Project Details
Projekt
From seed deposition to establishment during forest recovery
Subject Area
Ecology and Biodiversity of Animals and Ecosystems, Organismic Interactions
Term
since 2021
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 444827997
Understanding the processes that determine seedling recruitment and their interactions with herbivores during forest recovery is key to accelerate natural growth into their original state. In subproject SP5 of phase 1 of Reassembly, we examined the dynamics of seedling recruitment and seedling-herbivore interactions along a gradient of rainforest recovery. Our findings identified regeneration time, forest coverage in the surroundings, remnant trees in the plots and animal dispersers as key promoting drivers for natural forest recovery. Moreover, prior use as pastures seems to hinder the recovery of functional diversity particularly concerning conservative traits. Hence, mechanistic knowledge of the abiotic and biotic drivers during the early phase of forest recovery is required to understand the speed and direction of natural recovery. During phase 2, SP5 will investigate the dynamics of seedling establishment along the recovery gradient, specifically considering abiotic and biotic filters for early regeneration. First, we will assess the community and trait composition of arriving seeds and monitor corresponding seedling establishment to identify modulating abiotic and biotic filters such as light, water availability, litter, shade and seed deposition by frugivores. Second, focusing on the outcome of pollination and seed dispersal in recovering areas, we will determine dispersal distances and the resulting genetic diversity arriving in the early recovering stage. Third, we will study seedling-herbivore-interactions during early recovery and over time. Fourth, we will assess how seedling-herbivore-interactions respond to driver manipulation, i.e. litter removal, shade addition or both. Finally, we aim to identify functional traits of plants and their interaction partners as well as abiotic and biotic filters that enhance early recovery and persistence of plant populations. Besides achieving a fundamental understanding of recovery of key components of the ecosystem, our insights on drivers for species and genetic diversity of tree seedlings will help inform conservation management strategies and guide forest restoration programmes.
DFG Programme
Research Units
International Connection
Ecuador
Cooperation Partners
Professor Dr. Juan Ernesto Guevara Andino; Professorin Dr. Nora Oleas
