Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannas

Autores
Salazar, Ana; Goldstein, Guillermo Hernan; Franco, Augusto C.; Miralles Wilhelm, Fernando
Año de publicación
2012
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Seedling dynamics are crucial for understanding spatial plant distribution patterns, yet little is known about seedling establishment in Neotropical savannas because empirical studies at the community level are scarce. Over 2 years, we studied the recruitment and survival of an initial seedling assemblage and three cohorts of recruits of woody plants within 216 plots of 1 m 2 located along a tree density gradient in the savannas of central Brazil. These savannas differ in tree density and canopy cover, from closed (high canopy cover) to open savannas (low canopy cover), and are located along shallow topographic gradients. We measured community-wide seedling limitation (i.e. proportion of 1-m 2 plots without seedlings of any woody species), photosynthetic photon flux density, litter cover, soil moisture and soil nutrients in each savanna type. Because closed savannas had lower PPFD and higher leaf litter cover than open savannas, we evaluated the effects of light level and litter cover on seedling emergence of nine dominant savanna woody species under controlled conditions in a glasshouse. Density, recruitment and survival of seedlings decreased over time because of mortality in all savanna types, but they were consistently higher in closed than in open savannas. Community-wide seedling limitation was significantly lower in closed (0.16 ± 0.03) than in open (0.30 ± 0.05) savannas. In the glasshouse, high litter cover and very low light levels reduced seedling emergence of most species, suggesting an adaptation to delay seed germination until the wet season when soil water availability is high and leaf litter rapidly decomposes. Synthesis: In Neotropical savannas, tree canopy cover facilitates seedling establishment of woody species by reducing stressful environmental conditions. In particular, low irradiance and high litter cover in closed savannas enhance the recruitment and survival of woody seedlings relative to open savannas by reducing soil water deficits and increasing nutrient availability in the upper soil layers. The higher seedling limitation of tree species in open than in closed savannas contributes to maintain relatively different balances between trees and herbaceous plants along topographic gradients in Neotropical savannas and helps to explain spatial distribution patterns of woody species in these ecosystems.
Fil: Salazar, Ana. University of Miami; Estados Unidos
Fil: Goldstein, Guillermo Hernan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Argentina
Fil: Franco, Augusto C.. Universidade do Brasília; Brasil
Fil: Miralles Wilhelm, Fernando. Florida International University; Estados Unidos
Materia
Canopy Cover
Cerrado
Determinants of Plant Community Diversity And Structure
Light Level
Litter Cover
Seedling Limitation
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/68208

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network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannasSalazar, AnaGoldstein, Guillermo HernanFranco, Augusto C.Miralles Wilhelm, FernandoCanopy CoverCerradoDeterminants of Plant Community Diversity And StructureLight LevelLitter CoverSeedling Limitationhttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Seedling dynamics are crucial for understanding spatial plant distribution patterns, yet little is known about seedling establishment in Neotropical savannas because empirical studies at the community level are scarce. Over 2 years, we studied the recruitment and survival of an initial seedling assemblage and three cohorts of recruits of woody plants within 216 plots of 1 m 2 located along a tree density gradient in the savannas of central Brazil. These savannas differ in tree density and canopy cover, from closed (high canopy cover) to open savannas (low canopy cover), and are located along shallow topographic gradients. We measured community-wide seedling limitation (i.e. proportion of 1-m 2 plots without seedlings of any woody species), photosynthetic photon flux density, litter cover, soil moisture and soil nutrients in each savanna type. Because closed savannas had lower PPFD and higher leaf litter cover than open savannas, we evaluated the effects of light level and litter cover on seedling emergence of nine dominant savanna woody species under controlled conditions in a glasshouse. Density, recruitment and survival of seedlings decreased over time because of mortality in all savanna types, but they were consistently higher in closed than in open savannas. Community-wide seedling limitation was significantly lower in closed (0.16 ± 0.03) than in open (0.30 ± 0.05) savannas. In the glasshouse, high litter cover and very low light levels reduced seedling emergence of most species, suggesting an adaptation to delay seed germination until the wet season when soil water availability is high and leaf litter rapidly decomposes. Synthesis: In Neotropical savannas, tree canopy cover facilitates seedling establishment of woody species by reducing stressful environmental conditions. In particular, low irradiance and high litter cover in closed savannas enhance the recruitment and survival of woody seedlings relative to open savannas by reducing soil water deficits and increasing nutrient availability in the upper soil layers. The higher seedling limitation of tree species in open than in closed savannas contributes to maintain relatively different balances between trees and herbaceous plants along topographic gradients in Neotropical savannas and helps to explain spatial distribution patterns of woody species in these ecosystems.Fil: Salazar, Ana. University of Miami; Estados UnidosFil: Goldstein, Guillermo Hernan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; ArgentinaFil: Franco, Augusto C.. Universidade do Brasília; BrasilFil: Miralles Wilhelm, Fernando. Florida International University; Estados UnidosWiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc2012-11info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/68208Salazar, Ana; Goldstein, Guillermo Hernan; Franco, Augusto C.; Miralles Wilhelm, Fernando; Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannas; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Journal of Ecology; 100; 6; 11-2012; 1411-14210022-0477CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2012.02028.xinfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2012.02028.xinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-09-29T10:36:21Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/68208instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982025-09-29 10:36:21.82CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannas
title Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannas
spellingShingle Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannas
Salazar, Ana
Canopy Cover
Cerrado
Determinants of Plant Community Diversity And Structure
Light Level
Litter Cover
Seedling Limitation
title_short Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannas
title_full Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannas
title_fullStr Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannas
title_full_unstemmed Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannas
title_sort Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannas
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Salazar, Ana
Goldstein, Guillermo Hernan
Franco, Augusto C.
