eCite Digital Repository
Decades-scale vegetation change in burned and unburned alpine coniferous heath
Citation
Kirkpatrick, JB and Bridle, KL and Dickinson, KJM, Decades-scale vegetation change in burned and unburned alpine coniferous heath, Australian Journal of Botany, 58, (6) pp. 453-462. ISSN 0067-1924 (2010) [Refereed Article]
![]() | PDF Restricted - Request a copy 296Kb |
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2010 CSIRO.
Official URL: http://www.publish.csiro.au/home.htm
DOI: doi:10.1071/BT10138
Abstract
Fire appears to be a rare event in alpine vegetation, suggesting that its effects might be more persistent than in
most lowland vegetation types. However, it has been suggested that the Australian alpine biota is resilient to infrequent large
fires. This paper describes decades-scale vegetation and soil change after fire in paired plots overfire boundaries in Tasmanian
alpine coniferous heath. The effect of fire on soils persisted for decades. Recovery of vegetation was extremely slow by global
standards, with delayed reinvasion of previously dominant species. There was low cover of the most fire-sensitive species
43–69 years after fire and much bare ground still evident, with the rate of revegetation declining through time. Gymnosperm
shrubs increased at the expense of angiosperms in the unburned plots in the same period and cryptogams declined in both
burned and unburned plots. These results suggest that the Tasmanian alpine flora cannot be characterised as resilient to
infrequent large fire, although most species survive its incidence. The many centuries that it appears are necessary for
coniferous heath to recover to its pre-burn state suggest that fires caused by increased ignitions from lightning and arsonists
are the major issue for conservation of the vegetation type.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
---|---|
Keywords: | Fire in alpine vegetation, coniferous heath |
Research Division: | Environmental Sciences |
Research Group: | Environmental management |
Research Field: | Conservation and biodiversity |
Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
Objective Group: | Terrestrial systems and management |
Objective Field: | Assessment and management of terrestrial ecosystems |
UTAS Author: | Kirkpatrick, JB (Professor James Kirkpatrick) |
UTAS Author: | Bridle, KL (Dr Kerry Bridle) |
ID Code: | 65451 |
Year Published: | 2010 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 22 |
Deposited By: | Geography and Environmental Studies |
Deposited On: | 2010-11-17 |
Last Modified: | 2011-03-28 |
Downloads: | 1 View Download Statistics |
Repository Staff Only: item control page