Functional ecology of advance regeneration in relation to light in boreal forests

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 812-823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Messier ◽  
René Doucet ◽  
Jean-Claude Ruel ◽  
Yves Claveau ◽  
Colin Kelly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Light Availability ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Functional Ecology ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Maximum Height ◽  
Surface Area Ratio ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Advance Regeneration ◽  
Leaf Level

This paper reviews aspects of the functional ecology of naturally established tree seedlings in the boreal forests of North America with an emphasis on the relationship between light availability and the growth and survival of shade tolerant conifers up to pole size. Shade tolerant conifer species such as firs and spruces tend to have a lower specific leaf mass, photosynthetic rate at saturation, live crown ratio, STAR (shoot silhouette area to total needle surface area ratio), and root to shoot ratio than the shade intolerant pines. The inability of intolerant species such as the pines and aspen to survive in shade appears to be mainly the result of characteristics at the shoot, crown, and whole-tree levels and not at the leaf level. Although firs and spruces frequently coexist in shaded understories, they do not have identical growth patterns and crown architectures. We propose a simple framework based on the maximum height that different tree species can sustain in shade, which may help managers determine the timing of partial or complete harvests. Consideration of these functional aspects of regeneration is important to the understanding of boreal forest dynamics and can be useful to forest managers seeking to develop or assess novel silvicultural systems.

Juvenile tree growth in relation to light availability in second-growth tropical rain forests

2006 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Beth Palomaki ◽  
Robin L. Chazdon ◽  
J. Pablo Arroyo ◽  
Susan G. Letcher
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Light Availability ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Tropical Rain Forests ◽  
Annual Increment ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Second Growth ◽  
Direct Measurements ◽  
Crown Shape ◽  
Made In

Light is a key environmental factor limiting growth and survival of trees in the subcanopy of wet tropical forests (Davies 2001, Thomas 1996). Light availability varies both vertically and horizontally and affects tree height, crown shape and tree architecture (Bongers & Sterck 1998, Sterck & Bongers 2001, Sterck et al. 1999) in addition to growth and survival (Clark & Clark 1992, 2001). Although many studies of tree seedlings and saplings have shown that growth varies significantly with light availability in tropical wet forests (Clark et al. 1993, Iriarte & Chazdon 2005, King 1991, Kohyama 1991, Montgomery & Chazdon 2002, Oberbauer et al. 1988, 1993; Poorter & Werger 1999, Sterck et al. 1999, Welden et al. 1991), few studies have examined these relationships in size classes above 5 cm dbh (Sterck 1999). King et al. (2005) found that annual increment growth of trees in the 8–20-cm dbh size class in two Asian forests was positively dependent on an index of crown light interception, but no direct measurements of light availability were taken in this study. Due to logistical challenges, few direct measurements of light environments above tree crowns have been made in tropical forests (Sterck & Bongers 2001). To our knowledge, no measurements have been made in second-growth forests.

Influence of a common palm, Oenocarpus mapora, on seedling establishment in a tropical moist forest in Panama

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 429-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krista Farris-Lopez ◽  
Julie S. Denslow ◽  
Barry Moser ◽  
Heather Passmore
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Litter ◽  
Seedling Establishment ◽  
Light Availability ◽  
Biomass Accumulation ◽  
Transplant Experiment ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Advance Regeneration ◽  
Litter Depth ◽  
Moist Forest

Plants often modify microsite conditions important for seedling establishment. In tropical moist forest, advance regeneration in the form of shade-suppressed seedlings is a major component of regrowth in new gaps. Tree seedlings may be filtered by the composition and structure of the forest understorey. In a lowland forest in Central Panama, we examined light availability, litter accumulation and the seedling community (abundance, diversity and composition) under and away from the canopies of a common subcanopy, clonal palm, Oenocarpus mapora, and tested whether seedling abundance varies as a function of changes in understorey light conditions and leaf litter depth. We found evidence that leaf litter was five times deeper and light availability 27% lower under O. mapora canopy than where it was absent. The probability of finding a seedling in plots under O. mapora canopies was 33% lower than in plots without the palm. Plots under O. mapora canopies also had 49% fewer species of seedlings and those seedlings came from significantly larger seeds than seedlings in plots not under the palm. Overall, seedling density was positively correlated with light availability and negatively correlated with leaf litter depth. A transplant experiment confirmed that for at least one large-seeded species of dicot, seedlings are negatively affected by the reduction in light availability and increase in leaf litter. Under O. mapora, seedlings of Gustavia superba (Lecythidaceae) had lower survivorship and biomass accumulation than away from the palm. Thus, site conditions produced by large, clonal, multi-layered palms such as O. mapora may reduce establishment of small-seeded and shade-intolerant species, potentially affecting species composition in the understorey seedling pool.

