Abstract
Evidence from tropical forests suggests understory habitats are associated with a high risk of disease, which may prevent the establishment of vulnerable tree species; in contrast, canopy gaps can act as refuges from these pathogens. However, few studies have investigated the impacts of pathogens on regeneration in temperate forests. To determine whether losses to fungi of seeds of Betula papyrifera, a light-loving species, varied between habitats that differed in their degree of openness, we applied fungicide to seeds buried in old fields, treefall gaps, and forest understory sites. We found that the application of fungicide significantly reduced losses in all habitats, relative to control values. This effect was habitat-dependent: the benefit of fungicide was greater in forest understory than in openings. This suggests that B. papyrifera is prevented from establishing in understory environments in part by its susceptibility to pathogen attack, and not solely because of a high light requirement.
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Acknowledgements
This research was supported by an NSERC PGS to D.O’H-M. and NSERC Research and Equipment Grants to P.M.K., with additional funding from Human Resources Development Canada. Stephanie deLorenzo, Pamela O, Michelle Schafer and Lesley Cresswell provided field and laboratory assistance. The National Tree Seed Centre (CFS, Fredericton NB) donated the seeds used in this study. Special thanks to Murray Koffler for his donation of the Joker’s Hill property to the University of Toronto. The experiments described in this paper conform to all local laws. This is a publication of the Koffler Scientific Reserve at Jokers Hill.
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O’Hanlon-Manners, D.L., Kotanen, P.M. Evidence that fungal pathogens inhibit recruitment of a shade-intolerant tree, white birch (Betula papyrifera), in understory habitats. Oecologia 140, 650–653 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-004-1625-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-004-1625-0