Resource allocation of beech seedlings (Fagus sylvatica L.) ?relationship to earthworm activity and soil conditions

Oecologia ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Volkmar Wolters ◽  
Walter Stickan
Keyword(s):  
Resource Allocation ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica L ◽  
Earthworm Activity

scholarly journals Floristic Change at the Drought Limit of European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) to Downy Oak (Quercus pubescens) Forest in the Temperate Climate of Central Europe

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 646-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert REIF ◽  
Fotios XYSTRAKIS ◽  
Stefanie GÄRTNER ◽  
Uwe SAYER
Keyword(s):  
Fagus Sylvatica ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Temperate Climate ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Quercus Pubescens ◽  
Drought Tolerant ◽  
Tolerant Species ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica L ◽  
Shallow Soils

An increase in drought could cause shifts in species composition and vegetation structure. In forests it limits the occurrence of drought sensitive tree species which become replaced by drought tolerant tree species and forest communities. Under temperate macroclimatic conditions, European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) naturally dominates the forested landscape, except on extremely shallow soil in combination with high irradiation. On these sites beech reaches its drought limit, and is replaced by forests dominated by species like downy Oak (Quercus pubescens s.l.) and English Oak (Quercus petraea L). Phytosociological and ecological data were collected in the transition (ecotone) between European beach stands and stands of more drought tolerant species in order to quantify the drought intensity threshold, above which beech is replaced by drought tolerant species. It was shown that favourable topographic and soil conditions partially compensated the unsuitable climatic conditions for beech. The ecotone between these forest types was found to be characterized by shallow soils with an available soil water storage capacity of 73 l/m² or less, and an irradiation intensity of 6000 MJ/m2 or more during the growing season. This indicates that under conditions of climate change beech would naturally still remain the dominant tree species on the majority of central European forest sites.

scholarly journals Effects of gap size on natural regeneration and micro-environmental soil conditions in European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) dominated mixed forest

2020 ◽  
Vol 66 (No. 12) ◽  
pp. 607-615
Author(s):  
Maame Esi Hammond ◽  
Radek Pokorný
Keyword(s):  
Picea Abies ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica ◽  
Natural Regeneration ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Gap Size ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica L

The study focused on the effects of gap size on natural regeneration of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Norway spruce (Picea abies L.) and micro-environmental soil conditions in gaps of different sizes under temperate mixed forest in the Czech Republic. Six gaps comprising two for small (≥ 200 m<sup>2</sup>), medium (≥ 500 m<sup>2</sup>) and big (≥ 900 m<sup>2</sup>) each were selected. Ten circular 1 m<sup>2</sup> subsampling plots were established at 2 m intervals along individual North-South-East-West transects, including one at the gap centre. Regeneration was monitored in 2014 and repeatedly in 2019. Soil conditions were only measured in 2019. Gap size was found to be a significant parameter for European beech natural regeneration in 2014. Besides, the quick occupation of European beech in gaps at natural beech zone provoked its prolific regeneration compared to Norway spruce in 2014. However, in 2019 the recent threat of weather variabilities was responsible for the general abysmal growth performance of natural regeneration. Division of gap microsites into different within-gap positions based on prevailing light or shade conditions was helpful in assessing the significant variations of soil conditions within-gap positions and among gap sizes. Soil temperature and moisture significantly influenced the regeneration of European beech and Norway spruce, respectively.  

scholarly journals How Does Radial Growth of Water-Stressed Populations of European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) Trees Vary under Multiple Drought Events?

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Tamalika Chakraborty ◽  
Albert Reif ◽  
Andreas Matzarakis ◽  
Somidh Saha
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica ◽  
Tree Growth ◽  
Radial Growth ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Canopy Openness ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica L ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Neighborhood Competition

