Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Influence of litter on emergence and early growth of Quercusrugosa: a laboratory study

  • Published:
New Forests Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Species-rich old-growth forests dominated by Quercus wereextensive in the highlands of Chiapas until a few decades ago. Current land-use is resulting in replacement of Quercus by Pinusspp. in the canopy of the remaining forest fragments, which areless diverse, drier, and more exposed to freezing temperatures.Forest floor and soil are also modified and may limit theregeneration of many woody species. We studied the influence oflitter type (pine needles vs. oak leaves), litter depth (0, 3, 6and 14 cm), and litter cover (3 cm vs. 0 cm of loose litter ontop of sowed acorns) on the emergence and growth of seedlings ofQuercus rugosa, a dominant tree in pine-oak forests. Seedlingemergence and establishment were affected by the interaction ofexperimental factors. Uncovered acorns on pine litter were moreexposed to desiccation; this effect was more evident with deeperlitter. Acorns sowed on oak litter were not affected by levels oflitter cover and litter depth. The results can be of use indefining further field studies, and practices of direct seedingfor restoration of pine-dominated stands.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahlgren, C.E. and Alhlgren, I.F. 1981. Some effects of different forest litters on seed germination and growth. Can. J. For. Res. 11: 710-714.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous. 1997. SPSS Advanced Statistics 7.5. SPSS Inc., Chicago.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barik, S.K., Tripathi, R.S., Pandey, H.N. and Rao, P. 1996. Tree regeneration in a subtropical humid forest: effect of cultural disturbance on seed production, dispersal and germination. J. Appl. Ecol. 33: 1551-1560.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barrett, L.I. 1931. Influence of forest litter on the germination and early survival of chestnut oak, Quercus montana Willd. Ecology 3: 476-484.

    Google Scholar 

  • Billings, W.D. 1966. Plants and the Ecosystem. Wadsworth, Belmont.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonfil, C. 1998. The effects of seed size, cotyledon reserves, and herbivory on seedling survival and growth in Quercus rugosa and Q. laurina (Fagaceae). Amer. J. Bot. 85: 79-87.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonfil, C. and Soberón, J. 1999. Quercus rugosa seedling dynamics in relation to its re-introduction in a disturbed Mexican landscape. App. Veg. Sci. 2: 189-200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Borchert, M.I., Davis, F.W., Michaelsen, J. and Oyler, L.D. 1989. Interactions of factors affecting seedling recruitment of blue oak (Quercus douglasii) in California. Ecology 70: 389-404.

    Google Scholar 

  • Camacho-Cruz, A., González-Espinosa, M., Wolf, J.H.D. and De Jong, B.H.J. 2000. Germination and survival of tree species in disturbed forests of the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. Can. J. Bot. 78: 1-10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carvell, K.L. and Tryon, E.H. 1961. The effect of environmental factors on the abundance of oak regeneration beneath mature oak stands. For. Sci. 7: 98-105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crow, T.R. 1988. Reproductive mode and mechanisms for self-replacement of northern red oak (Quercus rubra) - a review. For. Sci. 34: 19-40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Facelli, J.M. and Pickett, S.T.A. 1991a. Plant litter: Its dynamics and effects on plant community structure. Bot. Rev. 57: 2-25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Facelli, J.M. and Pickett, S.T.A. 1991b. Plant litter: Light interception and effects on an old field plant community. Ecology 72: 1024-1031.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fox, G.A. 1993. Failure-time analysis: Emergence, flowering, survivorship, and other waiting times, pp. 253-289. In: Scheiner, S.M. and Gurevitch, J. (Eds.) Design and Analysis of Ecological Experiments. Chapman & Hall, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galindo-Jaimes, L. 1999. Estructura y composición de rodales dominados por Pinus spp. en Los Altos de Chiapas, México. MSc Thesis, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, San Cristóbal de Las Casas. 77 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • González-Espinosa, M., Ochoa-Gaona, S., Ramírez-Marcial, N. and Quintana-Ascencio, P.F. 1995. Current land-use trends and conservation of old-growth forest habitats in the highlands of Chiapas, México, pp. 190-198. In: Wilson, M. and Sader, S. (Eds.) Conservation of Neotropical Migratory Birds in Mexico. Maine Agric. For. Exper. Stat.Misc. Publ. 727, Orono.

