Density of four mid-storey plant species in burnt and unburnt habitat in Bagdad Native Forest Reserve, South Australia

Abstract

We examined the differences in density of the mid-storey plants Banksia marginata, Dodonaea viscosa, Leucopogon parviflorus, and Xanthorrhoea caespitosa between burnt and unburnt sites at Bagdad Native Forest Reserve in South Australia two years after a prescribed fire. We hypothesised that populations in the burnt area would be less dense than those in the unburnt one. Three species had significantly lower densities in the burnt site, while X. caespitosa was denser in the burnt site. This study indicated that X. caespitosa regenerated more quickly after fire than did B. marginata, D. viscosa and L. parviflorus.