Regeneration dynamics in fragmented landscapes at the leading edge of distribution: Quercus suber woodlands as a study case

• Published in: Plant and soil Vol. 467; no. 1-2; pp. 311 - 327
• Main Authors: Montero-Muñoz, Jorge Luis, Ureña, Carmen, Navarro, Diego, Herrera, Valentín, Alonso-Rojo, Pilar, Hernández-Alonso, Héctor, Cepeda-González, María Fernanda, Jovellar, Luis Carlos, Fernández-Santos, Belén, Silla, Fernando
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-10-2021; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accelerators; Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Botanical research; Climate change; Cultural heritage; Drought; Ecology; Habitat destruction; Hierarchies; Hypotheses; Landscape; Life Sciences; Microclimate; Old fields; Organic matter; Organic soils; Original Article; Parameters; Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences; Quercus; Quercus ilex; Quercus suber; Rainfall; Recruitment; Regeneration; Seed dispersal; Seedlings; Soil improvement; Soil Science & Conservation; Soil structure; Soils; Spring; Spring (season); Stand structure; Trees; Water availability; Winter; Woodlands; Mexico; Secondary succession; Edge distribution; Growth-climate relationships; Recruitment dynamics
• ISSN: 0032-079X; 1573-5036
• DOI: 10.1007/s11104-021-05077-7

Aims
We studied the regeneration dynamics of woodlands and abandoned old fields in a landscape dominated by
Quercus suber
in its lower limits of rainfall and temperature. Two hypotheses were established: (1) regeneration of
Quercus
species is strongly favored by the presence of tree cover; and (2) growth of
Q. suber
is driven by the climatic variables that represent the lower ecological limit of its leading distribution edge.
Methods
We selected woodlands and old fields with and without tree remnants (
n
 = 3 per type), and analyzed stand structure, soil parameters and tree growth.
Results
Succession was arrested in old fields without tree remnants. By contrast, remnant trees were accelerators of forest recovery in old fields. Tree cover played a fundamental role in
Quercus
recruitment throughout seed dispersal and facilitation that mitigate the effects of summer drought on seedlings. Also, tree cover improved soil parameters (e.g., organic matter) that are important factors for understanding differences in regeneration. Winter/spring precipitation exerted a positive effect on tree growth, as well as temperatures during winter/spring and September.
Conclusions
Regeneration dynamics are modeled by the density of tree cover in the cold and dry edge of the distribution area of
Q. suber
where
Q. ilex
is increasing in abundance. Although temperature has a positive effect on the tree growth of
Q. suber
, when demographic processes are considered, decreases in water availability likely play a critical role in
Q. ilex
recruitment. This in turn changes dominance hierarchies, especially in abandoned areas with little or no tree cover.