Postfire regeneration of Aleppo pine - the temporal pattern of seedling recruitment
Daskalakou EN, Thanos CA
PLANT ECOLOGY

171 (1-2): 81-89 2004

Abstract:
The temporal dynamics of Pinus halepensis seedling emergence, density and survival were studied in detail during the first postfire year, in five Aleppo pine forests of Attica (Stamata, Villia, Avlona, Kapandriti and Ag. Stefanos: burned in June 1990, July 1990, September 1991, September 1992 and July 1993, respectively). The timing of emergence and establishment of Aleppo pine seedlings was found to be correlated with the prevailing meteorological conditions - mainly rainfall and to a lesser degree temperature. In most cases, seed germination and seedling emergence took place in a "single massive wave" (resembling a right-skewed normal distribution), shortly after the onset of the first postfire rainy season, (Stamata, Villia and Avlona; 80-90% of the total cohort emerged during November-December). However, variations in the timing and spread of this pattern were observed in Aaios Stefanos and Kapandriti. In the former, there was a considerable delay of seedling emergence (80% by the end of February)- in the latter, a bimodal pattern was found (peaks in December-February and March-April). The dynamics of pine seedling mortality (which amounted to a yearly 23-50% of the total cohort) showed two major, discrete peaks of almost equal importance during the first postfire year: at the initial seedling establishment phase (in the winter) and during the dry summer.

Author Keywords:
Pinus halepensis, seedling emergence, seedling establishment, seedling density, seedling mortality

KeyWords Plus:
BRUTIA FOREST ECOSYSTEMS, SAMOS ISLAND GREECE, HALEPENSIS MILLER, NATURAL REGENERATION, MEDITERRANEAN PINES, FIRE, GERMINATION, PENINSULA, ESTABLISHMENT, WILDFIRE

Addresses:
Thanos CA, Univ Athens, Fac Biol, Dept Bot, Athens 15784, Greece
Univ Athens, Fac Biol, Dept Bot, Athens 15784, Greece
Natl Agr Res Fdn, Inst Mediterranean Forest Ecosyst & Forest Prod, Athens 11528, Greece

Publisher:
KLUWER ACADEMIC PUBL, DORDRECHT

IDS Number:
822AK

ISSN:
1385-0237