Seedling Establishment in a Pyrogenic Flowering Species: the Role of Time-Since-Fire, Litter and Post- Dispersal Seed Predation
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of Wollongong Thesis Collections University of Wollongong Thesis Collection University of Wollongong Year Seedling establishment in an pyrogenic flowering species: the role of time-since-fire, litter and post-dispersal seed predation Andrew J. Denham University of Wollongong Denham, Andrew J., Seedling establishment in a pyrogenic flowering species: the role of time-since-fire, litter and postdispersal seed predation, M.Sc.-Res. thesis, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, 2007. http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/681 This paper is posted at Research Online. http://ro.uow.edu.au/theses/681 Seedling establishment in a pyrogenic flowering species: the role of time-since-fire, litter and post- dispersal seed predation A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree MASTER OF SCIENCE (RESEARCH) from UNIVERSITY OF WOLLONGONG by Andrew J. Denham BSc University of Sydney SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2007 Certification I, Andrew John Denham, declare that this thesis, submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the award of Master of Science (Research), in the School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, is entirely my own work except where otherwise acknowledged, and has not been submitted for qualifications to any other university or institution. Andrew Denham Part of the life-cycle of a plant, as illustrated by Timothy, age 6. If only it were that simple…. Table of Contents List of figures .............................................................................................vii List of tables................................................................................................. x Abstract.......................................................................................................xi Acknowledgements...................................................................................xiii Chapter 1 - General Introduction ............................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction............................................................................................................ 1 1.2 What is special about the immediate post-fire environment? ........................... 2 1.2.1 Soils ...................................................................................................................2 1.2.2 Space and light ..................................................................................................5 1.2.3 Litter ..................................................................................................................5 1.2.4 Other consequences of the consumption of litter and above ground biomass ..6 1.3 Other effects of fire................................................................................................ 7 1.3.1 Herbivores and seed predators...........................................................................7 1.3.2 Effects of fire on plant seeds .............................................................................8 1.4 Variation in the timing of post-fire seedling emergence .................................... 8 1.4.1 Soil seed bank species .......................................................................................9 1.4.2 Canopy seed bank species ...............................................................................11 1.4.3 Species with transient seed banks or no seed bank .........................................12 1.5 When do post-fire environments become less favourable for recruitment? .. 16 1.6 What are the costs and benefits of delayed post-fire recruitment?................. 17 1.7 Overview of thesis ................................................................................................ 21 Chapter 2 - Characterising the litter in post-fire environments: implications for plant recruitment .......................................................... 23 2.1 Abstract ................................................................................................................ 23 2.3 Methods ................................................................................................................ 26 2.4 Results................................................................................................................... 27 2.4.1 Charcoal...........................................................................................................27 2.4.2 Post-fire litter...................................................................................................29 2.5 Discussion ............................................................................................................. 31 Chapter 3 - The importance of escape from seed predation to post-fire recruitment in the waratah (Telopea speciosissima R. Br.)................... 37 3.1 Abstract ................................................................................................................ 37 v 3.2 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 38 3.3 Methods ................................................................................................................ 40 3.3.1 Species.............................................................................................................40 3.3.2 Sites .................................................................................................................40 3.3.3 Methods...........................................................................................................41 3.3.4 Analysis...........................................................................................................43 3.4 Results................................................................................................................... 45 3.4.1 Litter and the classification of microhabitats ..................................................45 3.4.2 Seed survival ...................................................................................................46 3.5 Discussion ............................................................................................................. 48 Chapter 4 - The importance of time-since-fire on seed predation and seedling establishment in two resprouting shrub species......................55 4.1 Abstract ................................................................................................................ 55 4.2 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 58 4.3 Methods ................................................................................................................ 61 4.3.1 Study species ...................................................................................................61 4.3.2 Sites .................................................................................................................62 4.3.3 Seed collection and viability ...........................................................................62 4.3.4 Seed planting experiment ................................................................................63 4.3.5 Analysis...........................................................................................................66 4.4 Results................................................................................................................... 67 4.4.1 Seed viability and germination in the laboratory ............................................67 4.4.2 Seedling emergence and survival....................................................................67 4.4.3 Seed fate inferred from seed remains..............................................................69 4.5 Discussion ............................................................................................................. 71 4.5.1 Seed viability and germination in the laboratory ............................................71 4.5.2 Seedling emergence and survival....................................................................73 4.6 Conclusions........................................................................................................... 77 Chapter 5 - General discussion and conclusions ....................................79 5.1 Summary of results.............................................................................................. 79 5.1.1 Establishment of seedlings ..............................................................................79 5.1.2 Seed predation .................................................................................................80 5.1.3 Characteristics of T. speciosissima that facilitate its delayed post-fire recruitment................................................................................................................81 5.2 How do species with delayed post-fire recruitment persist? ........................... 82 5.3 Limitations of the study ...................................................................................... 84 5.4 Future work.......................................................................................................... 85 Chapter 6 - References..............................................................................87 Chapter 7 - Appendices...........................................................................107 vi List of figures Figure 1.1. Emergence times of plants after fire. Species can be classified into different groups according to their timing of