Poster (Scientific congresses and symposiums)
Fire promotes downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.) seed dispersal
Monty, Arnaud; Brown, Cynthia; Johnston, Danielle
2012NEOBIOTA 2012 Halting Biological Invasions in Europe: from Data to Decisions
 

Files


Full Text
Neobiota 2012 BromusTectorum.pdf
Publisher postprint (1.47 MB)
Download

All documents in ORBi are protected by a user license.

Send to



Details



Keywords :
Invasion; Cheatgrass; Seed dispersal; Seed dimorphism; Fire; Disturbance
Abstract :
[en] Particularly well-known among the many impacts of the invasive annual grass downy brome (Bromus tectorum, Poaceae) is its ability to alter fire cycles and increase in abundance after fire. However, little is known about how fire influences B. tectorum dispersal. We quantified fire effects on B. tectorum dispersal using three recently burned areas in the western region of the Colorado Rocky Mountains by marking diaspores (seeds) with fluorescent powder, and then recovering them at night using ultraviolet lights. Diaspores were of two types: with and without sterile florets attached. We also characterized vegetation cover and near-surface wind speed in burned and unburned areas. Diaspores travelled much farther in burned areas than in nearby unburned areas (means ± standard error at the end of the experiment: 209 ± 16 cm and 38 ± 1 cm, respectively; maximal distance at the end of the experiment: 2274 cm and 150 cm, respectively), indicating an increase in dispersal distance after fire. Diaspores with sterile florets attached dispersed longer distances than those without sterile florets (means ± standard error at the end of the experiment: 141 ± 14 cm and 88 ± 7 cm, respectively). Vegetation cover was lower and wind speeds were higher in the burned areas. Our results indicate that at least one of the mechanisms by which the spread of B. tectorum is promoted by fire is through increased seed dispersal distance. Preventing movement of seeds from nearby infestations into burned areas may help avoid the rapid population expansion often observed.
Disciplines :
Environmental sciences & ecology
Phytobiology (plant sciences, forestry, mycology...)
Author, co-author :
Monty, Arnaud ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Forêts, Nature et Paysage > Biodiversité et Paysage
Brown, Cynthia;  Colorado State University
Johnston, Danielle;  Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife
Language :
English
Title :
Fire promotes downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.) seed dispersal
Publication date :
2012
Event name :
NEOBIOTA 2012 Halting Biological Invasions in Europe: from Data to Decisions
Event date :
12-14 September 2012
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]
Available on ORBi :
since 22 October 2012

Statistics


Number of views
136 (8 by ULiège)
Number of downloads
136 (7 by ULiège)

Bibliography


Similar publications



Contact ORBi