Abstract
The objective of this study is to understand the response of Quercus suber seedlings to light and water, two limiting factors of their growth and survival in Mediterranean woody plants. Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to contrast the results from both types of experiments. At the greenhouse experiment, Quercus suber seedlings were grown at three treatments of light (3%, 27% and 100% of incident light) and daily irrigation. When plants had four months old, half of the individuals did not receive any water, so we had then two water treatments (water and drought) within each light treatment. After two months, different variables were measured. At the field experiment, Quercus suber acorns were sown in three microhabitats with different light conditions (open, under tree and deep shade) in Los Alcornocales Natural Park (Cadiz). These microhabitats have similar light radiation than the treatments used at the greenhouse experiment. The greenhouse experiment results showed that the acorn mass was important for determining the seedling mass on the first stages, and that importance increased with light limitation. Thus, a greater seedling biomass was strongly associated with a bigger acorn mass under deep shade, but with increasing light levels the association between seedling and acorn mass became lower and non-significant. Quercus suber seedlings responded to light restriction with a decrease in the relative growth rate (RGR) and then the seedlings had lower biomass. This decrease in RGR was mainly caused by a decrease of the net assimilation rate (NAR). However, specific leaf area (SLA) and stem mass ratio (SMR) increased under shade as a way to enhance light capture. The response to water limitation was a general decrease of RGR, but interestingly, the effect of drought was negligible under deep shade conditions. The results of the field experiment were similar to those in the greenhouse experiment, which reinforce the conclusions of this study. Seedlings from open microhabitats (with more light) had a greater biomass than seedlings under tree or deep shade microhabitats. Also, the response to light limitation was an increase of specific leaf area (SLA), an increase in stem mass ratio and stem length. In contrast with the growth data, the survival rate of seedlings after the summer drought was greater under trees than in the open habitats. Then, it seems to exist an uncoupling between growth and survival of Quercus suber seedlings under different conditions. In this way, the best microhabitat for the growth (open microhabitat) is not the best for seedling survival, while medium shade microhabitat seems to be the best suited for Quercus suber regeneration.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
a greater seedling biomass was strongly associated with a bigger acorn mass under deep shade.
- Taxon
- Quercus suber
Quercus subert0 - Organ / stage
- acorn masse0
- Outcome
- seedling biomasse0
- Direction
- biggere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Quercus suber”
e0“a greater seedling biomass was strongly associated with a bigger acorn mass under deep shade”
Claim · model-written summary
with increasing light levels the association between seedling and acorn mass became lower and non-significant.
- Taxon
- Quercus suberQuercus subert0
- Organ / stage
- acorn masse0
- Outcome
- association between seedling and acorn masse0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Quercus suber”
e0“with increasing light levels the association between seedling and acorn mass became lower and non-significant”
Claim · model-written summary
light restriction with a decrease in the relative growth rate (RGR).
- Taxon
- Quercus suberQuercus subert0
- Treatment
- light restrictione0
- Outcome
- relative growth rate (RGR)e0
- Direction
- decreasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Quercus suber”
e0“light restriction with a decrease in the relative growth rate (RGR)”
Claim · model-written summary
the seedlings had lower biomass.
- Taxon
- Quercus suberQuercus subert0
- Outcome
- biomasse0
- Direction
- lowere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Quercus suber”
e0“the seedlings had lower biomass”
Claim · model-written summary
This decrease in RGR was mainly caused by a decrease of the net assimilation rate (NAR).
- Taxon
- Quercus suberQuercus subert0
- Outcome
- RGRe0
- Direction
- decreasee0
- Qualifier
- net assimilation rate (NAR)e0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Quercus suber”
e0“This decrease in RGR was mainly caused by a decrease of the net assimilation rate (NAR)”
Claim · model-written summary
specific leaf area (SLA) and stem mass ratio (SMR) increased under shade.
- Taxon
- Quercus suberQuercus subert0
- Treatment
- shadee0
- Outcome
- specific leaf area (SLA) and stem mass ratio (SMR)e0
- Direction
- increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Quercus suber”
e0“specific leaf area (SLA) and stem mass ratio (SMR) increased under shade”
Claim · model-written summary
water limitation was a general decrease of RGR.
- Taxon
- Quercus suberQuercus subert0
- Treatment
- water limitatione0
- Outcome
- RGRe0
- Direction
- decreasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Quercus suber”
e0“water limitation was a general decrease of RGR”
Claim · model-written summary
the effect of drought was negligible under deep shade conditions.
- Taxon
- Quercus suberQuercus subert0
- Treatment
- droughte0
- Outcome
- effect of droughte0
- Direction
- negligiblee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Quercus suber”
e0“the effect of drought was negligible under deep shade conditions”
Claim · model-written summary
Seedlings from open microhabitats (with more light) had a greater biomass than seedlings under tree or deep shade microhabitats.
- Taxon
- Quercus suberQuercus subert0
- Outcome
- biomasse0
- Direction
- greatere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Quercus suber”
e0“Seedlings from open microhabitats (with more light) had a greater biomass than seedlings under tree or deep shade microhabitats”
Claim · model-written summary
light limitation was an increase of specific leaf area (SLA), an increase in stem mass ratio and stem length.
- Taxon
- Quercus suberQuercus subert0
- Treatment
- light limitatione0
- Outcome
- specific leaf area (SLA), an increase in stem mass ratio and stem lengthe0
- Direction
- increasee0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Quercus suber”
e0“light limitation was an increase of specific leaf area (SLA), an increase in stem mass ratio and stem length”
Claim · model-written summary
survival rate of seedlings after the summer drought was greater under trees than in the open habitats.
- Taxon
- Quercus suberQuercus subert0
- Outcome
- survival rate of seedlingse0
- Direction
- greatere0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Quercus suber”
e0“survival rate of seedlings after the summer drought was greater under trees than in the open habitats”
Claim · model-written summary
Medium shade appears best suited for Quercus suber regeneration.
- Taxon
- Quercus suberQuercus subere0
- Outcome
- medium shade microhabitate0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“medium shade microhabitat seems to be the best suited for Quercus suber regeneration”
The same questions in other papers
shade · growth · Quercus suber (cork oak)Positive and negative results
1 in the opposite direction
- negative
light · growth · Quercus suber (cork oak)Positive and negative results
1 paper in the same direction as this paper · 2 in the opposite direction
- negative
- no effect
- positive
Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.