Fire-related Plant Traits - Fire in Mediterranean Ecosystems - page 73

Box 3.1 ( cont. )

Table B3.1.1 Selected plant families from MTC regions with numerous species that recruit
seedlings after fire and exhibit smoke-dependent germination

Northern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere

Asteraceae Dilleniaceae

Boraginaceae Ericaceae (including Epacridaceae)

Caryophyllaceae Goodeniaceae

Ericaceae Haemodoraceae

Hydrophyllaceae Myrtaceae

Lamiaceae Poaceae

Loasaceae Proteaceae

Onagraceae Restionaceae

Papaveraceae Rutaceae

Polemoniaceae Thymeleaceae

Scrophulariaceae
Solanaceae

10 0

80

60

40

20

0

0 1 10 1 10 1 10 1 10 1 10

Direct
seed
treatment

Sand Paper Water Vapor
Indirect seed treatments

Fig. B3.1.1 Germination of the California fire endemic annual Emmenanthe penduliflora
for control (0) and smoke treatments of 1-min or 10-min exposures for direct application
of smoke to dry seeds or indirect exposure to seeds during moist incubation. Indirect
treatments are Sand: dry sand exposed to smoke and then seeds incubated in this
substrate; Paper: dry filter paper exposed to smoke and then seeds incubated on these filter
papers; Water: aqueous extracts of smoke applied to seeds during moist incubation and
Vapor: seeds exposed to vapors from previously smoke-treated sand. (From Keeley &
Fotheringham 1997 .)

Canopy Seedbanks

Serotiny is a type of bradyspory that involves the delayed opening of cones or
fruits with fire-triggered synchronous opening and seed dispersal into postfire
seedbeds ( Fig. 3.5 ). It is largely restricted to crown fire ecosystems. In the northern