, climate, fire regime and vegetation were compiled for 15 regions that formed four distinct groups: 1) In warm climates with aseasonal rainfall, C4 grasses are moderately better represented, with crown fires and limited smoke responses. 2) In cool regions, most species are C3, with surface-crown fires and lack smoke responses. 3) In warm regions with summer rain (savannas), most species are C4, with surface fires and lack smoke responses. 4) In Mediterranean-climate regions with summer drought, most species are C3, with crown fires and smoke-released dormancy. Thus, even though C3 and C4 grasses are equally capable of expressing smoke sensitivity, their response depends on the region's climate and fire regime that also dictate which photosynthetic pathway dominates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- B. B. Lamont
- Ecology Section, School of Molecular and Life SciencesCurtin UniversityPerthWAAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Guiote C, Pausas JG. Fire favors sexual precocity in a Mediterranean pine. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Guiote
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CIDE‐CSIC) Moncada Valencia Spain
| | - Juli G. Pausas
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CIDE‐CSIC) Moncada Valencia Spain
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Wilson CR, Lusk CH, Campbell DI. The role of the peat seed bank in plant community dynamics of a fire‐prone New Zealand restiad bog. AUSTRAL ECOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Clara Renée Wilson
- Environmental Research Institute University of Waikato Private Bag 3105 Hamilton New Zealand
| | - Christopher H. Lusk
- Environmental Research Institute University of Waikato Private Bag 3105 Hamilton New Zealand
| | - David Ian Campbell
- Environmental Research Institute University of Waikato Private Bag 3105 Hamilton New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
He T, Lamont BB. Ancient Rhamnaceae flowers impute an origin for flowering plants exceeding 250-million-years ago. iScience 2022; 25:104642. [PMID: 35800761 PMCID: PMC9254029 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Setting the molecular clock to newly described 100-million-year-old flowering shoots of Phylica in Burmese amber enabled us to recalibrate the phylogenetic history of Rhamnaceae. We traced its origin to ∼260 million years ago (Ma) that can explain its migration within and beyond Gondwana since that time and implies an origin for flowering plants that stretches well beyond 290 Ma. Ancestral trait assignments also revealed that hard-seededness, fire-proneness, and to a lesser extent, heat-released seed dormancy, have a similarly long history in this clade. 100-million-year-old fossils of Phylica (Rhamnaceae) have recently been described Phylogenetic reconstruction using them reveals a crown age for Rhamnaceae at 259 Ma Ancestral trait reconstruction shows the associated vegetation was fire prone 259 Ma These are the oldest flowering-plant ages and fire-related traits obtained so far
Collapse
|
16
|
Remarkable Resilience of Forest Structure and Biodiversity Following Fire in the Peri-Urban Bushland of Sydney, Australia. CLIMATE 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/cli10060086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
In rapidly urbanizing areas, natural vegetation becomes fragmented, making conservation planning challenging, particularly as climate change accelerates fire risk. We studied urban forest fragments in two threatened eucalypt-dominated (scribbly gum woodland, SGW, and ironbark forest, IF) communities across ~2000 ha near Sydney, Australia, to evaluate effects of fire frequency (0–4 in last 25 years) and time since fire (0.5 to >25 years) on canopy structure, habitat quality and biodiversity (e.g., species richness). Airborne lidar was used to assess canopy height and density, and ground-based surveys of 148 (400 m2) plots measured leaf area index (LAI), plant species composition and habitat metrics such as litter cover and hollow-bearing trees. LAI, canopy density, litter, and microbiotic soil crust increased with time since fire in both communities, while tree and mistletoe cover increased in IF. Unexpectedly, plant species richness increased with fire frequency, owing to increased shrub richness which offset decreased tree richness in both communities. These findings indicate biodiversity and canopy structure are generally resilient to a range of times since fire and fire frequencies across this study area. Nevertheless, reduced arboreal habitat quality and subtle shifts in community composition of resprouters and obligate seeders signal early concern for a scenario of increasing fire frequency under climate change. Ongoing assessment of fire responses is needed to ensure that biodiversity, canopy structure and ecosystem function are maintained in the remaining fragments of urban forests under future climate change which will likely drive hotter and more frequent fires.
