Patterns of seedling recruitment in West‐Mediterranean <i>Quercus ilex</i> forest influenced by canopy development

Espelta, Josep María; Riba, Miquel; Retana, Javier

doi:10.2307/3236344

Cited by 149 publications

(125 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

114

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Seedling populations in holm oak forests show large variability across different spatial scales [12,24]. The causes of this variability are various, and not always easy to explain.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For the range of conditions considered, the time of development from young seedlings to old seedlings and, later, to saplings, is very difficult to determine. In the same Montseny massif, Espelta et al [12] analysed 1-to 12-year-old seedlings, and found very limited growth during the first four years, and slightly faster growth thereafter. Nevertheless, it is quite difficult to extrapolate this information, based on the estimation of seedling age by counting the total number of terminal bud scars on the leading shoot.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Different studies have shown that holm oak shows better recruitment rates under tree cover than in clearings or clear-cuts [2,12], and experimental observations suggest that acorns have a short life span when exposed to full sunlight because they dry out very quickly [30], and that the percentage of holm oak acorn germination and survival at low light levels (8% PAR) is considerably greater than that at full sunlight [3]. Moreover, thinning usually causes high seedling mortality as a consequence of the dragging of tree trunks and, more importantly, to the presence of slash piles, which cover and finally kill large numbers of seedlings [24].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The dynamics of the seedling bank has been used to hypothesise about the past and the future of holm oak forests. Thus, different authors (Bacilieri et al [1], Li and Romane [19]) suggest that the low seedling regeneration in holm oak stands in southern France may lead to the replacement of holm oak by downy oak (Quercus humilis = Q. pubescens), while Espelta et al [12] consider that the present seedling dynamics in holm oak forests in NE Spain prevents vigorous regeneration and, consequently, population renewal. Nevertheless, most of these studies on holm oak forests are based on data obtained from chronosequences, but not from monitoring the seedling bank over time.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Under the present management and disturbance conditions, the seedling bank probably plays only a minor role in the regeneration of holm oak stands at short or medium temporal scales, because seedlings are less competitive than stump sprouts [23,24]. Nevertheless, the dynamics of the holm oak seedling populations may be viewed in relation to ecological phenomena such as the persistence of plant populations, genetic variability or potential forest decline [12,24]. The dynamics of the seedling bank has been used to hypothesise about the past and the future of holm oak forests.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Seedling bank dynamics in managed holm oak (Quercus ilex) forests

Gracia¹,

Retana²,

Picó³

2001

Ann. For. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

-The present study reports spatiotemporal variations in seedling bank dynamics during a 5-year period in thinned and unthinned holm oak (Quercus ilex) plots in the Montseny Massif (NE Spain). Large spatial and temporal variations in seedling density have been found in the three plots studied, while the spatial pattern has shown low temporal fluctuations. However, differences in recruitment and survival among thinned and unthinned plots were small, but both variables had large between-year variability. The monitoring of seedling growth over time demonstrated that holm oak seedlings hardly grew in height after five years. According to these results, holm oak seedlings persisted through time in the understory and remained suppressed while in the shade, but did not show any release after thinning. Thus, the seedling bank only represents a reserve of small individuals that do not have any evident role in holm oak forest dynamics under the present disturbance/management regime. holm oak / seedling / recruitment / growth / survival Résumé -Dynamique du banc de plantules dans des taillis coupés et non coupés de chêne vert (Quercus ilex). Cette étude analyse les variations spatiales et temporelles de la dynamique du banc de plantules de chêne vert (Quercus ilex) pendant cinq ans, dans des taillis coupés et non coupés dans le massif du Montseny (NE Espagne). Nous avons trouvé de grandes variations spatiales et temporelles de la densité de plantules dans les trois taillis étudiés. Cependant, les différences de recrutement et survivance des plantules entre les trois taillis sont minimes, mais les deux variables ont montré une grande différence interannuelle. L'échantillonnage de la croissance des plantules au fur et à mesure a montré qu'elles ne poussent pas après cinq ans. En accord avec ces résultats, les plantules de chêne vert survivent sans être altérées pendant des années dans le sous-bois, mais elles ne présentent aucune libération après la coupe. Pour cette raison, le banc de plantules de chêne vert peut être consideré comme une réserve de petits individus qui n'a aucun rôle évident dans la dynamique des chênaies sous le régime actuel de perturbation/gestion de ces forêts. chêne vert / plantule / recrutement / croissance / survivance Ann. For. Sci. 58 (2001) [843][844][845][846][847][848][849][850][851][852] 843

show abstract

“…Seedling populations in holm oak forests show large variability across different spatial scales [12,24]. The causes of this variability are various, and not always easy to explain.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Seedling bank dynamics in managed holm oak (Quercus ilex) forests

