Effects of rodent gnawing on the survival of current-year seedlings of Quercus crispula

Emergence, survival and mortality patterns of current-year oak (Quercus crispula Blume) seedlings were investigated for 4 consecutive years in a secondary oak forest in Hokkaido, northern Japan. Despite the emergence of a considerable number of oak seedlings in the years following masting, few current-year seedlings survived until the end of the growing season. Almost all of the seedlings died from damage to their stems caused by the gnawing of rodents. Rodent gnawing on transplanted oak seedlings was also observed in the year following masting but not in the year following a bad crop year. Cuttings of dwarf bamboo, Sasa, did not reduce the seedling mortality caused by gnawing. However, transplanted oak seedlings were gnawed more quickly when they were placed on the forest floor with a thicker Sasa covering. All rodents trapped in the vicinity of the study area were Apodemus speciosus Temminck. These results suggest that rodents strongly influence the recruitment of oak trees not only through the predation and dispersal of acorns but also through gnawing seedlings.     

Vertical distribution and seasonal pattern of fine-root dynamics in a cool–temperate forest in northern Japan: implication of the understory vegetation, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sasa</Emphasis> dwarf bamboo

We measured the vertical distribution and seasonal patterns of fine-root production and mortality using minirhizotrons in a cool–temperate forest in northern Japan mainly dominated by Mongolian oak (Quercus crispula) and covered with a dense understory of dwarf bamboo (Sasa senanensis). We also investigated the vertical distribution of the fine-root biomass using soil coring. We also measured environmental factors such as air and soil temperature, soil moisture and leaf area indices (LAI) of trees and the understory Sasa canopy for comparison with the fine-root dynamics. Fine-root biomass to a depth of 60 cm in September 2003 totaled 774 g m⁻², of which 71% was accounted for by Sasa and 60% was concentrated in the surface soil layer (0–15 cm), indicating that understory Sasa was an important component of the fine-root biomass in this ecosystem. Fine-root production increased in late summer (August) when soil temperatures were high, suggesting that temperature partially controls the seasonality of fine-root production. In addition, monthly fine-root production was significantly related to Sasa LAI (P<0.001), suggesting that fine-root production was also affected by the specific phenology of Sasa. Fine-root mortality was relatively constant throughout the year. Fine-root production, mortality, and turnover rates were highest in the surface soil (0–15 cm) and decreased with increasing soil depth. Turnover rates of production and mortality in the surface soil were 1.7 year⁻¹ and 1.1 year⁻¹, respectively.     

Gnawing damage by rodents to the seedlings ofFagus crenata andQuercus mongolica var.grosseserrata in a temperateSasa grassland-deciduous forest series in southwestern Japan

The effects of dwarf bamboo,Sasa, cover on the initial morrality of hardwood seedlings were investigated by transplanting 1-year-old beech (Fagus crenata) and current-year oak (Quercus mongolica var.grosseserrata) seedling to three different stands; old-growth beech and secondary oak forests withSasa undergrowth, and aSasa grassland in a grassland-forest series near the top of Mt Jippo, southwestern Japan. The most frequent cause of seedling morrality was gnawing of the stems by rodents. In the beech forest, the gnawing was more likely to occur underSasa cover, suggesting that it provides a good habitat for rodents on the beech forest floor. TheSasa under growth may thus play an imporrant role in regeneration of beech forest. In the oak floor, mortality of both species was low and only a little gnawing occurred during a year. However, no natural oak seedling were found in the forest even after a mast year. This may be because most of the acorns disappeated before establishment. The early-stage demography of hardwood seedling as oak may thus play an imporrant role in regeneration of oak forest. In theSasa grassland where the seed supply is small, almost all of the seedlings died fromo gnawing regardless of the presence ofSasa cover. These factors prevent the recruitment of a sizable seedling bank. Rodents may thus play an imporrant role in maintenance of theSasa grassland.     

Comparison of Fine Root Dynamics in Scots Pine and Pedunculate Oak in Sandy Soil

In this study, we investigated the relationship between the seasonality of vegetation cover and that of fine root processes in a man-made forest in northern Belgium. Due to their contrasting foliar development, we expected different seasonal patterns of fine root growth and standing biomass between Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.), and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). Biomass and necromass of fine and small roots were estimated by repeated core sampling in February, April, June, August and October 2003. Measurements showed that Pedunculate oaks maintained more live fine roots in winter than Scots pines. However, Scots pines produced more than twice as much fine roots in spring, such that in summer both species had similar root mass. Scots pine root production started before-, but declined during leaf unfolding. Pedunculate oak roots, in contrast, started elongating only after bud break. For both species, fine root production peaked in JuneJuly, but was more than offset by drought-induced mortality at the end of July and early August. Summer drought in 2003 was exceptionally long and intense, significantly reducing leaf area, killing most new roots, and inhibiting root decomposition, such that the obtained results cannot be typical for this forest.     

