RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Effects of thinning on seed rain, regeneration and understory vegetation in a Pinus canariensis plantation (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
A1 Otto, Rüdiger
A1 García del Rey, Eduardo
A1 Méndez, Javier
A1 Fernández-Palacios, José María
K1 Regeneration
K1 Diversity
K1 Regeneración
K1 Diversidad
AB Stand density management in even-aged coniferous plantations may increase biodiversity and enhancenatural tree regeneration. Thinning of pine plantations has only recently been started on the CanaryIslands, yet the ecological effects of this treatment are relatively unknown. Our objective was to investigatethe impact of thinning on pine seed rain, natural pine regeneration and diversity of understory vegetationin Pinus canariensis plantations. Seven years after thinning, we sampled 60-year old plantationsthinned by 60% of basal area, unthinned stands and adjacent semi-natural old-growth forests. Thinningsignificantly increased pine seed rain to levels similar to semi-natural stands. This is probably a result offast crown development and enhanced cone production due to the immediate release of resources andreduction in competition. In contrast, plantations with the highest tree densities had very low seed production,limiting pine regeneration. Seed rain showed seasonal fluctuations with clear summer peaks ofseed release. Thinning also significantly increased seedling, sapling and juvenile densities. However,thinned plantations still differed from old-growth forests in seedling and juvenile densities. Thinning promotedunderstory plant diversity, including typical endemic pine forest species, without triggering plantinvasion, which is of great conservation interest. This study provides evidence that heavy thinning representsan important management tool to enhance naturalization and local biodiversity of Canary pineplantations, common in large areas of this Archipelago.
PB Elsevier
SN 0378-1127
YR 2012
FD 2012
LK http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/16401
UL http://riull.ull.es/xmlui/handle/915/16401
LA en
DS Repositorio institucional de la Universidad de La Laguna
RD 25-abr-2024