Flammability traits of fynbos species with different post-fire regeneration strategies

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dc.contributor.advisorFebruary, Edmund Cen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBurger, Nielen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2017-05-24T07:08:53Z
dc.date.available2017-05-24T07:08:53Z
dc.date.issued2010en_ZA
dc.description.abstractWild fire is an important disturbance regime that shape global biome distributions and maintain the structure, function and biological diversity of plant communities in fire-prone environments. Physical, chemical and architectural properties are known to affect plant flammability, but few studies explore how these traits contribute to fire properties at the individual level and how flammability is influence by regeneration strategy. The flammability and traits that contribute to it is investigated in 15 co-occurring fynbos and forest species with burning experiments performed at Bain's Kloof Pass, Western Cape of South Africa. Eight species are characterised by fire-stimulated (mostly seeders) and seven by non-fire-stimulated recruitment (mostly resprouters). Results across all species are consistent with other studies which indicate that the proportion of dead and fine fuel is significant predictors of flammability. Significantly higher flame temperatures and values for % fuel burned were recorded for FSR's relative to NFSR's and these differences are attributed to significant differences in % fuel dead, fuel bed porosity and packing ratio. This is consistent with the hypothesis that flammability is most like to be selected for in fire-stimulated recruiters (first colonisers after fire) where a combination of increased flammability and recurrent success enhance their fitness in the fire-prone environment. This study indicates that cultivation of the highly flammable species E. rhinocerotis, Stoebe sp., M. muricata, Erica sp. and P. amplexicaulus on urban fringes should avoided to reduce fire-risk and thus increase human safety.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationBurger, N. (2010). <i>Flammability traits of fynbos species with different post-fire regeneration strategies</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/24398en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationBurger, Niel. <i>"Flammability traits of fynbos species with different post-fire regeneration strategies."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/24398en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationBurger, N. 2010. Flammability traits of fynbos species with different post-fire regeneration strategies. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Burger, Niel AB - Wild fire is an important disturbance regime that shape global biome distributions and maintain the structure, function and biological diversity of plant communities in fire-prone environments. Physical, chemical and architectural properties are known to affect plant flammability, but few studies explore how these traits contribute to fire properties at the individual level and how flammability is influence by regeneration strategy. The flammability and traits that contribute to it is investigated in 15 co-occurring fynbos and forest species with burning experiments performed at Bain's Kloof Pass, Western Cape of South Africa. Eight species are characterised by fire-stimulated (mostly seeders) and seven by non-fire-stimulated recruitment (mostly resprouters). Results across all species are consistent with other studies which indicate that the proportion of dead and fine fuel is significant predictors of flammability. Significantly higher flame temperatures and values for % fuel burned were recorded for FSR's relative to NFSR's and these differences are attributed to significant differences in % fuel dead, fuel bed porosity and packing ratio. This is consistent with the hypothesis that flammability is most like to be selected for in fire-stimulated recruiters (first colonisers after fire) where a combination of increased flammability and recurrent success enhance their fitness in the fire-prone environment. This study indicates that cultivation of the highly flammable species E. rhinocerotis, Stoebe sp., M. muricata, Erica sp. and P. amplexicaulus on urban fringes should avoided to reduce fire-risk and thus increase human safety. DA - 2010 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2010 T1 - Flammability traits of fynbos species with different post-fire regeneration strategies TI - Flammability traits of fynbos species with different post-fire regeneration strategies UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/24398 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/24398
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationBurger N. Flammability traits of fynbos species with different post-fire regeneration strategies. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Biological Sciences, 2010 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/24398en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherBotanyen_ZA
dc.titleFlammability traits of fynbos species with different post-fire regeneration strategiesen_ZA
dc.typeBachelor Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelHonours
dc.type.qualificationnameBSc (Hons)en_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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