Shrubs protect oak seedlings against ungulate browsing in temperate broadleaved forests of conservation interest: A field experiment

Jensen, Anna M.; Götmark, Frank; Löf, Magnus

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2011.11.022

Cited by 66 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…The authors concluded that ''balsam fir patches are typically quite dense, hard to manoeuvre through, and difficult to visually inspect, thus creating a physical barrier for whitetailed deer''. In the literature, other types of biotic (browsing) refuges were also found to reduce herbivore pressure on target trees, including shrubs with spines (Barbosa et al 2009), forest understorey (Heuze et al 2005;Jensen et al 2012), woody debris (Smit et al 2012) and slash on clear-cuts (Bergquist and Ö rlander 1998). Our study provides evidence that also in artificially regenerated stands, browsing on attractive admixed tree species can be reduced by a browsing refuge created by a less attractive main tree species.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 51%

“…However, an analysis involving only the oaks from the height class selected by deer (40-100 cm) in the last three years of the study revealed higher browsing incidence in plots with shorter pines. Jensen et al (2012) investigated the incidence of oak browsing in relation to protection provided by shrubs and found that browsing incidence increased when seedlings became taller than the shrub height. However, in our study, deer manoeuvrability was probably even a more important factor than pine height.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A biotic refuge for plants physically impedes herbivore foraging by limiting herbivore access and, consequently, herbivore pressure (Milchunas and Noy-Meir 2002). Various studies have demonstrated that protective shrubs (Jensen et al 2012) and coarse woody debris (Smit et al 2012) can reduce oak browsing. Therefore, we hypothesised (Hypothesis 2) that pines (Pinus silvestris) as the main species surrounding oak saplings will affect browsing incidence.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Young conifer stands form a deer browsing refuge for an oak admixture: silvicultural implications for forest regeneration under herbivore pressure

Borkowski

Dobrowolska

Dąbrowski³

et al. 2017

Eur J Forest Res

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There is little knowledge how ungulate pressure on forest regeneration may be mitigated by silvicultural methods. The knowledge is especially needed for artificially regenerated, deciduous tree species. We studied factors affecting browsing incidence by deer in the Pisz Forest District in Poland, an area where 10,000 ha of forest was damaged by a 2002 hurricane. In 2006, we established three experimental plots (in total, 22.6 ha), in which the main species was Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) admixed with pedunculate oak (Quercus robur). The data on browsing were collected in 2008-2015. In general, oak browsing incidence was unrelated to oak planting density. On a plantation scale, it was significantly affected by the pine age. Although in each variant all the oaks were browsed for four consecutive years (2009)(2010)(2011)(2012), in 2013 browsing incidence began to decrease. When the pines grew higher and formed a physical barrier, it was harder for deer-roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and moose (Alces alces)-to move through and locate the oaks. Moreover, within plantations, oak browsing incidence was higher in the patches with shorter pines.Browsing of individual saplings or small groups of saplings was also negatively affected by the height of neighbouring pine saplings. Oak density influenced deer selectivity depending on the tree height. In a low oak tree density, browsing incidence was unrelated to oak height, while in higher tree density, deer selected oaks of the height between 40 and 100 cm. We postulate that deciduous admixture in a coniferous (unattractive) stand can be planted with a few year delay. Older coniferous trees should impede locating of attractive tree species by deer and the browsing incidence.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 51%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Young conifer stands form a deer browsing refuge for an oak admixture: silvicultural implications for forest regeneration under herbivore pressure

Borkowski

Dobrowolska

Dąbrowski³

et al. 2017

Eur J Forest Res

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“…Therefore, acorns collected by birds from trees and planted outside the oak canopy have higher chance for successful germination, and the emerging seedlings are exposed to lower risk of lethal infection or destruction. If the seedbed is located in an open habitat, the seedlings survival and growth success will be radically amplified by favourable light conditions (Watt 1919;Bakker et al 2004;Van Uytvanck et al 2008;Jensen et al 2012). The character of seedbed, including the type of vegetation cover, is a chief determinant of the success or failure of germination.…”

Section: Germination and Early Seedling Growthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seeing the oakscape beyond the forest: a landscape approach to the oak regeneration in Europe

