Resistance of three co-occurring resprouter Erica species to highly frequent disturbance

Abstract

The resistance to experimental, highly frequent disturbance has been analysed in three congeneric, strongresprouter species (Erica australis, E. scoparia and E. arborea) that co-occur in heath-dominated communities of the northern side of the Strait of Gibraltar, southern Spain. To do so, mature individuals of the three species from a long undisturbed location were clipped at the ground level every sixth month during two years. The relationship between the resprouted biomass dry weight (as indicative of the resprouting vigour) and the upper surface area of the lignotuber along the experiment was established separately for each species at each clipping event by means of linear regressions analysis. The resprouting vigour of the three species was compared by means of independent one-way ANOVAs within each clipping event. Resprouting vigour decreased after recurrent clippings in the three species. Nevertheless, significant differences between species in this loss of resprouting vigour were detected, being E. scoparia the most resistant to the experimental, highly frequent clipping. It is concluded that experimental levels of recurrent disturbance may help to find out differences in resilience within similar (taxonomically, morfologically and/ or ecologically), strong-resprouter plant species. Considering the history of forestry management in the nothern side of the Strait of Gibraltar, differences in this regard between the three Erica species may contribute to explain their somewhat segregated ecological distribution in this region.