SEED BANK, REGENERATION AND GROWTH OF TELINE MONSPESSULANA (L.) K.KOCH AFTER A FOREST FIRE

Abstract

Invasive plant species and fire may generate positive feedbacks, modifying landscape dynamics and ecosystem cycles. This study aims to study the population patterns of Teline monspessulana after forest wildfires in the coastal areas of the Bio-Bio Region of Chile, which is dominated by forest plantations of Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus globulus. The study was conducted in Cerro Caracol park, located next to the city of Concepción and burned by a fire in February 2005. The study area was stratified in three sites, representing a range of cover and slope conditions. In each site, fifteen plots of one square meter were established. Seed bank was recorded at different depth in each the sites. During the spring of 2005 and summer to the fall of 2006, monthly records of density and height of T. monspessulana regeneration and other companion species were compiled for each plot. Fire destroyed all shrub and herbaceous vegetation. However, seeds of T. monspessulana in the seed bank reached to 3,975 seeds m-2, great variation across sites was detected. The average regeneration vary between sites between 12,000 and 2,131,000 plants/ha. After eight months, since the beginning of the germination, the heighest average height was recorded for the site with greater canopy cover (ca. 70 cm). Along with T. monspessulana, other introduced species regenerated such as Acacia melanoxylon and Rubus ulmifolius. At the end of the summer season, a decline of 35% in the initial T. monspessulana density was detected across the three sites. We conclude that fire is favoring the presence and dominance of T. monspessulana in areas with exotic tree plantations along the coastal zone of the Bio-Bio Region of Chile.