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Soil compaction and water availability affect growth and survival of Quercus ilex subsp. ballota seedlings under different light environments

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Abstract

We examined the effect of abiotic characteristics (soil compaction, water availability and photosynthetic photon flux density (PPF) on the germination, emergence, growth and survival of Quercus ilex subsp. ballota seedlings. To determine the importance of these characteristics on the growth and development of the seedlings, we simulated two levels of water availability [650 mm year−1 (W650) and 1000 mm year−1 (W1000)], two levels of light [representing full (PPF100) and low sunlight (80 % reduction of sunlight, PPF20) conditions] and three soil compaction depths [soil compaction at depth 60 cm (C60), 25 cm (C25) and 10 cm (C10)]. Seedling emergence and survival were determined, along with various biometric characteristics. Emergence rate was only significantly affected by the water availability treatment, being significantly lower in W650. No differences were found in the other treatments. Seedlings grown under high PPF presented an increase in biomass. Seedlings grown in the deeper soils (C60) showed deeper and thinner roots. The results show increased survival of seedlings grown under low PPF and high water availability. Our results obtained in this greenhouse study support the hypothesis of facilitation, which considers that under drought conditions the promoting effect of water balance induced by the shade is more positive for the survival of the seedlings. We cannot say whether there are one or more independent factors that will limit or enhance the natural regeneration of Q. ilex, which implies that the effects of some can be mitigated, compensated for or amplified depending on the interaction with other elements. Knowledge of these interactions and the environmental variability of habitats at a smaller scale can be a powerful tool for promoting the growth of native vegetation and conservation of the Mediterranean area and dry environments.

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Acknowledgments

Our special thanks go to the managers of “Las Navas-Berrocal” for their valuable help, support and field facilities. We also thank Dra. Rocío Fernández-Ales for her useful comments on the earlier version of this manuscript. Esteban Serrano and Carolina Borrego useful field and laboratory assistance is also acknowledged. This study was funded by “Empresa de Gestión Medioambiental” S.A. (OG-039/04). The authors wish to thank the editor and the anonymous referees for their useful suggestions which led the revision. Mr. Keith MacMillan revised the English version of the manuscript. J.M. Mancilla-Leytón acknowledges the University of Seville for a Postdoctoral Research Contract (V Plan Propio de Investigación US, Ref. II.5.B/2015).

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  1. Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Sevilla, Apdo. 1095, 41080, Seville, Spain

    Juan Manuel Mancilla-Leytón, María José Leiva & Ángel Martín Vicente

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  1. Juan Manuel Mancilla-Leytón
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Mancilla-Leytón, J.M., Leiva, M.J. & Martín Vicente, Á. Soil compaction and water availability affect growth and survival of Quercus ilex subsp. ballota seedlings under different light environments. New Forests 47, 621–633 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11056-016-9534-8

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