Ecophysiological and Growth-Related Traits of Two Geophytes Three Years after the Fire Event in Grassland Steppe

Abstract

Deliblato Sands is the single largest expanse of sand in Europe. It is the most fire-prone area of Serbia due to the absence of surface water, sandy soils, specific microclimate conditions, and vegetation composition. Post-fire regeneration is a long-term process that includes many aspects of vegetation regrowth and habitat recovery. In the third year following one of the disastrous fires, the growth dynamics of two geophyte species in unburned and burned sites were studied. During the growing season, burned and unburned populations of Crocus reticulatus Steven ex Adam and Iris pumila L. were assessed for growth parameters (biomass production, specific leaf area, leaf area index) and leaf-level ecophysiological traits (photosystem II efficiency, chlorophyll amount, relative water content). Species acclimated differently to changed abiotic and biotic site conditions after the fire event. C. reticulatus burned and unburned populations differed significantly in terms of flowering phenology and ecophysiological traits, whereas I. pumila burned and unburned populations differed significantly in terms of growth parameters. The findings support the assertion that geophytes are generally well adapted to environmental disturbances. Species, however, responded differently to fire-induced changes in the physicochemical and biotic environment, depending on their ecological requirements and adaptive capacity.

Determination of Δc13 and Δc18 Isotope Ratios to Predict Carbon-Water Relationship in Different Forest Stands in Yenice Forest Hot Spot

“…Determination of the carbon isotopic ratios of leafs have proved useful in ecological research because they can provide insight into long-term carbon-water flux rates integrated over the entire lifetime of a leaf or needle. All [35,36] enable geophytes to develop successfully even at very low initial external energy supply. This feature provides them with a favorable strategy in steppe vegetation in the seasonally arid Mediterranean climate or in temperate, deciduous forests where the light phase is limited to cold seasons characterized by a low initial level of sunlight.…”