Recruitment patterns following a severe drought: long-term compositional shifts in Patagonian forests

摘要: Severe droughts have the potential of inducing transient shifts in forest canopy composition by altering species-specific adult tree mortality patterns. However, permanent vegetation change will occur only if recruitment patterns are also affected. Here, we analyze how a massive event triggered 1998–1999 drought affected and sapling mixed Nothofagus dombeyi (Mirb.) Blume – Austrocedrus chilensis (D. Don) Flor. et Boult. forests northern Patagonia. Comparing drought-induced tree-fall gaps, assessed changes composition, microenvironments, seedling density survival both species. Drought-kill disturbance shifted species cohorts favour A. chilensis. Drought gaps were characterized shadier more xeric environment, affecting pattern N. seedlings. The cohort was composed mostly chilensis, its always higher than tha...