Establishment, Survival, and Growth of Beech, Oak, and Spruce Seedlings During Unassisted Forest Recovery in Post-Mining Sites

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216208%3A11310%2F25%3A10506300" target="_blank" >RIV/00216208:11310/25:10506300 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/62156489:43410/25:43927725 RIV/00020702:_____/25:N0000021

Result on the web

<a href="https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=mXdrcl2hR5" target="_blank" >https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=mXdrcl2hR5</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f16111651" target="_blank" >10.3390/f16111651</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Establishment, Survival, and Growth of Beech, Oak, and Spruce Seedlings During Unassisted Forest Recovery in Post-Mining Sites

Original language description

A previous study demonstrated that spontaneous forest recovery can result in the development of functional mixed forests in post-mining areas. A critical step in this process is the establishment of climax woody species in the understory of pioneer trees. In this case study, we utilise repeated sampling to evaluate the establishment, initial survival, and growth of pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica) seedlings, and to newly assess Norway spruce (Picea abies) during unassisted forest recovery on a post-mining site after coal mining near Sokolov in North Bohemia. Detailed mapping of beech and oak seedlings was conducted in 2009 and 2012 (i.e., 14 and 11 years after the site was reclaimed). Now, we have resurveyed these seedlings, which has allowed us to evaluate their survival and growth. We have also mapped spruce seedlings and estimated their age from annual branch whorls. In the original study, most seedlings were found on the northern site near the edge of the post-mining area and the surrounding landscape, which serve as seed sources. Beech shows the best survival and growth on the northern site, where the greatest number of new seedlings also appear. In contrast, oaks demonstrate much higher mortality than beech overall, with the highest mortality observed on the northern site and the highest survival on the southern site, where most of the new seedlings also appeared. Interestingly, however, surviving oaks grew faster on the northern site. Across microtopography, seedlings of all three tree species were most frequent on the slopes of micro-undulations. Beech individuals were taller in depressions, whereas oaks did not consistently demonstrate a size advantage across microhabitats. Spruce colonised vigorously and was the most abundant of the three species across microhabitats. Age-frequency analyses suggest an annual mortality rate of 3%-9%. Browsing damage was observed on 19% of beech seedlings and 9% of oak seedlings. The study shows that pioneer tree stands are suitable nursing sites for studied climax tree species, which can colonise these sites several kilometres away from mature trees, and their establishment involves a complex interplay between distance to seed source and local microclimatic conditions. Our resurvey indicates that later successional stages may increasingly be shaped by shade-tolerant beech and spruce under the developing canopy.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10511 - Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7)

Project

<a href="/en/project/TQ03000234" target="_blank" >TQ03000234: Ameliorative potential of pioneer tree species in restoration of calamitous clearings and degraded sites</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Forests

ISSN

1999-4907

e-ISSN

1999-4907

Volume of the periodical

16

Issue of the periodical within the volume

11

Country of publishing house

CH - SWITZERLAND

Number of pages

14

Pages from-to

1651

UT code for WoS article

001624464600001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105023068415