Seed and Cone Production Patterns from Seventy-Nine Provenances of Pinus halepensis Mill. Across Tunisia Forests
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12974/2311-858X.2014.02.02.4Keywords:
Tree dimensions, bioclimatic gradient, cone and seed production, Aleppo pine, stands characteristics, Tunisia.Abstract
Pinus halepensis Mill. is an important tree species in the Mediterranean Basin. In Tunisia, there is an increasing interest in its seed production due to their impact on the socio-economical life of the Tunisian population, forest regeneration (seedling production) and biodiversity maintenance. Adaptative strategies were developed to fire recurrence by early cone production and seed storage in the serotinuous cones. Tunisia's native forests were investigated to examine the impact of four bioclimatic zones on Aleppo pine cone and seed production. Stand characteristics and average tree size measurements were studied with simple and multiple regression analyses for explaining their influences in seed and cone production and characteristics. Results showed a positive relationship between the accumulated rainfall and the geographical variables to the number of cones and its seeds content. Density had a strong adverse effect on the average tree's cone crop and seed yield. The cone production and the total seed mass were positively correlated with tree dimensions, but diameter at breast height and crown height were the most explanatory variables. Several environmental factors substantially increased the production of cones and seeds. The results could help foresters to decide better locations of cone and seed production according to density in Aleppo pine forests.References
Al Omary A (2010) Effects of aspect and slope position on growth and nutritional status of planted Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) in a degraded land semi-arid areas of Jordan. New Forest (in press) doi: 10.1007/s11056-011- 9251-2.
Corona P, Saracino A, Leone V (1998) Plot size and shape for the early assessment of post-fire regeneration in Aleppo pine stands. New Forest 16: 213-220.
Ayari A., Khouja, ML. 2014. Ecophysiological variables influencing Aleppo pine seed and cone production: A review. Tree Physiology, 34, 426–437.
Climent J, Prada MA, Calama R, Chambel RM, De Ron DS, Alia, R (2008) To grow or to seed: Ecotypic Variation in reproductive allocation and cone production by young female Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis, Pinaceae). Am J Bot 95(7): 1-10.
Ayari A., Moya D., M.N. Rejeb, Ben Mansoura A., Albouchi A., J. De Las Heras, Fezzani T. et Henchi B. 2011a. Geographical variation on cone and seed production of Pinus halepensis Mill. Natural forests in Tunisia. Journal of Arid Environments, 75, 403-410.doi:10.1016/j.jaridenv.2011.01. 001
Cain MD, Shelton MD (2004) Revisiting the relationship between common weather variables and loblolly–shortleaf pine seed crops in natural stands. New Forest 9: 187-204.
Obeso JR (2002). The costs of reproduction in plants. New phytol 155: 321-348.
Owens JN, Blake MD (1985) Forest tree seed production. A review of the literature and recommendations for future research. Environ Can Can For Serv Inf Rep PI-X-53, 161 p.
Harfouche A, Boudjada S, Chettah W, Allam M, Belhou O, Merazga A (2003) Variation and population structure in Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill) in Algeria. Silvae Genet 52: 244–249.
Boulli A, Baaziz M, M’Hirit O (2001) Polymorphism of natural populations of Pinus halepensis Mill. in Morocco as revealed by morphological characters. Euphytica 119: 309-316.
Nasri N, Khaldi A, Triki S (2004) Variabilité morphologique des cônes et graines de pin d’Alep et pin pignon en Tunisie. R F F LVI: 21-28.
Sghaier T, Khaldi A, Khouja M-L, Nsibi R (1997) Estimation du rendement en cônes et en graines du pin d’Alep de la forêt de Ouergha (Sakiet Sidi Youssef-Tunisie). Ann Rech Forest Maroc 30: 84–89.
Turner MG, Turner DM, Romme WH, Tinker DB (2007) Cone production in young post-fire Pinus contorta stands in Greater Yellowstone (USA). Forest Ecol Manag 242: 119- 126.
Nahal I (1986) Taxonomie et aire de géographique des pins du groupe halepensis. CIHEAM, Options Mediterraneennes 1, 1-9.
Thanos CA, Daskalakou E (2000) Reproduction in Pinus halepensis and P. brutia. In: Ne’eman G, Trabaud L (Eds.) Ecology, biogeography and management of Pinus halepensis and P. brutia forest ecosystems in the Mediterranean Basin. Backhuys, Leiden, pp 79–90.
