The effects of fire on Tasmania's west coast lowland rainforest

TL;DRAbstract

This study examined the effects of extensive fires on lowland cool temperate rainforest burnt in 1982. Post-fire vegetation eight years after the fires was dominated by sclerophyll species. On burnt sites, there were more non-rainforest species than rainforest species, though there was regeneration of most rainforest vascular species. Rainforest species that did not appear to regenerate include species of Hymenophyllum, Asplenium and Polyphlebium. Many regenerating canopy species, especially Atherosperma moschatum, were recorded as small seedlings. Their rate of survival to maturity was unknown. Floristic analyses using ordination and classification procedures indicated that rainforest type and burn intensity were the most important variables in determining post-burn vegetation. Regression analysis also showed the importance of rainforest type and fire intensity on individual species. The dominant post-burn species were the non-rainforest species Pterklium esculentum, Leptospermum scop

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