A review of the roles of forest canopy gaps

Muscolo, Adele; Bagnato, Silvio; Sidari, Maria; Mercurio, Riccardo

doi:10.1007/s11676-014-0521-7

Cited by 277 publications

(228 citation statements)

References 151 publications

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“…The size and shape of canopy gaps influences the initial conditions that govern future stand development. Canopy gaps give rise to tree groups and determine the future stand structure (Oliver & Larsen, 1996;Muscolo et al, 2014). In addition, closed and open canopies are associated with different stand structures, depending on the stand history (former gaps) and other factors (Schütz & Saniga, 2011).…”

Section: Natural Forest Structure and Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Happens after the Gap?— Size Distributions of Patches with Homogeneously Sized Trees in Natural and Managed Beech Forests in Europe

Drößler¹,

Feldmann²,

Glatthorn³

et al. 2016

OJF

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A novel but simple approach for describing stand structure in natural and managed forests driven by small-scaled disturbances is introduced. A primeval beech forest reserve in Slovakia and two beech stands in Germany with different management histories were studied, and their forest stand texture was analysed in terms of tree coordinates, stem diameter, and crown radius. Neighbouring trees of similar size with estimated contact of their crowns were assigned to tree groups. The study goal was to estimate the number and size of such homogeneous patches. In all cases, the number of tree groups in a particular diameter class decreased exponentially as group size increased. Single trees were predominant. Compared to simulated random tree distributions, the natural stand exhibited a more clumped distribution of small trees and more regular distribution of larger ones. The natural forest generally had smaller groups than the managed even aged stand, but the smallest group sizes were found in the uneven-aged selection forest. The simple analytical approach provided new spatial insights into neighbourhood relations of trees. The continuous scale from single trees to larger tree groups is an important achievement compared to other analytical methods applied in this field. The findings may even indicate a certain degree of selforganization in natural forests. Due to the limitations associated with each method or statistical models, a joint consideration of 1) gap dynamics, 2) forest developmental stages, and 3) size * Corresponding author.L. Drössler et al. 178classes of homogeneous tree groups is recommended. Relevant to forest practitioners, the size class distributions enhance an understanding of the complex stand structures in natural forests and therewith support an emulation of natural forest dynamics in managed beech forests.

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Section: Natural Forest Structure and Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Happens after the Gap?— Size Distributions of Patches with Homogeneously Sized Trees in Natural and Managed Beech Forests in Europe

Drößler¹,

Feldmann²,

Glatthorn³

et al. 2016

OJF

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“…Understory light is largely determined by stand 59 structure, tree species composition and the pattern of the overstory layer (i. and well demonstrated differences between the light regimes of various forest types, due to 64 different stand structure and management (Bartemucci et al 2006). Also within a single stand, 65 light conditions may be remarkably heterogeneous due to gaps, especially in forests 66 dominated by deciduous, shade-tolerant species (Muscolo et al 2014). Finally, light 67 availability also has a fine-scale spatial pattern within mature, heterogeneous, albeit closed 68 stands, which originates in the structural and compositional heterogeneity of the overstory 69 layer.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Congruence of the spatial pattern of light and understory vegetation in an old-growth, temperate mixed forest

Tinya

Odór

2016

Forest Ecology and Management

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“…The formula for the area of a circle was used when the difference between the length of longest axis and the length of the perpendicular axes in a gap was less than 1 m, and the gap area was calculated with the mean value of the axes as the radius. For the gap openness, a measurement was performed using the ratio between the average gap diameter and the height of the tallest gap border tree [15]. To assess the recruitment density based on the competition for light capture in different age groups [27], the regeneration height was classified into two groups-saplings (height: 0.05 m < h ≤ 0.5 m), and small trees (height: 0.5 m < h ≤ 5.2 m)-based on linear regression analysis (Appendix A, Figure A2).…”

Section: Data Processing and Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As an important factor of gap characteristics that determines species composition, understanding the effect of gap size on natural regeneration has attracted the attention of many researchers [11][12][13]. In general, gap size is considered an important and direct influence on resource sequestration, gap microclimate and vegetation growth in a forest gap [14][15][16][17]. Additionally, as an important geographical factor, elevational gradients have predictable changes in numerous environmental factors (e.g., temperature and solar radiation) altitudinally on a single mountain, but also have remarkable influence on plant regeneration along with these environmental drives [14].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Accordingly, we tested the effects of gap/non-gap plots, gap size and elevation on Abies faxoniana regeneration in a subalpine coniferous forest in southwestern China. Our hypothesis was that the variables of habitat characteristics and elevation cause microenvironment heterogeneity and thus affect Abies faxoniana regeneration at a landscape scale [3,15,28,29,32]. In short, this paper proposes a simple and reliable quantitative method for assessing Abies faxoniana regeneration based on 34 plots distributed along an elevation gradient in a subalpine coniferous forest under a "direct effects and indirect effects" analytical framework.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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How Forest Gap and Elevation Shaped Abies faxoniana Rehd. et Wils. Regeneration in a Subalpine Coniferous Forest, Southwestern China

Chen

Liu

2018

Forests

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Abstract:Focusing on the underlying ecological mechanisms of dominant species regeneration in forest gaps at a landscape scale can provide detailed understanding for gap-based forest management. The individual effects of forest gaps or elevation on the regeneration of Abies faxoniana Rehd. et Wils. are well known, although elucidating how gap characteristics and elevation concurrently influence regeneration remains an important challenge. In this paper, we present an explorative study using structural equation models (SEMs) to assess the direct and indirect effects of forest gaps and elevation on Abies faxoniana Rehd. et Wils. regeneration. Four of the predicted SEMs showed the following results: (1) Temperature, photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), soil total carbon, gap openness, shrub layer cover, herb layer cover, and moss layer thickness in forest gaps were associated with Abies faxoniana regeneration along an elevation gradient in subalpine coniferous forest. (2) Elevation had a generally negative and indirect effect on Abies faxoniana regeneration. Forest gaps positively affected regeneration when compared with non-gap plots and gap size was positively related to small tree regeneration density and the ratio of height to diameter at breast height (HD ratio) of the tallest Abies faxoniana small trees but was negatively related to Abies faxoniana sapling regeneration density. (3) In forest gaps, the Abies faxoniana sapling density and HD ratio of the tallest Abies faxoniana small trees were mainly indirectly influenced by elevation, and Abies faxoniana small tree regeneration density was directly associated with the dominance of the sapling regeneration density. In summary, Abies faxoniana regeneration was negatively and largely affected by elevation (total effect), although forest gaps enhanced Abies faxoniana regeneration by multiple pathways (direct and indirect effects).

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A review of the roles of forest canopy gaps

Cited by 277 publications

References 151 publications

What Happens after the Gap?— Size Distributions of Patches with Homogeneously Sized Trees in Natural and Managed Beech Forests in Europe

What Happens after the Gap?— Size Distributions of Patches with Homogeneously Sized Trees in Natural and Managed Beech Forests in Europe

Congruence of the spatial pattern of light and understory vegetation in an old-growth, temperate mixed forest

How Forest Gap and Elevation Shaped Abies faxoniana Rehd. et Wils. Regeneration in a Subalpine Coniferous Forest, Southwestern China

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