TY - JOUR
T1 - Sprouting ability across diverse disturbances and vegetation types worldwide
AU - Vesk, Peter A.
AU - Westoby, Mark
PY - 2004/4
Y1 - 2004/4
N2 - 1 A widely used classification of plant response to fire divides species into two groups, sprouters and non-sprouters. In contrast, regeneration responses to catastrophic wind throw and small gap disturbance are more often considered a continuum. 2 We determined general patterns in the distribution of sprouting ability across species with respect to disturbance type and intensity, vegetation type and phylogeny and assessed the adequacy of a dichotomy for describing species' sprouting responses. These are important steps if sprouting is to be adopted widely and consistently as a functional trait. 3 Quantitative data were compiled from the literature and differences in species' sprouting proportions between disturbance classes were assessed using simple sprouting categorizations, visually using histograms and with mixture models. 4 The sprouter/non-sprouter dichotomy effectively characterized intense disturbances, such as fires resulting in stem-kill (peaks at 13%, 79% probability of sprouting). But there was a continuum of responses following less intense disturbances. Where substantial above-ground tissue was retained, as for wind throw, localized gap disturbances and low intensity fires, there were fewer non-sprouters and more intermediate sprouters. 5 Comparisons across diverse vegetation types and disturbances require quantitative records of sprouting, although the simple sprouter/non-sprouter dichotomy was sufficient for comparisons within fire. Patterns appeared consistent across broad vegetation types. Sprouting ability showed little phylogenetic conservatism.
AB - 1 A widely used classification of plant response to fire divides species into two groups, sprouters and non-sprouters. In contrast, regeneration responses to catastrophic wind throw and small gap disturbance are more often considered a continuum. 2 We determined general patterns in the distribution of sprouting ability across species with respect to disturbance type and intensity, vegetation type and phylogeny and assessed the adequacy of a dichotomy for describing species' sprouting responses. These are important steps if sprouting is to be adopted widely and consistently as a functional trait. 3 Quantitative data were compiled from the literature and differences in species' sprouting proportions between disturbance classes were assessed using simple sprouting categorizations, visually using histograms and with mixture models. 4 The sprouter/non-sprouter dichotomy effectively characterized intense disturbances, such as fires resulting in stem-kill (peaks at 13%, 79% probability of sprouting). But there was a continuum of responses following less intense disturbances. Where substantial above-ground tissue was retained, as for wind throw, localized gap disturbances and low intensity fires, there were fewer non-sprouters and more intermediate sprouters. 5 Comparisons across diverse vegetation types and disturbances require quantitative records of sprouting, although the simple sprouter/non-sprouter dichotomy was sufficient for comparisons within fire. Patterns appeared consistent across broad vegetation types. Sprouting ability showed little phylogenetic conservatism.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=1842430152&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.0022-0477.2004.00871.x
DO - 10.1111/j.0022-0477.2004.00871.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:1842430152
SN - 0022-0477
VL - 92
SP - 310
EP - 320
JO - Journal of Ecology
JF - Journal of Ecology
IS - 2
ER -