Seedling recruitment in a northern temperate forest: the relative importance of supply and establishment limitation

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 978-989 ◽  
Author(s):  
John P Caspersen ◽  
Megan Saprunoff
Keyword(s):  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Temperate Forest ◽  
Seedling Recruitment ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Fagus Grandifolia ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Recruitment Failure ◽  
Niche Differences

We quantified supply and establishment limitation as components of seedling recruitment for five species common to the temperate forests of central Ontario. Establishment limitation was the primary cause of recruitment failure for the three most common species: Acer saccharum Marsh., Betula alleghaniensis Britt., and Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carrière. The main barrier to establishment (including germination and seedling emergence) was a lack of suitable substrates, rather than a lack of light. Supply limitation, on the other hand, was the primary cause of recruitment failure for two less common species, Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. and Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. The cause of supply limitation was a lack of parent trees, in the case of A. balsamea, and low fecundity, in the case of F. grandifolia. Our results suggest that niche differences (i.e., germination requirements) are more important than dispersal in structuring temperate forest communities. Our results also suggest that availability of suitable substrates is the primary factor limiting seedling recruitment following logging.

scholarly journals Long-term compositional changes following partial disturbance revealed by the resurvey of logging concession limits in the northern temperate forest of eastern Canada

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (7) ◽  
pp. 943-949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Danneyrolles ◽  
Dominique Arseneault ◽  
Yves Bergeron
Keyword(s):  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Temperate Forest ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Forest Composition ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Partial Cutting ◽  
Compositional Changes

Land use changes that are linked to European settlement of North America have transformed northeastern temperate forest landscapes. Many studies report a regional increase of young early-successional forests due to high disturbance rates since the preindustrial era (fire, land clearing, and clear-cuts). In this study, we document specific compositional changes to present-day mature forest landscapes, which have only been managed with partial cutting (high-grading and diameter-limit cuts) since the preindustrial era in southwestern Quebec. We resurveyed 108 forest observations that were extracted from logbooks of former logging concession limits (surveyed between 1870 and 1890). Results highlight an increase in mid- to late-successional shade-tolerant taxa (Betula alleghaniensis Britton, Thuja occidentalis L., Acer saccharum Marsh.) at the expense of preindustrial dominant conifers (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill., Pinus strobus L.). Former logging activities and spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clemens) outbreaks appear to be the main drivers of these changes, which were also strongly structured across the topographic gradient. To some extent, these results highlight the relevance of partial cutting management, as it has allowed long-term maintenance of a mid- to late-successional forest composition, while also pointing the need for P. strobus restoration. We conclude that by allowing site-specific comparisons, the resurvey of historical observations greatly improve the analytical strengths of historical reconstruction.

Tree seedling growth and mortality responses to manipulations of calcium and aluminum in a northern hardwood forest

2002 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 954-966 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard K Kobe ◽  
Gene E Likens ◽  
Christopher Eagar
Keyword(s):  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Fagus Grandifolia ◽  
Diameter Growth ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest ◽  
Tree Seedling ◽  
Soil Calcium ◽  
Dependent Growth

To assess potential forest compositional responses to exchangeable soil calcium (Caexch) and aluminum (Alexch), we characterized light-dependent growth and mortality of tree seedlings under amendments of CaCl2 and AlCl3 at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF), New Hampshire, U.S.A. Seedlings of Acer saccharum Marsh., Fagus grandifolia Ehrh., Betula alleghaniensis Britton, Abies balsamea (L.) Mill., and Picea rubens Sarg. were transplanted into field plots, which were randomly assigned to control, CaCl2, or AlCl3 treatments and stratified across <1 to 35% full sun. Acer saccharum and P. rubens exhibited significantly higher mortality in Al-amended than Ca-amended or control plots. Acer saccharum showed significant increases in relative diameter growth in Ca-amended plots versus controls; all other species showed nonsignificantly higher relative diameter growth under Ca amendments. We incorporated significant seedling responses into a model of forest dynamics (SORTIE) to assess potential changes in species composition under Alexch increases and Caexch losses. SORTIE predicts that further increases in Alexch would have negligible effects on canopy composition within 200 years but that the estimated Caexch depleted from HBEF between 1968 and 1995 and its influence on seedling dynamics could lead to substantial decreases in A. saccharum canopy dominance within a single forest generation (<125 years).

