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The fire-prone sandstone Arnhem Plateau is recognised as an international centre of plant species diversity. Key regional long-lived obligate seeders include the coniferous tree Callitris intratropica R.T. Baker & H.G. Smith, and the endemic myrtaceous, serotinous shrub Petraeomyrtus punicea (Byrnes) Craven. The paper reports a 6 year study of seedling-recruitment dynamics in natural stands of both species. For C. intratropica, it was found that (1) contrary to other published observations, initial growth was slow, with juveniles taking ~10 years to attain 2-m height, (2) maturation substantially exceeds 10 years and (3) previously unreported, even juveniles may occasionally resprout following very low-intensity fires after 100% scorch. For P. punicea, (1) maturation in some individuals commences as early as 4 years but generally takes at least 1-2 years longer and (2) juveniles (as well as adults) are killed following 100% scorch. The results emphasise the need for management-imposed fire regimes dominated by patchy, low-intensity fires for conservation of regional long-lived obligate seeders. © CSIRO 2006.
Cataloging Information
- age classes
- Australia
- Callitris
- conservation
- Cupressaceae
- fire intensity
- fire management
- fire regimes
- forest management
- low intensity burns
- mortality
- national parks
- Northern Territory of Australia
- plant growth
- regeneration
- scorch
- seed dispersal
- seed dormancy
- seedlings
- serotiny
- shrubs
- size classes
- species diversity
- species diversity (plants)
- wildfires
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