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Type: Journal Article
Author(s): C. A. Zammit
Publication Date: 1988

The resprouting response of different sized Banksia oblongifolia lignotubers (genets) was followed in two field experiments. In thefirst, the density and speed of resprouting, and the growth in length of the leading shoot from each lignotuber in response to fire and to the time elapsed since the last fire was monitored for 18 months afterfire and clipping treatments. In the second, sizes of bud banks were estimated by repeatedly clipping new shoots from individual lignotubers. Density of resprouting (shoots dm-2 lignotuber) decreased with increasing lignotuber size, and the length of the leading shoot increased. The direct effect of fire was to reduce shoot density by about 75%. The speed of resprouting (time taken by a cohort of shoots to reach 50% of their peak density) was similar after fire and clipping, but leading shoots grew significantly longer after fire. The elapsed time since lignotubers were last burnt did not influence their density of resprouting, but it did influence the speed of resprouting. Shoots from clipped lignotubers that had burnt 3 years earlier took about 90 days to each 50% of their peak density while shoots on lignotubers last burnt 5 and 17 years earlier took about 40 days. Death of shoots was unrelated to crowding in any stand. More lignotubers from the oldest unburnt stand were grazed by herbivores. The number of buds converted into shoots after successive clippings was surprisingly small; for most lignotubers this reserve was less than three times the size of their standing crop of shoots. In general, the smaller lignotubers carried a higher proportion of dormant buds in relation to their standing crop of shoots. About 30% of buds remained dormant after the first clipping and about 10% after the second and third clippings. Evidence suggests that buds are replaced within 6 months offire. No lignotubers survived four clippings over 15 months.

Citation: Zammit, C. A. 1988. Dynamics of resprouting in the lignotuberous shrub banksia oblongifolia. Australian Journal of Ecology, v. 13, p. 311-320.

Cataloging Information

Regions:
Alaska    California    Eastern    Great Basin    Hawaii    Northern Rockies    Northwest    Rocky Mountain    Southern    Southwest    National
Keywords:
  • Banksia
  • Banksia oblongifolia
  • buds
  • community ecology
  • fire frequency
  • fire resistant plants
  • grazing
  • herbivory
  • mortality
  • national parks
  • plant dormancy
  • plant growth
  • population density
  • post fire recovery
  • regeneration
  • resprouting
  • shrublands
  • site treatments
  • soil nutrients
  • soils
  • sprouting
  • statistical analysis
  • Wallabia bicolor
Tall Timbers Record Number: 3311Location Status: In-fileCall Number: Fire FileAbstract Status: Okay, Fair use, Reproduced by permission
Record Last Modified:
Record Maintained By: FRAMES Staff (https://www.frames.gov/contact)
FRAMES Record Number: 29376

This bibliographic record was either created or modified by Tall Timbers and is provided without charge to promote research and education in Fire Ecology. The E.V. Komarek Fire Ecology Database is the intellectual property of Tall Timbers.