Abstract
ABSTRACT In south‐central Chile, the dynamics of southern beech (Nothofagaceae) stands vary predictably along climatic gradients. Beeches form persistent stands at high elevations, but their establishment on lowland sites depends mainly on catastrophic disturbances. In New Zealand, nearly all studies of beech forest dynamics to date have reported all‐sized, persistent populations. However, previous work has focused largely on the South Island or on North Island mountains, where beeches are widespread and often dominant. Little is known about beech dynamics in the warm North Island lowlands, where beeches are less common. We aimed to clarify the circumstances that enable beeches to establish on lowland sites in the North Island. We measured population structures of beeches and associated species on 11 plots distributed across a range of climate, lithology and topography. On sites where the most shade‐tolerant broadleaved trees were absent or uncommon, all‐sized populations showed that beech regeneration did not depend on major disturbances. These stands were located mostly on steep faces or ridges with soil carbon:nitrogen ratios > 18, usually with ericaceous understoreys. On sites with higher N availability, where shade‐tolerant broadleaved trees were abundant, beech populations were generally sparser, with restricted age ranges. One of these ± even‐aged beech stands appeared to have established after windthrow, the other four after fires. Recent dieback of Weinmannia racemosa associated with insect attack had resulted in another wave of beech regeneration in one of the post‐fire stands. Establishment on landslides appears to only rarely enable beeches to capture new sites in the lowland North Island. We conclude that beeches form stable self‐replacing stands on lowland North Island sites with low nitrogen availability, but that exogenous disturbances occasionally enable beeches to establish as pioneers on sites with higher nitrogen availability. The early successionalrole commonly seen in lowland south‐central Chile thus appears less widespread in New Zealand.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Beech regeneration was independent of major disturbance where shade tolerant broadleaf trees were uncommon.
- Taxon
- southern beecht0
- Outcome
- beech regeneratione0
- Qualifier
- shade‐tolerant broadleaved trees were absent or uncommone0
- Setting
- sitese0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“On sites where the most shade‐tolerant broadleaved trees were absent or uncommon, all‐sized populations showed that beech regeneration did not depend on major disturbances.”
t0“southern beech (Nothofagaceae)”
Claim · model-written summary
These stands were mainly on steep faces or ridges with carbon:nitrogen ratios above 18.
- Taxon
- southern beecht0
- Outcome
- standse0
- Qualifier
- soil carbon:nitrogen ratios > 18e0
- Setting
- steep faces or ridgese0
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“These stands were located mostly on steep faces or ridges with soil carbon:nitrogen ratios > 18, usually with ericaceous understoreys.”
t0“southern beech (Nothofagaceae)”
Claim · model-written summary
Beeches were sparser with restricted age ranges on higher nitrogen sites with abundant shade tolerant trees.
Verbatim
e0“On sites with higher N availability, where shade‐tolerant broadleaved trees were abundant, beech populations were generally sparser, with restricted age ranges.”
t0“southern beech (Nothofagaceae)”
Claim · model-written summary
One even aged stand appeared to establish after windthrow.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“One of these ± even‐aged beech stands appeared to have established after windthrow”
t0“southern beech (Nothofagaceae)”
Claim · model-written summary
Four other stands appeared to establish after fires.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“the other four after fires”
t0“southern beech (Nothofagaceae)”
Claim · model-written summary
Insect associated Weinmannia dieback accompanied new beech regeneration.
- Taxon
- southern beecht0
- Interactor
- Weinmannia racemosa
Pterophylla racemosae0other - Outcome
- another wave of beech regeneratione0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Recent dieback of Weinmannia racemosa associated with insect attack had resulted in another wave of beech regeneration in one of the post‐fire stands.”
t0“southern beech (Nothofagaceae)”
Claim · model-written summary
Landslides only rarely enabled beeches to capture lowland sites.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“Establishment on landslides appears to only rarely enable beeches to capture new sites in the lowland North Island.”
t0“southern beech (Nothofagaceae)”
Claim · model-written summary
Beeches form stable self replacing stands on low nitrogen sites.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“beeches form stable self‐replacing stands on lowland North Island sites with low nitrogen availability”
t0“southern beech (Nothofagaceae)”
Claim · model-written summary
Disturbances sometimes permit beech establishment on higher nitrogen sites.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“exogenous disturbances occasionally enable beeches to establish as pioneers on sites with higher nitrogen availability”
t0“southern beech (Nothofagaceae)”