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Sprouting, succession and tree species diversity in a South African coastal dune forest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Emmanuel Fred Nzunda
Emmanuel Fred Nzunda*
Affiliation:
School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
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Abstract:

Sprouting may play a significant role in maintenance of plant diversity where prevailing disturbance frequency and severity allows. When disturbance frequency and severity decrease, strong sprouters may be outcompeted. As a result, species composition and diversity may change. This study was carried out to investigate the relationship between sprouting, succession and species diversity in a coastal dune forest that currently suffers from low-severity, chronic disturbance due to sea winds and loose sand substrate. Historically, the site was occupied by shifting cultivators who left the site about 80 y ago. Data on trees that were at least 1.3 m tall from 42 sample plots measuring 20 × 20 m were used. The plots were ranked in order of advancement of succession using the first axis of Principal Components Analysis of forest structural variables. Regeneration pattern was examined using analysis of stem diameter frequency distribution. Abundance and regeneration of strong basal sprouters, incidence of basal sprouting and species diversity decreased with advancement of succession. Only a few species could regenerate under the canopy of late-successional sites. Basal sprouts decreased with advancement of succession whereas trunk sprouts increased. These results suggest that maintenance of high species diversity may need a level of disturbance that allows regeneration and maintenance of strong basal sprouters.

Keywords

disturbance severityforest structuremulti-stemmed treesplant community dynamicsresproutingshade tolerancespecies compositionsuccession
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Tropical Ecology , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , March 2011 , pp. 195 - 203
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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