Coppice Trees Research Articles

How Ancient Trees and Botanical Indicators Evidence Both Change and Continuity

Knowledge of ancient trees and tree-forms helps inform understanding of landscape continuity and change. Information analysis of tree-form and growth rates may be combined with precise aging through dendro-chronology and carbon dating. Until recently, much of the information has been neglected, and indeed, there was an absence of accepted methodologies. Assessments of both coppice trees and pollards, for example, now suggest that trees achieve great age (for example, 500 years+ to 1500 years or more). These trees reflect both natural processes and human management. Examined within a robust conceptual and analytical framework, these trees generate insight into landscape evolution over centuries. Tree analysis combined with archival sources and site archaeological information, including mapping of ‘botanical indicator species’, soils, and other sediments, generate reliable timelines of human–environment interactions. Drawing together diverse approaches and insights into landscape evolution helps the formulation of new concepts of historical ecology and environmental history. Importantly, such emerging paradigms trigger new ways to demonstrate how understanding past landscape evolution both informs knowledge of contemporary ecologies and may guide future site planning. However, there is a rider to these observations since case studies in Great Britain highlight the vulnerability of such historic landscapes and show how they are being rapidly erased from the countryside.

The Distribution of 137Cs Concentration in the Coppiced Trees of 10-year-old Konara Oak (Querucus serrata) Growned after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

The Distribution of ¹³⁷Cs Concentration in the Coppiced Trees of 10-year-old Konara Oak (<i>Querucus serrata</i>) Growned after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Coppice Management for Young Sycamore Maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.)

Sycamore is a valuable tree not only economically but also ecological and culturally. Even though it has a vigorous regeneration system from its stump, its coppice management has triggered limited formal investigations. Therefore, the present study focused on finding the most suitable coppice strategy for achieving ground coverage and biomass, as well as developing growth and yield models for sycamore maples. Using a series of eight measurements spanning twenty-one years, starting from age six, we found that single-shoot coppices provided superior yields for height than seed-managed trees up to age twelve and up to age twenty for DBH. The coppice trees outperformed the seed trees up to age 10. The yield of DBH and the height for single-shoots and seed-managed trees were described by parsimonious formulations, namely the Schumacher model for DBH and the square root for height. The relationship of DBH–height exhibited a clear linear form, pointing toward the main limitation of the study, namely the confinement to ages less than 20 years. Nevertheless, all the models exhibited a bias &lt;10−7 and an R2 around 80%, except for the height and DBH change throughout time, which was around 67%.

The impact of the Asian chestnut gall wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilus) on chestnut tree growth may be mediated by site resources

IntroductionThe Asian chestnut gall wasp (Dryocosmus kuriphilus) is a major pest of chestnut trees worldwide, seriously affecting chestnut cultivation. Information concerning the effects of gall wasp attack on diameter growth of chestnut trees is currently scarce and limited to coppice stands and to use of the growth of a non-target control species (unaffected by the pest) for reference purposes. The effects of the pest on widely-spaced plantations (grown at a much lower density than chestnut coppices) and the use of explicitly-observed annual infestation rate data remain to be explored.MethodsIn the present study, we analyzed the impact of the chestnut gall wasp on the diameter growth of chestnut trees, using data from 16 experimental plots established in widely-spaced plantations located in good quality sites. Two of the plots are in plantations where a susceptible hybrid chestnut clone and a chestnut clone resistant to the gall wasp coexist, whereas the remaining 14 plots are in Castanea sativa plantations where the level of gall wasp infestation varies across trees and years. The plots were surveyed to determine the diameter growth of the trees and the level of infestation during 5 years (2017–2021).ResultsThe infestation level corresponding to the theoretical damage threshold was surpassed inmost plots during the study period. Nevertheless, there were no differences in the growth of attacked and unaffected plants in the two plots planted with hybrid clones with contrasting susceptibility to the gall wasp. The attack had a modest effect in C. sativa plots, with a mean reduction in annual basal area increment of 9.9%.DiscussionThese findings apparently contradict previous reports of a marked reduction in radial growth of chestnut coppice trees due to gall wasp attack. The difference in findings may be related to increased compensation for herbivory with increasing levels of resources (especially light) in the plantations under study, which were less dense than previously studied stands. The study outcomes add to existing knowledge on the impact of chestnut gall wasp on wood formation and may have implications regarding planting site recommendations and subsequent stand management.

