Competition between and within aspen(populus tremula) and raspberry(rubus idaeus) after clear-cutting: Matrix models of structured populations dynamics

Abstract

The study aims to understand the life histories and ensuing population dynamics of Rubus idaeus and Populus tremula during their early stage of secondary succession following clear-cutting. Dynamics of raspberry and aspen populations are described by meens of special kind of matrix population model, which takes into account both the chronological age and the ontogenetic stage of individual plants. Modelling relies upon data sets from clear-cut areas of the Central Forest Reserve (Russia). Observations on the permanent sample plots for 8 years provided data which were used the linear matrix models of single-species population growth and for a nonlinear model of two competing species dynamics during succession. Relatively large numbers of age-stage groups for two competing populations were aggregated into a system consisting of a few macro-groups formed by their functional role in the competition processes. The aggregated, low-dimensional model demonstrates biologically interpretable competition outcomes and shows that different boundary steady states with exclusion of one or more macro-groups are possible. © 2007, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.