European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) trees are becoming vulnerable to drought, with a warming climate. Existing studies disagree on how radial growth varies in European beech in response to droughts. We aimed to find the impact of multiple droughts on beech trees’ annual radial growth at their ecological drought limit created by soil water availability in the forest. Besides, we quantified the influence of competition and canopy openness on the mean basal area growth of beech trees. We carried out this study in five near-natural temperate forests in three localities of Germany and Switzerland. We quantified available soil water storage capacity (AWC) in plots laid in the transition zone from oak to beech dominated forests. The plots were classified as ‘dry’ (AWC < 60 mL) and ‘less-dry’ (AWC > 60 mL). We performed dendroecological analyses starting from 1951 in continuous and discontinuous series to study the influence of climatic drought (i.e., precipitation-potential evapotranspiration) on the radial growth of beech trees in dry and less-dry plots. We used observed values for this analysis and did not use interpolated values from interpolated historical records in this study. We selected six drought events to study the resistance, recovery, and resilience of beech trees to drought at a discontinuous level. The radial growth was significantly higher in less-dry plots than dry plots. The increase in drought had reduced tree growth. Frequent climatic drought events resulted in more significant correlations, hence, increased the dependency of tree growth on AWC. We showed that the recovery and resilience to climatic drought were higher in trees in less-dry plots than dry plots, but it was the opposite for resistance. The resistance, recovery, and resilience of the trees were heterogeneous between the events of drought. Mean growth of beech trees (basal area increment) were negatively impacted by neighborhood competition and positively influenced by canopy openness. We emphasized that beech trees growing on soil with low AWC are at higher risk of growth decline. We concluded that changes in soil water conditions even at the microsite level could influence beech trees’ growth in their drought limit under the changing climate. Along with drought, neighborhood competition and lack of light can also reduce beech trees’ growth. This study will enrich the state of knowledge about the ongoing debate on the vulnerability of beech trees to drought in Europe.

scholarly journals Global earthworm distribution and activity windows based on soil hydromechanical constraints

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siul A. Ruiz ◽  
Samuel Bickel ◽  
Dani Or
Keyword(s):  
Soil Structure ◽  
Mechanistic Model ◽  
Biophysical Model ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Agricultural Systems ◽  
Occurrence Patterns ◽  
Additional Constraints ◽  
Earthworm Activity ◽  
Good Agreement

AbstractEarthworm activity modifies soil structure and promotes important hydrological ecosystem functions for agricultural systems. Earthworms use their flexible hydroskeleton to burrow and expand biopores. Hence, their activity is constrained by soil hydromechanical conditions that permit deformation at earthworm’s maximal hydroskeletal pressure (≈200kPa). A mechanistic biophysical model is developed here to link the biomechanical limits of earthworm burrowing with soil moisture and texture to predict soil conditions that permit bioturbation across biomes. We include additional constraints that exclude earthworm activity such as freezing temperatures, low soil pH, and high sand content to develop the first predictive global map of earthworm habitats in good agreement with observed earthworm occurrence patterns. Earthworm activity is strongly constrained by seasonal dynamics that vary across latitudes largely due to soil hydromechanical status. The mechanistic model delineates the potential for earthworm migration via connectivity of hospitable sites and highlights regions sensitive to climate.

Short-term nitrogen dynamics are impacted by defoliation and drought in Fagus sylvatica L. branches

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 792-804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierre-Antoine Chuste ◽  
Catherine Massonnet ◽  
Dominique Gérant ◽  
Berndt Zeller ◽  
Joseph Levillain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fagus Sylvatica ◽  
Nitrogen Dynamics ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica L

scholarly journals Palaeoecology as a Tool for the Future Management of Forest Ecosystems in Hesse (Central Germany): Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) versus Lime (Tilia cordata Mill.)

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 924
Author(s):  
Astrid Stobbe ◽  
Maren Gumnior
Keyword(s):  
Fagus Sylvatica ◽  
Tilia Cordata ◽  
Beech Forests ◽  
Mountain Ranges ◽  
The Future ◽  
Spruce Stands ◽  
Fagus Sylvatica L ◽  
Low Mountain Ranges ◽  
Intramontane Basins ◽  
Future Management

In the Central German Uplands, Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies have been particularly affected by climate change. With the establishment of beech forests about 3000 years ago and pure spruce stands 500 years ago, they might be regarded as ‘neophytes’ in the Hessian forests. Palaeoecological investigations at wetland sites in the low mountain ranges and intramontane basins point to an asynchronous vegetation evolution in a comparatively small but heterogenous region. On the other hand, palynological data prove that sustainably managed woodlands with high proportions of Tilia have been persisting for several millennia, before the spread of beech took place as a result of a cooler and wetter climate and changes in land management. In view of increasingly warmer and drier conditions, Tilia cordata appears especially qualified to be an important silvicultural constituent of the future, not only due to its tolerance towards drought, but also its resistance to browsing, and the ability to reproduce vegetatively. Forest managers should be encouraged to actively promote the return to more stress-tolerant lime-dominated woodlands, similar to those that existed in the Subboreal chronozone.

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