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Physical damage by litterfall to canopy tree seedlings in two temperate New Zealand forests
Author(s) -
Gillman Len N.,
Ogden John
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of vegetation science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1654-1103
pISSN - 1100-9233
DOI - 10.2307/3236907
Subject(s) - plant litter , temperate rainforest , canopy , seedling , temperate climate , temperate forest , tree canopy , litter , ecology , biology , environmental science , agronomy , ecosystem
. The importance of litterfall as an agent of physical damage and mortality to canopy tree seedlings was investigated in two New Zealand forests: Huapai Scientific Reserve, a warm temperate forest and Pureora Forest Park, a cool temperate forest. 200 natural seedlings within the 10–30 cm height class and 200 artificial seedlings, made from plastic straws and wire, were monitored at 4–6 week intervals over two years in each forest. Litterfall was the cause of a significant proportion of seedling mortality in each forest (11–18%). Seedling growth rates were measured and used to estimate the mortality that a cohort of seedlings may suffer due to litterfall in the time taken to grow through the 10–30 cm height class. Up to 38% mortality due to litterfall may occur to such a cohort at Huapai and up to 29% at Pureora. Although mortality due to litterfall of natural seedlings was similar in both forests, damage at Huapai (7%/yr) was almost 3 × greater than at Pureora (2.5%/yr) ( P < 0.001). Artificial seedlings were damaged due to litterfall at almost five times the rate at Huapai (16%/yr) than at Pureora (3%/yr) ( P < 0.0001). The rate of damage to artificial seedlings at Pureora is similar to that reported for a Northern Hemisphere temperate forest, however, the rate of damage to artificial seedlings at Huapai is much greater, and of a similar rate to those reported from tropical forests. The evolutionary and ecological implications of the differences between the rates of damage at Huapai and at Pureora, and the mechanisms promoting litterfall damage to seedlings, are discussed.