1. Resprouting enhances seedling persistence in a subtropical coastal dune forest.
- Author
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Nzunda, Emmanuel F., Griffiths, Megan E., and Lawes, Michael J.
- Subjects
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SPROUTS , *SEEDLINGS , *TREES , *PLANT species , *REGENERATION (Biology) , *ECOLOGICAL niche , *PLANT stems , *BOTANY - Abstract
In theory, resprouting enables species with low reproductive output (i.e., few seedlings) to persist. The advantage conferred by seedling sprouts on tree species persistence was evaluated in a subtropical coastal dune forest in South Africa. Species with a higher frequency of seedling sprouts demonstrated greater persistence as evidenced by a larger proportion of seedlings >1 year old and a larger seedling bank than species with few seedling sprouts. Resprouted seedlings had a larger basal diameter than true seedlings. Although resprouting resulted in the maintenance of multiple stems in some seedlings, the proportion of multi-stemmed seedlings was low. Multi-stemming was not a favoured form of seedling growth except in one species that occupied relatively open sites. Despite the apparent difference among species in resprouting ability, we found that seedling resprouting was not phylogenetically constrained. These results demonstrate that seedling sprouts form an important component of seedling banks in coastal dune forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
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