Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/2866
Title: Germinable soil seed banks in a tropical savanna: seasonal dynamics and effects of fire
Contributor(s): Williams, Paul R (author); Congdon, Robert A (author); Grice, Anthony C (author); Clarke, Peter John  (author)
Publication Date: 2005
DOI: 10.1111/j.1442-9993.2005.tb00368.x
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/2866
Abstract: The germinable soil seed bank of a tropical eucalypt savanna of north-eastern Australia was found to be dominated by grasses and forbs, with seed bank density ranging from 58 to 792 seeds per square metre, from a total of 53 species. Late dry season fires and the fire-related cues, heat shock and smoke, broke the seed dormancy of a range of tropical savanna species. Heat shock promoted the germination of the species groups natives, exotics, subshrubs, ephemeral and twining perennial forbs, and the common species 'Indigofera hirsuta', 'Pycnospora lutescens' and 'Triumfetta rhomboidea'. Exposure to smoke at ambient temperature promoted germination from the soil seed bank of the species groups combined natives, upright perennial forbs and grasses, as well as the common grasses 'Digitaria breviglumis' and 'Heteropogon triticeus'. The germinable soil seed bank varied seasonally, increasing from the mid west season (February) and early dry season (May) to a maximum in the late dry season (October). The effect of recent fire history on soil seed bank dynamics was limited to the immediate release of some seed from dormancy; a reduction in seed densities of subshrubs and monocots, other than grasses, in recently burnt savanna; and enhanced seed density of the ephemeral 'I. hirsuta' in the year following fire. The seed banks of most savanna species were replenished in the year following burning.
Publication Type: Journal Article
Source of Publication: Austral Ecology, 30(1), p. 79-90
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia
Place of Publication: Australia
ISSN: 1442-9993
1442-9985
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 060703 Plant Developmental and Reproductive Biology
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 960806 Forest and Woodlands Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: C1 Refereed Article in a Scholarly Journal
Publisher/associated links: http://nla.gov.au/anbd.bib-an44054088
Appears in Collections:Journal Article

Files in This Item:
2 files
File Description SizeFormat 
Show full item record

Page view(s)

1,008
checked on Jun 4, 2023
Google Media

Google ScholarTM

Check

Altmetric


Items in Research UNE are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.