<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Caldeira, Maria C.</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Ibáñez, Inés</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Nogueira, Carla</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Bugalho, Miguel N.</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Lecomte, Xavier</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Moreira, Andreia</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Pereira, João S.</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Direct and indirect effects of tree canopy facilitation in the recruitment of Mediterranean oaks</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Journal of Applied Ecology</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">climate change</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">herb management</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">high temperatures</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">positive interactions</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quercus ilex</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Quercus suber</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">tree recruitment</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2014///</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12189</style></url></web-urls></urls><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">n/a - n/a</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">* Tree recruitment in Mediterranean ecosystems is strongly limited at the seedling stage by drought. Increasing evidence shows the critical positive role of the canopy nurse effect on seedling survival which results from direct and indirect, positive and negative interactions between species. * Most studies, however, have only focused on the effects of tree canopy on water and light, ignoring other critical factors affecting seedling regeneration, such as canopy effects on high temperatures and the competing herb biomass. * Here, we evaluate how tree canopy cover and removal of herbs affect the survival and growth of seedlings of two dominant Mediterranean Quercus species during a 3-year study. We use an integrated model that combines several data sets to quantify and predict regeneration dynamics along environmental gradients of soil moisture, temperature and light. * Low soil moisture, increased soil temperature and herb biomass negatively affected seedling survival of both Quercus species. Seedling growth was positively associated with increasing soil moisture and light. * Although tree canopy cover directly facilitated seedling survival in both Quercus species, it also negatively affected herb biomass and thus indirectly facilitated the survival of Quercus suber, but not of Quercus ilex seedlings at low levels of soil moisture. * Overall, tree canopies increased seedling survival but not growth during the establishment phase, mainly by ameliorating the effects of low soil moisture and high temperatures. Tree canopy indirectly facilitated survival of Q. suber seedlings by negatively affecting the competing herb layer. * Synthesis and applications. To improve tree recruitment and conserve Mediterranean Quercus woodlands, the removal of herbs should be integrated into management plans for dry habitats. Interactions between abiotic and biotic factors may also effect the regeneration of these tree species. In particular, a healthy tree canopy will become important for providing conditions to facilitate seedling establishment if these habitats become drier and warmer, as predicted by some climate change scenarios.</style></abstract></record><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Establishing grazing and grazing-excluded patches increases plant and invertebrate diversity in a Mediterranean oak woodland</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Forest Ecology and Management</style></secondary-title></titles><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2011</style></year></dates><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">261</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2133-2139</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Grazing is a global, dominant land use affecting biodiversity and ecosystem processes. In Mediterranean ecosystems grazing is a major ecological and evolutionary driver but, surprisingly, there is little information on the use of grazing as a tool to manage biodiversity in these ecosystems. We conducted an experiment to assess if establishing grazing and small scale grazing-excluded areas would increase plant and invertebrate diversity in a Mediterranean evergreen oak woodland. Plant community traits were different between treatments. Biomass of herbs (176.7±18.3 gm−2 vs 100.4±10.6 gm−2) and litter (291.0±38.3 gm−2 vs 186.8±26.4 gm−2), as well as the total cover of legumes (0.83±0.05 vs 0.91±0.03) were higher, and the proportion of bare ground (0.83±0.05 vs 0.91±0.03) was lower, in ungrazed plots. There were no differences in the number of plant species between treatments. Some plant species and invertebrate taxa were recorded exclusively in grazed or ungrazed plots. Invertebrate detritivores and sap sucking insects were more abundant in ungrazed plots. Ant assemblages were functionally different between treatments: Honeydew-gatherer ants were associated with ungrazed and higher plant biomass plots, and seed-eaters as well as aggressive predator ant species were associated with grazed, open habitat, plots. Management practices that maintain grazing and small scale grazing-excluded areas can increase habitat heterogeneity and promote herbaceous plant and invertebrate diversity at the local level.</style></abstract></record></records></xml>