A Novel Method for Detecting and Delineating Coppice Trees in UAV Images to Monitor Tree Decline

Monitoring tree decline in arid and semi-arid zones requires methods that can provide up-to-date and accurate information on the health status of the trees at single-tree and sample plot levels. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are considered as cost-effective and efficient tools to study tree structure and health at small scale, on which detecting and delineating tree crowns is the first step to extracting varied subsequent information. However, one of the major challenges in broadleaved tree cover is still detecting and delineating tree crowns in images. The frequent dominance of coppice structure in degraded semi-arid vegetation exacerbates this problem. Here, we present a new method based on edge detection for delineating tree crowns based on the features of oak trees in semi-arid coppice structures. The decline severity in individual stands can be analyzed by extracting relevant information such as texture from the crown area. Although the method presented in this study is not fully automated, it returned high performances including an F-score = 0.91. Associating the texture indices calculated in the canopy area with the phenotypic decline index suggested higher correlations of the GLCM texture indices with tree decline at the tree level and hence a high potential to be used for subsequent remote-sensing-assisted tree decline studies.

Variation in morphological and wood cell traits in coppice stems of Populus nigra L. and Salix alba L.

Coppice management is an ecologically important silvicultural practice to provide the quicker and higher potential of wood biomass production for industrial demands. Understanding morphological and anatomical responses of coppiced trees could help to determine the quantity and quality of wood and thus provide better management of coppiced tree plantations for short-time biomass production. However, there is a little investigation in morphological and anatomical adaptation in different fast-growing tree species. The present study, therefore, studied how morphology and anatomy vary between two fast-growing coppices of Populus nigra L. (black poplar) and Salix alba L. (white willow). Each coppiced tree was grown in a similar habitat and was at a similar age. However, each coppiced tree showed different morphological and anatomical plasticity in their stems in response to environmental factors. Poplar coppices showed better anatomical properties due to greater vessel diameter, fibre length, fibre width, fibre wall thickness, and ray height; however willow coppices had better morphological plasticity which had higher average stem height and ring width. The results suggest that willow coppices had the greater height growth potential even at 2 years of age than poplar coppices.

Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) biomass production on a former coal mine site: positive effects of coppicing on rapid recovery of growth and yield

Ten-year-old bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa Michx.) saplings established on the exposed, infertile, treeless barrens of a former coal mine site in New Brunswick, Canada, were harvested to assess the effects of subsequent coppicing on regrowth parameters and biomass production. Two years after harvesting, coppice height growth exceeded that of the original 10-year-old saplings by 20%. Mean stem numbers were 1.2 and 6.7 for 10-year-old and coppiced trees, respectively. Mean dry mass recovered after 2 years with 214, 112, and 207 g for 10-year-old saplings and the 1- and 2-year-old coppices, respectively. Site quality of the broken shale rock overburden was similar across four of the five sites, with the exception that one site had twice the soil nitrogen (N) at 0.123% than the other four site types, which had an average of 0.064% N. This high N site had 2.3-fold the productivity of the mean for the other four sites. Mean coppice stem height showed the strongest predictive relationship to total coppice dry mass when compared with the greatest stem height, greatest or mean stem basal diameter, or coppice stem number. The most dramatic result of this bur oak coppicing experiment was the rapid recovery of height growth, biomass production, and observable stem quality within coppices over the 2-year period following harvesting of the original, 10-year-old saplings.

Soil respiration and nitrogen leaching decreased in grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench) coppice after clear-cut

ABSTRACTGrey alder (Alnus incana) is a highly productive indigenous tree species, potential for short-rotation forestry in the Baltic and Nordic countries. The aim of the study was to investigate the development of a new forest generation, as well as the nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) storages and fluxes in a grey alder regenerating coppice (COP) after clear-cut and in an adjacent unharvested 21-year-old stand (MAT), which had reached its bulk maturity. The regeneration of COP was rapid and 5 years after clear-cut, stem mass was 6.4 t ha−1. The nitrogen demand of the aboveground part of the 5-year-old COP trees was estimated to be roughly half of the corresponding value for MAT, depending mostly on leaf production. The annual N leaching flux in MAT was in the range of 16–29 kg ha−1, the corresponding values for COP were roughly half of that. Net nitrogen mineralization did not differ significantly between MAT (117 kg ha−1) and COP (129 kg ha−1). For the soil respiration study, a 32-year-old grey alder stand growing at a similar site was included; soil respiration was significantly higher in MAT compared to COP in all study years in both studied stands.

