TY  - BOOK
AU  - Cowling,R.M.
TI  - Fire and its role in coexistence and speciation in Gondwanan shrublands
KW  - COMMUNITY ECOLOGY
KW  - AUSTRALIA
KW  - BANKSIA
KW  - FIRE ADAPTATIONS (PLANTS)
KW  - FIRE EFFECTS
KW  - SOUTH AFRICA
KW  - SPECIES DIVERSITY (PLANTS)
N2  - The floras of mediterranean south-western Australian shrublands (kwongan)and south-western Cape fynbos have evolved under conditions of low soil nutrients and recurrent fire. The vegetation of both regions, here termed Gondwanan shurblands, is broadly convergent in structure and functioning. In particular these shrublands have high species diversity at all levels. Fire has played an important role in the evolution of traits and life histories on both continents. Populations respond differentially to varying components of the fire regime and post-fire population extinction is not uncommon. Since each fire is a unique event, high alpha richness could be maintained by the creation of fire induced transient niches resulting in differential establishment. Under this form of lottery recruitment, competitive effects are weakened and many species of the same guild can coexist. It is postulated that recurrent fire is a major driving force in the massive speciation of the Gondwanan shrubland floras. Small demes would be isolated in peculiar habitats after fire-induced population fragmentation. Strong disruptive selection would result in the rapid evolution of isolated populations into distinct and specialized species. Some tests for these hypotheses are presented and the implications for conservation are briefly discussed
UR  - https://drive.google.com/file/d/14-ayGigR1URaQB548P9Q2jsowd3agucg/view?usp=drivesdk
ER  -