Patterns of regeneration and ground vegetation associated with canopy gaps in a managed beechwood in southern England

Mountford, E. P.; Savill, P.; Bebber, Daniel P.

doi:10.1093/forestry/cpl024

Cited by 55 publications

(40 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…The superiority of small gaps was further confirmed with respect to the growth characteristics of dominant individual beech trees and height growth. Results of this study are similar to results of Mountford et al (2006) and Gálhidy et al (2006) who found more prolific beech regeneration in small and medium gaps and are in accordance with conclusions of Bolte et al (2007), who stressed the importance of soil water resource management through adequate beech regeneration in small gap openings. On the contrary Madsen and Hahn (2008) didn't confirm gap partitioning of regeneration and stressed the importance beech advance regeneration.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…gap partitioning), therefore direct transfer of knowledge may be limited. In addition, few studies have investigated within-gap resource heterogeneity, which plays an important role in regeneration processes (Gálhidy et al 2006;Mountford et al 2006;Rozenbergar et al 2007). These studies also indicate that within-gap micro site patterns are variable among site and stand combinations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gap regeneration in near-natural European beech forest stands in Central Bohemia – the role of heterogeneity and micro-habitat factors

Bílek¹,

Remeš²,

Podrázský³

et al. 2013

Dendrobiology

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Gap regeneration in a European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest reserve was analyzed in relation to within-gap resource heterogeneity and ground vegetation competition. The study was carried out in two one-hectare permanent research plots (PRP) which included five smaller research plots (RP) encompassing two large gaps (500-700 m 2 ), two small gaps (300-400 m 2 ), and location under canopy. The coverage of woody regeneration, ground vegetation, dead wood, seedling density in eight height classes, characteristics of dominant trees of the beech regeneration, and the total thickness of holorganic horizons were measured. Soil moisture and light conditions were also assessed in selected sample plots. The relative direct and diffuse light was estimated by hemispherical photography. Small gaps showed both the highest cover of tree regeneration and the highest density of individuals per hectare. Slightly less regeneration was recorded in large gaps, while under closed canopy, regeneration densities were 5-10 times lower than in small gaps. Beech regeneration cover and the size (diameter and height) of dominant beech seedlings were positively related to relative diffuse light and negatively related to ground vegetation cover. The latter was positively related to diffuse light and soil moisture content. A pronounced statistically significant contrast in the cover and size of beech regeneration in relation to micro-site conditions (diffuse light, cover of graminoids) was only confirmed between sample plots located below canopy cover and those within gaps. Graminoids, in particular Calamagrostis epigejos L., occurred mainly in the large gap centre and along the southernmost edge of the large gap, increasing competition for resources here. The cumulative cover of ground vegetation and regeneration was relatively low (9-56%) compared with more mesic natural beech forests. The indicated negative influence of direct light at the northern gap edge suggests that extension of gaps on comparable sites in managed forest should not proceed in this direction.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gap regeneration in near-natural European beech forest stands in Central Bohemia – the role of heterogeneity and micro-habitat factors

Bílek¹,

Remeš²,

Podrázský³

et al. 2013

Dendrobiology

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“…The number of recruits differs on the particular plots in relation to vegetation cover of the herb layer, topography (Štícha et al 2010;Vacek et al 2015b) and canopy cover of mature forest (Madsen & Hahn 2008;Sefidi et al 2011). Light availability strongly affects the survival, growth rate and form of recruits (Grassi et al 2004;Mountford et al 2006). Taking into account an increasing beech proportion and generally relatively high numbers of recruits it is to state that the stand transformation currently develops well and should result in more stable forest stands better adapted to climate change in future.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term transformation of submontane spruce-beech forests in the Jizerské hory Mts.: dynamics of natural regeneration

