scholarly journals Oak regeneration at the arid boundary of the temperate deciduous forest biome: insights from a seeding and watering experiment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
László Erdős ◽  
Katalin Szitár ◽  
Kinga Öllerer ◽  
Gábor Ónodi ◽  
Miklós Kertész ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Deciduous Forests ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Light Limitation ◽  
Pedunculate Oak ◽  
Forest Edges ◽  
Oak Regeneration ◽  
Temperate Deciduous

AbstractPrevious studies found that pedunculate oak, one of the most widespread and abundant species in European deciduous forests, regenerates in open habitats and forest edges, but not in closed forest interiors. However, these observations usually come from the core areas of the biome, and much less is known about such processes at its arid boundary, where limiting factors may be different. In a full factorial field experiment, we tested the effects of different habitats (grassland, forest edge, forest interior) and increased growing season precipitation on the early regeneration of pedunculate oak in a forest-steppe ecosystem in Central Hungary, at the arid boundary of temperate deciduous forests. In the grassland habitat, seedling emergence was very low, and no seedlings survived by the fourth year. In contrast, seedling emergence was high and similar at forest edges and forest interiors, and was not affected by water addition. Most seedlings survived until the fourth year, with no difference between forest edge and forest interior habitats in numbers, and only minor or transient differences in size. The lack of oak regeneration in the grassland differs from previous reports on successful oak regeneration in open habitats, and may be related to a shift from light limitation to other limiting factors, such as moisture or microclimatic extremes, when moving away from the core of the deciduous forest biome towards its arid boundary. The similar number and performance of seedlings in forest edges and forest interiors may also be related to the decreasing importance of light limitation.

scholarly journals Oak regeneration at the arid boundary of the temperate deciduous forest biome: insights from a seeding and watering experiment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
László Erdős ◽  
Katalin Szitár ◽  
Kinga Öllerer ◽  
Gábor Ónodi ◽  
Miklós Kertész ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Seedling Emergence ◽  
Deciduous Forests ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Light Limitation ◽  
Pedunculate Oak ◽  
Forest Edges ◽  
Oak Regeneration ◽  
Temperate Deciduous ◽  
Forest Biome

AbstractTemperate deciduous forests dominated by oaks cover extensive areas in European lowlands. These ecosystems have been under intense anthropogenic use for millennia, thus their natural dynamics, and their regeneration in particular, is still not well understood. Previous studies found that pedunculate oak (Quercus robur), one of the most widespread and abundant species in European deciduous forests, regenerates in open habitats and forest edges, but not in closed forest interiors. However, these observations usually come from the core areas of the biome, and much less is known about such processes at its arid boundary, where limiting factors may be different, and climate change may first exert its effects.In a full factorial field experiment, we tested the effects of different habitats and increased growing season precipitation on the early regeneration of pedunculate oak in a forest-steppe ecosystem in Central Hungary, at the arid boundary of temperate deciduous forests. We planted acorns into three neighbouring habitats (grassland, forest edge, forest interior) and studied seedling emergence and plant performance under ambient weather and additional watering for four years.In the grassland habitat, seedling emergence was very low, and no seedlings survived by the fourth year. In contrast, seedling emergence was high and similar at forest edges and forest interiors, and was not affected by water addition. Most seedlings survived until the fourth year, with no difference between forest edge and forest interior habitats in numbers, and only minor or transient differences in size (leaf number, height).The lack of oak regeneration in the grassland contradicts previous reports on successful oak regeneration in open habitats, and may be related to a shift from light limitation to other limiting factors, such as moisture or microclimatic extremes, when moving away from the core of the deciduous forest biome towards its arid boundary. The similar number and performance of seedlings in forest edges and forest interiors may also be related to the decreasing importance of light limitation. The above-average precipitation in the year of seedling emergence (2016) might be a reason why watering had no effect on oak regeneration.Overall, our results highlight that oak regeneration and thus forest dynamics may be limited by different factors at a biome boundary compared to its core areas. Indeed, this very simple mechanism (inability of oak regeneration in grassland habitats) may contribute to the opening up of the closed forest biome, and the emergence of a biome transition zone.

