Substrate and litterfall effects on conifer seedling survivorship in southern boreal stands of Canada

Abstract

Most conifer seeds die as seeds or seedlings within 5 years after dispersal. Understanding what factors keep a few of them alive is essential if natural regeneration is to be maintained in managed forests. For example, decaying logs and the conifer seedlings that often grow on them are rare under certain canopies such as deciduous trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.). We conducted a seeding experiment to evaluate the role of certain substrates, and litterfall, on early conifer survivorship. Seeds of balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.), white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss), and eastern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) were sown during 2 consecutive years on mineral soil, relocated logs, and litter in deciduous aspen and coniferous (Thuja occidentalis dominated) stands. Seedling survivor ship was monitored at the end of the first growing season and 1 year after each sowing. Conifer seedling survivorship was equivalent or greater under aspen than under cedar-dominated canopies. Picea and Thuja survivorship was highest on decaying logs of approximately 9 cm high (compared with logs buried at forest floor level) and lowest on forest floor litter during both the first growing season and the following autumn–winter. Abies survivorship was little affected by substrate type, except for low autumn–winter survival on litter. Thuja autumn–winter survival was significantly reduced by litterfall in both deciduous and coniferous stands.