Architecture, cover and light interception by bramble (Rubus fruticosus): a common understorey weed in temperate forests

Archive ouverte

Balandier, Philippe | Marquier, André | Casella, Eric | Kiewitt, Andrea | Coll, Lluis | Wehrlen, Léon | Harmer, Ralph

Edité par CCSD ; Oxford University Press (OUP) -

[Notes_IRSTEA]attention : en 2012 uniquement en first published online, donc pas encore paginé, probablement parution en 2013 ; pagination attribuée pour 2013 (information en date de janv 2013) [Departement_IRSTEA]Territoires [TR1_IRSTEA]SEDYVIN. Bramble (Rubus fruticosus L.) is a common weed in temperate forest and also in other world ecosystems where it is recorded as an invasive plant. Although it has been described to efficiently compete for water and nutrients, little is known on its competitive ability for light. We described bramble canopy architecture, cover relative to light availability and light interception ability in 60 areas of bramble thicket at 17 sites in France and 1 in England with contrasting soils and climates. The leaf area and leaf number can be predicted by the cane (shoot) length. The leaf inclination distribution was planophile (i.e. leaf laminas distributed in the horizontal plane). There was a good relationship between light interception and leaf area index (LAI) of the different bramble thickets, with no significant site influence, meaning that a single model can be used to predict light interception by bramble in different conditions. Bramble LAI and cover rapidly increased with light availability in the understorey to reach almost 20% cover at only 5–7% light availability above the thicket. Consequently, bramble is able to tolerate deep shade, which is not in accordance with its reputed moderate to high light requirement reported in the literature and suggests that it is difficult to control this species by manipulating tree canopy. This would have adverse consequences on tree regeneration.

Consulter en ligne

Suggestions

Du même auteur

Plasticity in growth, biomass allocation and root morphology in beech seedlings as induced by irradiance and herbaceous competition

Archive ouverte | Curt, Thomas | CCSD

International audience. Biomass increment, biomass allocation and fine-root morphology were compared on four-year old Fagus sylvatica seedlings growing under low (11% relative irradiance), medium (14-19%) or high (4...

Six-year time course of light-use efficiency, carbon gain and growth of beech saplings (Fagus sylvatica) planted under a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) shelterwood

Archive ouverte | Balandier, Philippe | CCSD

Two-year-old Fagus sylvatica L. saplings were planted under the cover of a Pinus sylvestris L. stand in the French Massif Central. The stand was differentially thinned to obtain a gradient of transmitted photosynthetically active ...

Competition for water between beech seedlings and surrounding vegetation in different light and vegetation composition conditions

Archive ouverte | Coll, Lluis | CCSD

[Departement_IRSTEA]GT [TR1_IRSTEA]32 - GECOTER / ECOFRICH. International audience. - To gain a better understanding of beech growth requirements and assess the competition with the surrounding vegetation at two suc...

Chargement des enrichissements...