Seed and Early Seedling Predation in the Forest Understory and in Treefall Gaps

Oikos ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugene W. Schupp
Keyword(s):  
Forest Understory ◽  
Seedling Predation ◽  
Treefall Gaps ◽  
Early Seedling

The relationship of the soil seed bank and understory vegetation in old-growth northern hardwood–hemlock treefall gaps

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 2714-2721 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Mladenoff
Keyword(s):  
Seed Bank ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Soil Seed Bank ◽  
Forest Understory ◽  
Betula Alleghaniensis ◽  
Forest Change ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Northern Hardwood ◽  
Treefall Gaps ◽  
Large Scale Disturbance

In mature northern hardwood forests, small treefall gaps constitute an important mode of compositional and structural change within the long return time of larger catastrophic disturbances. The soil seed bank and patterns in vegetation layers are described in this disturbance regime context. In these small treefall gaps, herbaceous and woody vegetation species present are similar to those of forest understory plots, differing primarily in abundance. Seed bank communities are compositionally more similar among gaps than forest understory plots, but vegetation similarity is equal among forest plots and among gaps. Seed bank-vegetation similarity is greater among forest plots than in gaps. Seed bank strategies differ among the plant species characteristic of the differing forest layers. Dominant canopy tree species (Acer saccharum, Tsuga canadensis, Betula alleghaniensis) are not an important component of the seed bank. Bird-dispersed shrub and herbaceous species and ant-dispersed herbs are important in the seed bank, especially in gaps. In particular, based on gap seed bank response, it appears that understory shrub abundance and pattern within the forest change with the time since large-scale disturbance, in accordance with species adaptations to the size and increase in number of small treefalls in the mature forest. These species patterns may relate to the patchy nature of resource availability that develops, especially that of nitrogen, which is controlled by the canopy species–gap mosaic. Key words: treefall gaps, soil seed bank, disturbance, northern hardwoods, old growth, succession, shrubs.

scholarly journals Seed shadow, seedling recruitment, and spatial distribution of Buchenavia capitata (Combretaceae) in a fragment of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

2006 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 883-890 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. A. Santos ◽  
F. P. L. Melo ◽  
M. Tabarelli
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Seedling Recruitment ◽  
Local Population ◽  
Forest Understory ◽  
Seedling Mortality ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Seed Shadow ◽  
Treefall Gaps ◽  
Suitable Habitats

Here we describe the seed shadow, seedling recruitment, ontogenetic structure and spatial distribution of Buchenavia capitata (an emergent canopy tree) in a 380-ha fragment of the Atlantic forest in northeast Brazil. In particular, we examine seed distribution around 10 parental trees and both seedling recruitment and mortality, during an 18 month period beneath and around parental trees. Moreover, we describe: (1) B. capitata occurrence within treefall gaps; (2) population structure in terms of ontogenetic stages for the whole site; and (3) spatial distribution of adults within an area of 51 hectares. 99% of seeds were found beneath parent crowns (n = 4,236) and seed density reached 14.6 ± 29.9 seeds/m² (0-140 seeds/m²). 49% of all seeds germinated but seedling mortality reached 100% after an 18 month period. In addition, saplings of B. capitata were not found in forest understory and within 30 treefall gaps (94-2,350 m²). The adults showed an average DBH of 69.3 ± 22.1 cm, were 19.2 ± 2.9 m tall and presented a clumped spatial distribution. B. capitata matched some of the features presented by shade intolerant trees or large-gap specialists, and we hypothesize that low rates or even lack of long distance seed dispersal events may be reducing the probability of B. capitata seeds reaching suitable habitats for successful seedling recruitment and growth. Because of that (1) seedlings face high levels of early mortality; (2) there is no sapling recruitment at the study site; and (3) local population faces senility and it is threatened by local extinction.

Effects of salinity on seedling emergence and early seedling growth of Irvingia gabonensis (Irvingiaceae)

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 282-295
Author(s):  
R. Vihotogbé ◽  
C. Watson ◽  
R. Glèlè Kakaï ◽  
F. Wichern ◽  
B. Sinsin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Seedling Growth ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Early Seedling Growth ◽  
Early Seedling ◽  
Irvingia Gabonensis

Community characteristics of forest understory birds along an elevational gradient in the Horn of Africa: A multi-year baseline

The Condor ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle D Kittelberger ◽  
Montague H C Neate-Clegg ◽  
Evan R Buechley ◽  
Çağan Hakkı Şekercioğlu
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Species Turnover ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Elevational Gradient ◽  
Forest Understory ◽  
Bird Abundance ◽  
Tropical Mountains ◽  
Demographic Rates ◽  
Understory Birds ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Tropical mountains are global hotspots for birdlife. However, there is a dearth of baseline avifaunal data along elevational gradients, particularly in Africa, limiting our ability to observe and assess changes over time in tropical montane avian communities. In this study, we undertook a multi-year assessment of understory birds along a 1,750 m elevational gradient (1,430–3,186 m) in an Afrotropical moist evergreen montane forest within Ethiopia’s Bale Mountains. Analyzing 6 years of systematic bird-banding data from 5 sites, we describe the patterns of species richness, abundance, community composition, and demographic rates over space and time. We found bimodal patterns in observed and estimated species richness across the elevational gradient (peaking at 1,430 and 2,388 m), although no sites reached asymptotic species richness throughout the study. Species turnover was high across the gradient, though forested sites at mid-elevations resembled each other in species composition. We found significant variation across sites in bird abundance in some of the dietary and habitat guilds. However, we did not find any significant trends in species richness or guild abundances over time. For the majority of analyzed species, capture rates did not change over time and there were no changes in species’ mean elevations. Population growth rates, recruitment rates, and apparent survival rates averaged 1.02, 0.52, and 0.51 respectively, and there were no elevational patterns in demographic rates. This study establishes a multi-year baseline for Afrotropical birds along an elevational gradient in an under-studied international biodiversity hotspot. These data will be critical in assessing the long-term responses of tropical montane birdlife to climate change and habitat degradation.

scholarly journals Zinc Seed Priming Improves Spinach Germination at Low Temperature

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 271
Author(s):  
Muhammad Imran ◽  
Asim Mahmood ◽  
Günter Neumann ◽  
Birte Boelt
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Temperature Stress ◽  
Multispectral Imaging ◽  
Germination Rate ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Seed Priming ◽  
Seedling Development ◽  
Low Temperature Stress ◽  
Early Seedling ◽  
Early Seedling Development

Low temperature during germination hinders germination speed and early seedling development. Zn seed priming is a useful and cost-effective tool to improve germination rate and resistance to low temperature stress during germination and early seedling development. Spinach was tested to improve germination and seedling development with Zn seed priming under low temperature stress conditions. Zn priming increased seed Zn concentration up to 48 times. The multispectral imaging technique with VideometerLab was used as a non-destructive method to differentiate unprimed, water- and Zn-primed spinach seeds successfully. Localization of Zn in the seeds was studied using the 1,5-diphenyl thiocarbazone (DTZ) dying technique. Active translocation of primed Zn in the roots of young seedlings was detected with laser confocal microscopy. Zn priming of spinach seeds at 6 mM Zn showed a significant increase in germination rate and total germination under low temperature at 8 °C.

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