  • Itoh, A. 1995. Effects of forest floor environment on germination and seedling establishment of two Bornean rainforest emergent species. J. Trop. Ecol. 11: 517-527.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klemmedson, J.O. 1992. Decomposition and nutrient release from mixtures of Gambel oak and Ponderosa pine leaf litter. For. Ecol. Manage. 47: 349-361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larsen, D.R. and Johnson, P.S. 1998. Linking the ecology of natural oak regeneration to silviculture. For. Ecol. Manage. 106: 1-7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorimer, C.G., Chapman, J.W. and Lambert, W.D. 1994. Tall understorey vegetation as a factor in the poor development of oak seedlings beneath mature stands. J. Ecol. 82: 227-237.

    Google Scholar 

  • McClaugherty, C.A., Pastor, J., Aber, J.D. and Mellilo, J.M. 1985. Forest litter decomposition in relation to soil nitrogen dynamics and litter quality. Ecology 66: 266-275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mosandl, R. and Kleinert, A. 1998. Development of oaks (Quercus petrea (Matt.) Liebl.) emerged from bird-dispersed seeds under old-growth pine (Pinus silvestris L.) stands. For. Ecol. Manage. 106: 35-44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nixon, K.C. 1993. The genus Quercus in Mexico, pp. 447-458. In: Ramamoorthy, T.P, Bye, R., Lot, A. and Fa, J. (Eds.) Biological Diversity of Mexico: Origins and Distribution. Oxford University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nyandiga, C.O. and McPherson, G.R. 1992. Germination of two warm-temperate oaks, Quercus emory and Quercus arizonica. Can. J. For. Res. 22: 1395-1401.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ochoa-Gaona, S. and González-Espinosa, M. 2000. Land-use and deforestation in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. Appl. Geogr. 20: 17-42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, C.J. and Facelli, J.M. 1992. Contrasting germination and seedling growth of Betula alleghaniensis and Rhus typhina subjected to various amounts and types of plant litter. Amer. J. Bot. 79: 1209-1216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quintana-Ascencio, P.F., Ramírez-Marcial, N. and González-Espinosa, M. 1992. Acorn removal, seedling survivorship, and seedling growth of Quercus crisipipilis in successional forests of the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 119: 6-18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramírez-Marcial, N., Ochoa-Gaona, S., González-Espinosa, M. and Quintana-Ascencio, P.F. 1998. Análisis florístico y sucesional en la Estación Biológica Cerro Huitepec, Chiapas, México. Acta Bot. Mex. 44: 59-85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, D.M. and Bond, W.J. 1991. Determinants of plant distribution: Evidence from pine invasions. Am. Nat. 137: 639-668.

    Google Scholar 

  • Romero-Najera, I. 2000. Estructura y condiciones microambientales en bosques perturbados de Los Altos de Chiapas, México. BSc Thesis, Univ. Nal. Autón. México, México. 74 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, D.W. 1996. Effects of European settlement and land use on regional patterns of similarity among Chesapeake forests. Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 123: 223-239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schupp, E.W. 1988. Seed and early seedling predation in the forest understorey and in treefall gaps. Oikos 51: 71-78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, M.W. 1968. Factors affecting the natural regeneration of sessile oak (Quercus petraea) in North Wales. II. Acorn losses and germination under field conditions. J. Ecol. 56: 647-660.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shelton, M.G. 1995. Effects of the amount and composition of the forest floor on emergence and early establishment of loblolly pine seedlings. Can. J. For. Res. 25: 480-486.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sokal, R.R. and Rohlf, F.J. 1995. Biometry, 3rd edn. Freeman, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Switzer, G.L., Shelton, M.G. and Nelson, L.E. 1979. Successional development of the forest floor and soil surface on upland sites of the East Gulf Coastal Plain. Ecology 60: 1162-1171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tripathi, R.S. and Khan, M.L. 1990. Effects of seed weight and microsite characteristics on germination and seedling fitness in two species of Quercus in a subtropical wet hill forest. Oikos 57: 289-296.

    Google Scholar 

  • Underwood, A.J. 1997. Experiments in Ecology. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Ecología y Sistemática Terrestres, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR), Apartado Postal 63, 29200, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, México

    Fabiola López-Barrera & Mario González-Espinosa

Authors
  1. Fabiola López-Barrera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mario González-Espinosa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mario González-Espinosa.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

López-Barrera, F., González-Espinosa, M. Influence of litter on emergence and early growth of Quercusrugosa: a laboratory study. New Forests 21, 59–70 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010623403834

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010623403834

Search

Navigation