Fire-Related Traits in Mediterranean Basin Plants

Abstract

Fire is a frequent and severe disturbance that affects plants on large scales, especially in Mediterranean-type ecosystems (MTE). Plants have evolved traits that confer resilience to fire and other disturbances, ensuring their persistence in fire-prone systems, but MTE floras differ in fire-related traits and their frequencies. Using available literature, we compare fire-related plant traits and syndromes of the flora of the Mediterranean Basin with those of other MTEs, discuss the differences and their possible causes, and point to knowledge gaps. Plants with lignotubers are relatively rare in the Mediterranean, as is serotiny. Many Mediterranean species have physically dormant seeds that are cued to germinate after fire by heat shock, while the effect of smoke on seed germination in the Mediterranean flora is less common than in other MTEs. The geophytes in the MB that flower massively afterfire flowering are opportunistic and not obligate fire-stimulated flowering species. Based on this literature survey, we conclude that differences in current and historic fire regimes could account for differences among MTEs in plants' fire-related traits.

Keywords:

• Plant adaptive traits
• flammability
• germination
• lignotuber
• resprouting
• serotiny
• smoke