Dans les milieux soumis au feu, les plantes ont développé une diversité de stratégies d'histoire de vie qui sont supposément adaptées à différentes conditions environnementales, comme différents régimes de feu. Au cours de ma thèse, j'ai cherché à expliquer la diversité de stratégies adoptées par les plantes pérennes en cherchant à déterminer comment des facteurs intrinsèques et extrinsèques ont influencé l'évolution de ces traits d'histoire de vie. Mais également si cette connaissance peut nous permettre d'améliorer notre compréhension de l'impact à venir de changements environnementaux ou renseigner des politiques de conservation. Les régimes de feux ont été proposés comme étant une force sélective majeure influençant les traits d'histoire de vie dans les milieux soumis au feu. J'ai donc particulièrement étudié l'impact de la distribution des intervalles de feux. Un modèle d'optimisation d'allocation des ressources a été construit afin d'étudier les stratégies d'histoire de vie optimales sous différents régimes de feu. Ce modèle prédit qu'il est optimal de diminuer l'allocation des ressources au maintien des cônes lorsque la variance des intervalles de feu augmente et lorsque la disponibilité en ressources diminue. De même, les prédictions montrent que l'allocation des ressources à la sérotinie diminue lorsque la disponibilité des ressources diminue au profit de l'allocation à la croissance et à la production de graines. De façon, à tester ces prédictions, nous utilisons des analyses comparatives appliquées le long d'une nouvelle phylogénie du genre Leucadendron. Un protocole de recherche de marqueurs permettant de maximiser le polymorphisme et la probabilité d'orthologie de ceux-ci a été construit de façon à définir de nouveaux marqueurs spécifiques du genre Leucadendron. L'estimation des valeurs de traits d'histoire de vie le long de cette nouvelle phylogénie montre une évolution complexe de tous les traits d'histoire de vie considérés ainsi qu'une évolution conjointe entre certains traits d'histoire de vie. Des analyses comparatives prenant en compte l'incertitude phylogénétique et la variabilité environnementale intra-spécifique, montrent notamment que les espèces sérotineuses ont évolué des niches environnementales impliquant des événements climatiques extrêmes (i.e. sécheresse et gel) moins importants que les espèces avec banques de graines dans le sol. De même, les espèces non-réitératives semblent avoir été moins tolérantes que les espèces réitératives à des événements climatiques extrêmes. / In fire-prone environments, plants have developed a huge diversity of life history strategies that aresupposed to be adapted to different environmental conditions such as several fire regimes. My PhDproject aimed at explaining the large diversity of life history strategies of perennial plants, focusingon how intrinsic and extrinsic factors have shaped the evolution of those traits. I particularly ask, ifsuch knowledge can be used to understand the impact of future environmental changes onbiological diversity ? And finally, how does this apply to conservation policies and the maintenanceof such diversity? Because contrasted fire regimes have been suggested as a major selective factorinfluencing plant traits in fire-prone environments, I especially investigated the effect of the fireregime in terms of distribution probabilities of fire intervals. A model of optimization of resourceallocation for a serotinous non-resprouting plant predict that whenever maximal plant survivalprobability is low, the optimal strategy consists in reducing resource allocation to seed maintenancein the canopy, while increasing resource allocation to annual seed production. The model alsopredict that a low level of serotiny should evolve when the predictability of fire arrival is low, that iswhen there is a large variance in fire intervals. In order to test those predictions, I used comparativeanalyses along the newly reconstructed phylogeny of the Leucadendron genus. A bioinformaticspipeline allowed designing new nuclear markers, maximizing both polymorphism and probability oforthology that can be further used to construct the Leucadendron phylogeny. This approachgenerated seven new markers of which three contained a polymorphic 3'-UTR region. Life historytrait are further estimated along branches of this new phylogeny to assess whether life history traitswere labile across the evolutionary history of the genus. This analysis show that all five studiedtraits emerged independently several times and in correlation with one another. The joint evolutionof fire-related traits and ecological niches are finally studied to test hypotheses partly inspired byour theoretical work. Comparative analyses that account for phylogenetic uncertainty, traitreconstruction uncertainty and environmental intra-specific variability show that serotinous speciesevolved ecological niches characterised by less extreme climatic events than species havingunderground seed banks. Similarly, non-resprouting species evolved niches including less extremeclimatic events than resprouting species.

