Is diameter at the base of the root collar a key characteristic of seedling sprouts in a Quercus pubescens–Quercus frainetto grazed forest in north-eastern Greece? A morphological analysis
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- 作者：Maria Batziou ; Elias Milios ; Kyriaki Kitikidou
- 关键词：Seedling sprouts ; Quercus pubescens ; Quercus frainetto ; Root collar diameter ; Grazing
- 刊名：New Forests
- 出版年：2017
- 出版时间：January 2017
- 年：2017
- 卷：48
- 期：1
- 页码：1-16
- 全文大小：
- 刊物类别：Biomedical and Life Sciences
- 刊物主题：Forestry;
- 出版者：Springer Netherlands
- ISSN：1573-5095
- 卷排序：48
文摘
This study was conducted in a degraded lowland Quercus pubescens–Quercus frainetto forest in north-eastern Greece. The forest was divided into two site types according to the intensity of grazing (one site of intense grazing and another of lower intensity grazing). In order to analyse the regeneration of the forest, 180 seedling sprouts of both Quercus species, having a height equal to or exceeding 20 cm, were randomly selected under relatively dense groups of trees in both site types. Εach regeneration plant was cut and extracted from a depth of at least 4 cm below the root collar. Many morphological variables such as the diameter at the base of the root collar, the number of living stems, the number of dead basal sprouts, the height and the diameter of the stem base of the tallest (living) stem, and other relative variables were measured (or counted). In addition, height increments of stems in the recent growth period were recorded. Seedling sprouts were mainly multi-stemmed and both species exhibited the same ecological behaviour regarding sprouting. The different grazing intensities did not affect the sprouting ability of Q. pubescens. The results of this study support the significant relation between the root collar diameter and the growth of seedling sprouts. The diameter at the base of the root collar was found to be related to almost all (measured) morphological features of seedling sprouts. This relation was also strong for many characteristics of Q. frainetto. There were somewhat different patterns of morphological relations between the two species.