TY - JOUR
T1 - Frequent fires may alter the future composition of the boreal forest in northern Mongolia
AU - Otoda, Takashi
AU - Doi, Takahiro
AU - Sakamoto, Keiji
AU - Hirobe, Muneto
AU - Nachin, Baatarbileg
AU - Yoshikawa, Ken
N1 - Funding Information:
Acknowledgments We are grateful to members of the Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Physiological Plant Ecology, Okayama University, for valuable suggestions. We are also grateful to members of the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, National University of Mongolia, for their assistance in the field. The editor and three anonymous reviewers greatly improved the clarity of the manuscript. This study was supported in part by the Global Environmental Research Fund of Japan’s Ministry of the Environment (G-071), the Research Institute for Human and Nature (D-04) and Research Grant for Encouragement of Students, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Okayama University.
PY - 2013/6
Y1 - 2013/6
N2 - To examine the effects of frequent fires on species composition of the boreal forest in northern Mongolia, we investigated regeneration patterns, including reproductive pathways, post-fire seed sources, and site preferences, of four common tree species (Betula platyphylla, Larix sibirica, Picea obovata, and Pinus sibirica). Regeneration patterns differed among B. platyphylla, L. sibirica, and the two evergreen conifers. B. platyphylla regenerated vigorously only after fire irrespective of the presence/absence of nearby seed sources, whereas post-fire regeneration of L. sibirica was more dependent on the presence of nearby seed sources. These two species did not regenerate in mature stands where mature trees of these species were growing. In contrast, no post-fire recruitment of P. obovata and P. sibirica was observed, whereas continuous recruitment of these species was observed in mature stands. The frequent fires that accompany illegal logging may result in larger burned areas and increase the risk of local extinctions of seed sources. The enlargement of burned areas is likely to favor post-fire recruitment of B. platyphylla. Seed dispersal limitation seems to have less effect on B. platyphylla than on the other species because of the wider seed dispersal range and vegetative reproduction capability of this species. Consequently, fires in the northern Mongolian boreal forest likely promote the relative dominance of B. platyphylla and threaten the existence of the evergreen conifers.
AB - To examine the effects of frequent fires on species composition of the boreal forest in northern Mongolia, we investigated regeneration patterns, including reproductive pathways, post-fire seed sources, and site preferences, of four common tree species (Betula platyphylla, Larix sibirica, Picea obovata, and Pinus sibirica). Regeneration patterns differed among B. platyphylla, L. sibirica, and the two evergreen conifers. B. platyphylla regenerated vigorously only after fire irrespective of the presence/absence of nearby seed sources, whereas post-fire regeneration of L. sibirica was more dependent on the presence of nearby seed sources. These two species did not regenerate in mature stands where mature trees of these species were growing. In contrast, no post-fire recruitment of P. obovata and P. sibirica was observed, whereas continuous recruitment of these species was observed in mature stands. The frequent fires that accompany illegal logging may result in larger burned areas and increase the risk of local extinctions of seed sources. The enlargement of burned areas is likely to favor post-fire recruitment of B. platyphylla. Seed dispersal limitation seems to have less effect on B. platyphylla than on the other species because of the wider seed dispersal range and vegetative reproduction capability of this species. Consequently, fires in the northern Mongolian boreal forest likely promote the relative dominance of B. platyphylla and threaten the existence of the evergreen conifers.
KW - Age structure
KW - Post-fire recruitment
KW - Regeneration strategy
KW - Succession
KW - Taiga forest
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U2 - 10.1007/s10310-012-0345-2
DO - 10.1007/s10310-012-0345-2
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84877635947
VL - 18
SP - 246
EP - 255
JO - Journal of Forest Research
JF - Journal of Forest Research
SN - 1341-6979
IS - 3
ER -