Lichen matted seedbeds inhibit while moss dominated seedbeds facilitate black spruce (Picea mariana) seedling regeneration in post-fire boreal forest

Mallik, Azim U.; Kayes, Imrul

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2018.05.064

Cited by 14 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Perhaps their use as an indicator of water availability reflects the importance of lichen and graminoid ground cover [27] and whether the poor fen is more similar to a rich fen or a bog. Although graminoids can be an indicator of wet conditions (rich fen), they also can increase competition with that of seedlings, while lichen mats may produce poor seedbed conditions [28,29]. Many studies demonstrate the effectiveness of herbicides on seedling survival and growth post-MSP, as they eliminate the competing shrubs and graminoids [30,31].…”

Section: Seismic Line Regeneration Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Caribou Conservation: Restoring Trees on Seismic Lines in Alberta, Canada

Filicetti

Cody

Nielsen

2019

Forests

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Seismic lines are narrow linear (~3–8 m wide) forest clearings that are used for petroleum exploration in Alberta’s boreal forest. Many seismic lines have experienced poor tree regeneration since initial disturbance, with most failures occurring in treed peatlands that are used by the threatened woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). Extensive networks of seismic lines, which often reach densities of 40 km/km2, are thought to have contributed to declines in caribou. The reforestation of seismic lines is therefore a focus of conservation. Methods to reforest seismic lines are expensive (averaging $12,500 per km) with uncertainty of which seismic lines need which treatments, if any, resulting in inefficiencies in restoration actions. Here, we monitored the effectiveness of treatments on seismic lines as compared to untreated seismic lines and adjacent undisturbed reference stands for treed peatlands in northeast Alberta, Canada. Mechanical site preparation (mounding and ripping) increased tree density when compared to untreated lines, despite averaging 3.8-years since treatment (vs. 22 years since disturbance for untreated). Specifically, treated lines had, on average, 12,290 regenerating tree stems/ha, which is 1.6-times more than untreated lines (7680 stems/ha) and 1.5-times more than the adjacent undisturbed forest (8240 stems/ha). Using only mechanical site preparation, treated seismic lines consistently have more regenerating trees across all four ecosites, although the higher amounts of stems that were observed on treated poor fens are not significant when compared to untreated or adjacent undisturbed reference stands.

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Section: Seismic Line Regeneration Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Caribou Conservation: Restoring Trees on Seismic Lines in Alberta, Canada

Filicetti

Cody

Nielsen

2019

Forests

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“…Across both habitat types, black spruce regeneration increased with forb cover, suggesting preferable seedbed availability for both forbs and black spruce. Black spruce tends to establish on mineral soil, thin organic soil, or moss seedbeds [9,10,15]. It has been thought that these seedbeds are preferred because of their ability to provide constant moisture.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have made no mention of deadwood as a preferred seedbed, however, deadwood and the soil around it was a preferred seedbed on semi-upland habitats in our study. Moss seedbeds are thought to be optimal because of their high moisture retention and low temperature [15,40]. Bog habitats had more moss seedbeds available compared to semi-uplands, which may explain why bogs saw more black spruce regeneration on average.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, heavy ash layers on the soil can inhibit germination immediately after fire because of decreased water permeability [13]. To our knowledge, most research on seedbed preference has taken place in northern circumpolar regions [10,14,15], and it would be beneficial to also understand preferences in more southerly portions of the boreal, as well to better understand regeneration dynamics in different black spruce habitats.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Early Regeneration Dynamics of Pure Black Spruce and Aspen Forests after Wildfire in Boreal Alberta, Canada

Jean

Pinno

Nielsen

2020

Forests

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Research Highlights: Black spruce (Picea mariana Mill.) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) both regenerated vigorously after wildfire. However, pure semi-upland black spruce stands are at increasing risk of changing successional trajectories, due to greater aspen recruitment. Background and Objectives: Black spruce and aspen are found across the boreal forest with black spruce dominating lowlands and aspen being common in uplands. Both species are well adapted to wildfire with black spruce holding an aerial seedbank while aspen reproduce rapidly via root suckering. In the summer of 2016, the Horse River wildfire burned 589,617 hectares of northern Alberta’s boreal forest. Methods: We assessed early regeneration dynamics of both pure aspen and pure black spruce forests. For black spruce, 12 plots were established in both bog and semi-upland habitats to assess seedling regeneration and seedbed availability. For aspen, 12 plots were established in each of the low, moderate, and high burn severities, as well as 5 unburned plots. Results: Post-fire black spruce regeneration densities did not differ between bog and semi-upland habitats, but were positively correlated with forb cover and charred organic matter seedbeds. Aspen regeneration within pure black sprue stands was substantial, particularly in semi-upland habitats, indicating a potential shift in successional trajectory. Fire severity did not significantly affect aspen regeneration in pure aspen stands, but regeneration density in all severity types was >90,000 stems ha−1. Aspen regeneration densities were negatively related to post-fire forb and shrub cover, likely due to competition and cooler soil temperature.

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“…Variations in timing and severity of fire result in variable impacts on boreal forests and create mosaics of post-fire successional habitats that support diverse assemblage of organisms (Cobb et al 2007). However, lowseverity fires in black spruce forests with ericaceous understory can turn the conifer forest into ericaceous heath (Mallik 2003;Bloom and Mallik 2006;Mallik et al 2010;Mallik and Kayes 2018). Pest and insect outbreaks cause tree mortality, restrict tree growth, and induce complex interactions with wildfire under changing climate (Zhang et al 2014).…”

Section: Disturbances In the Boreal Forestmentioning

confidence: 99%

Boreal Forests: Distributions, Biodiversity, and Management

Kayes

Mallik

2020

Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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Boreal ecosystem is dominated by vast forests, wetlands, and lakes encircling the northern hemisphere including Canada, Scandinavia, Russia, and China. The dominant plants in the boreal forest are cold-tolerant and fire-adapted conifer trees (pines, spruces, larches, fir), deciduous trees (maples, aspen, poplar), tall shrubs (mountain ash, pin cherry, alder, hazel), dwarf shrubs, grasses, and ground species such as ferns, mosses, and lichen. In the United States and Canada, the boreal forest refers to the more southerly biome, while taiga refers to treeless barren areas of the northernmost part of the biome close to the tree line and the tundra biome.

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Lichen matted seedbeds inhibit while moss dominated seedbeds facilitate black spruce (Picea mariana) seedling regeneration in post-fire boreal forest

Cited by 14 publications

References 51 publications

Caribou Conservation: Restoring Trees on Seismic Lines in Alberta, Canada

Caribou Conservation: Restoring Trees on Seismic Lines in Alberta, Canada

Early Regeneration Dynamics of Pure Black Spruce and Aspen Forests after Wildfire in Boreal Alberta, Canada

Boreal Forests: Distributions, Biodiversity, and Management

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