Evaluating competitive interactions between trees in mixed forests in the Western Carpathians: Comparison between long-term experiments and SIBYLA simulations

Bošeľa, Michal; Petráš, Rudolf; Šebeň, Vladimír; Mecko, J.; Marušák, Róbert

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2013.09.005

Cited by 23 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…In this context, we found a comparably low amount of variation in growth rates (33%) explained either directly or indirectly (via tree size) by competition. Similar results were observed for temperate tree species in a mixed-species primeval Abieto-Fagetum forest [ 65 ] and tropical tree species in an unmanaged old-growth forest [ 66 ]. This suggests that competition effects on tree radial growth are considerably less important in tree communities with a long continuity of population dynamics compared to frequently anthropogenic disturbed stands.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Facilitative-Competitive Interactions in an Old-Growth Forest: The Importance of Large-Diameter Trees as Benefactors and Stimulators for Forest Community Assembly

et al. 2015

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The role of competition in tree communities is increasingly well understood, while little is known about the patterns and mechanisms of the interplay between above- and belowground competition in tree communities. This knowledge, however, is crucial for a better understanding of community dynamics and developing adaptive near-natural management strategies. We assessed neighbourhood interactions in an unmanaged old-growth European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest by quantifying variation in the intensity of above- (shading) and belowground competition (crowding) among dominant and co-dominant canopy beech trees during tree maturation. Shading had on average a much larger impact on radial growth than crowding and the sensitivity to changes in competitive conditions was lowest for crowding effects. We found that each mode of competition reduced the effect of the other. Increasing crowding reduced the negative effect of shading, and at high levels of shading, crowding actually had a facilitative effect and increased growth. Our study demonstrates that complementarity in above- and belowground processes enable F. sylvatica to alter resource acquisition strategies, thus optimising tree radial growth. As a result, competition seemed to become less important in stands with a high growing stock and tree communities with a long continuity of anthropogenic undisturbed population dynamics. We suggest that growth rates do not exclusively depend on the density of potential competitors at the intraspecific level, but on the conspecific aggregation of large-diameter trees and their functional role for regulating biotic filtering processes. This finding highlights the potential importance of the rarely examined relationship between the spatial aggregation pattern of large-diameter trees and the outcome of neighbourhood interactions, which may be central to community dynamics and the related forest ecosystem services.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Facilitative-Competitive Interactions in an Old-Growth Forest: The Importance of Large-Diameter Trees as Benefactors and Stimulators for Forest Community Assembly

et al. 2015

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“…This was supplemented with forest inventory data and TRW samples from six long‐term research plots (LTRPs) in the Western Carpathians (Bošeľa et al . ). Breast‐height diameter (dbh) and height were repeatedly (five to eight times) measured for all LTRP trees between 1995 and 2012.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Effects of post‐glacial phylogeny and genetic diversity on the growth variability and climate sensitivity of European silver fir

et al. 2016

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1. Growth rates of European silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) rapidly increased in the last century. At the same time, ring widths declined at the species southern distribution limits in the Mediterranean. Such diverse growth trends and responses have largely been attributed to regional climate conditions, but this was prior to considering the species' post-glacial phylogeny. 2. A dendrochronological network composed of 1961 tree-ring width series (TRW) from 78 silver fir sites between 365 and 1400 m a.s.l. along the Carpathian Arc was compiled. Spatial differences in the species' genetic diversity were investigated from genetic data of 69 silver fir populations in the region. Differences in growth variability and climate sensitivity were then related to post-glacial phylogeny and genetic diversity. 3. Significant differences in interannual and longer-term growth trends and climate responses across the Carpathian Arc were found to coincide with the geographical north-south separation of two post-glacial populations from effective refugia originating from the Apennine and Balkan peninsulas. Summer temperature was the main driver of growth in the western (Apennine) lineage, whereas ring widths in the Balkan population from the east were predominantly controlled by summer drought. Fir specimens that originated from the Balkan lineage exhibited higher genetic diversity and more regular growth dynamics and also appeared to be less sensitive to air pollution during the 1970s. 4. Synthesis. Although the phylogeny of forest trees has largely been neglected in most dendroecological studies, results here indicate the importance of different post-glacial histories for the growth sensitivity and adaptability to varying environmental factors. Decision-making under future climate warming scenarios (for building resilience through forest management) should therefore consider different phylogenetic origins.

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“…However, the effect of soil fertility improvement and soil salinization control using different artificial measures is significantly different [8][9][10]. For instance, different artificial vegetation recovery treatments will have a varied effect on the improvement of soil properties, such as soil nutrient, microbial biomass and enzyme activity [11,12]. Therefore, the study to assess different artificial reclamation treatments in a region will help with the selection of a proper reclamation mode for abandoned farmland.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Reclamation Treatments of Abandoned Farmland in an Arid Region of China

et al. 2016

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Reclamation of abandoned farmland is crucial to a sustainable agriculture in arid regions. This study aims to evaluate the impact of different reclamation treatments on abandoned salinized farmland. We investigated four artificial reclamation treatments, continuous cotton (CC), continuous alfalfa (CA), tree-wheat intercropping (TW) and trees (TS), which were conducted in 2011-2012 in the Manasi River Basin of Xinjiang Province, China. Soil nutrient, microorganism and enzyme activity were examined in comparison with natural succession (CK) in an integrated analysis on soil fertility improvement and soil salinization control with these reclamations. Results indicate that the four artificial reclamation treatments are more effective approaches than natural restoration to reclaim abandoned farmland. TW and CA significantly increased soil nutrient content compared to CK. CC reduced soil salinity to the lowest level among all treatments. TW significantly enhanced soil enzyme activity. All four artificial reclamations increased soil microbial populations and soil microbial biomass carbon. TW and CA had the greatest overall optimal effects among the four treatments in terms of the ecological outcomes. If both economic benefits and ecological effects are considered, TW would be the best reclamation mode. The findings from this study will assist in selecting a feasible method for reclamation of abandoned farmland for sustainable agriculture in arid regions.

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Evaluating competitive interactions between trees in mixed forests in the Western Carpathians: Comparison between long-term experiments and SIBYLA simulations

Cited by 23 publications

References 56 publications

Facilitative-Competitive Interactions in an Old-Growth Forest: The Importance of Large-Diameter Trees as Benefactors and Stimulators for Forest Community Assembly

Facilitative-Competitive Interactions in an Old-Growth Forest: The Importance of Large-Diameter Trees as Benefactors and Stimulators for Forest Community Assembly

Effects of post‐glacial phylogeny and genetic diversity on the growth variability and climate sensitivity of European silver fir

Assessment of Reclamation Treatments of Abandoned Farmland in an Arid Region of China

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