Low Light Availability Associated with American Beech Is the Main Factor for Reduced Sugar Maple Seedling Survival and Growth Rates in a Hardwood Forest of Southern Quebec

Alexandre Collin,Christian Messier,Nicolas Bélanger,Steven Kembel

doi:10.3390/f8110413

Alexandre Collin, Christian Messier + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/f8110413

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Abstract

Several recent studies have reported a marked increase in American beech dominance (Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.) relative to sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) in late successional forests of North America. However, many factors have been proposed to explain this sudden shift in tree species composition. We investigated the microsite factors responsible for maple regeneration failure under maple-beech stands, focusing on both light availability and soil conditions. The survival and growth of maple seedlings planted in the natural soil and in pots with enriched soil were monitored for two years, as well as foliar nutrition and herbivory damages of natural seedlings. The results indicate that low light availability associated with the presence of beech is the primary factor leading to maple regeneration failures. Soil nutrient availability and foliar nutrition of natural seedlings did not differ between forest types. Yet, the results indicate that factors such as allelopathy and preferential herbivory on maple seedlings under beech could be superimposed effects that hinder maple regeneration. Under similar forests, a control of beech sapling abundance in the understory followed by selection cutting could be one way to promote and maintain maple populations in the longer term.

Highlights

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall; hereafter referred to as “maple”) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrhart; hereafter referred to as “beech”) are two co-dominating species of late successional forests in North America
Tree basal area was similar between forest types (Table 1), whereas the light environment was significantly different between forest types (Table 2)
The results in this study clearly point to light availability as being the primary factor responsible for maple regeneration failures at the Station de Biologie des Laurentides (SBL)

Summary

Introduction

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall; hereafter referred to as “maple”) and American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrhart; hereafter referred to as “beech”) are two co-dominating species of late successional forests in North America. Most of the studies have documented the changes in species abundance and replacement as a means to explain the maple-beech codominance, which is considered to be unusual [2]. Several studies have reported a marked increase of beech dominance relative to maple in the understory of northeastern hardwood forests. A progressive decrease of maple seedling establishment and density over the last 40 years and a concomitant increase of beech seedlings were observed at the Hubbard

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