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Premature decline of Eucalyptus and altered ecosystem processes in the absence of fire in some Australian forests
Citation
Close, DC and Davidson, NJ and Johnson, DW and Abrams, MD and Hart, SC and Lunt, ID and Archibald, RD and Horton, B and Adams, MA, Premature decline of Eucalyptus and altered ecosystem processes in the absence of fire in some Australian forests, The Botanical Review: Interpreting Botanical Progress, 75, (2) pp. 191-202. ISSN 0006-8101 (2009) [Refereed Article]
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Copyright Statement
The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com
DOI: doi:10.1007/s12229-009-9027-y
Abstract
We propose a model of ‘premature tree decline’ whereby an absence of
fire hastens the mortality of overstorey eucalypts in some forests. This model is
relevant to some temperate Australian forests in which fire regimes have shifted
from relatively frequent before European settlement to infrequent following
settlement. The increased development of midstorey vegetation and litter accumulation
has occurred since European settlement in some specific examples of
Australian forests and woodlands. Our model proposes that in the long absence of
fire: 1. midstorey vegetation reduces the availability of soil water for eucalypts and; 2.
Eucalypts have less access to P and/or cations as these elements become locked up in
soil, litter and midstorey biomass. We highlight important knowledge gaps and argue
that research into ecological burning, for eucalypt health and other values such as
biodiversity, is urgently required.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Ecological Burning . Fire Management . Nutrient Cycling . Water Competition |
| Research Division: | Environmental Sciences |
| Research Group: | Environmental Science and Management |
| Research Field: | Natural Resource Management |
| Objective Division: | Environment |
| Objective Group: | Ecosystem Assessment and Management |
| Objective Field: | Ecosystem Assessment and Management of Forest and Woodlands Environments |
| Author: | Close, DC (Associate Professor Dugald Close) |
| Author: | Davidson, NJ (Dr Neil Davidson) |
| Author: | Horton, B (Ms Bryony Horton) |
| ID Code: | 62252 |
| Year Published: | 2009 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 39 |
| Deposited By: | Plant Science |
| Deposited On: | 2010-03-11 |
| Last Modified: | 2010-05-10 |
| Downloads: | 4 View Download Statistics |
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