Australian grasstrees are a long-lived group of arborescent, monocotyledonous plants that persist in fire-prone landscapes. Renowned for their capacity to survive fire, and flower soon after, these species have long attracted the attention of biologists. A southwestern Australian species, Xanthorrhoea preissii, has been the subject of several recent studies, including use and verification of the "leafbase banding technique" that prompted my study. This technique, which is used to determine the age and fire history of grasstrees, correlates alternating brown- and cream-coloured, transverse bands along the stem of grasstrees with seasonal growth, and intermittent black bands with the burning of the plant. Combined, this information provides a chronology for the fire events. Fundamental to this interpretation is the assumption that grasstrees grow continually, and this growth varies annually in accordance with changes between the two contrasting seasons of its mediterranean climate. I studied X. preissii in two habitats (jarrah forest and banksia woodland) adjacent to the Perth metropolitan area, in southwestern Australia, focussing on leaf growth and phenology in relation to four factors important to the species lifecycle; climate, fire, reproduction and herbivory. Leaf production monitored for grasstrees in both habitats revealed continuous growth, oscillating between maximum rates (2.5-3.2 leaves/d) from late-spring (November) to autumn (April/May), to a minimum rate of as low as 0.5 leaf/d during winter. In additional support of the "leafbase banding technique", annual leaf production was not different from the number of leafbases comprising one cream and one brown band. / Synchronised with leaf production, grasstree water potentials cycled annually, with predawn readings commonly measured as 0 MPa during winter-spring and were as low as -1.26 MPa during summer, but they never exceeded the turgor loss point (-1.85 to -2.18 MPa). The fast summer growth was characterised by a fluctuating pattern of leaf production, particularly in banksia woodland, where grasstrees reliably responded to >18 mm of rainfall. Twenty-four hours after 59 mm of simulated rainfall, grasstrees in banksia woodland showed a significant increase in water potential and increased leaf production by 7.5 times. Reflecting this result, rainfall was the best climatic variable for predicting banksia woodland grasstree leaf production rate during summer, whereas leaf production of jarrah forest grasstrees was most closely correlated with daylength. Substrate differences between the two habitats can explain this variation in leaf growth patterns. While water appears to have played an important role in the evolution of this species, growth phenology suggests that X. preissii may have retained a mesotherm growth rhythm from the subtropical early Tertiary Period. To distinguish fire-stimulated growth from the underlying growth patterns imposed by season, leaf production and starch reserves of X. preissii were compared between plants from unburnt sites and those burnt in spring and autumn. Immediately following fire, X. preissii responded with accelerated leaf production, regardless of season. Rapid leaf accumulation during the initial flush of growth was partly at the expense of starch reserves in the stem. Although this initial flush was relatively short-lived (12-32 weeks), the effect of fire on leaf production was sustained for much longer (up to 19 months). / Mean maximum leaf production rate was higher for spring-burnt grasstrees (up to 6.1 leaves/d) than those burnt in autumn (up to 4.5 leaves/d), due to optimum growing conditions in late spring/early summer. Similarly, the timing of autumn burns in relation to declining temperatures with the approach of winter appeared to dictate how rapidly grasstrees resprouted. These consequences of fire season may have implications for the reproductive success of X. preissii, reflected in the greater mean spike mass of spring-burnt grasstrees (1.19 kg) than those burnt in autumn (0.78 kg). Leaf and spike growth, starch reserves and the effect of restricting light to reproductive plants on spike elongation were assessed. The emergence of the spike from within the plant's apex triggers a reduction in leaf production of up to 4.6 times that of a vegetative grasstree that is sustained until seed release 4.5-5 months later. Jarrah forest grasstrees experienced the largest trade-off in leaf production (7% lower leaf production than grasstrees in banksia woodland), and produced the shortest mature inflorescences (50% of banksia woodland grasstree inflorescences), suggesting a constraint imposed by resource availability in this habitat. During the period from inflorescence elongation to seed release starch reserves were depleted. / Experimentation in the banksia woodland revealed that, although the developing spike is itself photosynthetic, it is the daily production of photosynthates by the surrounding foliage that contributes most significantly to its growth. When light was prevented from reaching the leaves the starch stored within the stem was not a sufficient substitute, evidenced by a significant reduction in spike biomass of 41%. A fire simulation experiment with a factorial design was used to assess three factors considered important for postfire grasstree leaf growth in banksia woodland: water, ash and shade. While results identified that ash and reduced shade significantly affect leaf growth, their effects were small compared with the stimulation derived solely from leaf removal by fire, simulated in this experiment by clipping. Clipping, also used to simulate herbivory, was imposed on a series of grasstrees at different frequencies. X. preissii demonstrated a strong capacity to recover in both jarrah forest and banksia woodland, even after clipping every month for 16 months. Starch reserves were depleted as the result of clipping, providing a cause of the eventual deterioration of grasstree 'health' associated with chronic herbivory. The similarity of growth responses to leaf removal independent of the mechanism (eg. fire or herbivory), provided reason to question the interpretation that grasstrees are essentially adapted to fire, rather than the alternative, that they are adapted to herbivory.

