Journal article
Recruitment bottlenecks in the rare Australian conifer Wollemia nobilis
Biodiversity and conservation, Vol.23(1), pp.203-215
01/2014
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Source: InCites
Abstract
Seedling survival plays a critical role in maintaining a supply of potential recruits. We examined seedling recruitment, survival and growth in Wollemia nobilis, a rare, long-lived Australian conifer. Wollemia nobilis seedlings and juveniles were monitored for 16 years (1996–2011). While W. nobilis can recruit from seed and, unlike most conifers, persist through resprouting, seed-based recruitment was the primary focus of this study. Sixty-five per cent of new seedlings died within their first year and only 7 % persisted for the 16-year monitoring period. However, 44 % of established juvenile plants (of unknown age at the beginning of the study) persisted throughout the 16-year monitoring period. Growth of seedlings and juveniles was very slow; growth estimates for most individuals had 95 % confidence intervals that included zero. The recruitment strategy of W. nobilis may be to maintain a slow-growing juvenile bank—a strategy typical of other shade-tolerant rainforest trees, including other Araucariaceae. Seedling recruitment in W. nobilis may act together with resprouting to maintain the population.
Details
- Title
- Recruitment bottlenecks in the rare Australian conifer Wollemia nobilis
- Creators
- Heidi Zimmer - University of MelbourneTony Auld - New South Wales. Office of Environment and HeritageJohn Benson - Royal Botanic Gardens Trust, SydneyPatrick Baker - University of Melbourne
- Publication Details
- Biodiversity and conservation, Vol.23(1), pp.203-215
- Publisher
- Springer Netherlands; Dordrecht
- Identifiers
- 991012893700002368
- Academic Unit
- Forest Research Centre; School of Environment, Science and Engineering; Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article