Effects of leaf litter depth on the emergence and seedling growth of deciduous forest tree species in relation toseed size1

作者：Faith Kostel-Hughes, Truman P. Young, John D. Wehr · 发表于：The Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society · 年份：2005 · DOI：10.3159/1095-5674(2005)132[50:eolldo]2.0.co;2 · 被引用次数：81 · 研究领域：Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies、Seedling growth and survival studies、Forest ecology and management

Kostel-Hughes, F., T. P. Young, and J. D. Wehr. (Louis Calder Center—Biological Field Station and Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, P.O. Box 887, Armonk, NY 10504). Effects of leaf litter depth on the emergence and seedling growth of deciduous forest tree species in relation to seed size. J. Torrey Bot. Soc. 132: 50–61. 2005.—Leaf litter has a major impact on soil microenvironmental conditions and so can be an important influence on seedling recruitment and hence plant community structure. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to examine the impact of leaf litter from temperate deciduous forests on the emergence and growth of tree seedlings in relation to seed size. Our treatments were bare (no litter), shallow (1–2 cm deep, 140 g·m−2), and deep (ca. 5 cm deep, 420 g·m−2) litter. Seed sizes ranged from 0.7–3636 mg. For Betula lenta (seed mass = 0.7 mg), emergence on bare soil was greater than 50%, approximately 12% in shallow litter, and no emergence in deep litter. Percent emergence for Liquidambar styraciflua (seed mass = 6 mg) was highest in bare soil and shallow litter treatments (64–69%) and was reduced by more than 80% in the deep litter treatment. Ailanthus altissima (seed mass = 30 mg) and Quercus velutina (seed mass = 1900 mg) exhibited no significant differences in emergence among litter depth treatments whereas, for Quercus rubra (seed mass = 3636 mg), percent emergence was over 50% greater under deep litter than under shallow litter. Seedling g...