Bracken fern facilitates tree seedling recruitment in tropical fire-degraded habitats

Gallegos, Silvia C.; Hensen, Isabell; Saavedra, Francisco; Schleuning, Matthias

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2014.11.003

Cited by 37 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…However, the results presented here contradict this expectation. Gallegos et al (2015) also observed higher recruitment and survival of Clusia spp. under P. arachnoideum.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…Maxon. (Silva Matos & Belinato, 2010;Gallegos et al, 2015) and P. aquilinum (L.) Kuhn (Marrs & Watt, 2006) are aggressive competitor species. This dominance is due to the allelopathic substances that inhibit germination and growth of other plants (Dolling, Zackrisson, & Nilsson, 1994) and reduces the number of propagules that reach the ground, holding them in their biomass (Marrs & Watt, 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, seeds and seedlings of shade-tolerant species, such as the most abundant species in this study, can germinate and grow well in environments with low light levels, like microhabitat beneath ferns. Gallegos et al (2015) recorded that Pteridium arachnoideum can facilitate seedling recruitment of Clusia spp. and potentially other late-successional species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many studies indicate that ferns can block the regeneration of certain species, and thus, 'filter' which species are capable of regenerating (e.g. George & Bazzaz, 1999;Walker, Landau, Velázquez, Shiels, & Sparrow, 2010;Gallegos, Hensen, Saavedra, & Schleuning, 2015). Fern understory decreased emergence of Betula spp., Pinus strobus L., and Quercus rubra L. but did not affect the emergence of Acer rubrum L. or Fraxinus americana L. in a deciduous forest (George & Bazzaz, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies on the impact of ferns on plant communities have been carried out in the world (George & Bazzaz, 1999;Walker et al, 2010;Gallegos et al, 2015), but almost nothing was published about this subject in Brazil (Silva & Silva Matos, 2006;Silva Matos & Belinato, 2010;Guerin & Durigan, 2015), specially in seasonal semideciduous forest (SSF). Knowledge about the influence of herbaceous stratum on tree regeneration is essential for conservation and reforestation programmes of these forests.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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<b>Ferns influence on the woody species seedling bank in semi-deciduous forest, Southern Brazil

Carvalho

Pimenta

Bianchini

2016

Acta Sci. Biol. Sci.

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ABSTRACT. Different species of plants can act as environmental filters affecting the composition, structure and spatial distribution of seeds and seedlings of forest species. This study aimed to examine whether the presence of the fern stratum acts as a biotic environmental filter on the woody species seedling bank in a semi-deciduous forest remnant (Atlantic biome), Southern Brazil. Two experiments were developed in areas with ferns (F) and ferns-free (NF): a) richness and abundance of woody seedling bank were determined in 10 plots (25 m 2 ) in each area; b) seedlings abundance of Actinostemon concolor (Spreng.) Müll. Arg., Aspidosperma polyneuron Müll. Arg., Euterpe edulis Mart., Guarea kunthiana A. Juss. and Inga marginata Kunth were monitored for a year in three areas F, NF and an area with ferns whose fronds were cut (CF). In this experiment, it was used five plots (4 m 2 ) in each area. The abundance of seedlings (considering all species) was higher in F areas and ferns positively and negatively affected the abundance of A. polyneuron and G. kunthiana, respectively. It is possible to conclude that ferns worked as a selective environmental filter for some woody species.

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“…However, the results presented here contradict this expectation. Gallegos et al (2015) also observed higher recruitment and survival of Clusia spp. under P. arachnoideum.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 73%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

<b>Ferns influence on the woody species seedling bank in semi-deciduous forest, Southern Brazil

Carvalho

Pimenta

Bianchini

2016

Acta Sci. Biol. Sci.

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Bracken fern does not diminish arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus inoculum potential in tropical deforested areas

et al. 2021

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Fine-scale fern ecological responses inform on riparian forest habitat conservation status

et al. 2022

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The recognition of the ecological quality of ecosystems and habitats therein is increasingly important in the Anthropocene. However, there are still scarcely explored ways of how and what to assess to obtain a sound ecological status of habitats. Ferns are an understudied plant group, especially given their usefulness as ecological indicators. Disentangling biotic and abiotic factors that drive fine-scale fern distribution could provide insight into the quality of their habitats. We investigated the environmental factors affecting the distribution of different largely distributed fern species in Europe. We studied their presence and abundance at different life stages in a forest habitat of European priority conservation concern. Our aim was to understand whether fern species can be used as an ecological indicator group in riparian alderwood habitat. We sampled 120 plots of 50 m2 in randomly selected transects along streams of a riparian forest habitat characterized by the presence of many fern species in the understory, controlling for the effects of geology and elevation. Within each plot, fern species were recorded, including vegetative and generative stages of each ramet (rosette of fronds). We modelled fern occurrence and abundance for the different fern life stages, and diversity indices of the fern community in relation to environmental predictors. We found that population- and community-level responses of ferns mainly depended on soil granulometry and, to a lesser extent, moss cover and stream orientation. We also found that the generative life stage compared to the vegetative adult stage benefits from different ecological characteristics for certain fern species. Alterations of the natural hydrology might lead to a general deterioration in habitat quality for ferns. We suggest that some fern species acting as early-warning species, and potentially their life stages, can be used as an ecological quality indicator for riparian forest habitats. This study deepened the understanding of the fine-scale ecology of an array of European ferns in riparian forests and provides valuable information to assist in the conservation of fern species and their populations.

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Bracken fern facilitates tree seedling recruitment in tropical fire-degraded habitats

Cited by 37 publications

References 45 publications

<b>Ferns influence on the woody species seedling bank in semi-deciduous forest, Southern Brazil

<b>Ferns influence on the woody species seedling bank in semi-deciduous forest, Southern Brazil

Bracken fern does not diminish arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus inoculum potential in tropical deforested areas

Fine-scale fern ecological responses inform on riparian forest habitat conservation status

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