SEEDLING SURVIVAL, GROWTH AND MORTALITY OF JUNIPERUS ASHEI (CUPRESSACAE) IN THE EDWARDS PLATEAU REGION OF CENTRAL TEXAS

摘要

This study examined the survival, growth and mortality of various spatial cohorts of seedlings of Juniperus ashei. The greatest mortality occurred during the hot, dry summer months. In addition, a large number of J. ashei seedlings with reduced growth was found beneath the canopy of mature J. ashei trees. These seedlings appear to serve as a seedling bank, providing a source of recruitment of new individuals into the population with the death of the overstory trees. Higher seedling growth rates were found at the edge of established woodlands, suggesting that edge habitats may be best for growth beyond the seedling stage. No seedlings survived in the associated grasslands. Thus, J. ashei woodlands appear to be expanding more by way of the growth of new individuals at the edges of established woodlands, rather than from new individual plants establishing in associated grasslands.