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Ang JMA, Kusumoto D, Mitsugi M, Suzuki M. Regeneration of tree species after 11 years of canopy gap creation and deer exclusion in a warm temperate broad-leaved forest over-browsed by sika deer. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14210. [PMID: 36340205 PMCID: PMC9635360 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Deer overpopulation is a major threat to forest ecosystems worldwide resulting in loss of natural vegetation cover and increased sapling mortality. To resolve this problem of deer overpopulation, different strategies such as deer exclusion and gap creation have been explored to determine more efficient methods to restore deer-damaged forest ecosystems. In the current study, we applied a 2 × 2 factorial design of four different treatment groups in warm temperate secondary forests: closed canopy with deer as control, closed canopy without deer, clearcut with deer and clearcut without deer. We compared the decadal change in tree foliar cover and tree species richness among treatment groups to assess tree regeneration success. We also selected six tree species (Abies firma, Quercus acuta, Eurya japonica, Cinnamomum tenuifolium, Castanopsis sieboldii and Neolitsea sericea) that are common in the studied region and compared their regeneration success among the treatment groups. In the absence of deer, clearcutting increased the diversity of tree species and accelerated sapling growth, while under closed canopy conditions sapling heights did not exceed two meters. Tree saplings tended to be less abundant in treatments with deer compared to their counterpart, suggesting limited successful recruitment of saplings at the current deer density (10-13.5 deer km-2). In clearcut-with-deer treatment, non-tree species became abundant, and negatively affected recruitment of tree species as was suggested by regression analysis. However, these general trends were not equal for all tree species. Although clearcut-without-deer treatment facilitated sapling recruitment of all six tree species, Q. acuta, C. tenuifolium and C. sieboldii required deer exclusion for sapling recruitment while A. firma, N. sericea and E. japonica required increased light availability. Consequently, informed decisions can be made by identifying whether certain tree species are capable of naturally recruiting without human intervention and how best to ensure successful recruitment if necessary. By implementing effective strategies, time and resources will be saved, and management goals such as reestablishing tree cover rapidly and increasing tree species diversity can be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffery, Meng Ann Ang
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan
| | - Dai Kusumoto
- University of Tokyo Chiba Forest, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kamogawa City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan
| | - Mitsukazu Mitsugi
- University of Tokyo Chiba Forest, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kamogawa City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan
| | - Maki Suzuki
- Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan
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Wyka TP, Robakowski P, Żytkowiak R, Oleksyn J. Anatomical acclimation of mature leaves to increased irradiance in sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.). Photosynth Res 2022; 154:41-55. [PMID: 36057003 PMCID: PMC9568483 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-022-00953-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Trees regenerating in the understory respond to increased availability of light caused by gap formation by undergoing a range of morphological and physiological adjustments. These adjustments include the production of thick, sun-type leaves containing thicker mesophyll and longer palisade cells than in shade-type leaves. We asked whether in the shade-regenerating tree Acer pseudoplatanus, the increase in leaf thickness and expansion of leaf tissues are possible also in leaves that are already fully formed, a response reported so far only for a handful of species. We acclimated potted seedlings to eight levels (from 1 to 100%) of solar irradiance and, in late summer, transferred a subset of them to full sunlight. Within 30 days, the pre-shaded leaves increased leaf mass per area and became thicker mostly due to the elongation of palisade cells, except for the most shaded individuals which suffered irreversible photo-oxidative damage. This anatomical acclimation was accompanied by a transient decline in photosynthetic efficiency of PSII (Fv/FM), the magnitude of which was related to the degree of pre-shading. The Fv/FM recovered substantially within the re-acclimation period. However, leaves of transferred plants were shed earlier in the fall, indicating that the acclimation was not fully effective. These results show that A. pseudoplatanus is one of the few known species in which mature leaves may re-acclimate anatomically to increased irradiance. This may be an important mechanism enhancing utilization of gaps created during the growing season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz P Wyka
- General Botany Laboratory, Institute of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
| | - Piotr Robakowski
- Poznań University of Life Sciences, ul. Wojska Polskiego 71a, 60-625, Poznań, Poland
| | - Roma Żytkowiak
- Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Parkowa 5, 62-035, Kórnik, Poland
| | - Jacek Oleksyn
- Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Parkowa 5, 62-035, Kórnik, Poland
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Wyka TP, Robakowski P, Żytkowiak R, Oleksyn J. Anatomical adjustment of mature leaves of sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.) to increased irradiance. Photosynth Res 2022; 152:55-71. [PMID: 35034267 PMCID: PMC9090708 DOI: 10.1007/s11120-022-00898-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Trees regenerating in the understory respond to increased availability of light caused by gap formation by undergoing a range of morphological and physiological adjustments. These adjustments include the production of thick, sun-type leaves containing thicker mesophyll and longer palisade cells than in shade-type leaves. We asked whether in the shade-regenerating tree Acer pseudoplatanus, the increase in leaf thickness and expansion of leaf tissues are possible also in leaves that had been fully formed prior to the increase in irradiance, a response reported so far only for a handful of species. We acclimated potted seedlings to eight levels (from 1 to 100%) of solar irradiance and, in late summer, transferred a subset of them to full sunlight. Within 30 days, the shaded leaves increased leaf mass per area and became thicker mostly due to elongation of palisade cells, except for the most shaded individuals which suffered irreversible photo-oxidative damage. This anatomical acclimation was accompanied by partial degradation of chlorophyll and a transient decline in photosynthetic efficiency of PSII (Fv/FM). These effects were related to the degree of pre-shading. The Fv/FM recovered substantially within the re-acclimation period. However, leaves of transferred plants were shed significantly earlier in the fall, indicating that the acclimation was not fully effective. These results show that A. pseudoplatanus is one of the few known species in which mature leaves may re-acclimate anatomically to increased irradiance. This may be a potentially important mechanism enhancing utilization of gaps created during the growing season.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz P Wyka
- Adam Mickiewicz University, Faculty of Biology, General Botany Laboratory, ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614, Poznań, Poland.
