Effects of gaps on regeneration of woody plants: a meta-analysis

Journal of Forestry Research volume 25, pages501–510(2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Forest gaps, openings in the canopy caused by death of one or more trees, have a profound effect on forest regeneration and drive the forest growth cycle. It is therefore necessary to understand the effects of forest gaps on regeneration for modern forest management. In order to provide a quantitative assessment of the effects of forest gaps on regeneration of woody plants, we conducted this review of gap effects on woody plant regeneration on the basis of 527 observations from 42 individual papers, and reported the results of these data in a meta-analysis. Overall, densities of regenerated woody plants were significantly greater (359%) in forest gaps than on the closed-canopy forest floor. The regeneration density in gaps of plantation forests was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than that of natural forest because the regeneration in gaps of plantation forests was improved by both gap effects and experimental measures. Similarly, in comparison to natural gaps, regeneration was better enhanced in artificial gaps. Regeneration density exhibited a significantly positive correlation with gap size, but a negative correlation with gap age because the gap size decreased with increasing gap age. Shade tolerance of woody plants affected regeneration density in gaps and understory. Average regeneration density of shade-tolerant species exhibited a significantly positive response to gaps but densities remained lower in total than those of intermediate and shade-intolerant species. Gap effects on regeneration decreased in response to increasing temperature and precipitation because of the limiting effects of lower temperature and moisture on woody plant regeneration. In summary, forest gaps enhance woody plant regeneration, and the effects of gaps varied by forest type, gap characteristics, environmental factors and plant traits. The results of this meta-analysis are useful for better understanding the effects and roles of gaps on forest regeneration and forest management.

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Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology, Qingyuan Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China

    Jiaojun Zhu, Deliang Lu & Weidong Zhang

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Deliang Lu

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  1. Jiaojun Zhu
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  2. Deliang Lu
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Correspondence to Jiaojun Zhu.

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Project funding: This research was supported by grants from the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (2012CB416906) and National Nature Scientific Foundation of China (31330016).

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Zhu, J., Lu, D. & Zhang, W. Effects of gaps on regeneration of woody plants: a meta-analysis. Journal of Forestry Research 25, 501–510 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11676-014-0489-3

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Keywords

  • forest gap
  • regeneration
  • disturbance
  • gap size
  • gap age
  • shade tolerance