An Afforestation System for Restoring Bottomland Hardwood Forests: Biomass Accumulation of Nuttall Oak Seedlings Interplanted Beneath Eastern Cottonwood

Bottomland hardwood forests of the southeastern United States have declined in extent since European settlement. Forest restoration activities over the past decade, however, have driven recent changes in land use through an intensified afforestation effort on former agricultural land. This intense afforestation effort, particularly in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley, has generated a demand for alternative afforestation systems that accommodate various landowner objectives through restoration of sustainable forests. We are currently studying an afforestation system that involves initial establishment of the rapidly growing native species eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh.), followed by enrichment of the plantation understory with Nuttall oak (Quercus nuttallii Palm.). In this article, we examine the growth and biomass accumulation by Nuttall oak seedlings to determine whether this species can be established and whether it will develop beneath the cottonwood overstory. After 3 years of growth beneath cottonwood canopies, Nuttall oak seedlings were similar in height (126 cm), but were 20% smaller in root‐collar diameter than seedlings established in open fields. Seedlings established in the open accumulated more than twice the biomass of seedlings growing beneath a cottonwood canopy. However, the relative distribution of accumulated biomass in seedlings did not differ in the two environments. Ten percent of total seedling biomass was maintained in leaf tissue, 42% was maintained in stem tissue, and 48% was maintained in root tissue on open‐grown seedlings and seedlings established in the understory of cottonwood plantations. Though establishment in the more shaded understory environment reduced Nuttall oak growth, seedling function was not limited enough to induce changes in plant morphology. Our results suggest that an afforestation system involving rapid establishment of forest cover with a quick‐growing plantation species, followed by understory enrichment with species of later succession, may provide an alternative method of forest restoration on bottomland hardwood sites and perhaps other sites degraded by agriculture throughout temperate regions.     

A forest-structure-based analysis of rain flow into soil in a dense deciduous Betula ermanii forest with understory dwarf bamboo

The relationship between rain flow into the soil and forest structure was investigated in a dense deciduous Betula ermanii forest in northern Japan. The forest floor was covered with dwarf bamboo Sasa kurilensis. Observation was conducted from mid-July to late October in 1998. Leaf fall of Betula started in early September and ended in late October. Stemflow was proportional to rainfall and tree size [diameter at breast height (DBH)], and for the same rainfall, stemflow increased with leaf fall. On the contrary, throughfall decreased with leaf fall. Throughfall was intercepted also by Sasa in proportion to its leaf area. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that stemflow and throughfall of Betula and Sasa were predictable as functions of rainfall and forest structural characteristics, such as DBH, tree density, and stand leaf mass. The rain interception by plants tended to decrease from summer to autumn, but the difference in the interception was about 2% between July (fully expanded leaves) and late October (lack of leaves). About 96 and 87% of rainfall reached the above- and below-Sasa layers, respectively. Thus, this study showed that understory Sasa is a major component of rain interception within the stand and that rain flow into the soil can be estimated by using rainfall and the forest structural parameters, such as DBH, tree density and stand leaf mass.     

The effect of dense understory dwarf bamboo (Sasa senanensis) on soil respiration before and after clearcutting of cool temperate deciduous broad-leaved forest

To evaluate the effect of understory dwarf bamboo (Sasa senanensis) on soil respiration in forest ecosystems, we compared soil respiration rates between four deciduous broad-leaved forest sites representing two levels of understory Sasa (with and without) and two levels of forest stand age (50-year-old stand and 1-year-old stand after clearcut). The understory Sasa enhances the soil respiration rate both before and after the clearcutting of deciduous broad-leaved forest. The Sasa sites had larger total belowground biomass compared with the non-Sasa sites, which could be attributed to Sasa presence. Our results also suggest that clearcutting decreases temperature-normalized soil respiration rates (R ₁₅) and temperature sensitivity (Q ₁₀) in both Sasa and non-Sasa ecosystems. Clearcutting significantly reduced the fine root biomass of trees and Sasa. The fine roots of trees and Sasa had high specific respiration rates compared with larger roots and rhizomes at Sasa and non-Sasa sites, respectively. Therefore, we hypothesize that the loss of fine roots after clearcutting is responsible for the reduction in soil respiration rate. A comparison with other studies revealed a positive linear relationship between total (tree and Sasa) fine root biomass and R ₁₅, suggesting that fine root biomass controls soil respiration at the landscape scale. The Q ₁₀ value is also likely to be related to fine root biomass, although the relationship was not significant. We conclude that understory Sasa increases belowground biomass, especially fine roots, and the spatial variation in soil respiration at the landscape scale.     