Post fire regeneration of indigenous plant species in the Pugu Forest Reserve, Tanzania

Pugu Forest Reserve is part of the Coastal Forests of Eastern Africa Hotspot, recognized as one among the 34 global biodiversity hotspots. Fire unselectively devastated many favorable habitats and directly killed a substantial number of plant species in 2008 in the northern part of the Pugu Forest Reserve. The aim of the study was to assess natural regeneration of indigenous plant species five years after that fire. Sampling was performed using a nested plot design along three transects established among the topographic positions of hill tops, hill slopes and valley bottom. It documented 116 indigenous plant species from 46 families that had successfully regenerated in the burnt area. The stem densities of woody plant species differed significantly among the three topographic positions. The results of this study indicate higher densities of coppiced trees, sprouts, and seedlings on ridge tops versus hill slopes and valley bottoms. The species Garcinia acutifolia, Fernandoa magnifica, Rothmannia macrosiphon, Baphia puguensis and Uvaria decidua were among the threatened plant species under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List that failed to regenerate in the ridge tops. The impacts of the fire modified the natural habitat characteristics of the forest, causing some plant species to shift their normal distribution ranges. This study concludes that the forest recovery observed following the 2008 fire highlights the importance of fire suppression in effective conservation management strategies of the Pugu Forest Reserve.

Post-harvesting dynamics of the deadwood profile: the case of lowland beech-oak coppice-with-standards set-aside stands in France

In most European temperate forests, the heavy harvesting of low-quality wood for energy, a low minimum harvest diameter and a short rotation period, result in the limited deadwood resources. However, areas are being set aside in managed forests to restore deadwood levels. Coppice-with-standards is a silvicultural method characterized by periodic logging which clear-cuts coppice trees and removes some standard trees. We studied the deadwood profile (i.e., both amount and diversity) in oak-beech coppice-with-standards over time-since-the-last-harvest in order to evaluate how long it takes to recover significantly high amounts and diversity of deadwood substrates. A total of 282 circular 500-m2 plots were set up in 24 forests in southwestern France. We sampled five time-since-harvest classes within 80 years of the time elapsed since the last harvest. At the plot level, we used Generalized Linear Mixed Models to compare both deadwood volume and diversity among time classes. Diversity was also compared within time classes through accumulation curves. Deadwood legacies were very scarce after harvesting, both for volume and diversity. It took more than 70 years for deadwood amounts to become significantly higher than just after harvest; deadwood diversity was significantly higher only 30–50 years after harvesting due to quick snag recruitment. Crown deadwood, a particularly specialized resource rarely recorded, provided roughly 10–20% of the total deadwood amount throughout the study period and should be systematically recorded in further studies. Time-since-the-last-harvest was the best explanatory variable for both deadwood volume and diversity. We therefore recommend installing permanent set-aside areas to ensure deadwood conservation.

Coppicing evaluation in the Southern USA to determine harvesting methods for bioenergy production

ABSTRACT Woody biomass is an excellent source of renewable energy in terms of cost-benefit and availability. Short rotation woody crops (SRWC) meet intensive wood demand due to their fast growth and ability to coppice. There are uncertainties related to the feasibility of harvesting multiple-stem coppice trees with current technology. In this study, we investigated the physical attributes of two SRWC species, 2 years after harvest. A logistic regression was fit in an attempt to determine whether the number of surviving stems per stump (2 or fewer; 3 or more) had a relationship with the damage caused during harvest and the diameter classes of the stumps. The species used in this experiment were Eucalyptus urograndis in Florida, and Populus deltoides in Arkansas. Stem crowding and clump dimension was also collected from the coppice trees 2 years after harvest. In addition, the re-sprouting patterns from different seasons of the year (summer and winter) were compared. Results from both species showed that stump diameter is positively related with stem crowding. A minimal percentage of the clump dimensions exceeded the established threshold that would put these multi-stem trees in a challenging spot for subsequent harvesting operations with small-scale machinery.

