Morphological adaptions of Quercus ilex leaves in the Castelporziano forest

The annual course of vegetative growth of the most representative species of a Quercus ilex L. forest in Castelporziano (Latium, Italy) was studied through periodical analysis of selected ecophysiological leaf indexes, for the period 1987–1990. The results demonstrate that the local climate facilitates continuous vegetative activity of the sclerophyllous species without a latent phase. The variable morphology of sun and shade leaves of Q. ilex illustrates the plant's response to environmental stress.     

Quercus ilex browse utilization by Caprini in Sierra de Cazorla and Segura (Spain)

The impact of domestic and wild Caprini browsing on Quercus ilex has been examined in an area of the Sierra de Cazorla. Vegetation as a herbivore food supply, herbivore feeding regime and density in the study area during six sampling periods throughout two years, has been quantified. Wild Caprini show diets similar to the available vegetation, whereas domestic Caprini tend more towards the trophic specialities (browsing or grazing) of their genus. Nevertheless, this tendency was more pronounced in domestic goats than in sheep. A hypothetical estimate of Q. ilex intake by each species under the study conditions was carried out. It was found that domestic Caprini have a greater impact on the holm oak than wild Caprini, density and feeding-niche deviations being the main factors responsible for this situation.Abbreviations DM= dry matter     

Microsite differentiation in a Mediterranean oak savanna

Abstract. Microscale variation of vegetation was studied in a Mediterranean oak savanna dominated by annual plants at Neve Ya'ar Experimental Station, in the lower Galilee of Israel. Species presence/absence data were recorded in 20 cm x 20 cm quadrats on a 500-quadrat transect. These data were ordinated with Detrended Correspondence Analysis. Soil nitrate, phosphorous, potassium, pH, soil moisture and salinity were determined at 2-m intervals on the 100-m transect, at monthly intervals from November 1981 to April 1982. Litter cover and canopy shade were surveyed in October 1981 and April 1982. A sharp rise in available nitrate occurred in November, following the first winter rains. Patterns in herbaceous vegetation, as expressed by sample ordination scores, correlated best with litter cover in October. This suggested that vegetation pattern in this community may be strongly influenced by environmental conditions at the time of seedling germination and establishment.     

Productivity and mineral cycling in an oak coppice forest 2. Annual net production of the forest

Annual net production was estimated in the secondary coppice forest near Tokyo, which was dominated by a deciduous oak,Quercus serrata Thunb. Lateral growth of stems and old branches was directly estimated by examining the annual rings for 35 shoots in a clear-cut quadrat of 10m×10m. Phytomasses of current organs were also weighed in the quadrat. Preharvest losses of current organs were determined by twelve 0.5 m² litter traps for fine litter and twelve 6 m² quadrats for woody litter. Branch production was also assessed indirectly by use of the stem-branch allometry and death of branches. The results of the indirect method were in sufficient agreement with the result of the direct one. Grazing loss of leaves from the canopy was estimated directly from the loss in leaf area and indirectly from the animal faeces caught by the litter traps. Net production of the canopy trees was 149 kg a⁻¹ year⁻¹, in which leaf production was 36.9 kg. Animals grazed about 14% of the leaf area by the end of the growing season. True consumption of leaves by animals was 7.6% of leaf production or 10% of leaf mass. Production of undergrowth, mainly a dwarf bamboo,Pleioblastus chino Makino, was 28 kg a⁻¹ year⁻¹, being 15% of the total stand production. Productivity of this forest was significantly higher than that of cool-temperate deciduous broadleaf forests.     

Provenance selection and site conditions determine growth performance of pedunculate oak

Forests of the future need to cope with adverse climatic conditions, in particular drought, to ensure forest stability and productivity. Given the usually long rotation period of forests, forest managers need to select appropriate, i.e. productive and climate-change resilient tree species and/or provenances, to lower tree-mortality risks and sustain current wood production rates at the end of the 21^st century. A frequent means of assessing which provenances of a given species are adapted to anticipated climate conditions is common garden experiments, where trees from different provenances are planted under similar climate conditions. However, in this context soil conditions also play an important role, since they govern how climate translates into plant-available water and hence plant’s ability to cope with extreme drought events. Here, we examine the effects of soil conditions on pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.), by studying 10 different Dutch oak provenances that were planted in three provenance trials on different soil types in 1988 in the Netherlands. Using dendroecological methods, we quantified provenance-specific productivity and assessed provenance- and site-specific growth patterns. Our results indicated clear differences in productivity among provenances as well as soil-type specific growth patterns. Consequently, our study highlights the importance of incorporating soil characteristics when evaluating the growth performance of provenances within common garden experiments.     

