The soil seed bank of Triodia basedowii in relation to time since fire

Triodia basedowii seeds were found almost exclusively within Triodia hummocks, both in the centres and under the edges. Averaged over the whole ground surface, live seed densities in soil and litter were 85‐263 m⁻² in stands which had been burnt 9 and > 35 years previously. These live seeds comprised only 56% of all filled grains, and in turn filled grains were present in only about 6% of all fruits. Thus > 4% of fruits contained live seeds. A site burnt 1 year previously had about 35 live seeds m⁻² still ungerminated, but at sites burnt 3 years previously none of the pre‐fire seed bank was alive. After fire, juvenile plants were found predominantly around the edges of where hummocks had been before the fire, suggesting that seeds survive fires better around the edges.