| | - Piotr Robakowski
- Poznań University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, ul. Wojska Polskiego 71a, 60-625, Poznań, Poland
| | - Roma Żytkowiak
- Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Dendrology, ul. Parkowa 5, 62-035, Kórnik, Poland
| | - Jacek Oleksyn
- Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Dendrology, ul. Parkowa 5, 62-035, Kórnik, Poland
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Dirnböck T, Kraus D, Grote R, Klatt S, Kobler J, Schindlbacher A, Seidl R, Thom D, Kiese R. Substantial understory contribution to the C sink of a European temperate mountain forest landscape. Landsc Ecol 2020; 35:483-499. [PMID: 32165789 PMCID: PMC7045765 DOI: 10.1007/s10980-019-00960-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT The contribution of forest understory to the temperate forest carbon sink is not well known, increasing the uncertainty in C cycling feedbacks on global climate as estimated by Earth System Models. OBJECTIVES We aimed at quantifying the effect of woody and non-woody understory vegetation on net ecosystem production (NEP) for a forested area of 158 km2 in the European Alps. METHODS We simulated C dynamics for the period 2000-2014, characterized by above-average temperatures, windstorms and a subsequent bark beetle outbreak for the area, using the regional ecosystem model LandscapeDNDC. RESULTS In the entire study area, woody and non-woody understory vegetation caused between 16 and 37% higher regional NEP as compared to a bare soil scenario over the 15-year period. The mean annual contribution of the understory to NEP was in the same order of magnitude as the average annual European (EU-25) forest C sink. After wind and bark beetle disturbances, the understory effect was more pronounced, leading to an increase in NEP between 35 and 67% compared to simulations not taking into account these components. CONCLUSIONS Our findings strongly support the importance of processes related to the understory in the context of the climate change mitigation potential of temperate forest ecosystems. The expected increases in stand replacing disturbances due to climate change call for a better representation of understory vegetation dynamics and its effect on the ecosystem C balance in regional assessments and Earth System Models.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Dirnböck
- Department for Ecosystem Research and Environmental Information Management, Environment Agency Austria, Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - D. Kraus
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU), Kreuzeckbahnstraße 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - R. Grote
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU), Kreuzeckbahnstraße 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - S. Klatt
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU), Kreuzeckbahnstraße 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
| | - J. Kobler
- Department for Ecosystem Research and Environmental Information Management, Environment Agency Austria, Spittelauer Lände 5, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - A. Schindlbacher
- Department of Forest Ecology, Federal Research and Training Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape (BFW), Seckendorff-Gudent Weg 8, 1131 Vienna, Austria
| | - R. Seidl
- Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, Institute of Silviculture, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna, Peter-Jordan Straße 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Group, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - D. Thom
- Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, Institute of Silviculture, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna, Peter-Jordan Straße 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, 81 Carrigan Drive, Burlington, VT 05405 USA
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Group, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - R. Kiese
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU), Kreuzeckbahnstraße 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
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Charro JL, López-Sánchez A, Perea R. Traditional cattle vs. introduced deer management in Chaco Serrano woodlands (Argentina): Analysis of environmental sustainability at increasing densities. J Environ Manage 2018; 206:642-649. [PMID: 29132087 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/03/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Wild ungulate populations have increased and expanded considerably in many regions, including austral woodlands and forests where deer (Cervus elaphus) have been introduced as an alternative management to traditional cattle grazing. In this study, we compared traditional cattle with introduced deer management at increasing deer densities in the "Chaco Serrano" woodlands of Argentina to assess their ecological sustainability. We used three ecological indicators (abundance of tree regeneration, woody plant diversity and browsing damage) as proxies for environmental sustainability in woody systems. Our results indicate that traditional cattle management, at stocking rates of ∼10 ind km-2, was the most ecologically sustainable management since it allowed greater tree regeneration abundance, higher richness of woody species and lower browsing damage. Importantly, cattle management and deer management at low densities (10 ind km-2) showed no significant differences in species richness and abundance of seedlings, although deer caused greater browsing damage on saplings and juveniles. However, management regimes involving high deer densities (∼35 deer km2) was highly unsustainable in comparison to low (∼10 deer km-2) and medium (∼20 deer km-2) densities, with 40% probability of unsustainable browsing as opposed to less than 5% probability at low and medium densities. In addition, high deer densities caused a strong reduction in tree regeneration, with a 19-30% reduction in the abundance of seedlings and young trees when compared to low deer densities. These results showed that the effect of increasing deer densities on woody plant conservation was not linear, with high deer densities causing a disproportional deleterious effect on tree regeneration and sustainable browsing. Our results suggest that traditional management at low densities or the use of introduced ungulates (deer breeding areas) at low-medium densities (<20 deer km-2) are compatible with woody vegetation conservation. However, further research is needed on plant palatability, animal habitat use (spatial heterogeneity) and species turnover and extinction (comparison to areas of low-null historical browsing) to better estimate environmental sustainability of Neotropical ungulate-dominated woodlands.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Luis Charro
- Departamento de Sistemas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Aida López-Sánchez
- Departamento de Sistemas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ramón Perea
- Departamento de Sistemas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain; Department of Biology, Stanford University, 371 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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