Forest community structure and composition following containment treatments for the fungal pathogen oak wilt

In temperate oak forests in Ohio, USA, we examined variability in forest communities within containment treatment sites for oak wilt (Bretziella fagacearum), a fungal pathogen lethal to susceptible oak species. Containment treatments included quarantine lines in soil for limiting belowground fungal spread and sanitation cutting of 1–3 mature black oak (Quercus velutina) trees within oak wilt infection patches. At 28 sites, we compared tree structure and understory plant communities across a gradient of 1- to 6-year-old treatments and reference forest (untreated and without evidence of oak wilt). While oak seedlings were abundant, oak saplings (1–10 cm in diameter) were absent. In contrast, many native understory plant community measures were highest in oak wilt treatments. Plant species richness 100 m^?2 doubled in treatments, regardless of age, compared with reference forest. Plant cover increased with treatment age, with 6-year-old treatments exhibiting 5?×?more cover than reference forest. Non-native plants averaged only a small proportion (<?0.12) of cover across treatments and reference forest. Variability in understory communities was mostly predictable using treatment age, tree canopy cover, and geographic location, as 20 of 25 understory measures had at least 72% of their variance modeled. While oak wilt treatments did not facilitate oak regeneration nor many conservation-priority species of open savanna-woodland habitats, the treatments did diversify and increase cover of native understory communities with minimal invasion of non-native plants.

     

A Long-term Study of Seedling Regeneration for an Oak Forest Restoration in Cleveland Metroparks Brecksville Reservation,Ohio

The Cleveland Metroparks Brecksville Reservation initiated an oak forest restoration in 1990, using thinning and burning to encourage regeneration of oak forest species. In 96 quadrats (81 treatment and 15 control), understory woody species were inventoried from 1992 to 2002, and canopy opening was quantified. Six years into the study, the entire reservation became heavily populated with white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and gypsy moths (Lymantria dispar), complicating the restoration efforts. During data analysis, understory woody species were classified into oak forest type and nonoak forest type, and three distinct phases became evident (phase 1: 1992–1994 treatment effects only, phase 2: 1995–1999 period of invasion by deer and gypsy moths, and phase 3: 2000–2002 post-invasion period). Both oak forest and nonoak forest species increased in the treatment area over the control area. During phase 1, burning encouraged oak seedlings, and thinning reduced competition from nonoak species, suggesting a temporarily successful restoration attempt. The intense gypsy moth browse in phase 2 reduced the number of oak seedlings, creating conditions favorable to nonoak species. The quantity and diversity of seedlings increased as gypsy moths opened the canopy. Deer browsed most species, oak and nonoak, even when deer populations decreased and more species were available. Original treatment effects may have been continuing in phase 3; however, additional years of study are needed.     

Root Morphology, Stem Growth and Field Performance of Seedlings of Two Mediterranean Evergreen Oak Species Raised in Different Container Types

Outplanting container-grown oak seedlings with undesirable shoot and root characteristics result in poor establishment and reduced field growth. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of container type on both above-and below-ground nursery growth and field performance of one-year old tap-rooted seedlings Quercus ilex L. and Quercus coccifera L. The experiment was conducted in an open-air nursery and the seedlings were grown in three container types. At the end of the nursery, growth period seedlings’ shoot height, diameter (5 mm above root collar), shoot and root biomass, root surface area, root volume and total root length were assessed. Then the seedlings were planted in the field and their survival and growth were recorded for two growing seasons after outplanting. The results showed a difference between the Quercus species in the effect of container type. Q. ilex seedlings raised in paper-pot had significantly greater height, diameter, shoot and root biomass and root volume than those raised in the other two container types. Similarly, Q. coccifera seedlings raised in paper-pot, had significantly greater above-and below-ground growth than those raised in the other two container types. Both oak species showed relatively low survival in the field; the mortality was mainly observed the first year after outplanting, especially after the summer dry period. However, 2 years after outplanting, the paper-pot seedlings of the two oak species showed better field performance.     

