| Title: |
Promoting oak (Quercus pubescens Willd.) seedling development: finding the balance between canopy opening and grass competition under water stress |
| Authors: |
Brasseur, Solène; Santonja, Mathieu; Sanet, Tanguy; Ballini, Christine; Dupouyet, Sylvie; Prevosto, Bernard; Bousquet-Mélou, Anne |
| Contributors: |
Institut méditerranéen de biodiversité et d'écologie marine et continentale (IMBE); Avignon Université (AU)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut de recherche pour le développement IRD : UMR237-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS); Risques, Ecosystèmes, Vulnérabilité, Environnement, Résilience (RECOVER); Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE); France 2030 program : Aix-Marseille Université - A*MIDEX Excellence Initiative (AMX-19-IET-012); France 2030 program : PEPR FORESTT - REGE-ADAPT project (ANR-24-PEFO-0006); ECCOREV Research Federation (FR 3098); CNRS : French National program EC2CO; ANR-24-PEFO-0006,REGE-ADAPT,Forest regeneration and the adaptation and resilience of forest socio-ecosystems to climate change(2024); European Project: H2020 GA 101000289,HoliSoils |
| Source: |
https://hal.science/hal-05492693 ; 2026. |
| Publisher Information: |
CCSD |
| Publication Year: |
2026 |
| Collection: |
Université d'Avignon et des Pays de Vaucluse: HAL |
| Subject Terms: |
Water stress; Canopy opening; Mediterranean forest; Festuca ovina; Grass competition; Semi-controlled experiment; Quercus pubescens; [SDV.EE]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Ecology; environment |
| Description: |
To adapt Mediterranean forests to increasingly harsh climatic conditions by promoting genetic diversity, thinning is often considered an effective strategy to enhance sexual regeneration. However, determining an optimal thinning level that both increases light availability and maintains favorable microclimatic conditions for germination, without excessively promoting herbaceous competition, remains challenging. To better understand how abiotic and biotic factors influence oak seedling development and to help identify a balanced thinning level under climate change, we conducted a semi-controlled experiment testing the combined effects of competition with a grass species (Poaceae), two canopy opening levels, and water stress. Our results highlight the crucial role of competition with Poaceae species - in our case Festuca ovina - in oak regeneration. Their presence not only intensifies competition for essential resources, but also modifies soil properties and alters belowground interactions, overall creating conditions less favorable for oak seedling establishment. In addition, our results highlight the significant impact of key abiotic factors that are canopy opening (which influences light availability) and hydric conditions, as well as their interactions with the effects of competition. We observed a consistent need for adequate light to ensure optimal seedling performance, suggesting that successful regeneration depends on balancing sufficient canopy opening to improve light availability with maintaining sufficient cover to mitigate water stress and limit grass competition. Overall, our study contributes to the broader debate on sustainable forest management strategies under changing climatic conditions. |
| Document Type: |
report |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement//H2020 GA 101000289/EU/Holisoils (EU Horizon 2020 Grant Agreement No. 101000289)/HoliSoils |
| Availability: |
https://hal.science/hal-05492693; https://hal.science/hal-05492693v1/document; https://hal.science/hal-05492693v1/file/Manuscript.pdf; https://hal.science/hal-05492693v1/file/Figures.pdf |
| Rights: |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ; info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.80A49848 |
| Database: |
BASE |