Lifeform distributions of woodland plant species along a moisture availability gradient in Australia's monsoonal tropics

1996 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 205 ◽  
Author(s):  
JL Egan ◽  
RJ Williams
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Gradient ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Rainfall Regime ◽  
Perennial Species ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
Moisture Availability ◽  
Savanna Communities ◽  
Species Declines ◽  
Allocation Strategies

A series of vegetation sites was established in Australia's Northern Territory between Darwin and Tennant Creek, a distance of approximately 1000 km and 7° latitude (12°30'–19°30'S). This region encompasses a strong environmental gradient in mean annual moisture availability (450–1600 mm) whilst remaining within a predominantly summer monsoonal rainfall regime. All sites are within eucalypt-savanna habitats on lighter textured soils (sands–loams). Major changes in family and species representation occur at approximately 16–17° latitude, supporting findings of other workers. Within these eucalypt-savanna communities, the percentage of annual species is consistently around 30% regardless of latitude. However, the distribution of resource allocation strategies used by perennial plants exhibits distinct latitudinal trends. The proportion of deciduous and seasonally perennial species declines with latitude whilst suffrutescent shrub species become increasingly abundant. Species possessing root structures adapted for storage purposes appear to be limited to latitudes north of 15°S.

Seed-bank contributions to regeneration of shrub species after clear-cutting and burning

1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Morgan ◽  
L. F. Neuenschwander
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Seed Banks ◽  
Thuja Plicata ◽  
Seed Density ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
Clear Cutting

Seed banks contributed significantly to regeneration of early seral shrubs after clear-cutting and fall broadcast burning of dense coniferous forests of the Thuja plicata/Clintonia uniflora habitat type in northern Idaho. Seeds were separated from 36 samples of soil and surface organic matter from 15 uncut forest stands. Total seed density averaged 1151 ± 1896 seeds/m2, and seed density for individual shrub species ranged from 1 ± 3 to 690 ± 1728 seeds/m2. Canopy cover of the "obligate" seed bank species, such as Ceanothus sanguineus and Prunus emarginata, was low or nonexistent in uncut forests, seed constancy and density in seed bank were high, and seedling regeneration on 2-year-old burns was abundant. Species that were "non-reliant" on seed banks, including Symphoricarpos albus and Rosa gymnocarpa, resprouted and no seedlings were found after burning. Response of "opportunistic" seed-bank species such as Rubus parviflorus and Rubus ursinus was intermediate; both seedling and sprout regeneration occurred after cutting and burning. These species existed in uncut stands both in the seed bank and in the understory. Burn severity affected germination and (or) seedling survival of Ceanothus sanguineus. Its percent canopy cover was greater on high-severity than on low-severity 2-year-old burns.

Effects of seed bed conditions on the germination of four Stylosanthes species in the Northern Territory

1976 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 811 ◽  
Author(s):  
JJ Mott ◽  
GM McKeon ◽  
CJ Moore
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Surface Soil ◽  
Soil Surface ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Perennial Species ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Native Grasslands ◽  
Grass Sward ◽  
Moisture Conditions ◽  
Potential Rate

Since the proposed use of low input management practices in the Northern Territory will require the establishment of Stylosanthes species in the native grasslands with the least possible disturbance, the effects of soil surface, soil type and seed treatments on the germination of four Stylosanthes species were studied. The species were the annual S. humilis, the facultative perennial S. hamara cv. Verano, and two obligate perennials, S. scabra CPI 40289 and S. viscosa CPI34904. The study was carried out on microplots in burnt and unburnt pasture near Katherine in the Northern Territory. Although all species germinated in both burnt and unburnt grassland, germination was much better under the grass sward. The two perennial species germinated much more slowly than either S. humilis or S. hamata, and the removal of grass cover caused low germination of these species, especially under the poor moisture conditions existing on the surface of sandy soils. Under the existing method of establishment with burning late in the dry season followed by sowing in the early wet season, the germination of the perennials S. scabra and S. viscosa will not attain the same levels as that of S. hamata and S. humilis. Our results suggest that field germination of the perennials could be enhanced by either pretreating the seed to improve its potential rate of germination, or by sowing later in the wet season to take advantage of the greater probability of prolonged moisture conditions.

scholarly journals Contribution of co-occurring shrub species to community richness and phylogenetic diversity along an environmental gradient

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 30-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuria Pistón ◽  
Christian Schöb ◽  
Cristina Armas ◽  
Iván Prieto ◽  
Francisco I. Pugnaire
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Diversity ◽  
Environmental Gradient ◽  
Shrub Species

