Mortality of lignotuberous seedlings of Eucalyptus species after an intense fire in montane forest

The survival of lignotuberous seedlings of Eucalyptus pauciflora, E. dalrympleana and E. dives following an intense experimental fire was monitored in montane forest in the Brindabella Ranges, Australian Capital Territory. Percentage survival was the same for each species (60%), but it was shown that an individual was more likely to survive if it was large and growing vigorously before the fire. Survival was also enhanced if the individual was growing in a patch of low litter load and if it experienced a locally low fire intensity. Lignotuberous seedlings of E. dalrympleana, a species of the subgenus Symphyomyrtus, recovered more quickly than the other two species which are of the subgenus Monocalyptus. This result parallels conclusions concerning different initial growth rates between seedlings of the subgenera.