Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 84 (3): 307-323, 2011
REVIEW ARTICLE
Fire regimen and spread of plants naturalized in central Chile
Setting fires is an old practice of land management in the Mediterranean
region of central Chile. Fire in the region is currently of predominantly human origin and previously published material
suggests that the scheduling of these activities is associated with the spread of naturalized exotic species. Research into the
effects of fire on both native and exotic Mediterranean vegetation in central Chile has increased notably over recent years.
The objective of our review is to highlight new knowledge in this area of research from the last 30 years and to contribute
to systematization and an explicit conceptual model which takes into account the effect of a fire regimen on the spread of
exotic plants and the mechanisms involved. We begin with analyses of the fire regimen which is currently observed in one
Region of central Chile and a subsequent exploration of the literature to identify the attributes mainly of the germination of
seeds which are sensitive to fire and which apply to the exotic species that are abundantly naturalized in central Chile.
According to the studies consulted, diverse mechanisms have been described which involve the effect of fire on the spread
of exotic plants in central Chile. Life history traits, tolerance, facilitation, and positive feedback between exotic plants and
fire frequency have been mechanisms reported in the literature. Finally, we propose a conceptual model which represents
dispersal assisted by humans of exotic species and the spread of species naturalized by the effect of fire regimens, which
helps explain the composition and structure of the matorral of central Chile in an early successional
state.
Key words:
central Chile,
exotic plant, fire, germination, naturalized plant
