Seedling establishment of Fagus engleriana,a dominant in mountain deciduous forests

Abstract

Abstract: The survival and growth of Fagus engleriana seedlings in three light levels,and with and without supplying additional fertilizer (F₁ and F₀, respectively) for each light level were studied. The three light levels were to simulate the light regimes in the understorey, small gaps and clearings (L₁, L₂ and L₃ about 1%, 18% and 100% of full sunlight, respectively).The seedling development in L₁ was severely inhibited by low light intensity. Seedling mortality was remarkably higher in L₁ than in L₂ and L₃, and in F₁ than in F₀. The death of the seedlings seemed to result from attack of fungal pathogens. Although seedling survival and growth were significantly improved as light intensities increased from L₁ to L₂, seedlings in L₃ developed similarly as those in L₂. It is suggested that the young seedlings could not tolerate the shade of closed forest canopy, and fertile patches on the forest floor might not improve seedling establishment.Successful regeneration of the species in the forests needs better light conditions such as those in gaps than those under the closed forest canopy, at least during the phase of seedling establishment.

Key words: Fagus engleriana, Seedling estalishment, Regeneration, Light conditions, Soil nutrients, landscape pattern index, morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA), ecological resistance surface, ecological corridor, minimal cumulative resistance (MCR)

CLC Number:

S718.5

GUO Ke. Seedling establishment of Fagus engleriana,a dominant in mountain deciduous forests[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2003, (2): 161-164.

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