Drosera Species Threatened by Recent Bushfire in Victoria, Australia

[bactrus]

Adam and all other Australian forumers,

Wondering what is the extend of destruction of wild Drosera after the recently reported bushfire. Just wondering if any population is destroyed. I recon the wild tuberous Drosera will survive. I am wondering about the other temperate ones? Suppose it is still still premature to pose this question as field surveys will have to be conducted.

Still on bushfire, I am really sadden by the death and destruction. Heart goes out to those who have lost their love ones and home.

[shawnintland]

Tragic though it is, I bet this would be a great opportunity for someone to do a study on the recovery dynamics of Drosera species post firestorm. I'd (only) guess that the 'smoke' will promote the germination to extremely high levels...it would be an interesting sight to see if millions of little seeds that have been just waiting there in the soil start to pop up!

Today's BNK Post had two articles facing each other across the page; one on the Aus fires and the other on Aus flooding! Condolances to all affected.

[kentosaurs]

I would think some species like the those which do not go for summer dormancy will die off....Since this has definitly happened before those sundews should recover

Ken

[Khoas]

We were talking about this at our last meeting (ACPS). The general feeling was the tuberous sundews should be OK, Some D. pygmea and spatulata population might be wipeout but many should return from the roots and seeds. The Utricularia species and Drosera binata should be OK been in more wetter areas. In fact many will benfit from the ash and removal of taller vegetation. However where the fires are at the most intense some area could be scroched killing all but the deepest tubers. We saw similar effect in local fires a few years ago.
The long drought has been more damaging by drying out wetlands.
Sean might know more about this.
With fires themselves, there are 5 still burning but are under control. The death toll is 201 with 7000 people displaced. Several small towns exist only in name.
One person has been caught and charged with lighting the Churchill fire and killing 11 people with fire. Now the police have to keep him alive to face justice.

[bactrus]

Thank for your report Donny. Comforting to know some population be save. Looking forward to hear from Sean and Adam. Adam says he is on the ground. His report will definately be interesting.

[strath76]

I have spent the last week in one of the affected areas and I must say it is very confronting. One of the towns that I am working near I would estimate has lost about 80% of the houses there. Even sadder in this is that many of them had the residents sheltering in them at the time.

As for the flora of the area it is now unrecognisable from its previous state. In the majority of the area there is now no undergrowth and all that remains at the moment is the charred trunks of Eucalypts standing like tomb stones over the scorched ground.

There are a few isolated pockets of vegetation that has remained apparently unaffected but this is few and far between. Where this does occur it is in gullies along water courses and so bodes well for CP species.

Many tuberous Drosera should have survived as they are currently dormant but even some of these would have been lost due to the heat in the ground. In many places that I stepped the ground would give way to reveal smouldering roots. It should be noted that this was about a week after the fire front passed. In many places the stumps of trees remain smouldering as if acting like chimneys for the burning roots. The ash is also very thick in places with my foot sinking to mid shin in many locations.

I have posted a link that has a few pictures showing the vegetation pre fires and a few photo's that show how it looks now.

http://www.parkstay.vic.gov.au/accom...national-park/

[Sean]

The areas in which the bushfires have covered (particularly the Kinglake area) are not some of the best locations for Drosera. Of course, many of the more common species such as D. aberrans and D. auriculata are common there but the fires will have no direct impact on them, in fact they will come back bigger and stronger than their previous populations.

In the fires around Gembrook, there are a few locations that D. binata, spatulata, pygmaea and U. dichotoma may be found. This area has had severe burns in the past and the plants always come back. I'm looking forward to visiting this region in spring as the plants will be much easier to find. Some of the spots that D. binata is found were almost inpenetrable prior to the fires and the plants very sporadic. The fires always seem to re-invigorate them and they appear en masse- often in places that you never realised they existed.

In all, the fires will have no negative impact on the CP populations, however the drought we are experiencing will.

[edwardyeeks]

I hope that the drosera will survive. Considering that they are so hardy and produce copious amount of seeds, I think that they will survive. Sorry to hear the condition at Australia.

Cheers

[bactrus]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences about this subject. If you Sean says is true, then fire is indeed a good tool for forest rejuvenation. I was concern if any specie is endangered by the fire. Human suffering aside, good news for cps in the region. How rank this fire compared to Black Wenesday in the 1980s, heard that one is pretty bad too.

Drough... been on for 3 to four years? If it goes on any longer, don't think even tubers can survive. Think those resilent seeds will ride through till the dreadful drought is over.

On the subject of displaced people and human toll. Don't think any word can describe their losses. So sad. Heard this morning that there is still fire in Belgrave area.

[Khoas]

Do you mean Ash Wednesday of 1983 ? I remember that one. It was the worst fires in Australian history until the Black Saturday fires of Feb 7, 2009. Around 75 people died in the Ash Wednesday fires in South Australia and Victoria. The Victorian fires of this month have claimed 209 people, 1500 homes, and displaced 7000 people. At least 10 hamlets, villages, and small towns have burnt to the ground.
There are still 5 major fires burning in Victoria at this moments. The fire chief reported on TV there was 315 fires yesterday in Victoria. This could change by thursday and friday where temperature are expected rise to into the high 30's to low 40's C with strong winds.
I just learnt the manni gum people ( the orginial people of the region that is fire effected) used to do a burn off every several years. Such a fire regime would help stop firestorms occuring as well helping many species to increase in population.
As Sean pointed out the drought both Victoria and South Australia are enduring is far more damaging to CP populations. In some locations the drought has been going for more than 10 years. Here in South Australia we having the driest start for the year in 55 years. I think we had about 2-3mm since the new year.