Eucalyptus globulus is the subject of intense debate in California. Its invasive potential, aggressive growth, reproductive biology, and association with fire make the prediction of spread important in California. Two modeling simulations, Climex and Maxent, will illustrate the distribution and potential growth range of E. globulus in California based on climate and presence. Modeling the potential range of growth will predict invasive spread. The anticipated result is the continued spread of E. globulus in coastal regions with adequate moisture and suitable climate. Predicting the range of E. globulus in California dictates management strategy and is key for preventing further introduction, establishment, and dispersal.

The decline of floodplain vegetation along the Lower River Murray, South Australia, has evoked recommendations for ‘environmental flows’ to restore and maintain the health of the ecosystem. To assist managers to maximize benefits from environmental flows, this thesis considers the significance of water for germination and recruitment in key floodplain plant species. Three dominant species are considered, including two trees, river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) and black box (E. largiflorens), and an understorey shrub, tangled lignum (Muehlenbeckia florulenta). The soil seed bank was dominated by terrestrial annual native plants. Among 1400 seedlings, a single river red gum was found, and no black box or lignum, suggesting that these species do not contribute to the persistent soil seed bank and rely instead on aerial seed banks (serotiny). Sampling of the soil seed bank was continued to determine when seed fall might coincide with appropriate soil moisture conditions. Responses of the soil seed bank to varied water regimes were compared to determine requirements for seedling survival. The results indicated that species richness, rapidity of response and survival time were all promoted by sustained soil moisture. Stands of eucalypts in various states of health (from very stressed to very healthy) were monitored to identify seasonal patterns in bud crops, flowering, fresh leaves and volumes of seed released from the aerial seed bank. Distinct seasonal phenological patterns were apparent, and suggested alternating flowering among individual trees (biennial for red gum, bi-annual for black box), producing an annual peak in summer. Peak seed rain occurred in summer (December–March) in healthy trees for both red gum and black box, with light seed rain continuing throughout the year. Seed fall from stressed trees was much reduced. Stressed trees responded after a second watering event, with much more varied and extended annual seed fall patterns. Lignum showed a spring peak in flowering and seed production. There was a prolific response of flowering and seeding to rainfall, but few seedlings survived. Vigorous vegetative growth occurred in existing plants in response to rainfall and watering but no new cloned plants were found during the study. An investigation of chromosomes as a potential tool to appraise the balance between sexual and asexual reproduction in lignum proved inconclusive, although a previous report of octoploidy in lignum was confirmed. Seeds from all three species and lignum cuttings were tested for their responses to varied watering regimes, based on combinations of simulated rain and flood conditions. The optimal soil moisture for continued growth and survival in all seeds and cuttings was 10 25%, with moisture values <10% causing wilting and death. The results also suggested that red gum and black box seeds which germinate in water under flooded conditions need to be stranded onto moist soil at the water’s edge within 10 days, for the seedling to continue to grow. It was also concluded that germination on rain-moistened soil is a key supplementary mechanism for recruitment, particularly between irregular flood events. For greatest benefit, the timing of environmental flows should complement any seasonal rainfall and irregular flooding that may occur. Extension of suitable soil moisture conditions (10-25%) for as long as possible after >5 mm rainfall, or after over-bank flows, would increase chances for survival of seedlings. December is the most likely month for maximal benefit from watering in the Lower Murray Valley, for germination and recruitment, based on regional rainfall and flooding patterns. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1344528 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2008