The coastal forest of Gabon abounds in monospecific secondary Aucoumea klaineana stands derived from natural regeneration after shifting cultivation. This paper aims to describe the changes in the structure and dynamics of these stands with age. It then assesses the impact of selective thinning in the upper storey on both structural and dynamic parameters.
The experiment consisted of 34 Permanent Plots in stands from establishment to more mature stages (ca. 50 years old). Thirteen plots (17–45 years old) were thinned. More than 80% of the removal came from supernumerary dominant A. klaineana.
A. klaineana represented 60% of the total density in stands ca. 15 years old but >90% of the dominant trees in older stands. The changes with age in the floristic composition of the unthinned stands showed three successional stages during which pioneer species associated with A. klaineana (from establishment to ca. 15 years) were progressively replaced by mature forest species.
Basal area increased and density decreased with age before reaching stable values at ca. 40–45 years. Mortality was very high in young stands but decreased in the older ones. Mortality generally affected small diameter individuals in the dominated storey. Diameter and basal area increments showed that the stand growth resulted from the growth of dominant A. klaineana. Diameter increments of A. klaineana were elevated during the first years of colonisation (1.9 cm/year) and were still ca. 0.7 cm/year for 50-year-old dominant trees.
Thinning did not increase the mortality of the dominant population. It favoured the individual growth of A. klaineana. The gain was substantial for dominated trees and small dominant trees (from 60 to 100%) but was lower for large dominant trees (ca. 25–30%). Therefore, stimulation of individual growth did not compensate for the loss of basal area at the stand level. 相似文献
Five morphinoid alkaloids have been isolated from Dehaasia longipedicellata, namely (-) pallidine, a new alkaloid (+) pallidinine (1), (+)-milonine, (-) 8,14-dehydrosalutaridine and (-) sinoacutine. 相似文献
Near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy allows for the detection of local patterns of forest soil properties. In combination with dendrometric data, it may be used as a prospective tool for determining soil heterogeneity before setting up long-term forest monitoring experiments.
Context
Forest soils and stands generally exhibit higher spatial heterogeneity than other terrestrial ecosystems. This variability needs be taken into account before setting up long-term forest monitoring experiments to avoid multiple interactions between local heterogeneity and the factors tested in the experiment.
Aims
We hypothesized that raw near- and mid-infrared spectra can be used as an integrated proxy of a large set of soil properties. The use of this method, in combination with dendrometric data, should provide a quick and cost-effective tool for optimizing the design of experimental forest sites.
Methods
We assessed the local soil heterogeneity at 11 experimental sites in oak and beech stands, which belong to a new forest long-term ecological research (LTER) network. We used near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy in soil and litter samples. The spectra were subjected to principal components analyses (PCA) to determine the intra-site variability of the soil and litter layers.
Results
Based on mapped PCA coordinates and basic dendrometric data, it was possible to design the experiment and minimize the interactions between the treatment layout and the tested variables. The method was validated with chemical analyses of the soil. No interaction was detected at the set-up of the experiment between the treatment layout and chemical soil properties (C, N, C/N ratio, pH, CEC, Al, Mg, P2O5, Fe, Mn, Na, and K).
Conclusion
Near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy is a useful tool for characterizing the overall heterogeneity of soil chemical properties. It can be used without any preliminary calibration. In combination with dendrometric data, it provides a reliable method for optimizing LTER plots in different types of ecosystems.
The study developed models for predicting the post-fire tree survival in Catalonia. The models are appropriate for forest planning purposes. Two types of models were developed: a stand-level model to predict the degree of damage caused by a forest fire, and tree-level models to predict the probability of a tree to survive a forest fire. The models were based on forest inventory and fire data. The inventory data on forest stands were obtained from the second (1989–1990) and third (2000–2001) Spanish national forest inventories, and the fire data consisted of the perimeters of forest fires larger than 20 ha that occurred in Catalonia between the 2nd and 3rd measurement of the inventory plots. The models were based on easily measurable forest characteristics, and they permit the forest manager to predict the effect of stand structure and species composition on the expected damage. According to the stand level fire damage model, the relative damage decreases when the stand basal area or mean tree diameter increases. Conversely, the relative stand damage increases when there is a large variation in tree size, when the stand is located on a steep slope, and when it is dominated by pine. According to the tree level survival models, trees in stands with a high basal area, a large mean tree size and a small variability in tree diameters have a high survival probability. Large trees in dominant positions have the highest probability of surviving a fire. Another result of the study is the exceptionally good post-fire survival ability of Pinus pinea and Quercus suber. 相似文献
Different methodological approaches from the field of spatial statistics, the index of cluster size (ICS) and quadrat methods such as the two-term and three-term local quadrat variance (TTLQV and 3TLQV) and the new local variance (NLV) were tested to find a simple spatial measure to classify mixed coniferous uneven-aged, even-aged and conversion stands in the central Black Forest area of Germany. Altogether six stands were analysed with regularly distributed sample plots of 0.25 ha (50×50 m), each subdivided into 25 quadrats of 10×10 m. In each of the quadrats, diameter at breast height (dbh) for trees of the overstory (dbh>7 cm) was assessed and classified into three diameter classes. Height measurements were used to develop specific stand height curves for each stand and to calculate the standing volume per tree and per quadrat. The even-aged stands showed a regular distribution of the standing volume, while the conversion and uneven-aged stands were more clustered. This was detected using ICS, which proved to be a simple but very efficient measure for stand structure. The ICS also showed a highly random distribution of small and medium trees and a regular distribution of large trees of the overstory in the uneven-aged stand. Large and medium trees of one even-aged stand were also regularly distributed while conversion stands showed a regular, random or slightly clustered distribution of these trees. The more uneven the ages in the stands were, the larger were the phases detected by the NLV. The findings of the ICS were generally supported by the TTLQV and 3TLQV. The more uneven the ages in a stand were, the less clustered were the trees of different sizes of the understory. Clustering also decreased with increasing height of understory trees. The patterns detected in the investigated stands were related to the effect of different management regimes. Implications for the management of conversions stands based on the findings of the study are given. 相似文献
The effectiveness of encasement and traditional techniques for planting red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) in moderate to high wave energy environments was assessed. The three encasement types were the halflength PVC pipes, fulllength PVC pipes, and bamboo pipes. Plantings were conducted in August, 1997 at two locations in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida: Sebastian and Rocky Point. Furthermore, plantings were conducted in November, 1997 using fulllength encasements and conventional planting. Results indicate that seedlings planted within fulllength PVC encasements had the highest survivorship and growth because of their protection from waves and currents. Failure of seedlings within bamboo encasements seemed to be caused by insufficient light exposure. When comparing the two locations, a significantly greater growth was observed at the Sebastian location than at the Rocky Point location for the planting conducted in November, but not for those planted in August. No significant difference was observed in seedling survival when comparing those planted in August and November. However, there was a significantly greater growth in mangroves planted in August. With the exception of width of surf zone, there was no significant difference in the selected environmental parameters between the two locations. 相似文献