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Sapling age structure and growth series reveal a shift in recruitment dynamics of sugar maple and American beech over the last 40 years

Summary

Published in Canadian Journal of Forest Research 41: 873-880

Northern hardwoods have undergone a marked change in their dynamics, with American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) increasing in abundance relative to sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.). This study aims to better understand this sudden shift in recruitment dynamics. We performed an extensive analysis of the age structure, radial growth pattern, and release history on >700 saplings from 34 mature maple–beech stands of southern Quebec. We found (i) that the  sapling age structures showed a progressive decrease in the establishment of maple relative to beech starting about 40 years ago, (ii) a change in the species growth hierarchy that started in the 1980s due to increasing radial growth of beech, (iii) that this growth trend is negligible for both maple and beech when we account for size and suppression status, and finally (iv) that the growth trend appears to be independent of present soil conditions. These results contrast with previous studies conducted at the adult stage that reported a growth decline for maple. We conclude that this change in recruitment dynamics is not related to growth, and consequently, further studies investigating this phenomenon should concentrate on establishment and survival.

Sector(s): 

Forests

Categorie(s): 

Scientific Article

Theme(s): 

Forest Ecology, Forestry Research, Forests, Silviculture

Author(s)

GRAVEL, Dominique, Marilou BEAUDET and Christian MESSIER

Year of publication :

2011

Format :

PDF available upon request

Keywords :

régénération, érable à sucre, hêtre à grandes feuilles, succession, croissance radiale, écologie dynamique des arbres, sylviculture des forêts naturelles feuillues, article scientifique de recherche forestière, Fagus grandifolia, Acer saccharum, écologie forestière, sylviculture et rendement des forêts naturelles - peuplements feuillus, forest ecology, silviculture and yield of natural forests - hardwood stands, regeneration, sugar maple, American beech, sucession, radial growth

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