Flowering and seeding patterns in pure and mixed Nothofagus forests in Southern Patagonia

Abstract

Introduction: Variation in reproductive phenology among species is an important mechanism for maintaining species coexistence. In mixed forests, the impact of limiting (biotic and abiotic) factors on tree reproductive success regulates the maintenance of species in balanced proportions or the conversion towards monospecific forests. This study offer a significant first approach to the reproductive phenology of mixed forests, assessing flowering, seeding and loss factors on reproductive success in three forest types (pure deciduous Nothofagus pumilio (Np), evergreen Nothofagus betuloides (Nb) and mixed (M) forests), comparing also between two geographical locations (coast and mountain), during one growing season. Results: Flowering falling started early in Np. Seed fall occurred first and more concentrated in Np, while in Nb, it was progressive during autumn. Phenology in M combined both patterns, but with better reproductive performance of both species. Seed production was greater in Nb (42,900,000 ha

Comparing the Stand Structure of a Secondary Mixed Forest with Three Broad-Leaved Forests in China’s Greater Khingan Mountains

“…Unlike the previous studies [1][2][3][4], we did not find an obvious superiority in non-spatial structure or spatial structure of mixed forests compared with pure forests. One reason is that secondary forests such as those used in our study contain timber with low quality and low economic value -especially in our study where the tree sizes are small.…”

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There is a general consensus that mixed forests offer ecological and productivity advantages over singlespecies forests in most situations, e.g., higher habitat heterogeneity, high water-holding capacity, and greater diversity of species composition [1][2][3][4]. Meanwhile, studies have explored ways to convert pure plantations into mixed forests [5].

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Forest canopy-cover composition and landscape influence on bryophyte communities in Nothofagus forests of southern Patagonia

“…pumilio and N . betuloides species in the overstory canopy) (see more details on overstory canopy characterization in Toro Manríquez et al [ 23 , 24 ] and Mestre et al [ 25 ]). Similarly, two contrasting landscapes were selected, where these three forest types naturally occur: (i) marine coasts close to the Beagle Channel and (ii) mountainous areas toward the inner island.…”

“…This study was conducted in old-growth Nothofagus forests (>250 years-old) located in the southwestern Tierra del Fuego Island, Argentina (Fig 1), that has not had harvesting or cattle grazing during occur the last 60 years. Three Nothofagus forest types were considered, according to their canopy-layer composition: (i) Np = pure deciduous forests (with > 80% of N. pumilio canopy cover); (ii) Nb = pure evergreen forests (with > 80% N. betuloides canopy cover); and (iii) M = mixed deciduous-evergreen forests (with a similar proportion of N. pumilio and N. betuloides species in the overstory canopy) (see more details on overstory canopy characterization in Toro Manríquez et al [23,24] and Mestre et al [25]). Similarly, two contrasting landscapes were selected, where these three forest types naturally occur: (i) marine coasts close to the Beagle Channel and (ii) mountainous areas toward the inner island.…”

“…Oerst. These tree species grow naturally across the landscape, and some of them (N. pumilio and N. betuloides) can form mixed deciduous-evergreen forests [23,24]. The understory is mainly composed of forbs, grasses and several woody shrub species, where pure deciduous forests and mixed forests present similar species compositions [25].…”