Distribution of mammals in monsoon rainforests of the Northern Territory

1992 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 295 ◽  
Author(s):  
KA Menkhorst ◽  
JCZ Woinarski
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Environmental Gradient ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Species Variation ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Moisture Condition ◽  
Mammal Fauna ◽  
Open Forest ◽  
Historical Processes ◽  
Monsoon Rainforest

The mammal fauna of 50 patches of monsoon rainforest in the Northern Territory, Australia, was surveyed. No mammal species is restricted to this habitat, and most of the region's marnmal fauna uses it at least occasionally. Mammal species composition within monsoon rainforests undergoes substantial variation along an extensive environmental gradient reflecting moisture condition and rockiness. For most mammal species, variation in abundance among patches was related more to the position of the patch on this environmental gradient than to patch size or extent of disturbance. Disturbance was positively correlated with the richness and abundance in quadrats of three taxonomic groupingsrodents, 'other' native species, and all native species (other than bats)-and negatively correlated with richness and abundance of macropods. Compared with surrounding (open forest and savanna woodland) vegetation, monsoon rainforests have few grazing herbivores and small granivorous rodents, but more species that eat fleshy fruits and seeds from woody plants. The mammal fauna of monsoon rainforests in the Northern Territory is similar to that of monsoon rainforests of the Kimberley (to the west) but unlike that of wet tropical rainforests in Cape York (to the east). These differences, and the current impoverishment of the mammal fauna of the Northern Territory monsoon rainforest, are attributable to historical processes and the current small area of this highly fragmented monsoon rainforest estate. Three bat species may be important for pollination and dispersal of monsoon rainforest plants.

Leaf functional traits of abundant species predict productivity in three temperate herbaceous communities along an environmental gradient

Flora ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 239 ◽  
pp. 11-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa A. Ivanova ◽  
Natalia V. Zolotareva ◽  
Dina A. Ronzhina ◽  
Elena N. Podgaevskaya ◽  
Svetlana V. Migalina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Traits ◽  
Environmental Gradient ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Leaf Functional Traits ◽  
Herbaceous Communities

scholarly journals Reversing functional extinction of mammals prompts a rethink of paradigms about seed fate in arid Australia

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 171977 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte H. Mills ◽  
Mike Letnic
Keyword(s):  
Abundant Species ◽  
Dispersal Distance ◽  
Seed Removal ◽  
Seed Fate ◽  
Dodonaea Viscosa ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
Ecological Processes ◽  
Bettongia Penicillata ◽  
Functional Extinction ◽  
Acacia Ligulata

Functional extinction of once abundant species has frequently preceded understanding of their ecological roles. Consequently, our understanding of ecosystems is prone to shifting baselines because it often relies on observations made on depauperate species assemblages. In Australian deserts, current paradigms are that ants are the dominant granivores, mammals are unimportant seed predators and that myrmecochory in many Australian shrubs is an adaptation to increase dispersal distance and direct seeds to favourable germination sites. Here, we ask whether these paradigms could be artefacts of mammal extinction. We take advantage of a predator-proof reserve within which locally extinct native mammals have been reintroduced to compare seed removal by ants and mammals. Using foraging trays that selectively excluded mammals and ants we show that a reintroduced mammal, the woylie ( Bettongia penicillata ) was at least as important as ants in the removal of seeds of two shrub species ( Dodonaea viscosa and Acacia ligulata ). Our results provide evidence that the dominance of ants as granivores and current understanding of the adaptive benefit of myrmecochory in arid Australia may be artefacts of the functional extinction of mammals. Our study shows how reversing functional extinction can provide the opportunity to rethink contemporary understanding of ecological processes.

Regeneration of the vegetation on Koonamore vegetation Reserve, 1926-1962.

1964 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 205 ◽  
Author(s):  
EAA Hall ◽  
RL Specht ◽  
CM Eardley
Keyword(s):  
Community Dynamics ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Range Management ◽  
Perennial Species ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
The North ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Perennial Vegetation ◽  
Acacia Aneura ◽  
Arid Vegetation

Koonamore Vegetation Reserve was established on an overgrazed section of arid vegetation in the north-eastern district of South Australia, in July 1925. It was fenced to exclude sheep and rabbits, or so it was hoped. This paper discusses the regeneration of perennial vegetation since that date. The species common on the Reserve (trees- Acacia aneura, Casuarina cristata, Myoporum platycarpum, Heterodendrum oleifolium, Eucarya acuminata; tall shrubs-Eremophila sturtii, E. scoparia, E. longifolia, Acacia burkittii, Cassia nemophila, C. sturtii; low shrubs-Atriplex vesicaria, A. stipitata, Kochia sedifolia) are characteristic of large areas of arid southern Australia. Little or no regeneration of most of the tree and shrub species has occurred in unprotected areas. Many stands are showing obvious signs of senescence and many trees have died. Rabbits appear to be a major problem hampering regeneration. However, stands of Atriplex spp. in paddocks adjacent to the south and east sides of the Reserve have provided a seed source for effective recolonization of some denuded areas within the Reserve. The regeneration of Cassia spp. has also been spectacular in some places. Problems in regeneration and fluctuations in numbers of perennial species are discussed in relation to community dynamics, range management, and soil erosion.

