Seed rain and natural regeneration in Lophostemon confertus plantations in Hong Kong, China

Lee, Elsa W. S.; Hau, Billy C.H.; Corlett, Richard T.

doi:10.1007/s11056-007-9065-4

Cited by 12 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…In the Hong Kong context, where secondary shrublands and forests are rapidly expanding in area after a low in the period 1943-1946, the concern is that disperser limitation could lead to a low-diversity "pioneer desert" that may then arrest forest succession for decades or longer (Martínez-Garza & Howe 2003). Evidence from a wide variety of observations is consistent with this scenario, including the low diversity of seeds in the feces of major avian (Leven 2000) and mammalian (Wan 2009) frugivores, the low diversity of the seed rain into non-forest habitats and exotic monoculture plantations (Au et al 2006;Lee et al 2008), and the low diversity of woody successional vegetation (Zhuang & Corlett 1997;Hau & Corlett 2002;Lee et al 2005). Equally striking is the absence from the seed rain and most successional vegetation of precisely those fruit types for which underdispersal is expected, including large, large-seeded, fleshy fruits and large, wingless, dry fruits.…”

Section: Without Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed dispersal in Hong Kong, China: past, present and possible futures

Corlett¹

2011

Integrative Zoology

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In the present article, published and unpublished information regarding seed dispersal in the degraded landscape of Hong Kong, China, is reviewed. Information was available for 1681 native plant species, of which 1165 were assigned to probable seed dispersal modes. Endozoochory accounted for one-third (34.4%) of all species evaluated, half (54.4%) of those from forests, and more than two-thirds (69.2%) of all trees and tall shrubs. Wind dispersal (25.9%) and dispersal by an unknown agent (30.7%) accounted for most of the rest, with the unknown species mostly small-seeded herbs. Although the frugivore fauna of the Hong Kong region has been truncated since the late Pleistocene, there are few clear examples of failed mutualisms. The most striking is the absence of scatter-hoarding rodents from Hong Kong, despite the presence of forest trees that appear to require them for effective dispersal. There are also some large Lauraceae fruits that appear to be targeted at larger-gaped birds than currently present. Most endozoochorous species are dispersed by 3 small passerine birds (Pycnonotus jocosus, P. sinensis, and Zosterops japonicus), with larger birds, fruit bats (Cynopterus sphinx, Rousettus leschenaulti), rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), civets (Paguma larvata, Viverricula indica), and muntjacs (Muntiacus muntjac) accounting for the remainder. The low plant diversity in frugivore droppings, seed traps, and secondary vegetation suggests plant succession may be dispersal limited, although this has not been investigated experimentally. Planting underdispersed species is the simplest solution but, in the longer term, the (re)introduction of a scatter-hoarding rodent should be considered as well as that of other locally and regionally extinct frugivores.

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Section: Without Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seed dispersal in Hong Kong, China: past, present and possible futures

Corlett¹

2011

Integrative Zoology

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“…In total, 28 plots located in forest patches belonging to the five age classes ('GT70', 'LT70', 'LT52', 'LT26' and 'LT14') and covering a total area of 1.12 hectares were established, with an attempt to sample at 200 m altitudinal intervals, and in all cardinal directions (Figure 1). Considering the fragmented nature of forest in the study area, a sampling size of 20 m by 20 m was used, to ensure physiognomic uniformity of each plot as demonstrated by Lee et al, (2007Lee et al, ( , 2005, and Zhuang and Corlett (1997). Within each sample plot, measurements included Diameter at Breast Height (DBH), number of stems, and status (Dead or Alive).…”

Section: Species Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial and environmental constraints on natural forest regeneration in the degraded landscape of Hong Kong

Abbas

Nichol

Zhang³

et al. 2021

Science of The Total Environment

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Tropical forests are the main reservoirs for global biodiversity and climate control. As secondary forests are now more widespread than primary forests, understanding their functioning and role in the biosphere is increasingly important. This includes understanding how they achieve stability, how they accumulate species and build biodiversity and how they cycle nutrients and carbon. This study investigates how we can restore tropical secondary forests to resemble high biomass, highly biodiverse and stable ecosystems seen today only in primary, undisturbed forests. The study used historic aerial photographs and recent highresolution satellite images from 1945 to 2014 to map forest patches with five age categories, from 14-years to over 70-years, in Hong Kong´s degraded tropical landscape. A forest inventory comprising 28 quadrats provided a rare opportunity to relate patterns of species composition at different stages during the succession with topographic and soil characteristics.The topographic variables accounted for 15 % of the variance in species abundance, and age of forest stands explained 29 %. Species richness rapidly increased after the first 15 years, but was lower in old-growth, than in medium age forest. This is attributed to the inability of latesuccessional species to disperse into the 'new, young' forests as the natural dispersal agents (birds, mammals) have been lost. Light-loving pioneers which are unable to tolerate the shade of older forests, cannot regenerate in their own shade, therefore species diversity declines after a few decades. For ecosystem restoration in tropical secondary forests, introduction of latesuccessional species is necessary to assist natural succession, given the absence of native fauna, seed dispersal agents, and the surrounding altered environment. We also show that remote sensing can play a pivotal role in understanding the recovery and functioning of secondary forest regeneration as its role in the biosphere is increasingly important.

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Seed rain and its relationship with above-ground vegetation of degraded Kobresia meadows

Shang

Yang

Shi³

et al. 2012

J Plant Res

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Seed rain is a crucial element in vegetation regeneration, but has been rarely studied in high altitude regions, particularly degraded Kobresia meadow. Weed infestation is a distinctive feature of pasture degradation in Kobresia meadows on the Tibetan plateau, the ecological mechanism of which is closely related with vegetation's seed rain. In this paper we assess the effect of vegetation degradation on seed rain and consider its implication for restoration of degraded Kobresia meadows in the headwater area of Yellow river, through analysis of seed species composition, number of seeds landing per m(2) of soil surface, and their relationship with above ground vegetation. Vegetation degradation had an impact on the species composition and numbers of seeds in seed rain and their relationship with above-ground vegetation. Within the un-degraded meadow, which provided a closed vegetation cover, 35 % of the seed rain was of sedge and gramineae species. However, within the degraded meadows, as the extent of degradation increased, so the total number of seeds m(-2) increased, with those derived from sedge and gramineae species forming a declining proportion of the total. Degradation of Kobresia meadow on the Tibetan plateau is exacerbated by the seed input of weed species (such as Oxytropis ochrocephala, Carum carvi, Aconitum pendulum, Pedicularis kansuensis in this study). Therefore, a major priority for the restoration of such degraded meadows should be the elimination of these weeds from the above ground vegetation by human intervention.

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Seed rain and natural regeneration in Lophostemon confertus plantations in Hong Kong, China

Cited by 12 publications

References 25 publications

Seed dispersal in Hong Kong, China: past, present and possible futures

Seed dispersal in Hong Kong, China: past, present and possible futures

Spatial and environmental constraints on natural forest regeneration in the degraded landscape of Hong Kong

Seed rain and its relationship with above-ground vegetation of degraded Kobresia meadows

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