Ecology of Proteaceae with Special Reference to the Sydney Region
951 Ecology of Proteaceae with special reference to the Sydney region P.J. Myerscough, R.J. Whelan and R.A. Bradstock Myerscough, P.J.1, Whelan, R.J.2, and Bradstock, R.A.3 (1Institute of Wildlife Research, School of Biological Sciences (A08), University of Sydney, NSW 2006; 2Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522; 3Biodiversity Research and Management Division, NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, PO Box 1967, Hurstville, NSW 1481) Ecology of Proteaceae with special reference to the Sydney region. Cunninghamia 6(4): 951–1015. In Australia, the Proteaceae are a diverse group of plants. They inhabit a wide range of environments, many of which are low in plant resources. They support a wide range of animals and other organisms, and show distinctive patterns of distribution in relation to soils, climate and geological history. These patterns of distribution, relationships with nutrients and other resources, interactions with animals and other organisms and dynamics of populations in Proteaceae are addressed in this review, particularly for the Sydney region. The Sydney region, with its wide range of environments, offers great opportunities for testing general questions in the ecology of the Proteaceae. For instance, its climate is not mediterranean, unlike the Cape region of South Africa, south- western and southern Australia, where much of the research on plants of Proteaceae growing in infertile habitats has been done. The diversity and abundance of Proteaceae vary in the Sydney region inversely with fertility of habitats. In the region’s rainforest there are few Proteaceae and their populations are sparse, whereas in heaths in the region, Proteaceae are often diverse and may dominate the canopy.
[Show full text]