Collapse
|
17
|
Müller C, Junker RR. Chemical phenotype as important and dynamic niche dimension of plants. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 234:1168-1174. [PMID: 35297052 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Niche theory considering the traits of species and individuals provides a powerful tool to integrate ecology and evolution of species. In plant ecology, morphological and physiological traits are commonly considered as niche dimensions, whereas phytochemical traits are mostly neglected in this context despite their pivotal functions in plant responses to their environment and in mediating interactions. The diversity of plant phytochemicals can thus mediate three key processes: niche choice, conformance and construction. Here, we integrate frameworks from niche theory with chemical ecology and argue that plants use their individual-specific diversity in phytochemicals (chemodiversity) for different niche realization processes. Our concept has important implications for ecosystem processes and stability and increases the predictive ability of chemical ecology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Müller
- Chemical Ecology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstr. 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Robert R Junker
- Evolutionary Ecology of Plants, Department of Biology, University of Marburg, 35043, Marburg, Germany
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, University of Salzburg, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Pausas JG, Lamont BB. Fire-released seed dormancy - a global synthesis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1612-1639. [PMID: 35384243 PMCID: PMC9540907 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Seed dormancy varies greatly between species, clades, communities, and regions. We propose that fireprone ecosystems create ideal conditions for the selection of seed dormancy as fire provides a mechanism for dormancy release and postfire conditions are optimal for germination. Thus, fire‐released seed dormancy should vary in type and abundance under different fire regimes. To test these predictions, we compiled data from a wide range of fire‐related germination experiments for species in different ecosystems across the globe. We identified four dormancy syndromes: heat‐released (physical) dormancy, smoke‐released (physiological) dormancy, non‐fire‐released dormancy, and non‐dormancy. In fireprone ecosystems, fire, in the form of heat and/or chemical by‐products (collectively termed ‘smoke’), are the predominant stimuli for dormancy release and subsequent germination, with climate (cold or warm stratification) and light sometimes playing important secondary roles. Fire (heat or smoke)‐released dormancy is best expressed where woody vegetation is dense and fires are intense, i.e. in crown‐fire ecosystems. In such environments, seed dormancy allows shade‐intolerant species to take advantage of vegetation gaps created by fire and synchronize germination with optimal recruitment conditions. In grassy fireprone ecosystems (e.g. savannas), where fires are less intense but more frequent, seed dormancy is less common and dormancy release is often not directly related to fire (non‐fire‐released dormancy). Rates of germination, whether controls or postfire, are twice as fast in savannas than in mediterranean ecosystems. Fire‐released dormancy is rare to absent in arid ecosystems and rainforests. The seeds of many species with fire‐released dormancy also possess elaiosomes that promote ant dispersal. Burial by ants increases insulation of seeds from fires and places them in a suitable location for fire‐released dormancy. The distribution of these dormancy syndromes across seed plants is not random – certain dormancy types are associated with particular lineages (phylogenetic conservatism). Heat‐released dormancy can be traced back to fireprone floras in the ‘fiery’ mid‐Cretaceous, followed by smoke‐released dormancy, with loss of fire‐related dormancy among recent events associated with the advent of open savannas and non‐fireprone habitats. Anthropogenic influences are now modifying dormancy‐release mechanisms, usually decreasing the role of fire as exaptive effects. We conclude that contrasting fire regimes are a key driver of the evolution and maintenance of diverse seed dormancy types in many of the world's natural ecosystems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juli G Pausas
- CIDE-CSIC, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Montcada, Valencia, 46113, Spain
| | - Byron B Lamont
- Ecology Section, School of Life and Molecular Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Shi C, Wang S, Cai HH, Zhang HR, Long XX, Tihelka E, Song WC, Feng Q, Jiang RX, Cai CY, Lombard N, Li X, Yuan J, Zhu JP, Yang HY, Liu XF, Xiang QP, Zhao ZT, Long CL, Schneider H, Zhang XC, Peng H, Li DZ, Fan Y, Engel MS, Wang YD, Spicer RA. Fire-prone Rhamnaceae with South African affinities in Cretaceous Myanmar amber. NATURE PLANTS 2022; 8:125-135. [PMID: 35102275 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-021-01091-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The rapid Cretaceous diversification of flowering plants remains Darwin's 'abominable mystery' despite numerous fossil flowers discovered in recent years. Wildfires were frequent in the Cretaceous and many such early flower fossils are represented by charcoalified fragments, lacking complete delicate structures and surface textures, making their similarity to living forms difficult to discern. Furthermore, scarcity of information about the ecology of early angiosperms makes it difficult to test hypotheses about the drivers of their diversification, including the role of fire in shaping flowering plant evolution. We report the discovery of two exquisitely preserved fossil flower species, one identical to the inflorescences of the extant crown-eudicot genus Phylica and the other recovered as a sister group to Phylica, both preserved as inclusions together with burned plant remains in Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar (~99 million years ago). These specialized flower species, named Phylica piloburmensis sp. nov. and Eophylica priscastellata gen. et sp. nov., exhibit traits identical to those of modern taxa in fire-prone ecosystems such as the fynbos of South Africa, and provide evidence of fire adaptation in angiosperms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chao Shi
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Shuo Wang
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China.