Forecasting tree growth in coppiced and high forests in the Czech Republic. The legacy of management drives the coming Quercus petraea climate responses

Abstract Climate extremes are expected to increase, which will affect oak forest ecosystems in Central European areas. Intensively managed forests, such as sessile oak stands, may alter their structure and function under a warming scenario. Here we analyse and project the climate-growth relationships of sessile oak ( Quercus petraea ) from high forests, originated from seed, and coppice forests, originated from vegetative reproduction in the Czech Republic. Dendrochronological data and linear mixed-effects models show similar effects of precipitation for April–May (positive) for both seedling- and coppice-origin trees. Previous autumn and current June temperature show significant negative correlations to growth in coppice forests. Nonetheless, trees from high forest stands showed increasing drought sensitivity and tended to show a stronger response to the previous autumn’s temperature during the 20th century. The positive effect of warmer autumns, only found on high stands, might be related to the extended growing season, suggesting improved adaptive capacity to cope with impending warmer conditions. In contrast, coppice trees might be able to buffer soil water shortage during spring and summer by higher root/shoot ratio. The obtained models were used to estimate the impact of 21st century-emission scenarios on tree basal area increments and stand basal area dynamics under different stand structures. Our results support that growth responses to climate warming are age and/or structure-dependent in sessile oak, particularly with regards to coppiced stands. Converting coppice forests to high stand structures, as well as thinning high stands, would enhance sessile oak forest adaptive capacity to cope with warming in Central Europe.

Assessment of root-shoot ratio biomass and carbon storage of Quercus brantii Lindl. in the central Zagros forests of Iran

Assessment of carbon storage build-up in tree stems is a difficult task due to the lack of information on their carbon sequestration potential and allocation in different components. Similarly, high cost and complex methodology for accurate belowground biomass estimation make it in particular problematic. To this end, 18 Persian oak (Quercus brantii Lindley) trees from two growth forms in western Iran were destructively sampled to develop biomass and carbon mass prediction. Sampling covered a range of ages (40–145-year-old), sizes (DBH 7–38 cm) and mean crown diameter (1.9–8.55 m). We examined biomass proportion and carbon sequestration quantity at individual tree and growth form levels, which were: coppice and high forest. One-way ANOVA was used to test the significant differences in carbon concentration, biomass and carbon pools between the components of the two growth forms. Results showed that there was a difference in average biomass and carbon sequestration of trees from the two growth forms. The biomass distribution pattern was similar in the two growth forms. Amounts of stored biomass in trunk, stump, branch, twig and foliage were 24.79, 6.01, 63.82, 2.53 and 2.93% of aboveground components for high forest and 16.4, 10.12, 65.83, 4.23 and 3.46% for corresponding coppice trees. The average biomass of the root-shoot ratio in high-forest and coppice trees was determined 0.72 and 0.88, respectively. A general decline in these proportions was detected as the size of trees increased. We recommend a root-shoot ratio of 0.80 to be adopted for Persian oak.

Anthraco-typology as a key approach to past firewood exploitation and woodland management reconstructions. Dendrological reference dataset modelling with dendro-anthracological tools

Charcoal analysis aims to study different aspects of forest management, techno-economical choices and their specific impact on past landscapes, as well as the impact of climatic events. However, at the present time, charcoal analysis is generally limited to the study of a list of taxa and their relative frequency, as the methods usually employed in dendrochronology to characterize past woodland, based on long tree-ring series, are not suitable for anthracological material. Today, the new challenge for charcoal analysis is thus to develop adapted dendrological tools. In this context, the aim of the ANR DENDRAC project “Development of dendrometrical tools applied to anthracology: study of the interactions between Man, resources and environments” was to characterize modern-day wood stands in accordance with historical woodland practices and convert dendroecological data into parameters adapted to charcoal analysis. The purpose of this study is to define the dendrological features with the help of the anthracological tools without explaining the observed differences between the sampled stands (given the stational variability, age and regeneration modes). The first step consisted in creating dendro-anthracological tools based on morpho-anatomical criteria that help to characterize growth, distinguish heartwood from sapwood and evaluate charcoal-pith distance. The second step involves characterizing three modern-day wood stands (coppice under standard, high forest and young stand formed by a mixture of seeded and coppice trees), defined by their structure, stand density and regeneration modes, using dendrological data measured on fresh wood material and modelled into anthracological data with the dendro-anthracological tools. In this way, anthracological types were defined for each wood stand, forming anthraco-typological models, which area useful for the interpretation of archaeological charcoal assemblages. Finally, an anthracological key is proposed to sort archaeological charcoal fragments in anthraco-groups before data processing.

