DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2017.07.012
Scopus记录号: 2-s2.0-85023599344
论文题名: Demographic disequilibrium caused by canopy gap expansion and recruitment failure triggers forest cover loss
作者: Barrette M. ; Bélanger L. ; De Grandpré L. ; Royo A.A.
刊名: Forest Ecology and Management
ISSN: 0378-1127
出版年: 2017
卷: 401 起始页码: 117
结束页码: 124
语种: 英语
英文关键词: Alternative successional pathways
; Balsam fir
; Canopy openness
; Climate change
; Novel ecosystems
; Regeneration process
; White spruce
Scopus关键词: Biodiversity
; Climate change
; Dynamics
; Ecology
; Ecosystems
; Managers
; Population statistics
; Reforestation
; Alternative successional pathways
; Balsam fir
; Canopy openness
; Novel ecosystems
; Regeneration process
; White spruce
; Forestry
; abundance
; biodiversity
; boreal forest
; canopy gap
; climate change
; deer
; evergreen tree
; forest canopy
; forest cover
; forest dynamics
; forest management
; gap dynamics
; mortality
; old-growth forest
; regeneration
; understory
; Anticosti Island
; Canada
; Quebec [Canada]
; Abies balsamea
; Cervidae
; Picea glauca
英文摘要: In the absence of large-scale stand replacing disturbances, boreal forests can remain in the old-growth stage over time because of a dynamic equilibrium between small-scale mortality and regeneration processes. Although this gap paradigm has been a cornerstone of forest dynamics theory and practice for decades, evidence suggests that it could be disrupted, threatening the integrity and sustainability of continuous forest cover. The objective of this study was to evaluate the gap dynamics in old-growth boreal forests across a large landscape where deer populations currently exist at high abundance. We hypothesized that chronic deer browsing is limiting recruitment, particularly of palatable species, creating a demographic disequilibrium between canopy mortality and recruitment. We analysed understory regeneration density and distribution in relation to canopy gap size and condition on multiple sample areas within a 360 km2 area of old-growth balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Miller) forest on Anticosti Island, Canada. The combined effect of accelerating canopy gap expansion and recruitment failure created a demographic disequilibrium important enough to cause a loss of forest cover. The forest is now at risk of shifting to alternative successional pathways that seem to be dependent upon gaps size. Rather than sustaining historic balsam fir composition, sucession in 57% of gap area was more susceptible to following a pathway leading toward white spruce parklands, while sucession in the other 43% was more susceptible to following a pathway toward white spruce forests. The occurrence of these novel ecosystems represents a threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services that are provided by preindustrial forests. Climate change could exacerbate these threats by allowing deer to go into as yet unoccupied boreal forests that are driven by gap dynamics. Novel management issues will arise in these boreal ecosystems and challenge forest managers. When the traditional approaches of identifying gaps will not work because the forest itself is losing cover, the method we have developed will help forest managers recognize demographic disequilibrium threatening maintenance of forests. © 2017 Citation statistics:
资源类型: 期刊论文
标识符: http://119.78.100.158/handle/2HF3EXSE/64196
Appears in Collections: 影响、适应和脆弱性
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作者单位: Laboratoire d'aménagement intégré, Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt, 2405 de la Terrasse, Université LavalQC, Canada; Chaire de recherche industrielle CRSNG-Produits forestiers Anticosti, Département de biologie, 1045 ave. de la Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada; Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, Laurentian Forestry Centre, 1055 du P.E.P.S., Québec, QC, Canada; USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station, IrvinePA, United States
Recommended Citation:
Barrette M.,Bélanger L.,De Grandpré L.,et al. Demographic disequilibrium caused by canopy gap expansion and recruitment failure triggers forest cover loss[J]. Forest Ecology and Management,2017-01-01,401