Modeling tree regeneration height growth after an experimental hurricane

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (8) ◽  
pp. 2003-2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Ann Fajvan ◽  
Audrey Barker Plotkin ◽  
David R Foster
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rates ◽  
Height Growth ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Red Maple ◽  
Yellow Birch ◽  
White Ash ◽  
Advance Regeneration ◽  
Species Specific

Annual height growth rates for six species of tree seedlings were modeled during the first 10 years of cohort initiation following an experimental hurricane in central Massachusetts. Selected canopy trees in a second-growth, transition oak – northern hardwoods forest were pulled over with a winch in a 50 m × 160 m area. Regeneration height growth did not follow the species-specific patterns anticipated if the disturbance had been stand replacing. Instead, the temporal increase in shade from crown expansion and sprouting of residual trees slowed cohort development and resulted in a variety of annual height growth patterns among species. Height development was followed separately for advance regeneration and new seedlings of red maple white ash, black cherry, black and yellow birch, paper birch, and red oak. All species had increasing height growth rates for 3 years followed by either decreasing or unchanged (flat) rates except red maple and ash advance regeneration, which had increasing rates throughout the measurement period. After 10 years, black and yellow birch, and red maple are the most numerous species and compose the majority of the tallest regeneration. Red oaks, which dominated the original stand, are few and unlikely to emerge to the canopy of the new cohort.

scholarly journals Growth Interruptions in Arctic Rhodoliths Correspond to Water Depth and Rhodolith Morphology

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 538
Author(s):  
Moritz Schlüter ◽  
Ines Pyko ◽  
Max Wisshak ◽  
Christian Schulbert ◽  
Sebastian Teichert
Keyword(s):  
Light Availability ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Skeletal Growth ◽  
Coralline Algae ◽  
Ambient Light ◽  
Micro Computed Tomography ◽  
Svalbard Archipelago ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Algal Thalli ◽  
Environmental Proxies

Coralline algae that form rhodoliths are widespread globally and their skeletal growth patterns have been used as (paleo-) environmental proxies in a variety of studies. However, growth interruptions (hiati) within their calcareous skeletons are regarded as problematic in this context. Here we investigated how hiati in the growth of Arctic rhodoliths from the Svalbard archipelago correspond to their environment and morphology. Using X-ray micro-computed tomography and stepwise model selections, we found that rhodoliths from deeper waters are subject to more frequent hiatus formation. In addition, rhodoliths with a higher sphericity (i.e., roundness) are less often affected by such growth interruptions. We conclude that these correlations are mainly regulated by hydrodynamics, because, in deeper waters, rhodoliths are not turned frequently enough to prevent a dieback of coralline algal thalli forming on the underside of the rhodolith. In this coherence, spheroidal rhodoliths are turned more easily, therefore shortening the amount of time between turnover events. Moreover, the incidence of light is more advantageous in shallower waters where rhodoliths exhibit a greater share of their surface to diffused ambient light, thus enabling thallus growth also on the down-facing surface of the rhodoliths. In consequence, information on the frequency of hiatus formation combined with rhodolith morphology might serve as a valuable proxy for (paleo-)environmental reconstructions in respect to light availability and the hydrodynamic regime.

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.

Selective feeding of pine voles on roots of tree seedlings

2009 ◽  
Vol 87 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Schreiber ◽  
R. K. Swihart
Keyword(s):  
Field Studies ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Quercus Alba ◽  
White Oak ◽  
Yellow Poplar ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Field Evidence ◽  
Microtus Pinetorum ◽  
Belowground Herbivory ◽  
Oak Seedlings

Previous studies have implicated numerous physical and biotic factors as contributing to the failure of oak to regenerate successfully throughout substantial portions of eastern North America. Recent field evidence in southern Indiana implicated belowground herbivory by pine voles ( Microtus pinetorum (LeConte, 1830)) as a potentially important but overlooked mortality agent for oak seedlings. We used cafeteria-style feeding trials to determine whether selection of hardwood seedlings by captive pine voles differed according to species or age. White oak ( Quercus alba L.) was selected more frequently and experienced a greater proportion of root removal by pine voles than same-age seedlings of the other four species tested. Yellow poplar ( Liriodendron tulipifera L.) was never eaten. White oak seedlings 3 and 6 weeks of age suffered proportionately greater root removal than conspecific seedlings 12 and 15 weeks of age; pine voles removed roughly constant levels of root biomass irrespective of seedling age. Our results confirm that pine voles selectively feed on oak seedlings. In areas where pine voles are abundant, belowground herbivory could limit regeneration of oak by reducing seedling growth and survival. The importance of pine voles as factors influencing the success of oak regeneration warrants closer scrutiny in future field studies.

Effects of antitranspirants on seed germination, growth, and survival of tree seedlings

1974 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 225-229
Author(s):  
William R. Chaney ◽  
Theodore T. Kozlowski
Keyword(s):  
Seed Germination ◽  
Tree Seedlings ◽  
Growth And Survival
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