Improving identification of coppiced and seeded trees in past woodland management by comparing growth and wood anatomy of living sessile oaks (Quercus petraea)

Written sources and archaeological evidence suggest that coppicing was a common practice in past woodland management. Depending mainly on the length of rotations, coppices provided wood products of various sizes, and coppice-wood has been identified in fuel-wood remains as well as in timber studies. Assigning the origin of the wood analyzed to coppice is based on observation of “typical growth patterns”: an even-age structure and a rapid decrease in ring-width with age are used nowadays. However, the wide variety of coppice practices and the variability observed in living-tree analogs make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. To contribute to improving coppice-wood identification, the present study analyzed differences in growth and tree-ring anatomy between living sessile oaks from a mixed stand of coppiced and seeded trees.Stems were compared based on ring-width, early- and late-wood widths, number and size of the earlywood vessels, and tissue proportions measured at different heights. The growth of coppiced trees was found to be faster than that of seeded trees, in height at cambial ages between 3 and 5 years and in diameter at 5–8 years. A quantitative anatomy study showed that tree rings from coppice shoots had smaller and more numerous vessels per unit surface area and a weaker hydraulic conductivity. Earlywood width, which can be acquired on archaeological wood much more easily than vessel surface, was significantly greater in the sample of seeded trees. Linear discriminant analysis performed on the data used to model earlywood width (leave-one-out procedure) correctly classified 77% of coppice and 54% of seeded trees when the radius exceeded 1.66 cm and offers promising perspectives for dendro-anthracology and dendrochronology. Growth and anatomical differences between coppiced and seeded trees mixed in the same stand were observed while other sources of variability (site condition, competition, species) were constrained.

Competitive interactions of Persian oak coppice trees (Quercus brantii var. persica) in a pure dry woodland revealed through point pattern analysis

Understanding intraspecific interactions among Persian oaks is essential to predict the responses of Zagros dry woodlands purely covered by these coppice trees to environmental changes (such as drought) that have direct effects on the sustainability of these woodlands. This investigation attempted to explore the scale-dependent competition among Persian oaks and highlight the impacts of competitive interactions on their biophysical properties (i.e. tree height, diameter at root collar and crown attributes) via point pattern analysis. Structurally different summary statistics were implemented to analyse the spatial pattern of Persian oaks in a pure 9-ha study plot. Nearest neighbour distribution function D(r) indicated that these coppice trees had no nearest neighbours up to the spatial scale of 2 m, and they all had a nearest neighbour at distances shorter than 12 m. Furthermore, pair correlation function g(r) showed the significant dispersion of Persian oaks up to the scale of 5 m, which may be the outcome of intraspecific competition for resources such as soil nutrients and water. As explored by mark variograms γ m (r), Persian oaks of the same size had significant spatial correlations that illustrated the competitive (not facilitative) interactions of these coppice trees in the study plot. Mark correlation function k mm (r) additionally revealed negative correlations of height and radial growth up to large spatial scales. Consequently, the outcome of this study highlighted the significant effects of competitive intraspecific interactions among Persian oak coppice trees on their spatial pattern and biophysical properties.

Site-growth relationship of different short-rotation coppice tree species in southwestern Germany four years after establishment

Due to lack of detailed information on the suitability of short rotation coppice (SRC) species for different climatic regions, over four years this study investigated tree growth and susceptibility to pests and diseases of willow (Salix spp.) and poplar (Populus spp.) clones and other tree species like Alnus spp. and Robinia pseudoacacia at four sites located in southwestern Germany. The study was undertaken in order to deduce the kind of tree species recommended for the various site conditions. In 2009, field trials were established at four sites which differ in climate and soil characteristics (Forchheim, Kupferzell, Marbach and Aulendorf). At all tested locations, a high survival rate (&gt;90 %) was observed for almost all willow and poplar clones and little infestations with leaf rust (Melampsora) and minor leaf damages caused by the poplar leaf beetle (Chrysomela populi) had occurred. The survival of the other tree species varied from 22 to 97 % depending on the site and species. Across all tree species and locations, results indicated that willow clones can be recommended for cold sites and poplars generally seem to require higher temperatures. The Alnus spp. seems to be favorable for both cold and warm conditions while Robinia pseudoacacia can be recommended for warm sites. Due to its chilling sensitivity, Paulownia tomentosa seems to be rather unsuitable for cultivation in southwestern Germany. For all tested sites, it appears that those with heavy soils and dry conditions are inappropriate for establishing SRC species.

Estimating biophysical parameters of Persian oak coppice trees using UltraCam-D airborne imagery in Zagros semi-arid woodlands

This study provides insight into the quantitative assessment of biophysical parameters of Persian oak coppice trees using UltraCam-D (UC-D) very high spatial resolution airborne orthoimagery in Zagros semi-arid woodlands, West Iran. We estimated the parameters across two methods: 1) direct quantification of tree density using line intercept sampling (LIS) method, tree height (TH) by shadow length, crown diameter (CD) by manual measurement, and crown area (CA) using support vector machine classifier, and 2) indirect quantification of diameter at root collar (DRC) and basal area (BA) by the allometric equations employing CD. The validation method consisted of taking field measurements of the parameters of a total of 162 coppice trees in a 30 ha study plot. The results of the validation assessment revealed the effective estimation of TH (R2 = 0.85 and RMSE of 1.00 m), CD (R2 = 0.92 and RMSE of 1.19 m), CA (R2 = 0.85 and RMSE of 16.39 m2), DRC (R2 = 0.87 and RMSE of 0.05 m), and BA (R2 = 0.82 and RMSE of 0.04 m2), when compared against the validation data. Hence, we show that UC-D data are a practical alternative to filed measurements for characterization of coppice tree biophysical parameters in semi-arid woodlands which can be applied for woodland planning and management.

Modeling the above and belowground biomass of planted and coppiced Eucalytpus globulus stands in NW Spain

The study developed equations for predicting aboveground and belowground biomass of planted and coppiced Eucalyptus globulus in NW Spain. It was the first published work considering site effects on aboveground biomass and first work for predicting root biomass, for this species in this region, where it covers about 310,000 ha. Eucalyptus globulus is a species of great economic relevance, being increasingly used for bioenergy. In Galicia (NW Spain), where most of the E. globulus in the country is growing, there are scarce studies modeling aboveground biomass fractions of that species, together with a lack of information on its belowground biomass. The objective of this study was to develop new and more accurate allometries for predicting E. globulus tree aboveground biomass fractions and coarse belowground biomass in NW Spain. Aboveground biomass models were calibrated by two approaches: nonlinear seemingly unrelated regressions (NSUR), using tree and stand variables, and nonlinear mixed effects (nlme) equations adding the site factor effect. Validation was made with an independent dataset (85 trees). Belowground biomass equations were constructed for planted and coppiced trees. Crown length and dominant height substantially improved the precision in leaf and branch biomass estimation (NSUR). An added value of our study was the modeling of root/shoot ratio, as a function of diameter of planted and coppiced trees, for first time in this species. This study confirms the importance of site and stand stage to explain aboveground biomass variability. Although different belowground biomass accumulation patterns were observed for planted and coppice trees, aboveground biomass equations were common.

Resprouting after coppicing is negatively influenced by browsing in Terminalia sericea

AbstractUngulate herbivory, interacting with human activities such as tree cutting, can change vegetation structure by reducing tree growth or even increasing tree mortality. There is limited information about how browsing that occurs subsequent to coppicing affects regrowth of resprouting trees, with available data focusing on mature trees and seedlings. To address this knowledge gap, we studied the effect of browsing on the coppice response of resprouting Terminalia sericea trees in a semi‐arid savanna in South Africa. The coppice response of browsed trees was compared with that of unbrowsed trees for 12 months after excluding all browsing from study trees. Shoot production was initially higher for browsed coppiced trees, but this effect diminished with time. Resprout shoot diameter and shoot length remained higher throughout the study for unbrowsed coppiced trees. Leaf stomatal conductance and leaf expansion were initially higher for browsed coppiced trees, with no significant differences observed as the wet season progressed. Foliar nitrogen and phosphorus levels were higher in browsed coppiced trees. These tree responses suggest that exposing resprouting trees to browsing initially induces a quick response in terms of shoot production, in order to recover lost biomass, but this growth declines as the growing season progresses.