Stem responses to damage: the evolutionary ecology of Quercus species in contrasting fire regimes

• DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02733.x
• Publication Date: 2009-01-09T09:47:08Z
• Authors: Claudia Romero; Benjamin M. Bolker; Christine E. Edwards
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; Analysis of Variance; Principal Component Analysis; Ecology; Plant Stems; Phloem; 15. Life on land; Biological Evolution; 01 natural sciences; Fires; Quercus; Quantitative Trait, Heritable; Species Specificity; Xylem; Florida; Ecosystem; Phylogeny

• The ability of tree stems to recover from damage is critical for survival and may explain species distributions across disturbance regimes. Two primary responses stem damage, decay compartmentalization wound closure, act in concert limit pathogen spread. A previous study demonstrated a tradeoff between that varied with anatomical traits, but its wide taxonomic range made it hard analyze an evolutionary context. Here, we tested the 13 Quercus inhabiting three habitats gradient fire intensity. We also quantified structural traits phylogenetic position, order assess relative contributions ecological adaptation history determining traits. Xylem were phylogenetically constrained, while phloem habitat. Across habitats, hammock sandhill closed bark wounds effectively, whereas scrub limited spread xylem decay. There was closure within white+live oaks. fact some response are constrained others respond pressures suggests integrate mechanisms operating at several levels plants.