Gracia¹,

Retana²,

Picó³

2001

Ann. For. Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Connectivity affects species turnover in soil microarthropod communities during Mediterranean forest establishment

2021

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Environmental conditions and the spatial arrangement of habitats are thought to play a major role in shaping community assembly during habitat construction and may be key in establishing time lags between habitat establishment and species colonization (colonization credits), and between local species extinction and habitat loss (extinction debts). Despite the importance of soil organisms in ecosystem functioning and their limited dispersal ability, these kinds of shifts in microarthropod communities have rarely been explored. We assessed the roles of the environment and connectivity in soil microarthropod community composition during habitat regeneration in Mediterranean forests. We selected three different forest patches in six study areas: one long-established (pre-1956; LONG) control forest patch, and two recent forest patches (post-1956), one connected (CONN) to and one isolated (ISOL) from the LONG. In each patch, we determined soil temperature, moisture, pH, and fertility and collected soil samples for microarthropod extraction. Our results indicate that the densities of fauna such as oribatid mites and proturans with limited mobility were lower in ISOL than in other forest types; as well, oribatid populations in ISOL were less diverse. Arthropods with greater mobility than the precedent groups, such as collembolans and nonoribatid mites, were present in lower densities in LONG than in other forest types. Oribatid assemblages in the two recent forest patches were more similar to one another than to those in the LONG. Recent forests were mostly dominated by known pioneer species, while LONG was dominated by the typical species found in well-developed organic soils. In conclusion, oribatid density and richness had recovered surprisingly well in CONN, more so than in ISOL and to a similar extent as LONG. However, oribatid assemblages in the recent forests are different from those in long-established forests due to the potential colonization credits and extinction debts triggered by soil development.

show abstract

Shifting demographic conflicts across recruitment cohorts in a dynamic post‐disturbance landscape

Leverkus

Benayas

Castro

2016

Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Seed dispersal effectiveness, which measures the number of adult plant individuals produced by seed dispersal, is the product of the number of seeds dispersed and the probability a seed produces an adult. Directed dispersal to certain habitat types may enhance some stages of recruitment but disfavor others, generating demographic conflicts in plant ontogeny. We asked whether temporal changes in habitat features may affect the distribution of seedlings recruited from dispersed acorns, and whether this could induce shifts in the life-stage conflicts experienced by successive cohorts of naturally recruited plants. As early successional habitats are characterized by rapid change, we used a burnt pine stand in southern Spain to monitor the recruitment and performance of a major tree species (Quercus ilex) across 7 yr in four types of post-fire habitats. These differed in structure and included patches of unburnt forest and three management alternatives of burnt trees: logging, partial cutting, and nonintervention. Young oaks that resprouted after the fire were mainly located near acorn sources, while new seedlings initially emerged mostly in habitats with standing snags due to habitat selection by European jays, Garrulus glandarius, for dispersal. The dead pines gradually collapsed and attracted less dispersal, so subsequent seedling cohorts mainly recruited within patches of unburnt pines. These live pines enhanced the survival of the oaks located beneath their canopy but greatly reduced their growth as compared to the other post-fire habitats, thus representing a demographic conflict that was absent elsewhere. As a consequence of the directional shift in the habitat where seedlings recruited, successive seedling cohorts experienced a gradual improvement in their likelihood of survival but a reduction in growth. The progressive intensification of this life-stage conflict hinged on the reduction of vertical structures in the habitat with standing burnt pines. Recruitment success thus involved temporal variation in the habitat where recruitment occurred, likely resulting from changes in the direction of seed dispersal, and spatial variation in habitat suitability for seedling establishment and growth. Temporal changes in habitat structure can indirectly change the environment in which recruitment occurs, and consequently seed dispersal effectiveness, by shifting the direction of seed dispersal.

show abstract

Patterns of seedling recruitment in West‐Mediterranean Quercus ilex forest influenced by canopy development

Cited by 149 publications

References 31 publications

Seedling bank dynamics in managed holm oak (Quercus ilex) forests

Seedling bank dynamics in managed holm oak (Quercus ilex) forests

Connectivity affects species turnover in soil microarthropod communities during Mediterranean forest establishment

Shifting demographic conflicts across recruitment cohorts in a dynamic post‐disturbance landscape

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About