Seed and microsite limitation for seedling recruitment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Quercus wutaishanica</Emphasis> on Mt. Ziwuling,Loess Plateau,China |
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| Authors: | H Guo X A Wang Z H Zhu S X Wang J C Guo |
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| Institution: | (1) College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, 199 South Chang’an Road, Xi’an, 710062, Shaanxi, People’s Republic of China; |
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| Abstract: | The relative influence of seed and microsite availability in the seedling emergence and recruitment of Liaodong oak (Quercus wutaishanica), which dominates the native hardwood forest in Loess Plateau, was examined by seed sowing experiments. Experiments were
performed in 216 plots (30 × 30 cm), located in three typical stands (Pinus tabulaeformis plantation, Liaodong oak forest and grassland, 72 plots per stand). A seed augmentation experiment was performed in an oak
forest and a conifer plantation, and a seed introduction experiment was carried out in a grassland. Three main factors were
considered: seed addition, disturbance and shrub cover. The seedling number and growth in every plot were recorded continuously
over 3 years. GLM multivariate was used to analyze the relationships between seedling emergence/recruitment and the explanatory
variables in every stand. The results showed that seed addition in undisturbed or disturbed plots always caused significantly
increased seedling emergence and recruitment in oak and conifer forests. It demonstrated that the recruitment of Liaodong
oak was limited by seed and microsite availability under closed forest, and litter is one of the factors leading to microsite
limitation. However, in the grassland, no treatments improved recruitment, indicating that the grassland was not suitable
for seedling recruitment because of intense light and soil drought. In the conifer forest, more recruited seedlings, and lower
herbivory on seedling leaves, as well as thicker stem basal diameters, indicated that the P. tabulaeformis plantation was safer for Liaodong oak seedling establishment. Unexpectedly, shrub cover did not affect the recruitment of
Liaodong oak in the three stands. |
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