Register      Login
International Journal of Wildland Fire International Journal of Wildland Fire Society
Journal of the International Association of Wildland Fire
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > WF > WF05008
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 15(1)

Influence of heat and smoke treatments on the germination of six leguminous shrubby species

Mercedes Rivas A C , Otilia Reyes A B and Mercedes Casal A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Ecoloxía, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

B Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Ecoloxía, E.P.S., Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain.

C Corresponding author. Email: bfmrivas@usc.es

International Journal of Wildland Fire 15(1) 73-80 https://doi.org/10.1071/WF05008
Submitted: 14 January 2005  Accepted: 22 September 2005   Published: 6 March 2006

Abstract

The effect of high temperatures and smoke on germination was tested on the shrubland Leguminosae species, Adenocarpus lainzii, Cytisus scoparius, Cytisus striatus, Genista berberidea, Genista triacanthos, and Pterospartum tridentatum, which are abundant and widely distributed throughout the north-western Iberian Peninsula. Light thermal shocks (80°C, 5 min and 80°C, 10 min) and medium thermal shocks (110°C, 5 min and 110°C, 10 min) stimulated seed germination in C. striatus, A. lainzii, and P. tridentatum. The treatments 80°C, 10 min and 110°C, 5 min stimulated germination in C. scoparius but only 110°C, 5 min did so in G. berberidea and G. triacanthos. The intense thermal shocks (150°C, 5 min and 150°C, 10 min) inhibited germination in all of the species studied but the inhibition effect was already detectable at 110°C, 10 min in G. berberidea. From the results, it was impossible to relate the different levels of smoke used to the variations in the germination response of the species studied. The increase in the germination level after fire was more important in C. scoparius, C. striatus, A. lainzii, and G. triacanthos, which are non-resprouters.

Additional keywords: Atlantic shrubland; endemisms; reproductive behaviour; thermal shock; wildfire.


References


Añorbe-Urmeneta M, Gómez JM, Pérez-Fernández MA , Fernández-Santos B (1990) Influencia de la temperatura sobre la germinación de semillas de Cytisus multiflorus (L’Her.) Sweet y Cytisus oromediterraneus Riv. Mar. Studia Oecologica  7, 85–100.
Baeza MJ, Raventós J, Escarré A (2002) Ulex parviflorus germination after experimental burning: effects of temperature and soil depth. In ‘Fire and biological process’. (Eds L Trabaud, R Prodon) pp. 83–91. (Backhuys: Leiden)

Basanta M, Díaz Vizcaíno E, Casal M (1988) Structure of shrubland comunities in Galicia (NW Spain). In ‘Diversity and pattern in plant communities’. (Eds JH During, MJA Werger, JH Willems) pp. 25–36. (SPB Academic Publishing: The Hague)

Bell DT, Rokich DP , McChesney CJ (1995) Effects of temperature, light and gibberellic acid on the germination of seeds of 43 species native to the southwest of Western Australia. Journal of Vegetation Science  6, 797–806.
Casal M, Basanta M, García-Novo F (1984) ‘La regeneración de los montes incendiados de Galicia.’ (Servicio de Publicacións, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela: A Coruña, Spain)

Casal M, Prado S, Reyes O, Rivas M (2001) Efecto del fuego sobre la germinación de varias especies leguminosas arbustivas. In ‘III Congreso Forestal Español 4’. pp. 475–481. (Junta de Andalucía, Sociedad Española de Ciencias Forestales: Granada, Spain)

Castroviejo S, Talavera S, Aedo C, Romero-Zarco C, Sáez L, Salgueiro FJ, Velayos M (1999) ‘Flora Ibérica.’ (Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC: Madrid)

Clarke PJ, Davison EA , Fulloon L (2000) Germination and dormancy of grassy woodland and forest species: effects of smoke, heat, darkness and cold. Australian Journal of Botany  48, 687–700.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Côme D (1970) ‘Les obstacles à la germination.’ (Masson: Paris)

de Bano LF, Dunn PH, Conrad CE (1977) Fire’s effect on physical and chemical properties of chaparral soils. In ‘Proceedings of the symposium on the environmental consequences of fire and fuel management in Mediterranean ecosystems’. pp. 65–74. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report WO-3. (Washington, DC)

de Lange JH , Boucher C (1990) Autecological studies on Audouinia capitata (Bruniaceae). I. Plant derived smoke as seed germination cue. South African Journal of Botany  56, 700–706.
Díaz-Fierros F, Benito E, Vega J, Castelao A, Soto B, Pérez R, Taboada T (1990) Solute loss and soil erosion in burnt soil from Galicia (NW Spain). In ‘Fire in ecosystems dynamics’. (Eds JG Goldammer, MJ Jenkins) pp. 103–116. (SPB Academic Publishing: The Hague)

Dixon KX, Roche S , Pate JS (1995) The promotive effect of smoke derived from burnt native vegetation on seed germination of Western Australian plants. Oecologia  101, 185–192.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | European Union (1992) ‘Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC).’ Available at http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/nature/nature_conservation/eu_nature_legislation/habitats_directive/index_en.htm [Verified 29 November 2005]

Gilmour CA, Crowden RK , Koutoulis A (2000) Heat shock, smoke and darkness: partner cues in promoting seed germination in Epacris tasmanica (Epacridaceae). Australian Journal of Botany  48, 603–609.

| Crossref | Internacional Seed Testing Association (2003) ‘International rules for seed testing.’ (International Seed Testing Association: Bassersdorf, Switzerland)

Keeley JE (1987) Role of fire in seed germination of woody taxa in California chaparral. Ecology  68, 434–443.
Pereiras J, Casal M, Montero R, Puentes A (1990) Post-fire secondary succession under different ecological conditions in shrub vegetation of Galicia (NW Spain). In ‘Proceedings of the international conference of forest research’. (Ed. DX Viegas) pp. C.18-1–C.18-15. (University of Coimbra: Coimbra, Portugal)

Pérez-Fernández MA , Rodríguez-Echeverría S (2003) Effect of smoke, charred wood, and nitrogenous compounds on seed germination of ten species from woodland in Central–Western Spain. Journal of Chemical Ecology  29, 237–251.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Reyes O, Basanta M, Casal M, Díaz Vizcaíno E (2000) Functioning and dynamics of woody plant ecosystems in Galicia (NW Spain). In ‘Life and environment in the Mediterranean’. (Ed. L Trabaud) pp. 1–41. (Ashurst: Southampton)

Tárrega R, Calvo L , Trabaud L (1992) Effect of high temperatures on seed germination of two woody Leguminosae. Vegetatio  102, 139–147.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Tutin TG, Heywood UH, Burges NA, Moore DM, Walters SM, Webb DA (1968) ‘Flora Europea.’ (Cambridge University Press: London)

van Staden J, Jäger AK , Strydom A (1995) Interaction between a plant-derived smoke extract, light and phytohormones on the germination of light-sensitive lettuce seeds. Plant Growth Regulation  17, 213–218.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

van Staden J, Jäger AK, Light ME , Burger BV (2004) Isolation of the major germination cue from plant-derived smoke. South African Journal of Botany  70, 654–659.