Temperate Deciduous Forests

Ecology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank S. Gilliam
Keyword(s):  
Tropical Forests ◽  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Net Primary Productivity ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Close Association ◽  
Deciduous Forests ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Temperate Deciduous Forest ◽  
Temperate Deciduous ◽  
Temperate Deciduous Forests

Given the global distribution of human populations and their coincidence with temperate deciduous forests, it is likely that when most people consider the term “forest,” what comes to mind most frequently is the temperate deciduous forest biome. Although not to the level of their tropical counterparts, temperate deciduous forests typically display high plant biodiversity and rates of net primary productivity. They contrast sharply, however, with tropical forests in the distribution of biodiversity and productivity. In tropical forests, greatest plant diversity is associated with the vegetation of greatest productivity—trees. By contrast, the greatest plant diversity—up to 90 percent—in temperate deciduous forests occurs among the plants of least physical stature: the herbaceous species. Given the close association between these forests and their use by human populations, whether for food, fiber, habitat, or recreation, it is not surprising that they have been well studied, particularly in North America, and thus have a rich literature going back many years. However, for the very reason of that intensive use, temperate deciduous forests have proved to be an ecological moving target, as timber harvesting, air pollution, and introduced pests (e.g., insects and parasites) have represented a chronic assault on the structure and function of these ecosystems.

scholarly journals Functional traits of broad-leaved monocot herbs in the understory and forest edges of a Costa Rican rainforest

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e9958
Author(s):  
Philip W. Rundel ◽  
Arielle M. Cooley ◽  
Katharine L. Gerst ◽  
Erin C. Riordan ◽  
M. Rasoul Sharifi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Functional Traits ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Light Limitation ◽  
Leaf Water Content ◽  
Simple Explanation ◽  
Forest Edges ◽  
Understory Herbs ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Herb Species

Broad-leaved monocot herbs are widespread and dominant components of the shaded understories of wet neotropical forests. These understory habitats are characterized by light limitation and a constant threat of falling branches. Many shaded understory herb species have close relatives that occupy forest edges and gaps, where light availability is higher and defoliation threat is lower, creating an opportunity for comparative analysis of functional traits in order to better understand the evolutionary adaptations associated with this habitat transition. We documented ecological, morphological and ecophysiological traits of multiple herb species in six monocot families from each of these two habitats in the wet tropical rainforest at the La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. We found that a mixture of phylogenetic canalization and ecological selection for specific habitats helped explain patterns of functional traits. Understory herbs were significantly shorter and had smaller leaves than forest edge species. Although the mean number of leaves per plant and specific leaf area did not differ between the two groups, the larger leaf size of forest edge species gave them more than three times the mean plant leaf area. Measures of leaf water content and nitrogen content varied within both groups and mean values were not significantly different. Despite the high leaf nitrogen contents, the maximum photosynthetic rates of understory herbs were quite low. Measures of δ13C as an analog of water use efficiency found significantly lower (more negative) values in understory herbs compared to forest edge species. Clonality was strongly developed in several species but did not show strong phylogenetic patterns. This study highlights many functional traits that differ between broad-leaved monocot species characteristic of understory and forest edge habitats, as well as traits that vary primarily by phylogenetic relatedness. Overall, plant functional traits do not provide a simple explanation for the relative differences in abundance for individual understory and forest edge species with some occurring in great abundance while others are relatively rare.

scholarly journals Deciduous forest responses to temperature, precipitation, and drought imply complex climate change impacts

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (44) ◽  
pp. 13585-13590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yingying Xie ◽  
Xiaojing Wang ◽  
John A. Silander
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Heat Stress ◽  
New England ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
High Heat ◽  
Deciduous Forests ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Temperate Deciduous Forest ◽  
Temperate Deciduous

Changes in spring and autumn phenology of temperate plants in recent decades have become iconic bio-indicators of rapid climate change. These changes have substantial ecological and economic impacts. However, autumn phenology remains surprisingly little studied. Although the effects of unfavorable environmental conditions (e.g., frost, heat, wetness, and drought) on autumn phenology have been observed for over 60 y, how these factors interact to influence autumn phenological events remain poorly understood. Using remotely sensed phenology data from 2001 to 2012, this study identified and quantified significant effects of a suite of environmental factors on the timing of fall dormancy of deciduous forest communities in New England, United States. Cold, frost, and wet conditions, and high heat-stress tended to induce earlier dormancy of deciduous forests, whereas moderate heat- and drought-stress delayed dormancy. Deciduous forests in two eco-regions showed contrasting, nonlinear responses to variation in these explanatory factors. Based on future climate projection over two periods (2041–2050 and 2090–2099), later dormancy dates were predicted in northern areas. However, in coastal areas earlier dormancy dates were predicted. Our models suggest that besides warming in climate change, changes in frost and moisture conditions as well as extreme weather events (e.g., drought- and heat-stress, and flooding), should also be considered in future predictions of autumn phenology in temperate deciduous forests. This study improves our understanding of how multiple environmental variables interact to affect autumn phenology in temperate deciduous forest ecosystems, and points the way to building more mechanistic and predictive models.

scholarly journals The effects of forest edge and nest height on nest predation in a U.K. deciduous forest fragment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah Atkin ◽  
Cris Banks-Leite
Keyword(s):  
Edge Effect ◽  
Nest Predation ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Forest Edges ◽  
Forest Fragment ◽  
Artificial Nests ◽  
Conservation Implications ◽  
Mixed Deciduous Forest ◽  
Nest Height