松栎林天然更新模拟与不确定性分析

森林天然更新的复杂性和不确定性是森林生态系统动态预测中的关键问题。本研究引入贝叶斯技术和全局敏感性分析,构建基于竞争、气候和地形3类因子的秦岭松栎林天然更新模型。备选模型形式以泊松(Poisson)模型、负二项(negative binomial,NB)模型、零膨胀泊松(zero-inflated Poisson,ZIP)模型和零膨胀负二项(zero-inflated negative binomial,ZINB)模型为基础。同时,根据模型参数传递的不确定性量化分析结果,阐释影响森林更新小概率事件的主导因子。结果表明: ZINB模型在油松和锐齿栎更新模拟中均优于其他模型。林分总断面积、光截留、坡位和生长季最低温是影响松栎林中油松天然更新的最关键因子;而林分总断面积、坡向与海拔的组合、年均温和最热季节降水量则是影响松栎林中锐齿栎天然更新的关键因子。油松更新模拟中,各类因子对模型输出的不确定性贡献率从小到大依次为: 竞争因子(25%)＜气候因子(29%)＜地形因子(46%);锐齿栎更新模拟中为: 气候因子(12%)＜竞争因子(24%)＜地形因子(64%)。油松天然更新数量对生长季最低温和最干季节降水量为正响应,对最干季节均温为负响应;锐齿栎天然更新数量对年均温、生长季最低温和最热季节降水量为正响应,对最干季节均温为负响应。基于贝叶斯技术的ZINB模型可以量化森林更新的影响因子,并解释参数传递的不确定性,是预测森林天然更新的有力工具。     

纳塔栎和柳叶栎对铅锌矿区污染土壤的修复潜力分析:田间试验

通过野外调查、采样和实验室分析方法,研究优新景观树种纳塔栎（Quercus nuttallii）和柳叶栎（Quercus phellos）对湖南郴州Pb、Zn矿区复合污染土壤的适应性和修复潜力。试验设计A、B、E区种植1年生纳塔栎,C、D区种植1年生柳叶栎,1年后测量株高、地径、生物量等生长指标,随机采集植物全株及根际土壤,测试植物根际土壤和树木组织中的重金属含量。试验结果：Pb、Zn矿区土壤受到重金属Cd、Pb、Zn和As的复合污染,不同区域的土壤表现出污染异质性,采用单污染指数（Pi）和内梅罗指数（P_N）评价不同地块的污染程度,A区尾矿库（P_N=20.08）和B区（P_N=3.14）为重度复合污染,C区（P_N=2.43）为中度复合污染,D区（P_N=1.55）和E区（P_N=1.07）为轻微污染。纳塔栎和柳叶栎在以上不同污染地块均能正常生长,株高、地径和生物量与复合污染指数（内梅罗指数）及重金属含量呈负相关。其中纳塔栎对Cd的生物富集系数（BCF）在A、B、E区分别为6.27-8.37、3.67-4.38、42.93-52.75,高于C、D区柳叶栎对Cd的生物富集系数1.79-2.15、0.89-1.07。B-E区Zn的转运系数（TF）在1.79-2.28之间,A区Zn的转运系数为0.43。结论：纳塔栎和柳叶栎表现出较强的重金属耐性,对Cd具有较高的生物富集能力,对Zn具有较高的转运能力。其中纳塔栎对重金属积累能力较强,可作为亚热带地区铅锌矿区Cd、Pb、Zn、As复合污染土壤的植被恢复及生态修复候选树种。     

Influence of canopy openness,ungulate exclosure,and low‐intensity fire for improved oak regeneration in temperate Europe

Failed oak regeneration is widely reported in temperate forests and has been linked in part to changed disturbance regimes and land‐use. We investigated if the North American fire–oak hypothesis could be applicable to temperate European oaks (Quercus robur, Quercus petraea) using a replicated field experiment with contrasting canopy openness, protection against ungulate browsing (fencing/no fencing), and low‐intensity surface fire (burn/no burn). Survival, relative height growth (RGR_H), browsing damage on naturally regenerated oaks (≤300 cm tall), and changes in competing woody vegetation were monitored over three years. Greater light availability in canopy gaps increased oak RGR_H (p = .034) and tended to increase survival (p = .092). There was also a trend that protection from browsing positively affected RGR_H (p = .058) and survival (p = .059). Burning reduced survival (p < .001), nonetheless, survival rates were relatively high across treatment combinations at the end of the experiment (54%–92%). Most oaks receiving fire were top‐killed and survived by producing new sprouts; therefore, RGR_H in burned plots became strongly negative the first year. Thereafter, RGR_H was greater in burned plots (p = .002). Burning altered the patterns of ungulate browsing frequency on oaks. Overall, browsing frequency was greater during winter; however, in recently burned plots summer browsing was prominent. Burning did not change relative density of oaks, but it had a clear effect on competing woody vegetation as it reduced the number of individuals (p < .001) and their heights (p < .001). Our results suggest that young, temperate European oaks may respond similarly to fire as their North American congeners. However, disturbance from a single low‐intensity fire may not be sufficient to ensure a persistent competitive advantage—multiple fires and canopy thinning to increase light availability may be needed. Further research investigating long‐term fire effects on oaks of various ages, species‐specific response of competitors and implications for biodiversity conservation is needed.     

Genetic diversity and population structure of Quercus fabri Hance in China revealed by genotyping‐by‐sequencing

Analysis of genetic diversity and population structure among Quercus fabri populations is essential for the conservation and utilization of Q. fabri resources. Here, the genetic diversity and structure of 158 individuals from 13 natural populations of Quercus fabri in China were analyzed using genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS). A total of 459,564 high‐quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were obtained after filtration for subsequent analysis. Genetic structure analysis revealed that these individuals can be clustered into two groups and the structure can be explained mainly by the geographic barrier, showed gene introgression from coastal to inland areas and high mountains could significantly hinder the mutual introgression of genes. Genetic diversity analysis indicated that the individual differences within groups are greater than the differences between the two groups. These results will help us better understand the genetic backgrounds of Q. fabri.