Do Fire Cues Enhance Germination of Soil Seed Stores across an Ecotone of Wet Eucalypt Forest to Cool Temperate Rainforest in the Central Highlands of South-Eastern Australia?

Soil seed banks play an important role in plant species persistence fire-prone systems. Response to fire related germination cues often reflect historical regimes and can be maintaining ecotones between different forest types. We assessed the effects of heat and/or smoke on soil stored across ecotone eucalypt rainforest overstorey comprising wet forest, cool temperate mixed south-eastern Australia. Soils from five replicates each type were subjected very low (45 °C), (65 °C) high (90 with or without two treatments: –smoke-infused vermiculite, karrikinolide—a phytoreactive compound derived smoke. placed a glasshouse germinants identified counted at weekly intervals. was consistent among types despite underlying differences diversity banks. There no overall response richness, abundance, composition cues. Phanerophytes ant-dispersed hard coats demonstrated positive response, endozoochores negative independent Endozoochores concentrated (albeit densities) effect seral affiliation Given lack karrikinolide, disturbance would most likely associated mechanical abrasion exposure increased light availability than non-fire production products. Forest stronger determinant floristics germinated bank simulated Both treatments had little influence suggesting other, disturbances such as treefalls turnover by fauna may more for many these