Below-Plant Mirrors Improve Serianthes Seedling Survival and Growth in Shade

Abstract

Recruitment failures of Serianthes nelsonii are among the threats to this species’ recovery, yet adaptive management research to understand the causes of seedling mortality is lacking. Insufficient available light in the in situ forest floor is one factor that may be involved, and below-plant reflection of incident light may improve seedling survival. Mirrors were placed beneath S. nelsonii, Serianthes grandiflora, and Serianthes kanehirae seedlings in container nursery conditions and S. grandiflora seedlings in a closed-canopy forest to determine the influence of the additional reflected light on seedling survival and growth. Below-plant mirrors increased nursery seedling survival for S. nelsonii and S. kanehirae, with 75% combined survival without mirrors and 88% combined survival with mirrors. Below-plant mirrors increased stem height by 51% for the three species, with greater stem diameter and ending leaf number also occurring for plants with mirrors. Below-plant mirrors increased S. grandiflora seedling survival to 161% and longevity to 236% compared to plants without mirrors under forest cover. The plants receiving mirrors also increased by 175% in height, 60% in stem diameter, and 117% in leaf number compared to the plants without mirrors. These findings indicate that passive solar engineering by exploiting below-plant light reflection may be used as a Serianthes conservation protocol to improve seedling survival and growth under shaded conditions.