Optimum light transmittance for seed germination and early seedling recruitment of Pinus koraiensis: implications for natural regeneration
Light transmittance regulated by canopy openness influences the microsite conditions for natural regeneration. The successful transition from seed germination to subsequent seedling recruitment (i.e., early seedling survival and growth) determines the natural regeneration potential. However, there i...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF)
2015-12-01
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| Series: | iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://iforest.sisef.org/contents/?id=ifor1397-008 |
| _version_ | 1819278025874735104 |
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| author | Zhang M Yan Q Zhu J |
| author_facet | Zhang M Yan Q Zhu J |
| author_sort | Zhang M |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Light transmittance regulated by canopy openness influences the microsite conditions for natural regeneration. The successful transition from seed germination to subsequent seedling recruitment (i.e., early seedling survival and growth) determines the natural regeneration potential. However, there is little information on the effect of varying light transmittance on seed germination and seedling recruitment of Pinus koraiensis Siebold & Zucc. (Korean pine). We aimed to determine the optimum light requirements for this transition process in P. koraiensis to propose practical measures for improving its natural regeneration. The transition process was studied under five light transmittance regimes (100%, 60%, 30%, 15% and 5% of full light) over two consecutive years (2010 and 2011). The highest germination percentage in both years occurred at 30% light transmittance. Generally, mean germination time (MGT) declined with increased light transmittance. Seedling survival exhibited no significant differences between treatments for 1-year-old seedlings, but was higher at 30% than at 5% light transmittance for the 2-year-old seedlings. In contrast, seedling height, root collar diameter and total biomass were highest at 60%-100% light transmittance for both 1- and 2-year-old seedlings. Furthermore, the light transmittance also influenced the growth characteristics of P. koraiensis seedlings through regulating MGT. These results suggest that growth of P. koraiensis seedling requires a higher light transmittance (60%-100%) than that required for seed germination, even though 30% light transmittance was favorable to the earlier emergence with larger specific leaf area. Silvicultural measures such as thinning are recommended to increase light irradiance in the forest understorey with the aim of improving the natural regeneration of P. koraiensis. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T00:05:27Z |
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| id | doaj.art-46e5c94c434046e9a730e093147d0505 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1971-7458 1971-7458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T00:05:27Z |
| publishDate | 2015-12-01 |
| publisher | Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry |
| spelling | doaj.art-46e5c94c434046e9a730e093147d05052022-12-21T17:25:01ZengItalian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF)iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry1971-74581971-74582015-12-018185385910.3832/ifor1397-0081397Optimum light transmittance for seed germination and early seedling recruitment of Pinus koraiensis: implications for natural regenerationZhang M0Yan Q1Zhu J2State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110164 (P.R. China)State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110164 (P.R. China)State Key Laboratory of Forest and Soil Ecology, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110164 (P.R. China)Light transmittance regulated by canopy openness influences the microsite conditions for natural regeneration. The successful transition from seed germination to subsequent seedling recruitment (i.e., early seedling survival and growth) determines the natural regeneration potential. However, there is little information on the effect of varying light transmittance on seed germination and seedling recruitment of Pinus koraiensis Siebold & Zucc. (Korean pine). We aimed to determine the optimum light requirements for this transition process in P. koraiensis to propose practical measures for improving its natural regeneration. The transition process was studied under five light transmittance regimes (100%, 60%, 30%, 15% and 5% of full light) over two consecutive years (2010 and 2011). The highest germination percentage in both years occurred at 30% light transmittance. Generally, mean germination time (MGT) declined with increased light transmittance. Seedling survival exhibited no significant differences between treatments for 1-year-old seedlings, but was higher at 30% than at 5% light transmittance for the 2-year-old seedlings. In contrast, seedling height, root collar diameter and total biomass were highest at 60%-100% light transmittance for both 1- and 2-year-old seedlings. Furthermore, the light transmittance also influenced the growth characteristics of P. koraiensis seedlings through regulating MGT. These results suggest that growth of P. koraiensis seedling requires a higher light transmittance (60%-100%) than that required for seed germination, even though 30% light transmittance was favorable to the earlier emergence with larger specific leaf area. Silvicultural measures such as thinning are recommended to increase light irradiance in the forest understorey with the aim of improving the natural regeneration of P. koraiensis.https://iforest.sisef.org/contents/?id=ifor1397-008GerminationLight TransmittanceNatural RegenerationSeedling EmergenceSeedling Survival |
| spellingShingle | Zhang M Yan Q Zhu J Optimum light transmittance for seed germination and early seedling recruitment of Pinus koraiensis: implications for natural regeneration iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry Germination Light Transmittance Natural Regeneration Seedling Emergence Seedling Survival |
| title | Optimum light transmittance for seed germination and early seedling recruitment of Pinus koraiensis: implications for natural regeneration |
| title_full | Optimum light transmittance for seed germination and early seedling recruitment of Pinus koraiensis: implications for natural regeneration |
| title_fullStr | Optimum light transmittance for seed germination and early seedling recruitment of Pinus koraiensis: implications for natural regeneration |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimum light transmittance for seed germination and early seedling recruitment of Pinus koraiensis: implications for natural regeneration |
| title_short | Optimum light transmittance for seed germination and early seedling recruitment of Pinus koraiensis: implications for natural regeneration |
| title_sort | optimum light transmittance for seed germination and early seedling recruitment of pinus koraiensis implications for natural regeneration |
| topic | Germination Light Transmittance Natural Regeneration Seedling Emergence Seedling Survival |
| url | https://iforest.sisef.org/contents/?id=ifor1397-008 |
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