Growth and survival of two north Australian relictual tree species, Allosyncarpia ternata (Myrtaceae) and Callitris intratropica (Cupressaceae)

Allosyncarpia ternata (an angiosperm) and Callitris intratropica (a gymnosperm) are two fire-sensitive tree species of the Australian monsoonal tropics. Studies using historical aerial photography have revealed recent expansion of A. ternata rainforests. There has simultaneously been a widespread co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecological research 2007-03, Vol.22 (2), p.228-236
Main Authors: Prior, L. D, Bowman, D. M. J. S, Brook, B. W
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerial photography
Bayesian analysis
Callitris
Cupressaceae
Demography
Growth rate
mortality
Myrtaceae
National parks
Plant growth
Plant species
Rainforests
Recruitment
Savannahs
Seasonal tropics
Seedlings
Survival
Trees
Tropical environments
Tropical tree
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Summary:Allosyncarpia ternata (an angiosperm) and Callitris intratropica (a gymnosperm) are two fire-sensitive tree species of the Australian monsoonal tropics. Studies using historical aerial photography have revealed recent expansion of A. ternata rainforests. There has simultaneously been a widespread collapse of C. intratropica populations in northern Australian savannas, presumably because of cessation of traditional Aboriginal landscape burning. To explain the demography behind these contrasting trends, stand structure, survival, and growth of the two species were recorded over a 16-year period at the boundary of a rainforest patch and also in adjacent savanna, in Kakadu National Park. Ages of the largest trees of each species, estimated by using a Bayesian analysis of tree-diameter increments, were approximately 433 years for A. ternata and 235 years for C. intratropica on the rainforest boundary, and 417 years for C. intratropica in the adjacent savanna. Densities of juveniles (seedlings and re-sprouts
ISSN:0912-3814
1440-1703
DOI:10.1007/s11284-006-0011-2