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Journal article
Using Patterns of Post‐Fire Plant Reproduction to Inform Minimum Fire Intervals for Conservation Management in a Fire‐Prone Woodland
Austral ecology, Vol.50(1), e70023
2025
Abstract
The time interval between fires is a critical component of the fire regime that affects plant species persistence in fire‐prone ecosystems. Fire intervals that are too short or too long may not support regeneration from seed banks or resprouting. Fire intervals that support adequate regeneration may also vary with other factors such as climate, herbivory, and population structure. Using field data on flowering and canopy seed banks, we modelled post‐fire reproduction for woody fire‐killed (obligate seeding) and resprouting species under varying rainfall and herbivory along a 35‐year fire age chronosequence in Banksia woodlands in southwestern Australia. We found that fire‐killed species attained reproductive maturity rapidly after fire with predicted juvenile periods (time to 50% flowering) of 1.5–2.3 years for shrubs and 4 years for trees. Resprouting species had similar juvenile periods to fire‐killed species (1–3.5 years for resprouting shrubs, 4.4 years for resprouting trees). Reproduction varied with rainfall and herbivory with juvenile periods at least doubling under low rainfall or high herbivory for some species. Serotinous species produced cones (woody fruits containing seeds) shortly after flowering commenced, with some evidence of seed bank decline in the oldest sites. While reproduction was clearly correlated with time since fire, plant size was a much stronger predictor. Some species form multi‐cohort populations which can introduce large variation into post‐fire reproductive trajectories, and this should be considered when making decisions about fire intervals that may impact species persistence. This study provides critical information to assess fire interval‐related threats for Banksia woodlands and suggests that woody species of these woodlands are generally tolerant of a wide range of fire intervals. Only the slowest‐maturing, fire‐killed species ( Banksia prionotes , Proteaceae) may require fire intervals > 10 years to reduce immaturity risk under the least favourable growing conditions, and this species often occurs in discrete patches in the landscape such that fire management can be tailored accordingly.
Details
- Title
- Using Patterns of Post‐Fire Plant Reproduction to Inform Minimum Fire Intervals for Conservation Management in a Fire‐Prone Woodland
- Authors/Creators
- Russell G. Miller - Murdoch UniversityNeal J. Enright - Murdoch University, Centre for Terrestrial Ecosystem Science and SustainabilityDavid J. Merritt - The University of Western AustraliaBen P. Miller - Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and AttractionsJoseph B. Fontaine - Murdoch University
- Publication Details
- Austral ecology, Vol.50(1), e70023
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Ecological Society of Australia.
- Number of pages
- 21
- Grant note
- Australian Research Council
We thank the undergraduate students who assisted with field data collection. We acknowledge the Whadjuk and Pindjarup Noongar peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land on which this work was conducted, and their continuing connection to land, sea, and community. We pay our respects to them, their culture and their elders past and present.
- Identifiers
- 991005732485307891
- Copyright
- © 2025 The Author(s).
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Environmental and Conservation Sciences
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Citation topics
- 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology
- 3.40 Forestry
- 3.40.1598 Wildfire Dynamics
- Web Of Science research areas
- Ecology
- ESI research areas
- Environment/Ecology