- Fushun Amber Institute, Fushun, China.
| | - Hao-Hong Cai
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Hong-Rui Zhang
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiao-Xuan Long
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Erik Tihelka
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Bristol, UK
| | - Wei-Cai Song
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Qi Feng
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Ri-Xin Jiang
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Chen-Yang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Natasha Lombard
- Biosystematics and Biodiversity Collections Division, National Herbarium, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Xiong Li
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Ji Yuan
- Shanghai World Expo Museum, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian-Ping Zhu
- College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Hui-Yu Yang
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiao-Fan Liu
- College of Marine Science and Biological Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, China
| | - Qiao-Ping Xiang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zun-Tian Zhao
- College of Life Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Chun-Lin Long
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing, China
| | - Harald Schneider
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yatsen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xian-Chun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hua Peng
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - De-Zhu Li
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Yong Fan
- Fushun Amber Institute, Fushun, China
| | - Michael S Engel
- Natural History Museum, and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA
| | - Yong-Dong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Palaeoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Robert A Spicer
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, China
- School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Keith DA. Transcending the disaster paradigm: Understanding persistence of animal populations in fire-prone environments. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:341-342. [PMID: 34644439 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
An extensive high severity fire was a disaster for this swamp wallaby, but not its population, as many others detected the approaching fire and evaded its lethal heat.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David A Keith
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, University of NSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- NSW Department of Planning, Industry & Environment, Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Nolan RH, Collins L, Leigh A, Ooi MKJ, Curran TJ, Fairman TA, Resco de Dios V, Bradstock R. Limits to post-fire vegetation recovery under climate change. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2021; 44:3471-3489. [PMID: 34453442 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Record-breaking fire seasons in many regions across the globe raise important questions about plant community responses to shifting fire regimes (i.e., changing fire frequency, severity and seasonality). Here, we examine the impacts of climate-driven shifts in fire regimes on vegetation communities, and likely responses to fire coinciding with severe drought, heatwaves and/or insect outbreaks. We present scenario-based conceptual models on how overlapping disturbance events and shifting fire regimes interact differently to limit post-fire resprouting and recruitment capacity. We demonstrate that, although many communities will remain resilient to changing fire regimes in the short-term, longer-term changes to vegetation structure, demography and species composition are likely, with a range of subsequent effects on ecosystem function. Resprouting species are likely to be most resilient to changing fire regimes. However, even these species are susceptible if exposed to repeated short-interval fire in combination with other stressors. Post-fire recruitment is highly vulnerable to increased fire frequency, particularly as climatic limitations on propagule availability intensify. Prediction of community responses to fire under climate change will be greatly improved by addressing knowledge gaps on how overlapping disturbances and climate change-induced shifts in fire regime affect post-fire resprouting, recruitment, growth rates, and species-level adaptation capacity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachael H Nolan
- Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Penrith, New South Wales, Australia
- NSW Bushfire Risk Management Research Hub, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Luke Collins
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Creswick, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Ecology, Environment & Evolution, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
