Regeneration of Norway spruce in canopy gaps in Sphagnum-Myrtillus old-growth forests |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois Street, Golden, CO 80401, USA;2. Hydrological Science and Engineering Program, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois Street, Golden, CO 80401, USA;3. Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, 1500 Illinois Street, Golden, CO 80401, USA |
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| Abstract: | Gap-associated spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) regeneration in Sphagnum-Myrtillus stands of south taiga forests (Central Forest Biosphere reserve, Tver region, Russia) was studied to evaluate the role of different disturbances in spruce dynamics. Sampled gaps (n=70) ranged from 40 m2 to 1.7 ha in size, and from 1 to 70 years since disturbance moment. Formation of gaps lead to increase in the number of stems per ha in all gap size classes (small: 40–200 m2, medium: 200–3000 m2, and large: >3000 m2 gaps). Spruce was the most important species in gap refilling, although its role was not the same in different gap classes. The highest values of relative abundance (compared to other species) were recorded in small gaps, and much lower values – in middle and large gaps. However, as refilling of gaps proceeded, spruce showed rather active regeneration in middle and large gaps and partly regained its abundance in middle-age disturbances. In general, all types of gaps studied supported spruce regeneration into the forest canopy. Almost perfect correlation between predicted outcome of spruce dynamics in gaps and its current role in the canopy of Sphagnum-Myrtillus stands suggests a good adaptation of this species to the current disturbance regime and a steady state of the these forests. |
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