Abstract Detail

Ecophysiology

Goodale , Uromi Manage [1], Graeme, Berlyn [2], Gregoire, Timothy G.  [2], Tennakoon, Kushan U.  [3], Ashton, Mark [2].

Differences in Survival and Growth Among Tropical Rain Forest Pioneer Tree Seedlings in Relation to Canopy Openness and Herbivory.

Although differences in canopy openness, herbivory and their interaction may promote species coexistence, how these factors affect pioneer tree species and potentially limit growth, and survival has been poorly studied, particularly in tropical South Asia. We monitored the effect of canopy openness and herbivore damage on seedling survival and growth of 960 individuals of six pioneer tree species: Dillenia triquetra, Macaranga indica, Macaranga peltata, Schumacheria castaneifolia, Trema orientalis, and Wendlandia bicuspidata. Seedlings were placed in four gap-understory positions—center, outer gap edge, inner forest edge, and understory—in four large, natural gaps within the Sinharaja World Heritage Reserve, Sri Lanka. Canopy openness positively affected survival probability beyond the 550-d experiment, while herbivory decreased survival and was highest in understory conditions. The relative order of species survival stayed fairly consistent between gap-understory positions and followed their known shade tolerance rankings. When averaged across all experimental conditions, T. orientalis had the lowest survival probability estimate beyond the 550-d experiment (0.05), but the greatest capacity for growth where it successfully established, while the species with highest averaged survival probability (0.79), D. triquetra, showed the lowest growth. One species, W. bicuspidata, responded positively to herbivory by re-sprouting. Coexistence of D. triquetra, T. orientalis, and W. bicuspidata can be explained by a trade-off among species in survival, growth, and response to herbivory. In addition to variation in canopy light environment, herbivory may be important in determining pioneer species distribution through fine-scale niche partitioning and should be carefully considered in reforestation efforts

1 - Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy Of Sciences, Menglun, Mengla, Yunnan, 666303, P.R. China
2 - Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 195 Prospect Street, New Haven , CT, 06511, USA
3 - Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research (IBER), Universiti Brunei Darussalam, Jalan Tungku Link, Gadong , BE, 1410, BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

Keywords:
growth-survival trade-off
regeneration niche
Restoration Ecology
herbivory
Shade Tolerance.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 15
Location: Firs South/Boise Centre
Date: Tuesday, July 29th, 2014
Time: 11:00 AM
Number: 15012
Abstract ID:814
Candidate for Awards:None