- Pacific Forestry Centre, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, Canada
| | - Andy Leigh
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mark K J Ooi
- NSW Bushfire Risk Management Research Hub, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales UNSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Timothy J Curran
- Department of Pest-management and Conservation, Lincoln University, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Thomas A Fairman
- School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, University of Melbourne, Creswick, Victoria, Australia
| | - Víctor Resco de Dios
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, China
- Joint Research Unit CTFC-AGROTECNIO, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
- Department of Crop and Forest Sciences, University of Lleida, Lleida, Spain
| | - Ross Bradstock
- NSW Bushfire Risk Management Research Hub, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Chiminazzo MA, Bombo AB, Charles‐Dominique T, Fidelis A. Your best buds are worth protecting: Variation in bud protection in a fire‐prone cerrado system. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Antonio Chiminazzo
- Lab of Vegetation Ecology Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | - Aline Bertolosi Bombo
- Lab of Vegetation Ecology Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| | | | - Alessandra Fidelis
- Lab of Vegetation Ecology Instituto de Biociências Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Rio Claro Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Goldas CDS, Podgaiski LR, Silva CVC, Mendonça MDS. Burning for grassland pollination: Recently burned patches promote plant flowering and insect pollinators. AUSTRAL ECOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Camila da Silva Goldas
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Interações Departamento de Ecologia Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS Avenida Bento Gonçalves 9500 Porto Alegre RS 91540‐000 Brazil
| | - Luciana Regina Podgaiski
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Interações Departamento de Ecologia Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS Avenida Bento Gonçalves 9500 Porto Alegre RS 91540‐000 Brazil
| | - Carolina Veronese Corrêa Silva
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Interações Departamento de Ecologia Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS Avenida Bento Gonçalves 9500 Porto Alegre RS 91540‐000 Brazil
| | - Milton de Souza Mendonça
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Interações Departamento de Ecologia Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS Avenida Bento Gonçalves 9500 Porto Alegre RS 91540‐000 Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Newton RJ, Mackenzie BDE, Lamont BB, Gomez-Barreiro P, Cowling RM, He T. Fire-mediated germination syndromes in Leucadendron (Proteaceae) and their functional correlates. Oecologia 2021; 196:589-604. [PMID: 34159425 PMCID: PMC8241639 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04947-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A mechanistic understanding of fire-driven seedling recruitment is essential for effective conservation management of fire-prone vegetation, such as South African fynbos, especially with rare and threatened taxa. The genus Leucadendron (Proteaceae) is an ideal candidate for comparative germination studies, comprising 85 species with a mixture of contrasting life-history traits (killed by fire vs able to resprout; serotinous vs geosporous) and seed morphologies (nutlets vs winged achenes). Individual and combined effects of heat and smoke on seed germination of 40 species were quantified in the laboratory, and Bayesian inference applied to distinguish biologically meaningful treatment effects from non-zero, but biologically trivial, effects. Three germination syndromes were identified based on whether germination was dependent on, enhanced by, or independent of direct fire cues (heat and smoke). Seed storage location was the most reliable predictor of germination syndromes, with soil-stored seeds c. 80% more likely to respond to direct fire cues (primarily smoke) than canopy-stored seeds. Notable exceptions were L. linifolium, with an absolute requirement for smoke to germinate (the third serotinous species so reported), and two other serotinous species with smoke-enhanced germination. Nutlet-bearing species, whether serotinous or geosporous, were c. 70% more likely to respond to fire cues than winged seeds, but there was no evidence for an effect of phylogeny or persistence strategy on germination. This comprehensive account of seed germination characteristics and identification of germination syndromes and their predictors, supports propagation, conservation and restoration initiatives in this iconic fynbos genus and other fire-prone shrubs with canopy or soil-stored seeds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rosemary J Newton
- Conservation Science, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Wakehurst, Ardingly, West Sussex, RH17 6TN, UK.
