Recovery of plant community functional traits following severe soil perturbation in plantations: a case-study

ABSTRACT

We present a case study in which we assessed the effects of a severe soil perturbation on the plant community and soil variables in young hybrid poplar (Populus sp.) plantations of southern Québec (Canada). Our overall goal was to test if soil perturbation and planting fast-growing species could promote the reestablishment of a relatively diverse plant community. A chronosequence that included three plantations (4, 8, and 12-year old) established after soil scarification, paired with three natural stands representative of the local temperate mixedwood forest comprising both pioneer and late-successional tree species, was implemented. Vegetation surveys and soil collection were performed in 2012 and species traits were provided by the Traits Of Plants In Canada and TRY databases. Principal response curve analyses showed species and functional trait divergence between treated and natural stands at ages 4 and 8, but that those divergences were less at age 12. Species and trait convergences were slower in the scarification furrows than in the scarification berms (mounds between furrows). However, severe site preparation did not appear to affect soil variables on the study sites. Our results suggest that even following severe site preparation, gradual recovery of species and trait composition similar to that of natural stands appears possible in the long term, mainly through fast canopy development by hybrid poplar. However, organic material export and soil erosion risks associated with this type of site preparation need to be evaluated.

EDITED BY Sheila Ward

KEYWORDS:

• V-blade scarification
• functional ecology
• functional traits
• plant biodiversity
• ecosystem resilience

Acknowledgements

We thank Isabelle Aubin (CFS-NRCan) for her scientific input, Ulysse Rémillard (Quebec Intensive Silviculture Network), the Groupement forestier de l’Est du Lac Témiscouata and the Groupement forestier de Kamouraska for their help in field work, as well as Gilles Vallée and Clarence Dubé of Cascades Canada ULC (Norampac division) for the logistic support. We express our thanks to Dr. N. Brokaw for insightful suggestions during manuscript preparation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplemental Material

Supplemental data for the article can be accessed at http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21513732.2016.1146334

Additional information

Funding

We thank Clarence Dubé of Cascades Canada ULC (Norampac division) for the financial support. This project was also funded by the Quebec Intensive Silviculture Network, the Commission régionale des élus (CRÉ) du Bas-Saint-Laurent, Natural Resources Canada (Laurentian Forestry Centre), in collaboration with the Direction de la recherche forestière of the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec.