Gap disturbance, ground microtopography, and the regeneration dynamics of boreal coniferous forests in Finland: a review

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Abstract

Small-scale gap disturbance and gap regeneration can be common in boreal forests that have escaped catastrophic fire disturbance for prolonged time periods. Tree regeneration in gaps is enhanced by fine-scale heterogeneity at the forest floor created by soil disturbance and woody debris, which create favourable microsites for seed germination and seedling establishment. The significance of specific microsites for seedling establishment varies among forest types, being smallest in dry Scots pine Pinus sylvestris dominated forests with scanty understory vegetation and thin humus layer, and greatest in moist Norway spruce Picea abies dominated forests with abundant understory vegetation and thick humus layer. In a gap the survival, growth and recruitment of tree seedlings is determined by gap size and long-term below- and above-ground interferences between tree seedlings, understory vegetation and adjacent large trees. Gap disturbance contributes to the structural, functional and species diversity of the boreal forest both at local and areal levels. At local level gap disturbance increases fine-scale variation in soil properties and microtopography. At areal scale gap disturbance creates horizontally and vertically heterogeneous forest structures and contributes to the coexistence of coniferous and broad-leaved tree species. -Author

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APA

Kuuluvainen, T. (1994). Gap disturbance, ground microtopography, and the regeneration dynamics of boreal coniferous forests in Finland: a review. Annales Zoologici Fennici, 31(1), 35–51.

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