Assessing the roles of temperature, carbon inputs and airborne pollen as drivers of fructification in European temperate deciduous forests
Abstract
We aimed at identifying which drivers control the spatio-temporal variability of fruit production in three major European temperate deciduous tree species: Quercus robur, Quercus petraea, and Fagus sylvatica. • We analysed the relations of fruit production with airborne pollen, carbon and water resources and meteorological data in 48 French forests over 14 years (1994-2007). • In oak, acorn production was mainly related to temperature conditions during the pollen emission period, supporting the pollen synchrony hypothesis. In beech, a temperature signal over the two previous years eclipsed the airborne pollen load. • Fruit production in Quercus and Fagus was related to climate drivers, carbon inputs and airborne pollen through strongly non-linear, genus-specific relations. • Quercus and Fagus also differed as regards the secondary growth vs. fructification trade-off. While negative relationships were observed between secondary growth and fruit production in beech, more productive years benefited to both secondary growth and reproductive effort in oak.
Origin : Files produced by the author(s)
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