Effects of Precipitation and Soil Moisture on the Characteristics of the Seedling Bank under Quercus acutissima Forest Plantation in Mount Tai, China

A significant decline of 38.37% in the density of Quercus acutissima seedlings was observed between 2010 and 2017, particularly among seedlings measuring 20–40 cm in height. This reduction correlates with periods of high precipitation and soil moisture, notably in 2011 and 2013. The study found that while younger seedlings (2–4 years) exhibited no significant differences in biomass or root morphology, older seedlings (5–6 years) demonstrated greater biomass accumulation. Principal component analysis revealed that drought adaptation in these seedlings involved changes in root morphology, nonstructural carbohydrate content, and biomass allocation. These findings suggest that drought stress, combined with seedling adaptation mechanisms, plays a crucial role in the dynamics of the seedling bank under Q. acutissima plantations.

Guo, L., Ni, R., Kan, X., Lin, Q., Mao, P., Cao, B., Gao, P., Dong, J., Mi, W., & Zhao, B. (2022). Effects of Precipitation and Soil Moisture on the Characteristics of the Seedling Bank under Quercus acutissima Forest Plantation in Mount Tai, China. Forests, 13(4), 545. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13040545