Foliage shedding in deciduous forests lifts up long-distance seed dispersal by wind.

ABSTRACT: Seed terminal velocity and release height are recognized as key biotic determinants of long-distance dispersal (LDD) of seeds by wind. Yet, potential determinants at the ecosystem level, such as seasonal dynamics in foliage density characterizing many deciduous forests, have received much less attention. We integrated detailed field observations and experiments with a mechanistic wind dispersal model to assess how seasonal variation in foliage density, estimated by leaf-area index (LAI), affects LDD in deciduous forests. We found that the model, previously shown to accurately predict seed dispersal by wind, also reliably describes the effects of LAI variation on wind statistics for a wide range of canopy types. Sparser canopies are characterized by more organized vertical eddy motion that

SUBMITTER: Nathan R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1149436 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature