Defining the role of fire in alleviating seed dormancy in a rare Mediterranean endemic subshrub.

ABSTRACT: Fire is a topical issue in the management of many ecosystems globally that face a drying climate. Understanding the role of fire in such ecosystems is critical to inform appropriate management practices, particularly in the case of rare and ecologically specialized species. The Mediterranean heathlands are highly fire-prone and occur in a biodiversity hotspot increasingly threatened by human activities, and determining the reproductive thresholds of at-risk heathland species is critical to ensuring the success of future conservation initiatives. This study examined the germination biology of the threatened carnivorous subshrub Drosophyllum lusitanicum, with specific focus on the role of fire-related cues (heat and smoke) in combination with seasonal temperatures and moisture conditi

SUBMITTER: Cross AT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5603962 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature