Abstract

GODINEZ-IBARRA, Oliva et al. Seed rain and seedling emergence of Fagus grandifolia subsp. mexicana at La Mojonera, Hidalgo, Mexico. Rev. Mex. Biodiv. [online]. 2007, vol.78, n.1, pp.117-128. ISSN 2007-8706.

Fagus grandifolia subsp. mexicana is a species restricted to small populations under high anthropogenic pressure. With the aim to attain information to propose conservation strategies of this species, the seed rain and demography of current-year seedlings were analyzed at La Mojonera, Hidalgo, Mexico. A 4 800 m² plot divided into 10 X 10 m quadrants was established. The seed rain, seedling emergence, and survival were analyzed using seed traps of 0.5 m² and adjacent 1 m² sub-plots. The total seed rain was 521 667 seeds ha^-1. A high proportion of seeds were unsound (46.01%), followed by damaged seeds (29.5%) and only 24.44% were sound. Emerged seedlings fluctuated from 1 to 33 seedlings m². Alter 10 months, 2.8% of emerged seedlings were alive. Seedlings that emerged first showed higher survival probability. Important mortality causes were herbivory (34.44%), damping-off (24.07%) and unknown causes (23.65%). This species presents the general pattern of tree species in seedlings survival, showing a high mortality rate during the first year.

Keywords : mast year; seedling demography; seedling survival; mortality causes.

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