Leaf- and plant-level carbon gain in yellow birch, sugar maple, and beech seedlings from contrasting forest light environments

2000 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 390-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilou Beaudet ◽  
Christian Messier ◽  
David W Hilbert ◽  
Ernest Lo ◽  
Zhang M Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Light Availability ◽  
Fagus Grandifolia ◽  
Carbon Gain ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Yellow Birch ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Leaf Level ◽  
Plant Level

Leaf-level photosynthetic-light response and plant-level daily carbon gain were estimated for seedlings of moderately shade-tolerant yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) and shade-tolerant sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) growing in gaps and under a closed canopy in a sugar maple stand at Duchesnay, Que. All three species had a higher photosynthetic capacity (Amax) in the gaps than in shade, but yellow birch and beech responded more markedly than sugar maple to the increase in light availability. The high degree of plasticity observed in beech suggests that the prediction that photosynthetic plasticity should decrease with increasing shade tolerance may not hold when comparisons are made among a few late-successional species. Unit-area daily carbon gain (CA) was significantly higher in the gaps than in shade for all three species, but no significant difference was observed between light environments for plant-level carbon gain (CW). In shade, we found no difference of CA and CW among species. In gaps, beech had a significantly higher CA than sugar maple but similar to that of birch, and birch had a significantly higher CW than maple but similar to that of beech. Sugar maple consistently had lower carbon gains than yellow birch and beech but is nevertheless the dominant species at our study site. These results indicate that although plant-level carbon gain is presumably more closely related to growth and survival of a species than leaf-level photosynthesis, it is still many steps removed from the ecological success of a species.

Effect of cutting intensity on microenvironmental conditions and regeneration dynamics in yellow birch – conifer stands

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel Prévost
Keyword(s):  
Seedling Recruitment ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Light Availability ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Soil Disturbance ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Yellow Birch ◽  
Partial Cutting ◽  
Randomized Block Design

This paper presents the 5 year results of different cutting intensities (removal of 0%, 40%, 50%, 60%, and 100% of the basal area) applied in two mixed yellow birch ( Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) – conifer stands of eastern Quebec, Canada. Two sites 90 km apart were used: Armagh and Duchesnay. Each site had four replicates of the treatments in a randomized block design. The effect on light availability was similar in the two sites: the 0%, 40%, 50%, 60%, and 100% cuts transmitting a mean of 5%, 21%, 26%, 30%, and 94% of full light, respectively, during the first summer. Soil temperature increased only in the 100% cut (4−5 °C, maximum daily temperature). Soil disturbance during harvest was higher at Duchesnay than at Armagh, which clearly improved seedbed receptivity, particularly to yellow birch. After 5 years, treated areas contained 21 000 to 48 300 seedlings/ha at Duchesnay compared with 5500 – 10 500 seedlings/ha at Armagh. Significant losses of coniferous advance growth were observed at both sites, but a subsequent seedling recruitment occurred only at Duchesnay. Red spruce ( Picea rubens Sarg.) showed superior establishment in the 60% cut (4400 seedlings/ha) than under other cutting intensities (1600–2100 seedlings/ha), whereas balsam fir ( Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) responded well to all partial cutting treatments. At both sites, pin cherry ( Prunus pensylvanica L.f.) was the main competing species in the 100% cut, whereas densities of the preestablished mountain maple ( Acer spicatum Lamb.) and striped maple ( Acer pensylvanicum L.) either remained the same or increased in the partial cuts.

Calcium and magnesium in wood of northern hardwood forest species: relations to site characteristics

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 339-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
M A Arthur ◽  
T G Siccama ◽  
R D Yanai
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Fagus Grandifolia ◽  
Hardwood Forest ◽  
Northern Hardwood Forest ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Forest Species ◽  
White Birch ◽  
Yellow Birch ◽  
Northern Hardwood

Improving estimates of the nutrient content of boles in forest ecosystems requires more information on how the chemistry of wood varies with characteristics of the tree and site. We examined Ca and Mg concentrations in wood at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. Species examined were the dominant tree species of the northern hardwood forest and the spruce-fir forest. The concentrations of Ca and Mg, respectively, in lightwood of these species, mass weighted by elevation, were 661 and 145 µg/g for sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.), 664 and 140 µg/g for American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.), 515 and 93 µg/g for yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.), 525 and 70 µg/g for red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.), 555 and 118 µg/g for balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), and 393 and 101 µg/g for white birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.). There were significant patterns in Ca and Mg concentrations with wood age. The size of the tree was not an important source of variation. Beech showed significantly greater concentrations of both Ca (30%) and Mg (33%) in trees growing in moist sites relative to drier sites; sugar maple and yellow birch were less sensitive to mesotopography. In addition to species differences in lightwood chemistry, Ca and Mg concentrations in wood decreased with increasing elevation, coinciding with a pattern of decreasing Ca and Mg in the forest floor. Differences in Ca and Mg concentration in lightwood accounted for by elevation ranged from 12 to 23% for Ca and 16 to 30% for Mg for the three northern hardwood species. At the ecosystem scale, the magnitude of the elevational effect on lightwood chemistry, weighted by species, amounts to 18% of lightwood Ca in the watershed and 24% of lightwood Mg but only 2% of aboveground biomass Ca and 7% of aboveground Mg.

