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Flammable biomes dominated by eucalypts originated at the Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary

Author

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  • Michael D. Crisp

    (Ecology and Genetics, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University)

  • Geoffrey E. Burrows

    (Institute for Land, Water and Society, Charles Sturt University, Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, New South Wales 2678, Australia.)

  • Lyn G. Cook

    (School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland)

  • Andrew H. Thornhill

    (Ecology and Genetics, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University)

  • David M. J. S. Bowman

    (School of Plant Science, Private Bag, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.)

Abstract

Fire is a major modifier of communities, but the evolutionary origins of its prevalent role in shaping current biomes are uncertain. Australia is among the most fire-prone continents, with most of the landmass occupied by the fire-dependent sclerophyll and savanna biomes. In contrast to biomes with similar climates in other continents, Australia has a tree flora dominated by a single genus, Eucalyptus, and related Myrtaceae. A unique mechanism in Myrtaceae for enduring and recovering from fire damage likely resulted in this dominance. Here, we find a conserved phylogenetic relationship between post-fire resprouting (epicormic) anatomy and biome evolution, dating from 60 to 62 Ma, in the earliest Palaeogene. Thus, fire-dependent communities likely existed 50 million years earlier than previously thought. We predict that epicormic resprouting could make eucalypt forests and woodlands an excellent long-term carbon bank for reducing atmospheric CO2 compared with biomes with similar fire regimes in other continents.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael D. Crisp & Geoffrey E. Burrows & Lyn G. Cook & Andrew H. Thornhill & David M. J. S. Bowman, 2011. "Flammable biomes dominated by eucalypts originated at the Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 2(1), pages 1-8, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:2:y:2011:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms1191
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1191
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    Cited by:

    1. Mark A. Adams & Mathias Neumann, 2023. "Litter accumulation and fire risks show direct and indirect climate-dependence at continental scale," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.

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