Abstract
The aim of this study is to explore the effects of the litter cover thickness and cleaning methods on seed germination and seedling growth of Pinus densata. The overall goals are to provide a reference for the cultivation of seeds and seedlings of P. densata in Tibet and to establish a theoretical basis for the sustainable development and utilization of P. densata. Five typical P. densata forest plots have been set up in Nyingchi City, Tibet, and their litter and cones have been collected in the plots. Experiment 1 has set 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 cm as different litter cover thickness treatments. Each thickness level has been used three times, and the seed germination and seedling growth have been recorded for each. Experiment 2 has been site preparation treatments in the sample plots: no removal of shrubs and litter, removal of herbs and litter, removal of shrubs and litter, removal of shrubs and herbs, and removal of shrubs, herbs, and litter. Each treatment has been repeated three times, and the survival rate of the seeds and the growth of the seedlings have been recorded in each case. The results have shown the following. Litter cover thickness and the interaction between the cover and the seeds have had significant effects on the survival rate and germination potential of P. densata seedlings. The lesser the litter cover, the higher the seedling survival rate has been, meaning there is a negative correlation. The root length and stem length of P. densata seedlings has first increased and then decreased with the increase of litter coating thickness. The needle length of P. densata seedlings has been relatively stable, and basically has not varied with changes in litter thickness. On the other hand, root, stem, and leaf biomass and total biomass of P. densata seedlings have varied significantly with changes in litter cover thickness. The biomass has first increased and then decreased with the increase of litter thickness. There have been significant differences in the survival rate of P. densata seeds under different cleaning methods, and the survival rate of P. densata seeds has been the lowest under the A treatment. The preserved shrubs have had the greatest impact on the survival rate of P. densata seeds and had a strong promoting effect. The root length of P. densata seedlings has reached its longest under the B treatment, and the values range has been the largest. The basal diameter of seedlings has shown a gradual downward trend moving from the A treatment to the E treatment. Significant differences in root, stem, leaf, and total biomass of P. densata seedlings have occurred under different cleaning methods.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Fan, L. J., Li, C. D., Li, X. Y., et al., Effects of sand burial on litter decomposition rate and salt content dynamics in an extremely arid region, Chin. J. Plant Ecol., 2021, vol. 45, no. 2, pp. 144–153.
Gao, J., Wei, X. Y., Chen, Y., et al., Litter decomposition rates and organic carbon dynamics in subalpine forest during freeze-thaw cycles, Acta Ecol. Sin., 2021, vol. 41, no. 9, pp. 3734–3743.
Lowdermilk, W. C., Influence of forest litter on run-off, percolation, and erosion, J. For., 1930, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 474–491.
Wang, D.Y., Liu, Q.Q., Chen, Y.F., et al., Effects of seeds and litter position on seedling emergence and early growth of Chinese fir, J. Fujian Agric. For. Univ. (Nat. Sci. Ed.), 2020, vol. 49, no. 6, pp. 782–788.
Luís, C.M.F., Daniel, K.S., Amanda, C.C., et al., Nutrient cycling from leaf litter in multistrata successional agroforestry systems and natural regeneration at Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest Biome, Agrofor. Syst., 2020, vol. 94, no. 1, pp. 159–171.
Xiao, W.Y., Zhao, J.H., Yan, X.L., et al., Tree diversity determines the diversity of the taxonomic and functional structure of the fungal community in forest litter in Southern China, For. Sci., 2019, vol. 65, no. 1, pp. 40–47.
Zhao, Y.Z., Liang, C.F., Shao, S., et al., Linkages of litter and soil C:N:P stoichiometry with soil microbial resource limitation and community structure in a subtropical broadleaf forest invaded by Moso bamboo, Plant Soil, 2021, no. 12, pp. 1–18.
Li, Z.Q., Gao, T., Zhang, D., et al., Spatial distribution characteristics of soil seed bank of Pinus densata in Linzhi, Tibet, J. Northwest. For. Univ., 2019, vol. 34, no. 4, pp. 43–48.
Lu, J., Li, Z. Q., Gao, T., et al., Seed bank characteristics in a Pinus densata forest and its relationship with vegetation diversity in Southeast Tibet, China, Ecol. Evol., 2020, vol. 10, no. 17, pp. 9214–9222.
Zhao, Y., Liu, Y., Wang, J. M., et al., Effects of rodents and litter coverage on the seed fate of wild Prunus divaricata in wild fruit forest of Tianshan Mountain, Northwest China, J. Appl. Ecol., 2014, vol. 25, no. 9, pp. 2557–2562.
Bao, R., Zhang, J.L., and Chen, P.G., Research on improving the accuracy of estimating aboveground biomass for Pinus densata based on remote sensing using filtering algorithm, J. Southwest. For. Univ. (Nat. Sci.), 2020, vol. 40, no. 5, pp. 126–134.
Ou, G.L., Lv, Y.Y., Xu, H., et al., Improving forest aboveground biomass estimation of Pinus densata forest in Yunnan of Southwest China by spatial regression using Landsat 8 images, Remote Sens., 2019, vol. 11, no. 23, pp. 1–27.
Zhang, J. L., Lu, C., Xu, H., et al., Estimating aboveground biomass of Pinus densata-dominated forests using Landsat time series and permanent sample plot data, J. For. Res., 2019, vol. 30, no. 5, pp. 1689–1706.