| | - Berin D E Mackenzie
- Science Division, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Locked Bag 5022, Parramatta, NSW, 2124, Australia.,Centre for Ecosystem Science, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Byron B Lamont
- Ecology Section, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, PO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| | - Pablo Gomez-Barreiro
- Conservation Science, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Wakehurst, Ardingly, West Sussex, RH17 6TN, UK
| | - Richard M Cowling
- Department of Botany, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, PO Box 7700, Port Elizabeth, 6000, South Africa
| | - Tianhua He
- Ecology Section, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, PO Box U1987, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Physiological and Regenerative Plant Traits Explain Vegetation Regeneration under Different Severity Levels in Mediterranean Fire-Prone Ecosystems. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12020149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In Mediterranean fire-prone ecosystems, plant functional traits and burn severity have decisive roles in post-fire vegetation recovery. These traits may reflect plant fitness to fire regimes in the Mediterranean Basin. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of burn severity on post-fire vegetation regeneration through plant functional (physiological and regenerative) traits in two Mediterranean ecosystems: one more humid and colder (Cabrera in León province, NW Spain), and another characterized by a longer summer drought (Gátova in Valencia province, SE Spain). A total of 384 and 80 field plots (2 m × 2 m) were fixed in Cabrera and Gátova, respectively. In each burned plot, we quantified burn severity by means of the composite burn index (CBI), differentiating three severity levels (low, moderate, and high), and evaluated post-fire vegetation regeneration one and two years after wildfires. We measured the percentage cover of each species and classified them according to physiological (specific leaf area and N2-fixing capacity) and regenerative traits (reproductive strategy, bud bank location, and heat-stimulated germination). The main results showed that in Cabrera, burn severity had significant effects on vegetation cover independently of plant functional traits. In Gátova, burn severity effects differed among functional traits. In this site, the cover of plants with low specific leaf area and without heat-stimulation and N2-fixing capacity was negatively related to burn severity. On the contrary, the cover of N2-fixers and species with resprouting ability and heat-stimulated germination rose with increasing burn severity. In general, vegetation cover showed a more pronounced increased over time in the more humid area, mainly under the effect of high severity. The results of this research highlighted the importance of the use of plant functional traits as a driver to understand the response of different ecosystems to current fire regimes, which could be relevant for pre- and post-fire management.
Collapse
|
26
|
Ripa RR, Franzese J, Premoli AC, Raffaele E. Increased canopy seed-storage in post-fire pine invaders suggests rapid selection mediated by fire. Basic Appl Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2020.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
27
|
Pausas JG, Bond WJ. On the Three Major Recycling Pathways in Terrestrial Ecosystems. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:767-775. [PMID: 32381268 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Plants are the largest biomass component of most terrestrial ecosystems, and litter decomposition is considered the dominant process by which nutrients return to plants. We show that in terrestrial ecosystems, there are three major pathways by which plant biomass is degraded into forms that release nutrients again available to plants: microbial decomposition; vertebrate herbivory; and wildfires. These processes act at different spatial and temporal scales, have different niches, and generates different ecological and evolutionary feedbacks. This holistic view in which microbes, herbivores, and wildfires play a joint role in the functioning of ecosystems contributes to a better understanding of the diversity of mechanisms regulating the biosphere.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juli G Pausas
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CIDE-CSIC), Valencia, Spain.
| | - William J Bond
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; South African Environmental Observation Network, National Research Foundation, Claremont, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Hodges JA, Price JN, Nimmo DG, Guja LK. Evidence for direct effects of fire-cues on germination of some perennial forbs common in grassy ecosystems. AUSTRAL ECOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.12806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua A. Hodges
- Institute for Land, Water and Society; Charles Sturt University; Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, PO Box 789 Albury New South Wales 2640 Australia
- National Seed Bank; Australian National Botanic Gardens; Canberra ACT Australia
| | - Jodi N. Price
- Institute for Land, Water and Society; Charles Sturt University; Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, PO Box 789 Albury New South Wales 2640 Australia
| | - Dale G. Nimmo
- Institute for Land, Water and Society; Charles Sturt University; Elizabeth Mitchell Drive, PO Box 789 Albury New South Wales 2640 Australia
| | - Lydia K. Guja
- National Seed Bank; Australian National Botanic Gardens; Canberra ACT Australia
- Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research; CSIRO; Canberra ACT Australia
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
