Large-scale patterns of Quercus ilex, Quercus suber, and Quercus pyrenaica regeneration in central-western Spain

Tobias Plieninger; Víctor Rolo; Gerardo Moreno

doi:10.1007/s10021-010-9345-2

Large-scale patterns of Quercus ilex, Quercus suber, and Quercus pyrenaica regeneration in central-western Spain

Tobias Plieninger^*, Víctor Rolo, Gerardo Moreno

^*Corresponding author af dette arbejde

74 Citationer (Scopus)

Abstract

In Central-Western Spain, forests and woodlands composed of Quercus sp. support outstanding levels of biodiversity, but there is increasing concern about their long-term persistence due to a lack of regeneration. We hypothesize that this regenerative lack is operating on a large geographic scale; that there are differences in the abundance of regeneration between three oak species; that oak regeneration is governed mainly by forest management and structure; and that shrubs act as important physical protectors of seedlings and saplings. We analyzed whether densities of oak seedlings and saplings in several size classes were related to stand-structure, understory, and physiographic variables potentially affecting regeneration. Data collected at a regional level (1 km × 1 km grid) by the Spanish Forest Inventory were evaluated from 2,816 plots. Results revealed that regeneration failure was common for all size categories, from small seedlings to large saplings, and for the three oak species studied, especially the evergreens. Of the Quercus ilex, Q. suber, and Q. pyrenaica plots studied, 49%, 62%, and 20% were lacking any small seedlings, and 82%, 96%, and 56% did not have any large saplings, respectively. Regeneration was positively correlated with tree cover and density, especially of small and medium-sized trees, and negatively correlated with the presence of large trees, indicating that regeneration failure is mostly associated with more open, uniform, and/or aged woodlands. Regeneration densities of Q. ilex and Q. suber were positively correlated with all understory variables, suggesting that the presence of pioneer shrubs represent a major safe site for early tree recruitment, independent from specific shrub species.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Ecosystems
Vol/bind	13
Udgave nummer	5
Sider (fra-til)	644-660
Antal sider	17
ISSN	1432-9840
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-010-9345-2
Status	Udgivet - 4 jun. 2010

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10.1007/s10021-010-9345-2

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Citationsformater

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title = "Large-scale patterns of Quercus ilex, Quercus suber, and Quercus pyrenaica regeneration in central-western Spain",

abstract = "In Central-Western Spain, forests and woodlands composed of Quercus sp. support outstanding levels of biodiversity, but there is increasing concern about their long-term persistence due to a lack of regeneration. We hypothesize that this regenerative lack is operating on a large geographic scale; that there are differences in the abundance of regeneration between three oak species; that oak regeneration is governed mainly by forest management and structure; and that shrubs act as important physical protectors of seedlings and saplings. We analyzed whether densities of oak seedlings and saplings in several size classes were related to stand-structure, understory, and physiographic variables potentially affecting regeneration. Data collected at a regional level (1 km × 1 km grid) by the Spanish Forest Inventory were evaluated from 2,816 plots. Results revealed that regeneration failure was common for all size categories, from small seedlings to large saplings, and for the three oak species studied, especially the evergreens. Of the Quercus ilex, Q. suber, and Q. pyrenaica plots studied, 49%, 62%, and 20% were lacking any small seedlings, and 82%, 96%, and 56% did not have any large saplings, respectively. Regeneration was positively correlated with tree cover and density, especially of small and medium-sized trees, and negatively correlated with the presence of large trees, indicating that regeneration failure is mostly associated with more open, uniform, and/or aged woodlands. Regeneration densities of Q. ilex and Q. suber were positively correlated with all understory variables, suggesting that the presence of pioneer shrubs represent a major safe site for early tree recruitment, independent from specific shrub species.",

keywords = "Dehesa, Large-scale survey, Logistic regression, Mediterranean forest, Sapling recruitment, Seedling establishment, Shrub encroachment, Shrub facilitation, Stand dynamics, Tree demography",

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T1 - Large-scale patterns of Quercus ilex, Quercus suber, and Quercus pyrenaica regeneration in central-western Spain

AU - Plieninger, Tobias

AU - Rolo, Víctor

AU - Moreno, Gerardo

PY - 2010/6/4

Y1 - 2010/6/4

N2 - In Central-Western Spain, forests and woodlands composed of Quercus sp. support outstanding levels of biodiversity, but there is increasing concern about their long-term persistence due to a lack of regeneration. We hypothesize that this regenerative lack is operating on a large geographic scale; that there are differences in the abundance of regeneration between three oak species; that oak regeneration is governed mainly by forest management and structure; and that shrubs act as important physical protectors of seedlings and saplings. We analyzed whether densities of oak seedlings and saplings in several size classes were related to stand-structure, understory, and physiographic variables potentially affecting regeneration. Data collected at a regional level (1 km × 1 km grid) by the Spanish Forest Inventory were evaluated from 2,816 plots. Results revealed that regeneration failure was common for all size categories, from small seedlings to large saplings, and for the three oak species studied, especially the evergreens. Of the Quercus ilex, Q. suber, and Q. pyrenaica plots studied, 49%, 62%, and 20% were lacking any small seedlings, and 82%, 96%, and 56% did not have any large saplings, respectively. Regeneration was positively correlated with tree cover and density, especially of small and medium-sized trees, and negatively correlated with the presence of large trees, indicating that regeneration failure is mostly associated with more open, uniform, and/or aged woodlands. Regeneration densities of Q. ilex and Q. suber were positively correlated with all understory variables, suggesting that the presence of pioneer shrubs represent a major safe site for early tree recruitment, independent from specific shrub species.

AB - In Central-Western Spain, forests and woodlands composed of Quercus sp. support outstanding levels of biodiversity, but there is increasing concern about their long-term persistence due to a lack of regeneration. We hypothesize that this regenerative lack is operating on a large geographic scale; that there are differences in the abundance of regeneration between three oak species; that oak regeneration is governed mainly by forest management and structure; and that shrubs act as important physical protectors of seedlings and saplings. We analyzed whether densities of oak seedlings and saplings in several size classes were related to stand-structure, understory, and physiographic variables potentially affecting regeneration. Data collected at a regional level (1 km × 1 km grid) by the Spanish Forest Inventory were evaluated from 2,816 plots. Results revealed that regeneration failure was common for all size categories, from small seedlings to large saplings, and for the three oak species studied, especially the evergreens. Of the Quercus ilex, Q. suber, and Q. pyrenaica plots studied, 49%, 62%, and 20% were lacking any small seedlings, and 82%, 96%, and 56% did not have any large saplings, respectively. Regeneration was positively correlated with tree cover and density, especially of small and medium-sized trees, and negatively correlated with the presence of large trees, indicating that regeneration failure is mostly associated with more open, uniform, and/or aged woodlands. Regeneration densities of Q. ilex and Q. suber were positively correlated with all understory variables, suggesting that the presence of pioneer shrubs represent a major safe site for early tree recruitment, independent from specific shrub species.

KW - Dehesa

KW - Large-scale survey

KW - Logistic regression

KW - Mediterranean forest

KW - Sapling recruitment

KW - Seedling establishment

KW - Shrub encroachment

KW - Shrub facilitation

KW - Stand dynamics

KW - Tree demography

U2 - 10.1007/s10021-010-9345-2

DO - 10.1007/s10021-010-9345-2

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:77954953326

SN - 1432-9840

VL - 13

SP - 644

EP - 660

JO - Ecosystems

JF - Ecosystems

IS - 5

ER -

Large-scale patterns of Quercus ilex, Quercus suber, and Quercus pyrenaica regeneration in central-western Spain

Abstract

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