Mediterranean-type Climate Ecosystems and Fire - Fire in Mediterranean Ecosystems - page 10

0.11

Chile

0.09

0.07

Mediterranean Basin

0.05

France

California

0.03

Australia

0.01

South Africa

0 0.1 0.2 0.3

% Nitrogen

0.4 0.5

Fig. 1.5 Levels of phosphorus and nitrogen in the soils of the five MTC regions .
(Redrawn from di Castri 1981 .)

contributed to differences in fire regimes and trait evolution, which are also part
of this story.

Mediterranean-type Climates and Ecosystem Convergence

The five MTC regions are: the Mediterranean Basin, California, central Chile, the
western half of the Western Cape Province of South Africa, and much of southern
Australia, including the southwestern portion ofWesternAustralia, SouthAustralia
and adjacent regions in Victoria. The Mediterranean Basin contains by far the
largest expanse of MTC landscapes followed by Australia, while South Africa
represents the smallest ( Table 1.1 ). In all MTC regions shrublands are an important
component and these are typically evergreens with broad or small, stiff and
sclerophyllous leaves on woody stems 1-3 m (sometimes 5 m) tall ( Fig. 1.6 ). Some
of the regions have a significant component of smaller stature, fine-leaved sclero-
phylls often referred to as heathlands, a vegetation that is widespread outside MTC
regions, including subarctic and tropical alpine environments (Specht 1979 ). Broad-
leaf evergreen sclerophyll woodlands are abundant in the Mediterranean Basin,
California and Australia, of lesser importance in central Chile and rather depaupe-
rate in the Cape region ( Table 1.1 ). Taller stature conifer forests are abundant in
California ( Fig. 1.7a ) and to a lesser extent in the Mediterranean Basin. Broadleaf
forests ( Fig. 1.7b ) are present in Chile and Western Australia ( Table 1.1 ) and of
increasing dominance in the Australian states of South Australia and Victoria.