La végétation forestière du delta de Lanoraie, Québec

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (8) ◽  
pp. 1839-1852 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Lamontagne ◽  
C. Camiré ◽  
C. Ansseau
Keyword(s):  
Populus Tremuloides ◽  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Fagus Grandifolia ◽  
The Other ◽  
Moisture Regime ◽  
Acidic Ph ◽  
Mature Trees ◽  
Forest Sites

The vegetation and the soil characteristics of the sandy terraces of the Lanoraie Delta, Quebec, were sampled at 84 forest sites using the methods of Whittaker and Canada Soil Information System. The ordination results show that the soil moisture regime (xeric–hydric) and the pH (3.5–5.0) are the main factors responsible for the spatial distribution of the vegetation. When these results (ordination analysis) and those of the cluster analysis are superimposed, the relationship between the five vegetation groups studied and particular ecological conditions can be seen. Thus, two groups of vegetation dominated by conifers are found in the middle of the terraces. One of these is dominated by Tsuga canadensis and the other by Abies balsamea and Picea rubens. These two groups are found on podzolic, gleyed soils with a mounded microrelief, which are strongly acidic (pH < 3.5) and have a hydric–mesic moisture regime. The remaining three vegetation groups are dominated by deciduous species. Among these, two groups arise from human activities such as logging or farming. One of these is dominated by Fagus grandifolia, Acer saccharum, Acer rubrum, and Quercus rubra and is composed of mature trees. The other is dominated by Pinus strobus, Polulus grandidentata, Populus tremuloides, or Betula papyrifera and is composed of young trees. These two types occupy the edge of the terraces where the topography is flat and the soil podzolic with a moderately to slightly acidic pH (4.0–5.0) and a xeric–mesic moisture regime. Finally the third group, dominated by Acer rubrum, is found on medium acidic (pH = 4.0), gleyed soils with a hydric–mesic moisture regime. This study shows that Acer rubrum is the best suited species for sandy, acidic, and nutrient-poor sites of the Lanoraie Delta. Key words: Lanoraie Delta, multivariate analysis, vegetation classification, Acer rubrum.

scholarly journals Temporal pattern in basal area prediction error of a growth model for Quebec’s temperate forest

2020 ◽  
Vol 96 (02) ◽  
pp. 141-150
Author(s):  
Hugues Power ◽  
Isabelle Auger
Keyword(s):  
Nous Avons ◽  
Growth Model ◽  
Prediction Error ◽  
Temporal Pattern ◽  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Temperate Forest ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Modèle De Croissance

Pour les utilisateurs, l’évaluation des performances et de la fiabilité d’un modèle de croissance est essentielle. Cependant, les biais spécifiques à l’espèce et à l’année d’observation sont rarement signalés, bien que des changements dans les conditions de croissance soient susceptibles d’augmenter la présence de tels biais dans les modèles. Dans cette étude, nous avons analysé l’erreur de prévision de la surface terrière d’Artemis, un modèle de croissance à l’échelle de l’arbre. Même si les prévisions du modèle étaient peu biaisées dans la plupart des conditions, nous avons détecté des tendances liées à l’espèce et à l’année d’observation. Ces tendances étaient les plus fortes pour l’érable à sucre (Acer saccharum Marsh.), pour lequel une sous-estimation de la surface terrière en 1975 évoluait vers une surestimation en 2010. Pour le sapin baumier (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), la tendance contraire a pu être observée. Une meilleure prise en compte par le modèle des conditions de croissance et des perturbations biotiques pourrait aider à diminuer les biais. Ces résultats sont pertinents pour les développeurs et pour les utilisateurs, qui doivent savoir que les prévisions du modèle de croissance pour ces deux espèces sont susceptibles d’être de plus en plus biaisées avec l’allongement de la période de simulation.

scholarly journals Histoire Postglaciaire de la Végétation dans la Région de Mont-Saint-Pierre, Gaspésie, Québec

2007 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 257-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claude Labelle ◽  
Pierre J. H. Richard
Keyword(s):  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Abies Balsamea ◽  
Pinus Strobus ◽  
Larix Laricina ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Betula Papyrifera ◽  
Fraxinus Nigra

