Adaptation 1 - Hanging Bark
Mountain Ash trees are often found with long ribbons of bark hanging from the higher parts of the tree canopy to the forest floor. This bark sheds from the tree, with the purpose of allowing fire to travel from the forest floor up to the canopy. The seeds (gum nuts) of the Mountain Ash are found in the canopy, and only sprout after being exposed to fire. Hence, the hanging bark ribbons assist in reproduction and the survival of the next generation of the Mountain Ash.
Adaptation 2 - Seeds That Germinate After Exposure to Fire
The adaptation of having seeds that germinate after exposure to fire has the purpose of ensuring the survival of the next generation of the Mountain Ash. As bushfire is the main threat to the survival of the Mountain Ash, the adaptation of having seeds that only germinate after being affected by fire ensures that the Mountain Ash would not be made extinct by regular fires in dense forest areas. This means that the death of the previous Mountain Ash provides the opportunity for the next generation to exist. Fire replenishes the availability of nutrients in the soil, therefore creating an ideal growing area for the seeds dropped by the Mountain Ash burnt in the fire.