Slanař¹,

Vacek²,

Vacek³

et al. 2017

Central European Forestry Journal

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The paper deals with development of the natural regeneration of even-aged spruce-beech forests during their transformation to uneven-aged stands with diversified structure at the Jedlový důl area in the Protected Landscape Area Jizerské hory Mts., Czech Republic. Shelterwood management system and free felling policy based on selection principles has been applied there since 1979 with the support of admixed tree species of the natural species composition, especially silver fir (Abies alba Mill.). The research was focuses on structure and development of natural regeneration with the emphasis on ungulate damage and interaction with tree layer from 1979 to 2015. In the course of 36 years, the regeneration structure was diversified towards the close-to-nature tree species composition, spatial and age structure. The number of regeneration recruits increased in average from 941 to 41,669 ind ha -1. During this period share of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) significantly (p < 0.01) increased (by 53.6%), while the share of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.) decreased (by 51.5%), such as damage caused by ungulate (by 61.4%) with the highest loses on sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.), rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.) and silver fir. Moreover, the parent trees had a significant negative influence on natural regeneration at smaller spacing (within a 1 -5 m radius from the stem). Both, regeneration potential and effective role of the tree layer during the forest transformation has been confirmed as important prerequisites for ongoing forest transformation.

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“…The overstory layer operates as a filter by intercepting the incoming light signal, and therefore, controls the structural complexity of the understory layer [3]. For example, if gap sizes become too small in beech forests, beech seedlings may wither, but if gap sizes are too large, beech seedlings may be ineffective at reaching the gap center, due to increased competition with, e.g., bramble, ash or maple [4]. In addition to size, the shape complexity of gaps determines biodiversity and woody regeneration, because it likely influences the competitive or facilitative relationships of plant species in the understory [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) to Quantify Spatial Gap Patterns in Forests

2014

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Gap distributions in forests reflect the spatial impact of man-made tree harvesting or naturally-induced patterns of tree death being caused by windthrow, inter-tree competition, disease or senescence. Gap sizes can vary from large (>100 m 2 ) to small (<10 m 2 ), and they may have contrasting spatial patterns, such as being aggregated or regularly distributed. However, very small gaps cannot easily be recorded with conventional aerial or satellite images, which calls for new and cost-effective methodologies of forest monitoring. Here, we used an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and very high-resolution images to record the gaps in 10 temperate managed and unmanaged forests in two regions of Germany. All gaps were extracted for 1-ha study plots and subsequently analyzed with spatially-explicit statistics, such as the conventional pair correlation function (PCF), the polygon-based PCF and the mark correlation function. Gap-size frequency was dominated by small gaps of an area <5 m 2 , which were particularly frequent in unmanaged forests. We found that gap distances showed a variety of patterns. However, the polygon-based PCF was a better descriptor of patterns than the conventional PCF, because it showed randomness or aggregation for cases when the conventional PCF showed small-scale regularity; albeit, the latter was only a mathematical artifact. The mark correlation function revealed that gap areas were in half of the cases negatively correlated and in the other half independent. Negative size correlations may OPEN ACCESSRemote Sens. 2014, 6 6989 likely be the result of single-tree harvesting or of repeated gap formation, which both lead to nearby small gaps. Here, we emphasize the usefulness of UAV to record forest gaps of a very small size. These small gaps may originate from repeated gap-creating disturbances, and their spatial patterns should be monitored with spatially-explicit statistics at recurring intervals in order to further insights into forest dynamics.

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Patterns of regeneration and ground vegetation associated with canopy gaps in a managed beechwood in southern England

Cited by 55 publications

References 40 publications

Gap regeneration in near-natural European beech forest stands in Central Bohemia – the role of heterogeneity and micro-habitat factors

Gap regeneration in near-natural European beech forest stands in Central Bohemia – the role of heterogeneity and micro-habitat factors

Long-term transformation of submontane spruce-beech forests in the Jizerské hory Mts.: dynamics of natural regeneration

Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) to Quantify Spatial Gap Patterns in Forests

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