The Role of Plant-Plant Interactions in Forest Response to Climate Change: Sessile Oak and Beech in the Western Pyrenees

This study quantified how interactions between sessile oak and beech seedlings and adult trees vary along an altitudinal gradient in the western Pyrenees, showing that high-elevation competition limits oak survival but future warming will reduce this competition and promote oak’s uphill migration relative to beech.

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Many models of forest response to climate change ignore biotic interactions. We conducted an in situ experiment along a 600 m elevation gradient in the western Pyrenees to measure interactions between sessile oak (Quercus petraea) and common beech (Fagus sylvatica) seedlings under adult canopies. Seedling survival data revealed that competition from beech increased sharply with elevation for oak, due to cooler, shaded microclimates limiting growing season length. Beech seedlings showed less sensitivity. Under projected warming, oak’s greater phenological response to heat should reduce this competitive pressure, accelerating its altitudinal migration and amplifying species-range shifts.

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Proiect

Innovations agronomiques

Innovations agronomiques

Locație
France
Autori
Richard MICHALLET, Yannick VITASSE et Sylvain DELZON
Scop
Adopt innovative practices

Tip fișier
document
Creat pe
01 nov. 2015
Limba de origine
French
Website-ul oficial al proiectului
Innovations agronomiques
Licență
CC BY