Effect of a strong cold storage induced desiccation on metabolic solutes,stock quality and regrowth,in seedlings of two oak species

Bare-root seedlings of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) and northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) were lifted in January and stored at 1.8°C, at 82% relative humidity, until their fresh weight declined by 33%. Root growth potential (RGP), fine root electrolyte leakage (REL), fine root water content (RWC), shoot tip water content (SWC), starch and metabolic solute contents in root and shoot, were measured just after lifting and after treatment. Survival of treated seedlings was also assessed in a field trial. RWC, SWC, REL, RGP were dramatically affected by desiccation during cold storage. In both species, root soluble carbohydrate level, inositol level and isocitrate level increased, whereas root starch level and shoot soluble carbohydrate level decreased. In northern red oak, treated seedlings had higher root contents of soluble carbohydrates, inositol and proline than in pedunculate oak. Moreover, treatment induced proline accumulation only in northern red oak roots. These differences could explain why field survival of treated seedlings was significantly better in northern red oak than in pedunculate oak.     

Dwarf bamboos affect the regeneration of zoochorous trees by providing habitats to acorn-feeding rodents

The effects of dwarf bamboos (Sasa spp.) on the regeneration of trees in a natural hardwood forest were studied by analysing the spatial dispersion of seedlings and saplings of anemochores (Acer palmatum var. matsumurae, Fraxinus lanuginosa, and Carpinus laxiflora) and zoochores (Quercus mongolica var. grosseserrata and Q. serrata). Relative photosynthetic photon flux density at 10 cm above ground was significantly correlated with the coverage of dwarf bamboos (r=0.661, P<0.001). Seedlings were abundant and were randomly distributed in the anemochores, other than the shade-intolerant species C. laxiflora which was significantly more sparse in sites with dense Sasa than in sites where Sasa was rare. Distribution of saplings was also random in the shadetolerant anemochores A. palmatum var. matsumurae and F. lanuginosa but aggregated in sites with sparse Sasa in the shade-intolerant anemochore C. laxiflora. In contrast to the anemochores, seedlings of zoochores were very few and were distributed in sites with sparse Sasa. Saplings were also aggregated and negatively correlated with Sasa cover in the shade-intolerant species Q. serrata and the tolerant species Q. mongolica var. grosseserrata. The acorns put on the forest floor in a site with dense Sasa were quickly removed by small rodents such as Apodemus speciosus and A. argenteus. Trap census of rodents revealed that those mammals prefer the dense Sasa habitat to the sparse Sasa habitat. This suggests that the dwarf bamboos strongly affect the regeneration of zoochorous trees not only by shading the seedlings but also by providing habitats to acorn-feeding small mammals.     

Large-Scale Patterns of Quercus ilex, Quercus suber, and Quercus pyrenaica Regeneration in Central-Western Spain

In Central-Western Spain, forests and woodlands composed of Quercus sp. support outstanding levels of biodiversity, but there is increasing concern about their long-term persistence due to a lack of regeneration. We hypothesize that this regenerative lack is operating on a large geographic scale; that there are differences in the abundance of regeneration between three oak species; that oak regeneration is governed mainly by forest management and structure; and that shrubs act as important physical protectors of seedlings and saplings. We analyzed whether densities of oak seedlings and saplings in several size classes were related to stand-structure, understory, and physiographic variables potentially affecting regeneration. Data collected at a regional level (1 km × 1 km grid) by the Spanish Forest Inventory were evaluated from 2,816 plots. Results revealed that regeneration failure was common for all size categories, from small seedlings to large saplings, and for the three oak species studied, especially the evergreens. Of the Quercus ilex, Q. suber, and Q. pyrenaica plots studied, 49%, 62%, and 20% were lacking any small seedlings, and 82%, 96%, and 56% did not have any large saplings, respectively. Regeneration was positively correlated with tree cover and density, especially of small and medium-sized trees, and negatively correlated with the presence of large trees, indicating that regeneration failure is mostly associated with more open, uniform, and/or aged woodlands. Regeneration densities of Q. ilex and Q. suber were positively correlated with all understory variables, suggesting that the presence of pioneer shrubs represent a major safe site for early tree recruitment, independent from specific shrub species.     