RÉSUMÉLes analyses pollinique et macrofossile de sédiments de deux lacs des environs de Mont-Saint-Pierre (Gaspésie), l'un dans la vallée côtière, l'autre sur le plateau, permettent de reconstituer l'histoire postglaciaire de la végétation dans deux situations physiographiques contrastées. Seul le plateau a été colonisé par une végétation initiale de type toundra (> 10 400 ans BP), pendant que la vallée était encore en partie ennoyée par la mer de Goldthwait. L'afforestation du plateau fut caractérisée d'abord par des populations de Picea sp., accompagné de Populus sp. et Larix laricina, puis par un envahissement progressif par Abies balsamea et Betula papyrifera. La baisse de la représentation pollinique de l'aulne vert (Alnus cf. crispa), maximale durant l'afforestation, paraît être un indicateur assez fidèle de la fermeture de la couverture forestière. Cette phase se termine vers 9000 ans BP sur le plateau. Le rythme de l'afforestation a été différent dans la vallée. Des taxons héliophiles s'y sont maintenus plus longtemps, ce qui peut être relié à l'activité des versants abrupts qui flanquent la vallée. Malgré des variations de l'abondance relative des arbres, la sapinière à bouleau blanc a sans doute occupé le plateau depuis 9000 ans BP environ. Par contre, la végétation de la vallée s'est passablement modifiée jusque vers 5000 à 4500 ans BP, par la migration successive de Betula alleghaniensis, de Pinus strobus, de Fraxinus nigra, dAcer saccharum et d'Ulmus americana. L'implantation progressive de ces arbres relativement thermophiles est à l'origine de la diversité du paysage actuel de la vallée. Ces reconstitutions permettent d'écarter l'hypothèse de Dansereau (1944) selon laquelle les érablières à Acer saccharum de la Gaspésie seraient des groupements hérités de l'optimum climatique de l'Holocène moyen, au cours duquel les érablières auraient été largement répandues sur le territoire. Les données montrent que ces érablières datent de l'Holocène Supérieur, la migration d'Acer saccharum ayant sans doute été freinée par des barrières topo-climatiques entraînant une discontinuité prononcée des habitats pouvant accueillir cette espèce.

scholarly journals Two Hundred Years of Forest Change: Effects of Urbanization on Tree Species Composition and Structure

2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Dolan
Keyword(s):  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Sugar Maple ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Fagus Grandifolia ◽  
Tree Planting ◽  
Forest Change ◽  
Additional Species ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Forested Areas

Despite their importance, the dynamics of urban floras are not well understood, and quantitative historical data are rare. The current study used three data sets for trees in Indianapolis/Marion County, Indiana, U.S., to document change over 200 years to the original beechmaple forest and to examine future implications of contemporary tree planting efforts in light of these changes. Data on tree composition and size collected before significant settlement in the early 1800s are compared with recent surveys of trees in remnant natural areas and with trees found on city streets and rights-of-way. All the species recorded in historical surveys are still present in either remnant natural area forests or among city street trees, but frequencies and sizes have changed, and many additional species are now present. Comparison of the composition of the original forest with current remnants shows a 95% decline of American beech (Fagus grandifolia), the most common species in presettlement forests. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) has more than doubled in number. Silver maple (Acer saccharinum) is the most important street tree, with eight species of non-native broadleaf trees among the most common on city streets, along with evergreen gymnosperms that are not documented in the presettlement flora. Data for contemporary tree planting efforts in the city show a focus on native species that targets replacement of species that have declined in frequency, especially oaks, in proportions that should be sustainable. Patterns reported here are likely representative of those in many forested areas undergoing land conversion and development, so the findings apply to many cities.

Direct and indirect effects of a dense understory on tree seedling recruitment in temperate forests: habitat-mediated predation versus competition

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 1634-1645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandro A. Royo ◽  
Walter P. Carson
Keyword(s):  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Vegetation Cover ◽  
Acer Saccharum ◽  
Resource Competition ◽  
Seedling Recruitment ◽  
Plant Cover ◽  
Acer Rubrum ◽  
Fagus Grandifolia ◽  
Tree Seedling ◽  
The Impact

In forests characterized by a dense woody and herbaceous understory layer, seedling recruitment is often directly suppressed via interspecific competition. Alternatively, these dense layers may indirectly lower tree recruitment by providing a haven for seed and seedling predators that prey on neighboring plant species. To simultaneously test for resource competition and indirect, habitat-mediated effects, we factorially manipulated understory plant cover (removed versus intact) and predation (exclosures versus controls) at three forested sites. We found that vegetation cover created privileged foraging areas that increased seed removal and seedling predation rates. Predator preference was directly related to seed size with larger seeded species including Prunus serotina Ehrh. and Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. removed more readily than smaller seeded species such as Fraxinus americana L. We found strong species-specific evidence for habitat-mediated indirect effects; establishment of P. serotina and Acer saccharum Marsh.was significantly lower under an intact hay-scented fern ( Dennstaedtia punctilobula (Michx.) T. Moore) canopy when small mammals were present. Competition also played a strong role; both P. serotina and Acer rubrum L. survival as well as A. rubrum emergence were reduced under a fern canopy with or without seed predators. The impact of habitat-mediated indirect effects and resource competition appear to vary predictably based upon predator preferences and differences in the timing of woody seed dispersal and germination relative to vegetation cover phenology. Overall, our results suggest that habitat-mediated indirect effects may be common and occur wherever vegetation provides the potential for creating privileged foraging areas.

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