It has been previously hypothesised that nest predation is higher at forest edges. This has important conservation implications for the increasingly fragmented U.K. climax community. I aimed to test the generality of this edge effect in a mixed deciduous forest fragment which borders open grassland. Artificial nests containing a combination of quail and plasticine eggs were used, at ground and arboreal levels. I found an overall edge effect on nest predation rates, however this effect was not specifically seen in ground nests. Ground nests experienced significantly higher levels of predation than arboreal nests. I suggest this edge effect is due in part to the steep productivity gradient over the ecotone.

scholarly journals Potential of natural regeneration of Quercus robur L. in floodplain forests in the southern part of the Czech Republic

2014 ◽  
Vol 60 (No. 12) ◽  
pp. 534-539 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Dobrovolný
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Natural Regeneration ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Floodplain Forest ◽  
Pedunculate Oak ◽  
Oak Regeneration ◽  
Artificial Regeneration ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Site Factor ◽  
Clear Cutting

The most common way of pedunculate oak regeneration on the floodplain sites in the Czech Republic is artificial regeneration by clear-cutting. However, what is the real potential of natural regeneration of pedunculate oak? In our research object (3,355 ha of floodplain forest in the southern part of the Czech Republic – Zidlochovice region), we inventoried about 8 ha of successful natural regeneration of pedunculate oak with density ranging between 15,000 and 100,000 individuals per ha on the plots after final cut. All harvested oak dominated parent stands showed a lower stock density that ranged between 0.5 and 0.8. In the next analysis of the survival of oak natural regeneration spontaneously established in different light conditions under the shelter of parent stands we observed the highest occurrence of saplings closer to the forest edge. A sufficient density of regeneration (above 10,000 individuals per ha) was found at the distance up to 18 m from the edge, where more than 24% of direct and 30% of indirect site factor were discovered. In the stand with the full canopy closure (DSF  about 10% on average and ISF about 24%) the oak regeneration is missing and was replaced by other tree species (especially ash and field maple). In the examined area the natural regeneration of pedunculate oak should be one of the possible alternatives of floodplain forest regeneration if certain conditions are met.  

Landscape-mediated edge effect in temperate deciduous forest: implications for oak regeneration

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arturo García-Romero ◽  
Pablo M. Vergara ◽  
Carlos Granados-Peláez ◽  
Gabriela Santibañez-Andrade
Keyword(s):  
Edge Effect ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Temperate Deciduous Forest ◽  
Oak Regeneration ◽  
Temperate Deciduous

scholarly journals Forest census and map data for two temperate deciduous forest edge woodlot patches in Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Ecology ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 96 (6) ◽  
pp. 1734-1734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan P. Dandois ◽  
Dana Nadwodny ◽  
Erik Anderson ◽  
Andrew Bofto ◽  
Matthew Baker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Temperate Deciduous Forest ◽  
Temperate Deciduous ◽  
Map Data

Aulacomnium heterostichoides sp.nov., an Eocene moss from south central British Columbia

1979 ◽  
Vol 57 (20) ◽  
pp. 2150-2161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan A. P. Janssens ◽  
Diana G. Horton ◽  
James F. Basinger
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Deciduous Forests ◽  
Eastern North America ◽  
Eastern Asia ◽  
Temperate Deciduous Forest ◽  
Fossil Specimen ◽  
South Central ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Temperate Deciduous

Aulacomnium heterostichoides Janssens, Horton, and Basinger is described as new from Eocene sediments located near Horsefly, B.C. It is characterized by spirally arranged, oblong leaves, which are slightly asymmetric by the unequal laminae in the lower one-third; irregularly, coarsely toothed upper margins with the teeth both multicellular and multiseriate; a strong costa, which ends near the apex; upper and basal laminal cells which are more or less isodiametric. These character states indicate a very close relationship to Aulacomnium heterostichum.Palynological studies indicate that Aulacomnium heterostichoides grew in a temperate, deciduous forest with species of Alnus, Carya, Pinns, Quercus, Taxodium, and Tilia, as well as other deciduous and coniferous trees. Extant populations of A. heterostichum commonly occur in a similar habitat along streams in the mesic, deciduous forests of eastern Asia and eastern United States.There is considerable fossil evidence which shows that vascular plants currently restricted to eastern Asia and eastern North America, occurred in the intervening areas across continental North America in Tertiary times. Our report of A. heterostichoides is the first indication, based on a fossil specimen, that bryophytes presently associated with the disjunct deciduous forests of eastern Asia and eastern North America were earlier associated with some elements of these forests in localities beyond the present range of such taxa.

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