2018

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Context Intensification and specialisation of agriculture and forest use has led to profound structural and compositional changes in European landscapes. In particular, sharp, narrow edges adjacent to relatively homogenous vegetation types progressively replace transitional habitats, crucial for a plethora of species and ecological processes. Quercus robur and Q. petraea regeneration niches make them best adapted to such transitional habitats. However, contemporary oaks' importance, including their regeneration, is usually considered within limits of forest habitats. Objective Defining habitats, landscape patterns and processes fostering oak regeneration and 'oakscape' development. Methods We assessed the state-of-the art of the topical literature with respect to various aspects of oak regeneration based on a refined list of 234 titles from the Web of Science database. Results The review confirmed that the vast majority of studies focus on forest habitats, disregarding the fact that substantial part of acorns are being carried away and seeded by birds in non-forest habitats. Conclusions The common acceptance of the simplistic landscape mosaic model, based on segregated homogenous vegetation categories and clear-cut lines separating patches, impedes proper assessment of landscape changes, referring to 'untypical', transitional habitats-the true oaks' domain. Hence, restoring and sustaining European 'oakscape' should result from the overall landscape management, based on a better adapted gradient approach to landscape studies. Applying such an approach, we identified a set of habitats fostering successful oak regeneration and recruitment without direct human support, contributing to the contemporary 'oakscape', represented mostly by non-forest, either natural or anthropogenic habitats.

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“…However, the success of natural regeneration is conditioned by a number of biotic and abiotic factors (Van Ginkel et al 2013), in particular the climatic conditions (Pérez-Ramos et al 2010), stand structure (Nopp-Mayr et al 2012), seed predation (Focardi et al 2000) or annual shoot browsing (Bobiec et al 2011, Jensen et al 2012.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of seed predation and browsing on natural sessile oak regeneration under different light conditions in an over-aged coppice stand

Kamler¹,

Dobrovolný²,

Drimaj³

et al. 2016

iForest

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(1) Sessile oak (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) is one of the most important commercial species cultivated at low altitudes in the Czech Republic, and overaged coppices are a significant part of oak stands in the region. In order to secure a high-valuable timber production (e.g., through conversion of such stands into coppices-with-standards), knowledge of the potential and limits of generative regeneration is essential. This study was conducted in three oakdominated over-aged coppice stands in different stages of conversion into coppices-with-standards and characterized by different basal area (BA, from 9.3 to 14.1 m 2 ha -1 ) and relative diffuse radiation (ISF, from 12.1 to 35.5%). The study stands were compared with respect to seed predation following acorn fall and oak regeneration parameters. At the time of their fall the acorns represented a sought-after source of food for large mammals (particularly wild boar). At the end of acorn fall, 13-67% acorns were lost due to animal predation. A control evaluation conducted the following spring revealed a decrease of 92-97% in fallen acorns. Despite the major animal impact, a high reserve of acorns and saplings remained in the stands (4 600-29 000 acorns and 66 000-310 000 saplings per ha). With increasing light intensity the oak regeneration density decreased, while the height and age variability of oak regeneration increased. Although saplings were capable of surviving several years under unfavorable light conditions (even below 12% ISF), they require a minimum of 20% ISF (i.e., BA < 16 m 2 ha -1 ) to achieve sustainable height increment. Based on our results, for conversion of such stands into coppices-with-standards we recommend a maximum of 200 reserved trees (BA = 16 m 2 ha -1 ) to achieve successful height growth of the understorey.

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Shrubs protect oak seedlings against ungulate browsing in temperate broadleaved forests of conservation interest: A field experiment

Cited by 66 publications

References 51 publications

Young conifer stands form a deer browsing refuge for an oak admixture: silvicultural implications for forest regeneration under herbivore pressure

Young conifer stands form a deer browsing refuge for an oak admixture: silvicultural implications for forest regeneration under herbivore pressure

Seeing the oakscape beyond the forest: a landscape approach to the oak regeneration in Europe

The impact of seed predation and browsing on natural sessile oak regeneration under different light conditions in an over-aged coppice stand

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