Seedling Mortality in Hawaiian Rain Forest: The Role of Small-Scale Physical Disturbance1

Drake, Donald R.; Pratt, Linda W.

doi:10.1646/0006-3606(2001)033[0319:smihrf]2.0.co;2

Cited by 22 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Considerable variation in litterfall damage rates to artificial seedlings among forests in Costa Rica, Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, Amazonia and New Zealand have not been explained (Clark & Clark 1989; Mack 1998; Scariot 2000; Drake & Pratt 2001; Gillman & Ogden 2001), and Clark and Clark (1989) found significant unexplained differences in litterfall damage rates between two transects within similar forest. Further studies are required in these forests to test for a similar relationship between macro‐litterfall and seedling damage to that presented here.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

The influence of macro‐litterfall and forest structure on litterfall damage to seedlings

et al. 2004

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Microdisturbance to seedlings is important because it can differentially affect the mortality and recruitment of seedlings of forest tree species and thereby ultimately affect community composition. Microdisturbance due to litterfall has been shown to vary greatly in its influence on seedling survival among and within forests, and yet there have been no previous studies that investigate the cause of these differences. In this study the influence of macro-litterfall on seedling damage is investigated in five complex temperate forests in New Zealand. Litterfall damage to artificial seedlings in these forests was strongly correlated with macro-leaf-fall (leaves > 30 cm ϫ 1.5 cm) dry weight and total macro-litterfall (leaves and deadwood > 30 cm ϫ 1.5 cm) surface area ( R 2 = 0.99, P < 0.005 for each). Protective vegetation within 2 m of the ground (mostly lianes and woody shrubs) reduced the risk of litterfall damage by up to 84%. Hitherto unexplained differences in litterfall damage to seedlings found among, and within, forests (tropical and temperate) may therefore be due to differences in rates of macro-leaf-fall and forest structure. These results are important because they suggest that subtle differences in forest structure, and species composition, may influence regeneration patterns through the litterfall microdisturbance regime.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

The influence of macro‐litterfall and forest structure on litterfall damage to seedlings

et al. 2004

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“…If the gap left empty by Omao is filled disproportionally by a bird that spends time in the understory rather than the canopy, seeds are likely to be dispersed into a different microclimate, which could have important implications for germination success ( Janzen 1983 ). Bird-dispersal that originates in M. polymorpha may result in higher germination rates if the seeds are deposited within the canopy (plants that grow epiphytically are protected from introduced mammalian herbivores; Drake and Pratt 2001 ), or under the canopy, which could shade out introduced grasses and forbs, thus reducing competition for resources ( Cordell et al . 2009 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Introduced birds incompletely replace seed dispersal by a native frugivore

Pejchar

2015

AoB PLANTS

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In an era of widespread extinction and invasion, understanding the functional role of native and introduced birds in ecological processes is increasingly important. This study compared seed rain in the presence and absence of Hawaii's last abundant native frugivore, and found that introduced birds were an imperfect substitute. In the absence of the native bird, seed rain was less frequent, less species rich, and biased towards smaller seeded plants. To maintain diverse island plant communities, conservation strategies in Hawaii should focus on restoring functional populations of native dispersers, rather than relying on introduced species to fill this role.

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“…Whereas goats were introduced to Hawai‘i following European contact in 1778, Polynesians introduced pigs (probably descendants from the Asiatic form of S. scrofa ) upon their arrival ∼700 years ago. Through rooting, trampling and herbivory, pigs reduce native plant abundance and cover in many wet forests in Hawai‘i ( Drake and Pratt 2001 ; Cole et al . 2012 ; Murphy et al .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Barriers to seed and seedling survival of once-common Hawaiian palms: the role of invasive rats and ungulates

Shiels¹,

Drake

2015

AoB PLANTS

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Loulu palms (Pritchardia spp.) once dominated many lowland ecosystems in Hawai'i, and non-native rats (Rattus spp.), ungulates (e.g., pigs Sus scrofa), and humans have been proposed as major causes of their decline. Using field and captive feeding trials, we experimentally determined the vulnerability of seeds and seedlings of two species of Pritchardia. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis generated from palaeoecological studies indicating that introduced rats may have assisted in the demise of native insular palm forests. Future conservation efforts involving Pritchardia should prioritize the reduction of rat predation on the plant recruitment stages preceding seedling establishment.

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Seedling Mortality in Hawaiian Rain Forest: The Role of Small-Scale Physical Disturbance1

Cited by 22 publications

References 24 publications

The influence of macro‐litterfall and forest structure on litterfall damage to seedlings

The influence of macro‐litterfall and forest structure on litterfall damage to seedlings

Introduced birds incompletely replace seed dispersal by a native frugivore

Barriers to seed and seedling survival of once-common Hawaiian palms: the role of invasive rats and ungulates

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