Low fertility also makes soils undesirable for agriculture and native vegetation has, therefore, remained relatively intact. Plants grow slowly in nutrient-deficient conditions and some species have developed symbiotic relationships with nutrient-fixing bacteria and fungi to enhance nutrient availability. Others have root systems that increase the efficiency of nutrient uptake.
Bushfires play a vital role in regeneration of dry sclerophyll forests. Many species are able to resprout from buds protected beneath soils or within the trunk or branches. Other species have seeds that are protected by a hard seed-coat or woody fruit, which are stimulated to open or germinate by fire. The frequency, intensity, season of occurrence of fire (‘fire regime’) has an enormous effect on the composition and structure of these forests.
This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Trees & Bushes meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.
Great picture and useful information - bushfires always sound so scary (especially if they're out of control) but useful to know that they're part of how the forest works #ourworldtuesday
ReplyDeleteThat is really interesting!
ReplyDeleteEven before reading your text, I could almost feel the aridity.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/04/french-corner-bakery.html
Nice presentation...interesting♪ http://lauriekazmierczak.com/paths-taken/
ReplyDeleteThe role of brush fires reminds me a little of our chaparral ecosystem in S. CA. (seeds that germinate by fire, and similar adaptations).
ReplyDeleteah, this I recognized :) I love that forest. I learned a lot of bush fires when I was in Queensland :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful trees! Loved the info about that area's brush fires and how they have affected the plants.
ReplyDelete