Regeneration of beech (Fagus crenata) after the simultaneous death of undergrowing dwarf bamboo (Sasa kurilensis)

Seedling recruitment and survivorship of beech (Fagus crenata) were studied with special reference to the simultaneous death of undergrowing bamboo (Sasa kurilensis). The survival rate of beech seedlings on the floor whereSasa had withered was much higher than that on the floor whereSasa survived. Damping off caused the largest mortality among beech seedlings. However, the allocation pattern of matter to different parts of the seedlings indicated that their survival was greatly affected by production economy. The dense cover of dwarf bamboo prevented the establishment of beech seedling banks on the forest floor. The interval between the times when simultaneous death ofSasa occur and the length of its recovery period are thus important factors controlling the dynamics of beech forests in Japan.     

Mixed leaf litter effects on decomposition rates and soil microarthropod communities in an oak–pine stand in Japan

Rates of decomposition, and soil faunal abundance and diversity associated with single-species and mixed-species litters were studied in a litter bag experiment in an oak–pine forest. We used two canopy species of leaf litter, pine and oak, and one shrub species, Sasa, and compared decomposition rates, and soil microarthropod abundance and community structure of oribatid mites in the litter bags. Mass loss of single species decreased in the order: oak > pine > Sasa. While the total mass loss rates of mixed litter were intermediate between those of the constituent species, enhancement of mass loss from the three-species mixture and from mixed slow-decomposing litters (pine and Sasa) was observed. Faunal abundance in litter bags was higher in mixed-species litter than in those with single-species litter, and species richness of oribatid mites was also higher in the three-species mixed litter. Faunal abundance in single-species litter bags was not correlated with mass loss, although enhancement of mass loss in mixed litter bags corresponded with higher microarthropod abundance. Habitat heterogeneity in mixed litter bags seemed to be responsible for the more abundant soil microarthropod community.     

Early post-fire vegetation regeneration in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Larix kaempferi</Emphasis> artificial forests with an undergrowth of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sasa senanensis</Emphasis>

Post-fire vegetation regeneration was studied for a 6-year period in a 13-year-old-artificial forest consisting of Larix kaempferi with a dense undergrowth of Sasa senanensis. The study site was classified into three fire severity categories according to the degree of Sasa senanensis scorching, that is, a high-severity category, a mid-severity category, and a low-severity category. Study plots were established in areas which fitted the criteria for each category, and in nearby unburned sites. A total of 41 woody species were newly emerged during the 6-year study period in the burned and unburned plots. Only a few seedlings and resprouts emerged in the unburned plots, while many seedlings emerged in the high-severity plots from the first year after fire onward. A high-severity fire that burns the rhizomes of Sasa is necessary for the vegetation recovery by germination of seed. Whereas the establishment of seedlings was restricted to a few years after fire, the regeneration through resprouting continued into the last year of observation. The survival time of resprouts was longer than that of seedlings, and the survival time of shade-tolerant species was longer than that of shade-intolerant species. In contrast, shade-intolerant species grew more rapidly than shade-tolerant species. The plants ability to exceed the maximum height of the Sasa before the bamboo recovers can be critical to the survival of shade-intolerant species. Because resprouts have a stronger resistance to the shade of Sasa than seedlings, the resprouts of shade-tolerant species play a major role in the re-establishment of woody species after fire in sites with considerable Sasa ground-cover.     

Capture and allocation of nitrogen byQuercus douglasii seedlings in competition with annual and perennial grasses

Summary The spatial overlap of woody plant root systems and that of annual or perennial grasses promotes competition for soil-derived resources. In this study we examined competition for soil nitrogen between blue oak seedlings and either the annual grassBromus mollis or the perennial grassStipa pulchra under controlled outdoor conditions. Short-term nitrogen competition was quantified by injecting¹⁵N at 30 cm depth in a plane horizontal to oak seedling roots and that of their neighbors, and calculating¹⁵N uptake rates, pool sizes and¹⁵N allocation patterns 24 h after labelling. Simultaneously, integrative nitrogen competition was quantified by examining total nitrogen capture, total nitrogen pools and total nitrogen allocation.Stipa neighbors reduced inorganic soil nitrogen content to a greater extent than didBromus plants. Blue oak seedlings responded to lower soil nitrogen content by allocating lower amounts of nitrogen per unit of biomass producing higher root length densities and reducing the nitrogen content of root tissue. In addition, blue oak seedlings growing with the perennial grass exhibited greater rates of¹⁵N uptake, on a root mass basis, compensating for higher soil nitrogen competition inStipa neighborhoods. Our findings suggest that while oak seedlings have lower rates of nitrogen capture than herbaceous neighbors, oak seedlings exhibit significant changes in nitrogen allocation and nitrogen uptake rates which may offset the competitive effect annual or perennial grasses have on soil nitrogen content.     