Trabaud L, Michels C, Grosman J (1985) Recovery of burnt Pinus halepensis Mill. forests. II. Pine reconstitution after wildfirere. Forest Ecol Manag 13: 167-179.
Goubitz S, Werger MJA, Shmida A, Ne’eman G (2002) Cone abortion in Pinus halepensis: the role of pollen quantity, tree size and cone location. Oikos 97: 125–133.
Moya D, Espelta JM, Verkaik I, López-Serrano FR, de las Heras J (2007) Tree density and site quality influence on Pinus halepensis Mill. reproductive characteristhics after large fires. Ann For Sci 64: 649- 656.
Moya D, Espelta JM, López-Serrano FR, Eugenio M, De Las Heras J (2008a) Natural post-fire dynamics and serotiny in ten year-old Pinus halepensis Mill. stands along a geographic gradient. Int J Wildland Fire 17:287–292.
Moya D, De las Heras J, Lopez-Serrano FR, Leone V (2008b). Optimal intensity and age management in young Aleppo pine stands for post-fire resilience. Forest Ecol Manag 255: 3270-3280.
De las Heras J, Moya D, López-Serrano FR, Condes S (2007) Reproduction of postfire Pinus halepensis Mill. stands six years after silvicultural treatments. Ann For Sci 64: 59-66.
Ayari A., Zubizarreta-Gerendiain A., Tomé M., Tomé J., Garchi S., Henchi B. 2012. Stand, tree and crown variables affecting cone crop and seed yield of Aleppo pine forests in different bioclimatic regions of Tunisia. Forest Systems, 21(1), 128-140.
Gounot M, Le Houerou HN (1967) Carte bioclimatique de la Tunisie Septentrionale à 1/500000. CNRS/CEPE Montpellier, Secrétariat d'État au Plan et à l'Économie Nationale de Tunisie.
Ayari A., Moya D., Rejeb M.N., Ben Mansoura A., Garchi S., J. De Las Heras, Henchi B. 2011b. Alternative sampling methods to estimate structure and reproductive characteristics of Aleppo pine forest in Tunisia. Forest Systems, 20(3), 348-360.
Emberger L (1955) Une classification biogéographique des climats. Réc Tra Lab Géo Bot Zool Fac Sci Montpellier 7: 1- 47.
Dimanche P (1985) Contribution à la connaissance pédologique et édaphique du milieu forestier tunisien. Thèse Doct. Ing. Nancy, p 120.
Newton AC (2007) Forest Ecology and Conservation: A Handbook of Techniques, Oxford University Press, Oxford (2007) 454 pp.
Tapias R, Gil L, Fuentes-Utrilla P, Pardos JA (2001) Canopy seed banks in Mediterranean pines of south eastern Spain: a comparison between Pinus halepensis Mill., Pinus pinaster Ait., Pinus nigra Arn. and Pinus pinea L. J Ecol 89: 629–638.
Statistical Analysis Systems (2005) SASR User’s Guide v 9.0. Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. Inc., Cary, North Carolina.
López-Serrano FR, De las Heras J, González-Ochoa AI, García-Morote FA, Landete TAM, Moya D, Del Cerro A (2006) Quercus ilex L. and Pinus halepensis Mill. Post-fire forest stands improve growth after thinning treatments as a consequence of a better availability of N. In AR Burke (Ed) New Developments in Ecology Research. Nova Science Publisher, Inc. NewYork, pp 99–139.
Antipolis S (2001) Tunisia, environment and sustainable development issues and policies. Mediterranean country profiles. Blue plan, pp 69.
Wahid N, Gonzalez MS, El Hadrami I, Boulli A (2006) Variation of morphological traits in natural populations of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) in Morocco. Ann Forest Sci 63: 83–92.
Stiell WM (1988) Consistency of cone production in individual red pine. Forest Chron 64: 480-484.
Sutton A, Staniforth RJ, Tardif J (2002) Reproductive ecology and allometry of red pine (Pinus resinosa) at the northwestern limit of its distribution range in Manitoba Canada. Can J Bot 80: 482–493
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2014 bdelaziz Ayari, Garchi Salah, Moya Daniel
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