Miralles Wilhelm, Fernando
author Salazar, Ana
author_facet Salazar, Ana
Goldstein, Guillermo Hernan
Franco, Augusto C.
Miralles Wilhelm, Fernando
author_role author
author2 Goldstein, Guillermo Hernan
Franco, Augusto C.
Miralles Wilhelm, Fernando
author2_role author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Canopy Cover
Cerrado
Determinants of Plant Community Diversity And Structure
Light Level
Litter Cover
Seedling Limitation
topic Canopy Cover
Cerrado
Determinants of Plant Community Diversity And Structure
Light Level
Litter Cover
Seedling Limitation
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Seedling dynamics are crucial for understanding spatial plant distribution patterns, yet little is known about seedling establishment in Neotropical savannas because empirical studies at the community level are scarce. Over 2 years, we studied the recruitment and survival of an initial seedling assemblage and three cohorts of recruits of woody plants within 216 plots of 1 m 2 located along a tree density gradient in the savannas of central Brazil. These savannas differ in tree density and canopy cover, from closed (high canopy cover) to open savannas (low canopy cover), and are located along shallow topographic gradients. We measured community-wide seedling limitation (i.e. proportion of 1-m 2 plots without seedlings of any woody species), photosynthetic photon flux density, litter cover, soil moisture and soil nutrients in each savanna type. Because closed savannas had lower PPFD and higher leaf litter cover than open savannas, we evaluated the effects of light level and litter cover on seedling emergence of nine dominant savanna woody species under controlled conditions in a glasshouse. Density, recruitment and survival of seedlings decreased over time because of mortality in all savanna types, but they were consistently higher in closed than in open savannas. Community-wide seedling limitation was significantly lower in closed (0.16 ± 0.03) than in open (0.30 ± 0.05) savannas. In the glasshouse, high litter cover and very low light levels reduced seedling emergence of most species, suggesting an adaptation to delay seed germination until the wet season when soil water availability is high and leaf litter rapidly decomposes. Synthesis: In Neotropical savannas, tree canopy cover facilitates seedling establishment of woody species by reducing stressful environmental conditions. In particular, low irradiance and high litter cover in closed savannas enhance the recruitment and survival of woody seedlings relative to open savannas by reducing soil water deficits and increasing nutrient availability in the upper soil layers. The higher seedling limitation of tree species in open than in closed savannas contributes to maintain relatively different balances between trees and herbaceous plants along topographic gradients in Neotropical savannas and helps to explain spatial distribution patterns of woody species in these ecosystems.
Fil: Salazar, Ana. University of Miami; Estados Unidos
Fil: Goldstein, Guillermo Hernan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución; Argentina
Fil: Franco, Augusto C.. Universidade do Brasília; Brasil
Fil: Miralles Wilhelm, Fernando. Florida International University; Estados Unidos
description Seedling dynamics are crucial for understanding spatial plant distribution patterns, yet little is known about seedling establishment in Neotropical savannas because empirical studies at the community level are scarce. Over 2 years, we studied the recruitment and survival of an initial seedling assemblage and three cohorts of recruits of woody plants within 216 plots of 1 m 2 located along a tree density gradient in the savannas of central Brazil. These savannas differ in tree density and canopy cover, from closed (high canopy cover) to open savannas (low canopy cover), and are located along shallow topographic gradients. We measured community-wide seedling limitation (i.e. proportion of 1-m 2 plots without seedlings of any woody species), photosynthetic photon flux density, litter cover, soil moisture and soil nutrients in each savanna type. Because closed savannas had lower PPFD and higher leaf litter cover than open savannas, we evaluated the effects of light level and litter cover on seedling emergence of nine dominant savanna woody species under controlled conditions in a glasshouse. Density, recruitment and survival of seedlings decreased over time because of mortality in all savanna types, but they were consistently higher in closed than in open savannas. Community-wide seedling limitation was significantly lower in closed (0.16 ± 0.03) than in open (0.30 ± 0.05) savannas. In the glasshouse, high litter cover and very low light levels reduced seedling emergence of most species, suggesting an adaptation to delay seed germination until the wet season when soil water availability is high and leaf litter rapidly decomposes. Synthesis: In Neotropical savannas, tree canopy cover facilitates seedling establishment of woody species by reducing stressful environmental conditions. In particular, low irradiance and high litter cover in closed savannas enhance the recruitment and survival of woody seedlings relative to open savannas by reducing soil water deficits and increasing nutrient availability in the upper soil layers. The higher seedling limitation of tree species in open than in closed savannas contributes to maintain relatively different balances between trees and herbaceous plants along topographic gradients in Neotropical savannas and helps to explain spatial distribution patterns of woody species in these ecosystems.
publishDate 2012
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2012-11
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/68208
Salazar, Ana; Goldstein, Guillermo Hernan; Franco, Augusto C.; Miralles Wilhelm, Fernando; Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannas; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Journal of Ecology; 100; 6; 11-2012; 1411-1421
0022-0477
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/68208
identifier_str_mv Salazar, Ana; Goldstein, Guillermo Hernan; Franco, Augusto C.; Miralles Wilhelm, Fernando; Differential seedling establishment of woody plants along a tree density gradient in Neotropical savannas; Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc; Journal of Ecology; 100; 6; 11-2012; 1411-1421
0022-0477
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2012.02028.x
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2012.02028.x
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Wiley Blackwell Publishing, Inc
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repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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