<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Intense dieback of <italic>Fraxinus excelsior</italic> L. has been causing rapid changes in advance growth of trees and understory shrub growth of the affected stands. In this study, changes in composition and density of understory were studied in 15 permanent plots (each 235.6 m<sup>2</sup>), repeatedly sampled in 2005, 2010, and 2015. Within each plot, the number and average height of understory individuals were determined. The successional changes in understory were assessed by Detrended Correspondence Analysis. In total, 11 advance growth and 20 undergrowth species were recorded. A significant increase in the density of understory was observed only in 2015, mainly due to understorey growth of <italic>Corylus avellana</italic> L., <italic>Padus avium</italic> Mill., and <italic>Lonicera xylosteum</italic> L. Regarding advanced growth, the highest density was observed for <italic>Ulmus glabra</italic> Huds., <italic>F. excelsior</italic> and <italic>Acer platanoides</italic> L.; the density of <italic>A. platanoides</italic> and <italic>F. excelsior</italic> increased particularly in the period from 2010–2015. The observed successional changes suggested individuality of development of the affected stands according to the composition of the remaining and neighbouring canopy trees.</p></abstract>

Intense dieback of Fraxinus excelsior L. has been causing rapid changes in advance growth of trees and understory shrub growth of the affected stands. In this study, changes in composition and density of understory were studied in 15 permanent plots (each 235.6 m2), repeatedly sampled in 2005, 2010, and 2015. Within each plot, the number and average height of understory individuals were determined. The successional changes in understory were assessed by Detrended Correspondence Analysis. In total, 11 advance growth and 20 undergrowth species were recorded. A significant increase in the density of understory was observed only in 2015, mainly due to understorey growth of Corylus avellana L., Padus avium Mill., and Lonicera xylosteum L. Regarding advanced growth, the highest density was observed for Ulmus glabra Huds., F. excelsior and Acer platanoides L.; the density of A. platanoides and F. excelsior increased particularly in the period from 2010–2015. The observed successional changes suggested individuality of development of the affected stands according to the composition of the remaining and neighbouring canopy trees.

Understory Changes in <italic>Fraxinus excelsior</italic> Stands in Response to Dieback in Latvia

Latvian State Forest Research Institute Silava, Rīgas iela 111, Salaspils, LV-2169, LATVIA

Forest Sector Competence Centre, Dzērbenes iela 23, Rīga, LV-1006, LATVIA

Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B. Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Understory Changes in  Stands in Response to Dieback in Latvia

Intense dieback of Fraxinus excelsior L. has been causing rapid changes in advance growth of trees and understory shrub growth of the affected stands. In this...

Understory Changes in Fraxinus excelsior Stands in Response to Dieback in Latvia

Publicado en línea: 02 ago 2016

Páginas: 131 - 137

Recibido: 24 feb 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/prolas-2016-0021

Palabras clave
succession, advance growth, undergrowth, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, recovery

© 2016 Ilze Pušpure et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Understory Changes in Fraxinus excelsior Stands in Response to Dieback in Latvia

Publicado en línea: 02 ago 2016

Páginas: 131 - 137

Recibido: 24 feb 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/prolas-2016-0021

Palabras clavesuccession, advance growth, undergrowth, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, recovery

© 2016 Ilze Pušpure et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Palabras clave
succession, advance growth, undergrowth, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, recovery