Dormant season submergence as a predictor of forest seedling survival in a connected floodplainData and code supporting the results have been archived via figshare, DOI:
Hydroperiod predicts forest species composition within floodplains, which influences productivity of connected ecosystems and supports people through critical ecosystem services. Therefore, understanding tree species responses to changes in hydroperiod is critical for maintaining these systems. Tree...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Trees, Forests and People |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719325000846 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849710145559330816 |
|---|---|
| author | John E. Tracy Ajay Sharma Stephanie Bohlman Love Kumar Daniel J. Johnson |
| author_facet | John E. Tracy Ajay Sharma Stephanie Bohlman Love Kumar Daniel J. Johnson |
| author_sort | John E. Tracy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hydroperiod predicts forest species composition within floodplains, which influences productivity of connected ecosystems and supports people through critical ecosystem services. Therefore, understanding tree species responses to changes in hydroperiod is critical for maintaining these systems. Trees are most vulnerable to stressors during their seedling stage, and the seasonality of floods can influence their response. Many species are considered tolerant of dormant season floods, but some experience reduced productivity and survival, which can influence competition and species composition. In lower elevation swamps of the Apalachicola River floodplain (Florida, USA), anthropogenically altered hydroperiod may predict observed species composition shifts from more flood-tolerant species, such as water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica) and pop ash (Fraxinus caroliniana) to less flood-tolerant competitors, such as water hickory (Carya aquatica) and overcup oak (Quercus lyrata). In a controlled experiment, we tested the hypothesis that dormant season seedling submergence affects survival and leaf flushing rates of these species differently and that shorter durations of seedling submergence allow increased survival of the less flood tolerant species, potentially increasing competition in floodplain swamps. We observed no differences in survival or rates of leaf flush among species after all treatment durations ranging between one and four months. Seven-month-old seedlings of these common competitors are similarly tolerant of dormant season flood events, when the Apalachicola floodplain is connected, and water conditions are aerobic. High water events are poor predictors of survival for established seedlings, but further investigations of tolerance to aerobic and hypoxic conditions by younger seedlings may reveal differing species adaptations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4b71ba36352944f8ae06e01243fa9238 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2666-7193 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Trees, Forests and People |
| spelling | doaj-art-4b71ba36352944f8ae06e01243fa92382025-08-20T03:15:03ZengElsevierTrees, Forests and People2666-71932025-06-012010085810.1016/j.tfp.2025.100858Dormant season submergence as a predictor of forest seedling survival in a connected floodplainData and code supporting the results have been archived via figshare, DOI:John E. Tracy0Ajay Sharma1Stephanie Bohlman2Love Kumar3Daniel J. Johnson4University of Florida, West Florida Research and Education Center, School of Forest, Fisheries, & Geomatics Sciences, 5988 US-90, Milton, FL 32583, USA; Corresponding author.Auburn University, College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment Bldg., 602 Duncan Dr, Auburn, AL 36849, USAUniversity of Florida, School of Forest, Fisheries, & Geomatics Sciences, 1745 McCarty Dr, Gainesville, FL 32611, USAUniversity of Florida, West Florida Research and Education Center, School of Forest, Fisheries, & Geomatics Sciences, 5988 US-90, Milton, FL 32583, USAUniversity of Florida, School of Forest, Fisheries, & Geomatics Sciences, 1745 McCarty Dr, Gainesville, FL 32611, USAHydroperiod predicts forest species composition within floodplains, which influences productivity of connected ecosystems and supports people through critical ecosystem services. Therefore, understanding tree species responses to changes in hydroperiod is critical for maintaining these systems. Trees are most vulnerable to stressors during their seedling stage, and the seasonality of floods can influence their response. Many species are considered tolerant of dormant season floods, but some experience reduced productivity and survival, which can influence competition and species composition. In lower elevation swamps of the Apalachicola River floodplain (Florida, USA), anthropogenically altered hydroperiod may predict observed species composition shifts from more flood-tolerant species, such as water tupelo (Nyssa aquatica) and pop ash (Fraxinus caroliniana) to less flood-tolerant competitors, such as water hickory (Carya aquatica) and overcup oak (Quercus lyrata). In a controlled experiment, we tested the hypothesis that dormant season seedling submergence affects survival and leaf flushing rates of these species differently and that shorter durations of seedling submergence allow increased survival of the less flood tolerant species, potentially increasing competition in floodplain swamps. We observed no differences in survival or rates of leaf flush among species after all treatment durations ranging between one and four months. Seven-month-old seedlings of these common competitors are similarly tolerant of dormant season flood events, when the Apalachicola floodplain is connected, and water conditions are aerobic. High water events are poor predictors of survival for established seedlings, but further investigations of tolerance to aerobic and hypoxic conditions by younger seedlings may reveal differing species adaptations.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719325000846InundationSwampBottomlandRegenerationApalachicola RiverLeaf flushing |
| spellingShingle | John E. Tracy Ajay Sharma Stephanie Bohlman Love Kumar Daniel J. Johnson Dormant season submergence as a predictor of forest seedling survival in a connected floodplainData and code supporting the results have been archived via figshare, DOI: Trees, Forests and People Inundation Swamp Bottomland Regeneration Apalachicola River Leaf flushing |
| title | Dormant season submergence as a predictor of forest seedling survival in a connected floodplainData and code supporting the results have been archived via figshare, DOI: |
| title_full | Dormant season submergence as a predictor of forest seedling survival in a connected floodplainData and code supporting the results have been archived via figshare, DOI: |
| title_fullStr | Dormant season submergence as a predictor of forest seedling survival in a connected floodplainData and code supporting the results have been archived via figshare, DOI: |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dormant season submergence as a predictor of forest seedling survival in a connected floodplainData and code supporting the results have been archived via figshare, DOI: |
| title_short | Dormant season submergence as a predictor of forest seedling survival in a connected floodplainData and code supporting the results have been archived via figshare, DOI: |
| title_sort | dormant season submergence as a predictor of forest seedling survival in a connected floodplaindata and code supporting the results have been archived via figshare doi |
| topic | Inundation Swamp Bottomland Regeneration Apalachicola River Leaf flushing |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719325000846 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johnetracy dormantseasonsubmergenceasapredictorofforestseedlingsurvivalinaconnectedfloodplaindataandcodesupportingtheresultshavebeenarchivedviafigsharedoi AT ajaysharma dormantseasonsubmergenceasapredictorofforestseedlingsurvivalinaconnectedfloodplaindataandcodesupportingtheresultshavebeenarchivedviafigsharedoi AT stephaniebohlman dormantseasonsubmergenceasapredictorofforestseedlingsurvivalinaconnectedfloodplaindataandcodesupportingtheresultshavebeenarchivedviafigsharedoi AT lovekumar dormantseasonsubmergenceasapredictorofforestseedlingsurvivalinaconnectedfloodplaindataandcodesupportingtheresultshavebeenarchivedviafigsharedoi AT danieljjohnson dormantseasonsubmergenceasapredictorofforestseedlingsurvivalinaconnectedfloodplaindataandcodesupportingtheresultshavebeenarchivedviafigsharedoi |