Regeneration of a Mediterranean oak: A whole-cycle approach

Pulido, Fernando; Dı́az, Mario

doi:10.2980/i1195-6860-12-1-92.1

Cited by 285 publications

(328 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Similarly, we did not find higher seedling emergence at closer distances to the islets where we expected higher emergence due to micro-climate amelioration by islet canopy shade. This contrasts with results in Smit et al (2009) showing higher emergence in shaded microsites than in open microsites and suggests a lack of ''safe'' microsites for recruitment in our experimental field (Pulido and Díaz 2005). It is possible that microclimatic amelioration by islet canopy was not enough to maintain high soil moisture during the dry spring, but we did not measure soil water content to assess this explanation.…”

Section: Lack Of Distance Effectscontrasting

confidence: 51%

“…3). The natural establishment rate we recorded in 2014 (54.2 seedlings ha -1 ) is lower than those we estimated from data reported by Pulido and Díaz (2005) in oak woodland (123 seedlings ha -1 year -1 ) and by García-Barreda and Reyna (2013) in gaps of a planted pine forest (120 seedlings ha -1 year -1 ), but higher than that found by Pulido and Díaz (2005) in an oak savanna (2.8 seedlings ha -1 year -1 ). Gómez et al (2003) also found that 98 % of the 1000 experimental seedlings were killed by herbivores, notably wood mice, wild boar, and domestic and wild ungulates.…”

contrasting

confidence: 52%

“…For instance, Smit et al (2009) observed emergence values [90 % while Pulido and Díaz (2005) observed 73 % emergence in their study. Low emergence values in our study are probably a consequence of the dry spring, particularly in the few weeks after seeding.…”

Section: Low Seedling Emergencementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Intensification of land use has brought remnant areas of natural or semi-natural vegetation into mainstream agriculture and as a result many of such areas have been lost or severely degraded. As a consequence, many agricultural landscapes, particularly those that are highly productive, lack parental trees or shrubs which severely limits seed availability, the first step for natural regeneration in circumstances where the socio-ecological dynamics promote abandonment (Pulido and Díaz 2005;Rey Benayas and Bullock 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predation and aridity slow down the spread of 21-year-old planted woodland islets in restored Mediterranean farmland

et al. 2015

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Planted woodland islets act as sources of seed that may accelerate woodland development in extensive agricultural landscapes. We assessed a 1-ha plot that was planted with 16 100-m 2 islets of holm oak Quercus ilex subsp. ballota seedlings near Toledo (Spain) in 1993. In spring 2014 we measured (1) acorn predation and (2) seedling emergence from seeded acorns at different distances from and orientations around the islets with half of the acorns protected to prevent predation, (3) survival of emerged seedlings, and (4) natural tree establishment outside of the planted islets. Most (96.9 %) unprotected acorns were removed or predated. Seedling emergence from protected acorns ranged from 42.9 % on the northern side of the islets to 13.2 % on the southern side, suggesting a less stressful microclimate on the northern side. Survival of naturally established seedlings was 28.6 % by the end of first summer; seedling mortality was chiefly due to drought (45.0 %) and herbivory (35.0 %). Density of emerged seedlings, surviving seedlings after first dry season, and established oaks [1-year old was similar at different distances from the islets. Over the 21 year time period, 58 new oak individuals [1-year old have established (an average of 3.3 established individuals per ha per year) at an average distance of 6.3 ± 5.4 m away from the closest islet. We conclude that initial oak regeneration triggered by small planted islets in Mediterranean abandoned farmland is slowed down by high acorn predation, seedling herbivory, and stressful microclimatic conditions. Regardless, these islets are a viable tool for regeneration of Mediterranean oak woodland.

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Section: Lack Of Distance Effectscontrasting

confidence: 51%

contrasting

confidence: 52%

Section: Low Seedling Emergencementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Predation and aridity slow down the spread of 21-year-old planted woodland islets in restored Mediterranean farmland

et al. 2015

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“…Also, seed dispersal has been pointed as a key process limiting tree recruitment in oak savannas Pulido and Díaz 2005). Experimental research in southern Portugal showed that, among the mice-buried acorns, none were able to germinate in savannas, whereas 16% of buried acorns germinated in forests .…”

Section: Transitions With Cork Oak Recruitment Failures and Decreasinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pathways for resilience in Mediterranean cork oak land use systems

Acácio¹,

Holmgren²

2012

Annals of Forest Science

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Context Loss of woodlands and degradation of vegetation and soil have been described for all Mediterranean-type ecosystems worldwide. In the Western Iberian Peninsula, overexploitation of evergreen cork oak land use systems has led to soil erosion, failures in oak recruitment, and loss of forests. Degraded and dry sites are quickly colonised by pioneer heathland rockrose (Cistus spp.) shrubs forming highly persistent patches. Aims Although traditionally shrublands have been considered as a transient successional state, we present evidence that they can represent persistent alternative states to former cork oak forests. Review trends and conclusions We first describe how Mediterranean vegetation evolved in the Iberian Peninsula and the role of fire and long-term human management as main disturbances. We then discuss alternative pathways through state-and-transition models indicating the ecological and land use variables that halt cork oak regeneration and recruitment and drive vegetation transitions towards persistent shrublands. Unless concerted management actions and restoration programmes are undertaken, the cork oak land use systems will not be sustainable.

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Verified hypotheses on the “nurse” and “burial” effects on introduced Quercus rubra regeneration in a mesic Scots pine forest

Woziwoda,

Dyderski,

Gręda

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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A previous study on the encroachment of North American northern red oak Quercus rubra L. into the mesic Scots pine forest (in central Poland) revealed high abundances of seedlings and saplings under shrubs, with lower abundances in open areas or clumps of bilberry Vaccinium myrtillus L. It was unclear whether the regeneration success of Q. rubra is enhanced by the presence of shrubs due to their “nurse effect”, and how burying acorns of different sizes in soil or moss affects the survival of oak seeds and seedlings (a “burial effect”). Results of a previous observational study were verified in an experimental study: a pool of 900 large‐, medium‐, and small‐sized acorns was sown under moss cover in open areas and within bilberry clumps and in soil under shrubs in 2018 and monitored for 3 years in natural conditions. The majority of sown acorns were lost, mainly due to acorn pilferage, lack of germination and the death of sprouting acorns. However, acorn and seedling survival depended significantly on acorn size and differed among the microsites studied. Viable seedlings were twice as likely to develop from large‐ and medium‐sized as from small‐sized acorns, and they grew mainly from acorns sown under moss cover, confirming a positive “burial effect.” Seedling survival was three times higher in bilberry and open areas, than under shrubs; however, seedlings “nursed” by shrubs were less threatened by large ungulates. Only a small part of the pool of sown acorns contributes to the reproductive success of Q. rubra in the mesic Scots pine forest. Microsites characteristic to this type of forest are suitable for northern red oak regeneration; however, bilberry favors acorn survival and germination and early seedling growth, moss cover favors acorn survival and germination, while shrubs protect surviving seedlings from herbivory.

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Regeneration of a Mediterranean oak: A whole-cycle approach

Cited by 285 publications

References 35 publications

Predation and aridity slow down the spread of 21-year-old planted woodland islets in restored Mediterranean farmland

Predation and aridity slow down the spread of 21-year-old planted woodland islets in restored Mediterranean farmland

Pathways for resilience in Mediterranean cork oak land use systems

Verified hypotheses on the “nurse” and “burial” effects on introduced Quercus rubra regeneration in a mesic Scots pine forest

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