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Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The tobacco producing region of Rio Grande do Sul has a high demand for firewood for the curing of Virginia tobacco leaves. An example of species with features to supply the demand is Nectandra megapotamica which can be conducted by the coppice system for the production of firewood, and leaves for the extraction of essential oils. The objective of this study was to estimate the individual volume and biomass production for evaluating the technical viability of managing secondary forests under coppice system for the production of forest timber and non-timber products. Samples were collected on Agudo municipality in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul, in a secondary forest regenerated after the occurrence of clear-cutting of the pre-existing forest in in 1993, with removal of wood and reduction of residual biomass with fire and without soil disturbance, and cultivated a corn crop followed by fallow. A forest inventory was conducted to determine the floristic composition of the vegetation. All the trees were identified in the field, having been measured the CAP, the total height, commercial height, crown insertion height and eight canopy rays, guided by the cardinal and collateral points. Were slaughtered 16 individuals of Nectandra megapotamica, totaling 36 trunks. In each proceeded by a cubing Smalian method. Then we proceeded to separate the compartments of the biomass, which were measured with the aid of a balance of digital hook. To determine the dry mass, samples were collected, which were heavy on the spot and placed in plastic bags and taken to the Forest Management Laboratory of UFSM, which they were dried in an air forced circulation stove at a temperature of 72 ° C, until constant weight. The branches with CAP greater than 15.7 cm were used as sample for adjusting the amount of biomass and models. Also evaluated the regrowth of stumps, measuring height and CAP of the shoots, and the place of emergence of the same. At the forest inventory, 385 individuals were sampled, of which 25% have more than one stem. Nectandra megapotamica showed a percentage of 56% of individuals with more than a trunk, demonstrating that it can be conducted under the coppice system. It was found that the branches can be used as sample for volume and biomass studies because they showed similar behavior to the trees. Models were fitted that showed good fits to the data volume and biomass. Nevertheless, for the compartments of biomass canopy, the generated equations were less accurate due to the greater variation in the data. There was no difference in the production of wood and leaves in individuals with a trunk or multiple trunks. The production in the study area was 56.2 m³.0,23 ha-1, equivalent to 244 m³.ha-1. The coppice of native species can partially supply the demand for wood in the properties of the tobacco region. Finally, the management of secondary forests under coppice system for the production of forest products timber and non-timber is technically viable. / A região fumageira do Rio Grande do Sul possui uma demanda elevada de lenha para a cura das folhas de fumo Virginia. Um exemplo de espécie com características para suprir tal demanda é a canela-preta (Nectandra megapotamica), que pode ser conduzida pelo sistema de talhadia, para a produção de lenha, e folhas para a extração de óleos essenciais. O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi estimar a produção individual em volume e biomassa para avaliar a viabilidade técnica da condução de florestas secundárias no regime de talhadia, para a produção de produtos florestais madeireiros e não madeireiros. As coletas foram realizadas no município de Agudo, na região central do Rio Grande do Sul, em uma floresta secundária regenerada após a ocorrência de corte raso da floresta pré-existente, em 1993, com retirada da lenha e redução da biomassa residual com fogo e sem revolvimento do solo, sendo cultivada uma safra de milho seguida de pousio. Foi realizado um inventário florestal para determinar a composição florística da vegetação. Todos os indivíduos foram identificados a campo, tendo sido medidos o CAP, a altura total, comercial e de inserção de copa e oito raios de copa orientados pelos pontos cardeais e colaterais. Foram abatidos 16 indivíduos de canela-preta, totalizando 36 troncos. Em cada um procedeu-se uma cubagem rigorosa pelo método de Smalian. Em seguida procedeu-se a separação dos compartimentos da biomassa, que foram quantificados com auxílio de uma balança de gancho digital. Para determinar a massa seca, foram coletadas amostras, que foram pesadas in loco, e acondicionadas em sacos plásticos e levadas ao laboratório de Manejo Florestal da UFSM, onde foram secas em estufa de circulação de ar forçado, a uma temperatura de 72ºC, até atingirem peso constante. Os galhos com CAP maior que 15,7 cm foram considerados como indivíduos para o ajuste de modelos de biomassa e volume. Também foi avaliada a rebrota dos tocos, mensurando altura e CAP dos brotos, bem como o local de emergência dos mesmos. No inventário florestal, foram amostrados 385 indivíduos, dos quais 25% possuem multitroncos. A canela-preta apresentou um percentual de 56% dos indivíduos com mais de um tronco, demonstrando que a mesma pode ser conduzida pelo sistema de talhadia. Verificou-se que os galhos podem ser utilizados como amostra em estudos de volume e biomassa, pois apresentaram comportamento semelhante ao dos troncos. Foram ajustados modelos que apresentaram bons ajustes aos dados de volume e biomassa. Apesar disso, para os compartimentos da biomassa de copa, as equações geradas foram menos precisas em função da maior variação nos dados. Não houve diferença na produção de madeira e folhas em indivíduos com um tronco ou com múltiplos troncos. A produção na área estudada foi de 56,2 m³ em 0,23 ha-1, equivalente a 244 m³.ha-1. A condução da rebrota de espécies nativas pode atender parcialmente a demanda por lenha nas propriedades da região fumageira. O manejo de florestas secundárias no sistema de talhadia é viável tecnicamente para a produção de produtos florestais madeireiros e não madeireiros.