Topic
Treefall gap
About: Treefall gap is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 82 publications have been published within this topic receiving 9008 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
TL;DR: The disturbance regimes in the forests studied favored tolerant species but allowed opportunists to persist at low densities, and vegetation within gaps increased in woody species diversity, total basal area, and total number of stems.
Abstract: To characterize the disturbance regime of one type of vegetation, study areas in which relatively small-scale disturbance predominates were chosen in several old-growth mesic forests in the eastern United States. Canopy openings covered 9.5% of total land area. New gaps were formed at an average rate of 1% of total land area per year; old gap area closed at a similar rate primarily by sapling height growth. With increased gap size, vegetation within gaps increased in woody species diversity, total basal area, and total number of stems. Stems also showed accelerated growth into larger size classes. As gaps aged, stems grew into larger size classes and basal area increased. Species responses to canopy gaps varied. Some species survived and became established in fairly small gaps (50-100 M2). Although in large gaps (up to 2009 m2 in the present study) these species usually increased in total number of stems and basal area, they declined in importance relative to species which rarely survived in small gaps but grew rapidly in large gaps. The disturbance regimes in the forests studied favored tolerant species but allowed opportunists to persist at low densities.
1,009 citations
TL;DR: Gap-phase regeneration of trees was described for the first 5-6 yr of regrowth in 30 treefall gaps in tropical moist forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama to foster regeneration of pioneer and primary species and produces patches that differ markedly in tree population dynamics, species composition, and growth rate.
Abstract: Gap-phase regeneration of trees was described for the first 5-6 yr of regrowth in 30 treefall gaps (20-705 m2) in tropical moist forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama Trees were classified as pioneers (saplings found only in gaps) or primary species (saplings found in gaps and in the understory of mature forest) In most of the gaps studied, stem densities rose rapidly after gap formation, then levelled offor declined by years 3-6 This pattern was particularly marked in some large gaps (> 150 m2), where pioneers attained high densities, then experienced heavy mortality Stem density of primary species did not vary with gap size In large gaps the mean rate of growth in height was greater for pioneers than for primary species, size-class distribution broadened more for pioneers than for primary species, and early recruits of both regeneration types grew faster than later ones Gap formation fosters regeneration of pioneer and primary species and, in this forest, produces patches that differ markedly in tree population dynamics, species composition, and growth rate
845 citations
TL;DR: In this article, tree replacement in gaps was studied in old-growth mesic forest stands in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and the southern Appalachian Mountains in western and central Appalachia.
Abstract: Tree replacement in gaps was studied in old-growth mesic forest stands in western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and the southern Appalachian Mountains. Predictions of future overstory com- position, based on sapling composition in small gaps (average 200 M2), were compared to current canopy composition. Both Markov analyses and simple average sapling composition of gaps support the hypothesis that regeneration in small gaps was sufficient to perpetuate the current canopy species composition of the stands studied. In some cases the saplings most likely to replace a dead canopy tree were of the same species. In other cases, especially low-diversity beech-sugar maple stands, each species seemed to enhance significantly the success of the other species.
723 citations
550 citations
TL;DR: The absence of regeneration of dominants has often been used as a distinguishing feature of late secondary forest; however, the abundance of shade-intolerant species in mature forest suggests that local absence of regenerate is an inadequate criterion for distinguishing between late secondary and mature forest.
Abstract: Neotropical forest dynamics are reviewed by focusing on four questions: (1) What is a mature neotropical forest? (2) How long does it take to attain maturity? (3) How important are gaps to species regeneration? and (4) What are the important equilibrium processes in neotropical forest dynamics? The absence of regeneration of dominants has often been used as a distinguishing feature of late secondary forest; however, the abundance of shade-intolerant species in mature forest suggests that local absence of regeneration is an inadequate criterion for distinguishing between late secondary and mature forest. Recent studies estimate forest turnover rates of 75-150 years, indicating tropical forests are much more dynamic than thought previously. The dependence on gaps by almost half of the 320 tree species in a Costa Rican wet forest for successful regeneration illustrates the importance of gaps in tropical forest dynamics. Factors important in determining which species successfully colonize a gap are: time of gap occurrence; proximity and dispersal of seeds; size of gap; substrate conditions; and plant-herbivore interactions.
460 citations
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Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |