Abstract
The assisted regeneration of oaks can be achieved through seeding or planting. Whereas direct seeding of acorns has several advantages over planting nursery-grown seedlings, the problem of seed predation by mammals precludes its widespread application. We investigated the potential of diesel as a mammal repellent to prevent the consumption of Holm oak acorns. We tested the effect of submerging acorns in diesel for 0, 6, 12, and 24 h on acorn predation in a field experiment in the Sierra Nevada Natural Park (Granada province, Spain), and the potential effect of the same treatments on seedling emergence and growth in a nursery experiment. The field experiment showed no reduction in acorn predation through diesel. On the other hand, submersion in diesel hindered the germination of one in every four sown acorns regardless of submersion time. Our results are in line with many failed attempts to protect acorns with chemical repellents and suggest that an effective, universally-abundant, inexpensive, and easy-to-apply acorn protector to enhance the success of seeding operations is yet to be found.
Highlights
The assisted regeneration of oaks (Quercus spp.) can be achieved through direct seeding of acorns or the planting of nursery-grown seedlings [1,2]
We performed a field experiment to test the effectiveness of acorn submersion in diesel as a mammal repellent, and a nursery experiment to search for potential effects of this treatment on seedling emergence and growth
We picked Holm oak (Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp.) acorns from trees located near the field study site
Summary
The assisted regeneration of oaks (Quercus spp.) can be achieved through direct seeding of acorns or the planting of nursery-grown seedlings [1,2]. Oaks develop a deep tap root that grants access to ground water. Growth in containers entangles this root or requires its pruning prior to transportation to the field, which yields suboptimal root architectures [6,7]. In this way, planted seedlings face their first summer without proper access to water and soil nutrients and have a low probability of survival [7]. Besides allowing the normal development of the root system, provides greater flexibility in terms of the timing and the location of sowing [8], as well as important economic advantages [9], as compared to planting. Many species of mammal predators, including rodents, lagomorphs and ungulates, prey on acorns [10,11,12,13,14]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
