Canopy gaps and regeneration in old-growth Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) stands, northern Iran

Sefidi, Kiomars; Mohadjer, M R Marvie; Mosandl, R.; Copenheaver, Carolyn A.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2011.06.008

Cited by 45 publications

(33 citation statements)

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“…The distribution of gapmaker numbers per gap was, in most studies, confirmed to have the reverse J-shaped form with the dominance of single tree gaps and their proportion around 30% [18,38,74] or even more than 50% of all gaps [19,75]. In NNR Dobročský prales, we found a considerably different distribution with single tree gaps reaching only 6.5% and the most frequent gaps with four gapmakers (18.5%).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

“…The canopy gap fraction is a reflection of the stand composition, structure, and texture [19]. The proportion of land area in canopy gaps in NNR Dobročský prales reached 18% and was higher than values reported from European common beech-dominated [18,[74][75][76] and mixed common beech-silver fir or common beech-silver fir-Norway spruce forests [38,76] with the proportions rarely exceeding 11%.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

“…Gap size distribution in NNR Dobročský prales was characterized by the dominance of small gaps <100 m 2 and the decreasing frequency of canopy gaps towards larger gap size classes, generally observed in temperate forests [18,19,38,47,[74][75][76]. However, the small gaps accounted for only 17% of the total gap area and the continuous regeneration in this gap size class occurred rarely.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Responses to natural and anthropogenic disturbances in mixed stands are usually very complicated and each tree species can respond to similar disturbances with different intensities [15,16]. The dynamic of natural mixed forests is driven by disturbances of smaller scale and higher frequency, that remove single or eventually small groups of trees and favour multi-layered stand structure, but also by less frequent disturbances of intermediate or large scale, that allow shade-intolerant species to establish and survive [17][18][19][20]. Small-scale disturbances favour silver fir because of its high tolerance to shade, but on the other hand, silver fir is negatively affected by high deer browsing [21,22], the expansion of beech [8,18] and in the past also by air pollution [23,24].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Structural Diversity in a Mixed Spruce-Fir-Beech Old-Growth Forest Remnant of the Western Carpathians

Parobeková

Pittner

Kucbel

et al. 2018

Forests

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Old-growth forests are a unique source of information for close-to-nature silviculture. In the National Nature Reserve Dobročský prales (Slovakia), a remnant of mixed old-growth forests of the Western Carpathians, we analyzed changes in tree species composition, stand structure, and creation and closure of canopy gaps. The results were based on data from forest inventories of an entire reserve conducted in 1978 and 2015, extended by detailed measurements in a research plot of 250 × 250 m. We observed the expansion of common beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) at the expense of conifers (Abies alba Mill., Picea abies L. Karst.) in all layers of the stand. Due to a lack of conifers in the category of saplings >130 cm and an abundance of coniferous deadwood, we hypothesize that this development will lead to the dominance of beech. All development stages revealed a reverse J-shaped diameter structure; however, they differed in the majority of basic stand characteristics (e.g., growing stock, basal area, tree density, deadwood volume). Most of the structural indices did not differ between development stages, confirming a relatively high degree of structural differentiation throughout the development cycle. The total gap area reached 18%, with the dominance of small gaps ≤100 m 2 . Nevertheless, only canopy gaps >100 m 2 formed by the mortality of three or more trees were of higher importance for the extensive establishment of natural regeneration.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 53%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Structural Diversity in a Mixed Spruce-Fir-Beech Old-Growth Forest Remnant of the Western Carpathians

Parobeková

Pittner

Kucbel

et al. 2018

Forests

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show abstract

“…Furthermore, at each 100 m elevation interval, we also set a CK plot (10 m × 10 m) at least 10 m away from gaps in the forest. All gaps were defined as canopy openings with areas exceeding 4 m 2 that had a gap maker tree [33], and where small regeneration trees in the gaps had not yet reached the base of the canopy layer at gap borders [34].…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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Canopy disturbance and gap partitioning promote the persistence of a pioneer tree population in a near‐climax temperate forest of the Qinling Mountains, China

Guo

Peng

Yue

2019

Ecology and Evolution

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An unresolved question of temperate forests is how pioneer tree species persist in mature forests. In order to understand the responsible mechanisms, we investigated a near‐climax mixed temperate forest dominated by Betula albosinensis in the Qinling Mountains of China. Through establishing four 50 m × 50 m plots, we examined the canopy disturbance characteristics and its effects on tree recruitments. We further test the intra‐ and interspecific effects on the recruitment of B. albosinensis . The obtained data demonstrated canopy disturbance was frequent but most small‐sized. The canopy gaps are caused mainly by adult B. albosinensis by snapping. The regeneration of coexistent tree species shows a distinct preference for gap size. B. albosinensis were clumped at the juvenile stage and small scales. B. albosinensis juveniles were positively associated with B. utilis juveniles and negatively associated with the conspecific and B. utilis large trees. In addition, B. albosinensis juveniles showed negative associations with contemporary other tree species. Our results suggested that canopy disturbance caused by canopy trees and gap partitioning among the coexistent tree species are important for the persistence of the mixed forest. As a main gapmaker, B. albosinensis appear to develop a self‐perpetuating life‐history trait and allow them to persist.

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Canopy gaps and regeneration in old-growth Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) stands, northern Iran

Cited by 45 publications

References 40 publications

Structural Diversity in a Mixed Spruce-Fir-Beech Old-Growth Forest Remnant of the Western Carpathians

Structural Diversity in a Mixed Spruce-Fir-Beech Old-Growth Forest Remnant of the Western Carpathians

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

Canopy disturbance and gap partitioning promote the persistence of a pioneer tree population in a near‐climax temperate forest of the Qinling Mountains, China

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