Wang, Z.M., Xu, T.S., Yue, C.R., et al., Application of dummy variable in the research of Pinus densata stock volume inversion model, For. Resour. Manage., 2017, no. 4, pp. 75–81.
Hai, B.Z., Qiu, Z.B., He, Y.Y., et al., Characterization and primary functional analysis of Pinus densata miR171, Biol. Plant., 2018, vol. 62, no. 2, pp. 318–324.
Chen, X.Y., Yuan, H.W., Hu, X.G., et al., Variations in electrical impedance and phase angle among seedlings of Pinus densata and parental species in Pinus tabuliformis habitat environment, J. For. Res., 2015, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 777–783.
Qiu, Z.-B., Yuan, M.-M., Hai, B.-Z., et al., Characterization and expression analysis of conserved miRNAs and their targets in Pinus densata, Biol. Plant., 2016, vol. 60, no. 3, pp. 427–434.
Li, B., Zhang, W.D., Li, C.X., et al., Sesquiterpenes and diterpenoids from Pinus densata, Chem. Nat. Compd., 2013, vol. 48, no. 6, pp. 1100–1102.
Gao, T., Quan, H., Lu, J., et al., Characteristics of topsoil nutrients and their stoichiometry in Pinus densata forest in Southeast Tibet, J. Northwest. A & F Univ. (Nat. Sci. Ed.), 2021, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 62–70, 80.
Ma, F., Zhao, C.M., Richard, M., et al., Enhanced drought-tolerance in the homoploid hybrid species Pinus densata: implication for its habitat divergence from two progenitors, New Phytol., 2010, vol. 185, no. 1, pp. 204–216.
Wang, Z., Hu, K.H., Ma, C., et al., Landscape change in response to multiperiod glacial debris flows in Peilong catchment, southeastern Tibet, J. Mt. Sci., 2021, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 567–582.
Pu, T., Kong, Y.L., Kang, S.C., et al., New insights into trace elements in the water cycle of a karst-dominated glacierized region, southeast Tibetan Plateau, Sci. Total Environ., 2021, vol. 751, art. ID 141725.
Li, G.Z., Wang, H.X., Zhu, S.Q., et al., Barrier effect of litter on natural regeneration in northeast secondary forest, J. Liaoning Tech. Univ. (Nat. Sci.), 2008, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 295–298.
Zhao, C., Cai, Y. B., Huang, X., et al., Effects of Chinese fir litter cover on its seedling emergence and early growth, Chin. J. Appl. Ecol., 2019, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 481–488.
Tang, C.P., Yuan, S.A., Li, J., et al., Effects of litter type and thickness on seed germination and seeding growth of Pinus yunnanensis, Guizhou Agric. Sci., 2014, vol. 42, no. 8, pp. 191–194.
Faith, K.H., Truman, P.Y., and John, D.W., 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., 2005, vol. 132, no. 1, pp. 50–61.
Joshua, W. E., Robin, A. H., James, and H. F., Seedling emergence, growth, and allocation of Oriental bittersweet: effects of seed input, seed bank, and forest floor litter, For. Ecol. Manage., 2004, vol. 190, pp. 255–264.
Alex, F., Cecilia, M. P., María, A.C.A., et al., Stem length, not climate, controls vessel diameter in two trees species across a sharp precipitation gradient, New Phytologist, 2020, vol. 225, no. 6, nos. 2–3, pp. 2347–2355.
Tobias, W.D. and Eckstein, R.L., Grass and oak litter exert different effects on seedling emergence of herbaceous perennials from grasslands and woodlands, J. Ecol., 2008, vol. 96, pp. 272–280.
Walaa, M.E., Sanaa, M.M.S., and Emad, A.S., Biological activities and plant growth regulators producing from some microalgae biomass cultivated in different wastewater concentrations, Biomass Convers. Biorefin., 2021, no. 5, pp. 1–14.
Zhang, H.R. and Fu, G., Root biomass, carbon and nitrogen distribution pattern and correlation characteristics of alpine meadow in northern Tibet, Acta Ecol. Sin., 2021, vol. 41, no. 9, pp. 3625–3633.
Ren, W.P., Effect of Different Ground Clearances on Pinus Tabulaeformis Seedlings, For. Sci. Technol., 2016, vol. 41, no. 5, pp. 33–35.
Weiner, J., Allocation, plasticity and allometry in plants, Perspect. Plant Ecol., Evol. Syst., 2004, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 207–215.
Wu, G.L., Chen, M., Du, G.Z., et al., Response of biomass allocation and morphological characteristics to light and nutrient resources for seedlings of three alpine species, Acta Ecol. Sin., 2010, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 60–66.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We thank LetPub (www.letpub.com) for its linguistic assistance during the preparation of this manuscript.
Funding
This study has been supported by the Operation subsidy project of the National Field Scientific Research Observatory (Ecosystem) of the Ministry of Science and Technology (2015–2020).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
This article does not contain any research involving humans and animals as research objects.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yao Huifang, Duo, Z., Jie, L. et al. Effects of Different Litter Treatments on Seed Germination and Seedling Growth of Pinus densata in Southeast Tibet, China. Russ J Ecol 53, 308–317 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1067413622040075
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1067413622040075