He T, Lamont BB, Pausas JG. Fire as a key driver of Earth's biodiversity. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2019; 94:1983-2010. [PMID: 31298472 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 108] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Many terrestrial ecosystems are fire prone, such that their composition and structure are largely due to their fire regime. Regions subject to regular fire have exceptionally high levels of species richness and endemism, and fire has been proposed as a major driver of their diversity, within the context of climate, resource availability and environmental heterogeneity. However, current fire-management practices rarely take into account the ecological and evolutionary roles of fire in maintaining biodiversity. Here, we focus on the mechanisms that enable fire to act as a major ecological and evolutionary force that promotes and maintains biodiversity over numerous spatiotemporal scales. From an ecological perspective, the vegetation, topography and local weather conditions during a fire generate a landscape with spatial and temporal variation in fire-related patches (pyrodiversity), and these produce the biotic and environmental heterogeneity that drives biodiversity across local and regional scales. There have been few empirical tests of the proposition that 'pyrodiversity begets biodiversity' but we show that biodiversity should peak at moderately high levels of pyrodiversity. Overall species richness is greatest immediately after fire and declines monotonically over time, with postfire successional pathways dictated by animal habitat preferences and varying lifespans among resident plants. Theory and data support the 'intermediate disturbance hypothesis' when mean patch species diversity is correlated with mean fire intervals. Postfire persistence, recruitment and immigration allow species with different life histories to coexist. From an evolutionary perspective, fire drives population turnover and diversification by promoting a wide range of adaptive responses to particular fire regimes. Among 39 comparisons, the number of species in 26 fire-prone lineages is much higher than that in their non-fire-prone sister lineages. Fire and its byproducts may have direct mutagenic effects, producing novel genotypes that can lead to trait innovation and even speciation. A paradigm shift aimed at restoring biodiversity-maintaining fire regimes across broad landscapes is required among the fire research and management communities. This will require ecologists and other professionals to spread the burgeoning fire-science knowledge beyond scientific publications to the broader public, politicians and media.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tianhua He
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.,College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
| | - Byron B Lamont
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
30
|
Daibes LF, Pausas JG, Bonani N, Nunes J, Silveira FAO, Fidelis A. Fire and legume germination in a tropical savanna: ecological and historical factors. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2019; 123:1219-1229. [PMID: 30893418 PMCID: PMC6612942 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcz028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS In many flammable ecosystems, physically dormant seeds show dormancy-break patterns tied to fire, but the link between heat shock and germination in the tropical savannas of Africa and South America remains controversial. Seed heat tolerance is important, preventing seed mortality during fire passage, and is usually predicted by seed traits. This study investigated the role of fire frequency (ecological effects) and seed traits through phylogenetic comparison (historical effects), in determining post-fire germination and seed mortality in legume species of the Cerrado, a tropical savanna-forest mosaic. METHODS Seeds of 46 legume species were collected from three vegetation types (grassy savannas, woody savannas and forests) with different fire frequencies. Heat shock experiments (100 °C for 1 min; 100 °C for 3 min; 200 °C for 1 min) were then performed, followed by germination and seed viability tests. Principal component analysis, generalized linear mixed models and phylogenetic comparisons were used in data analyses. KEY RESULTS Heat shocks had little effect on germination, but seed mortality was variable across treatments and species. Seed mortality was lowest under the 100 °C 1 min treatment, and significantly higher under 100 °C 3 min and 200 °C 1 min; larger seed mass decreased seed mortality, especially at 200 °C. Tree species in Detarioideae had the largest seeds and were unaffected by heat. Small-seeded species (mostly shrubs from grassy savannas) were relatively sensitive to the hottest treatment. Nevertheless, the presence of physical dormancy helped to avoid seed mortality in small-seeded species under the hottest treatment. CONCLUSIONS Physical dormancy-break is not tied to fire in the Cerrado mosaic. Heat tolerance appears in both forest and savanna species and is predicted by seed traits (seed mass and physical dormancy), which might have helped forest lineages to colonize the savannas. The results show seed fire responses are better explained by historical than ecological factors in the Cerrado, contrasting with different fire-prone ecosystems throughout the world.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Felipe Daibes
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Juli G Pausas
- Centro de Investigaciones sobre Desertificación (CIDE/CSIC), Montcada, Valencia, Spain
| | - Nathalia Bonani
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Jessika Nunes
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Fernando A O Silveira
- Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), CP, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Fidelis
- Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Lab of Vegetation Ecology, Rio Claro, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|