The effects of fire on post-fire seed germination of selected Savanna woody species

Abstract

Although fire is recognized as an integral component of savanna dynamics, there is a dearth of understanding of its impacts on woody plant seeds. This study examined the impacts of fire in stimulating or constraining post-fire germination of seven common savanna woody species. Seeds of two species (Combretum hereroense and Euclea natalensis) failed to germinate irrespective of fire treatment. For the remaining five species, fire effects were dependent on seed location as either on the soil surface or buried. For surface seeds, fire effects reduced germination in four of the species, and stimulated it for one species (Acacia swazica). For buried seeds, fire had no effect. A significant proportion of surface seeds were destroyed by fire, and overall germination was higher for buried seed for most species other than A. swazica. © 2007 The Author.