Claim · model-written summary
Fire frequency decreased and variability increased since 1750–1850.
- Taxon
- Grasstrees
Xanthorrhoeat0 - Outcome
- Fires, recorded as black bands on the leafbases, in south-western Australia have been decreasing in frequency but increasing in variability since 1750–1850e0
Not reportedMaterialGeneCompoundOrgan / stageInteractorInteractor roleSecond interactorSecond interactor roleTreatmentComparatorSettingDirectionValueQualifier
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Fires, recorded as black bands on the leafbases, in south-western Australia have been decreasing in frequency but increasing in variability since 1750–1850”
t0“Grasstrees”
Title
Ecology and ecophysiology of grasstrees
Byron B. Lamont; Roy Wittkuhn; Dylan Korczynskyj Australian Journal of Botany 2004. doi:10.1071/bt03127
Other claims from this paper (17)
- Observation Xanthorrhoea has 28 species across heathland and sclerophyll forest.
- Observation X. preissii leaf production peaks in spring and summer but continues year round.
- Observation Summer rain may stimulate leaf production, whereas root growth is wet-season restricted.
- Observation Grasstrees rarely die in fire despite hot retained dead leaves.
- Observation Leaf production after fire reaches six times unburnt levels.
- Observation X. preissii restores biomass within 40 weeks.
- Observation Leaves usually survive more than two years.
- Observation Post-fire growth flush corresponds with reduced caudex starch.
- Observation Minerals move from caudex to crown after spring fire but accumulate following autumn fire.
- Observation Senescing leaves withdraw at least 80% P; dead leaves leach more than 95% K and Na.
- Observation Fire volatilizes most stored N and S and returns minerals as ash.
- Observation X. preissii recovered after clipping while starch reserves fell 90%.
- Observation Exceptionally tall grasstrees can reach 250 years with a record of 450 years.
- Observation Post-fire flowering is most likely in the first spring.
- Observation Flowering spikes reach up to 3 m and can produce 8000 seeds.
- Observation Light inhibits laboratory germination of fresh seeds.
- Observation Grasstrees are susceptible to Phytophthora cinnamomi, though recruitment can occur decades later.