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Home → Publications → Forest Nursery Notes → 2009 Winter Forest Nursery Notes → 2009 Winter Forest Nursery Notes - New Nursery Literature → Can Plantations Develop Understory Biological and Physical Attributes of Naturally Regenerated Forests?

Can Plantations Develop Understory Biological and Physical Attributes of Naturally Regenerated Forests?

Aubin, I., Messier, C., and Bouchard, A. Biological Conservation 141:2461-2476. 2008.

With an increasing proportion of natural forests being replaced by plantations, there is a need to determine their potential to fulfill ecological purposes other than wood production. This study evaluated the extent to which deciduous and coniferous plantations develop understory attributes comparable to those of naturally regenerated stands. A functional group approach was used to synthesise species responses in terms of their ecological traits. Multivariate analyses of ecological traits revealed 16 emergent groups that shared common traits associated with a similar life history strategy. Responses of these groups, understory structure, and understory environmental conditions to plantation types and stand stages were analyzed and compared to naturally regenerated stands. Clear associations of trait responses to stand developmental stages and plantation types emerged.


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Author(s): I. Aubin, C. Messier, A. Bouchard

Section: General and Miscellaneous

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