The grasshopper (Orthoptera : Acridoidea, Eumastacoidea and Tettigonioidea) fauna of Kakadu National Park in the Australian seasonal tropics: biogeography, habitat associations and functional groups

2000 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan N. Andersen ◽  
Lyn M. Lowe ◽  
D. C. F. Rentz
Keyword(s):  
Functional Groups ◽  
National Park ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Northern Territory ◽  
Habitat Associations ◽  
Grasshopper Species ◽  
Geographic Ranges ◽  
Northern Half ◽  
Open Ground ◽  
Total Species

Grasshoppers are a diverse and functionally important group of insects, but assemblages of Australian grasshoppers are extremely poorly known. This study of the grasshoppers (Orthoptera : Acrididae, Eumastacidae, Pyrgomorphidae, Tridactylidae, Tetrigidae and Tettigoniidae) of Kakadu National Park in the seasonal tropics of the Northern Territory is the first comprehensive description of any regional grasshopper fauna in Australia. We list all known species, describe their biogeography, habitat associations and abundance, and propose a functional group classification for Australian grasshoppers as a framework for future ecological and biogeographical studies. In all, 161 grasshopper species from 90 genera are known from Kakadu. The dominant family is Acrididae (64% of all genera, 63% of all species), within which the subfamily Catantopinae (44% of all grasshopper genera, 47% species) is particularly important, as is typical for Australia. The Tettigoniidae is also relatively diverse, with 35 species from 16 genera. A large proportion of the fauna – 81 species (50%) and 15 genera (17%) – is undescribed. In total, 86% of Kakadu’s species and 73% of genera are endemic to Australia. Many (42%) of the species are endemic to the northern half of the Northern Territory, and most of the others (36% of total species) have their Australian distributions restricted to the tropics. The major functional groups in terms of species are Grass-eating Acrididae and Pyrgomorphidae (33% total species), Broadleaf-eating Acrididae and Pyrgomorphidae (19%) and Open-ground Acrididae and Pyrgomorphidae (12%). There is a widespread macroecological tendency for locally abundant species to have wide geographic ranges, but there was no consistent trend for locally abundant species in Kakadu to have widespread distributions.

scholarly journals Shifts in Aboveground Biomass Allocation Patterns of Dominant Shrub Species across a Strong Environmental Gradient

PLoS ONE ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e0157136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bright B. Kumordzi ◽  
Michael J. Gundale ◽  
Marie-Charlotte Nilsson ◽  
David A. Wardle
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Allocation ◽  
Aboveground Biomass ◽  
Environmental Gradient ◽  
Shrub Species ◽  
Allocation Patterns

scholarly journals Plants from the abandoned Nacozari mine tailings: evaluation of their phytostabilization potential

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alina E. Santos ◽  
Rocio Cruz-Ortega ◽  
Diana Meza-Figueroa ◽  
Francisco M. Romero ◽  
Jose Jesus Sanchez-Escalante ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Mine Tailings ◽  
Abundant Species ◽  
Plant Distribution ◽  
Accumulation Factor ◽  
Native Plant ◽  
Perennial Species ◽  
Prosopis Velutina ◽  
Native Plant Species ◽  
Short Term Experiment

Phytostabilization is a remediation technology that uses plants for in-situ stabilization of contamination in soils and mine tailings. The objective of this study was to identify native plant species with potential for phytostabilization of the abandoned mine tailings in Nacozari, Sonora in northern Mexico. A flora of 42 species in 16 families of angiosperms was recorded on the tailings site and the abundance of the most common perennial species was estimated. Four of the five abundant perennial species showed evidence of regeneration: the ability to reproduce and establish new seedlings. A comparison of selected physicochemical properties of the tailings in vegetated patches with adjacent barren areas suggests that pH, electrical conductivity, texture, and concentration of potentially toxic elements do not limit plant distribution. For the most abundant species, the accumulation factor for most metals was <1, with the exception of Zn in two species. A short-term experiment on adaptation revealed limited evidence for the formation of local ecotypes inProsopis velutinaandAmaranthus watsonii. Overall, the results of this study indicate that five native plant species might have potential for phytostabilization of the Nacozari tailings and that seed could be collected locally to revegetate the site. More broadly, this study provides a methodology that can be used to identify native plants and evaluate their phytostabilization potential for similar mine tailings.

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