Seasonal patterns of fine root demography in a cool-temperate deciduous forest in central Japan

In forest ecosystems, fine roots have a considerable role in carbon cycling. To investigate the seasonal pattern of fine root demography, we observed the fine root production and decomposition processes using a minirhizotron system in a Betula-dominated forest with understory evergreen dwarf bamboo. The length density of fine roots decreased with increasing soil depth. The seasonal patterns of each fine root demographic parameter (length density of visible roots, rates of stand-total fine root production and decomposition) were almost the same at different soil depths. The peak seasons of the fine root demographic parameters were observed in the order: stand-total fine root production rate (late summer) > length density of the visible roots (early autumn) > stand-total fine root decomposition rate (autumn, and a second small peak in spring). The fine root production rate was high in the latter part of the plant growing season. Fine root production peaked in late summer and remained high until the end of the tree defoliation season. The higher stand-total fine root production rate in autumn suggests the effect of understory evergreen bamboo on the stand-total fine root demography. The stand-total fine root decomposition rate was high in late autumn. In the snow-cover period, the rates of both fine root production and decomposition were low. The fine root demographic parameters appeared to show seasonal patterns. The fine root production rate had a clearer seasonality than the fine root decomposition rate. The seasonal pattern of stand-total fine root production rate could be explained by both overstory and understory above-ground productivities.     

Woodland canopy structure and the light response of juvenile Quercus lobata (Fagaceae)

I investigated competition for light between canopy plants and juvenile valley oaks (Quercus lobata Nee) in a mixed-broadleaf woodland of California's northern Coast Ranges. Canopy effects on understory light supply were separated among the overlying adult valley oak, the adult's woody understory, and neighboring trees and shrubs through a series of light sampling surveys and measurements of the number, size, and spatial distribution of neighboring plants. Light supply in the understory was primarily influenced by neighboring plants, with no detectable effect of the overlying adult valley oak. Light supply in the understory averaged 25% full sun due to a high frequency of canopy gaps and a typically open understory. Seedling response to understory light supply was investigated in an experimental sunfleck gradient (10%, 19%, and 100% full sun). Between 10% and 100% full sun, seedling growth increased by 90% and the shoot:∗∗∗root ratio changed from 1.561 to 0.607. Shade seedlings were also taller and produced fewer, larger, and thinner leaves than seedlings grown in full sun. A field survey of the spatial distribution and crown morphology of saplings and young adults found 1) the distance between young valley oaks and neighboring overstory trees to increase with neighbor size, and 2) crowns of the young oaks to be skewed away from neighbors. Although shading by the canopy was only moderate, canopy effects on understory light supply may restrict juvenile recruitment of valley oak in this woodland.     

Climate change in forest ecosystems: A field experiment addressing the effects of raising temperature and reduced rainfall on early life cycle stages of oaks

Higher temperatures and reduced rainfalls that are expected with the advance of climate change can impair the emergence and establishment of tree seedlings in forest ecosystems. These climatic changes can also decrease the availability of soil resources and reduce the performance of seedlings. We evaluated these effects in a temperate forest from Mexico with two native oak species (Quercus crassifolia and Quercus eduardii). As recently emerged oak seedlings are highly sensitive to changing environmental conditions, our field experiment was conducted across the season in which seedling emergence occurs (October–February). In the field, we used open-top chambers to increase temperature and rainout shelters to reduce rainfall, while controls were exposed to the current climate. Experimental plots of both treatments were established beneath the forest canopy because most oaks recruit in understory habitats. In these plots, we sowed acorns of both species in October 2015 and recorded seedling emergence and survival until February 2016, also monitoring temperature, precipitation and contents of water and nitrogen in the soil. On seedlings that survived until the end of the experiment we measured their growth, photosynthetic efficiency and foliar contents of water, carbon and nitrogen. Both the emergence and survival of Q. crassifolia seedlings were lower in climate change plots than in controls, but no differences were found for Q. eduardii. However, seedlings of both species had lower growth rates, photosynthetic efficiencies and contents of water, nitrogen and carbon in climate change simulation plots. These results indicate that climate change can impair tree seedling establishment in oak forest, also suggesting that their development will be constrained by reduced water and nitrogen availability.