Compétition pour le rayonnement solaire en début de succession secondaire dans une érablière à bouleau jaune et hêtre

Abstract

We demonstrate that sugar maple (Acersaccharum Marsh.), yellow birch (Betulaalleghaniensis Britton), and beech (Fagusgrandifolia Ehrh.) compete for solar radiation against other woody species (noncommercial) and herbaceous species, following clear-cutting. The experiment was carried out at the Duchesnay Forest Station (Quebec, Canada) in a sugar maple – yellow birch – beech community and consisted of one control and two treatments: (1) elimination of noncommercial woody species and (2) elimination of noncommercial woody species and herbaceous species. The graph of solar radiation interception versus cover indicates that crown overlapping does not contribute significantly to any increase in solar radiation interception. Surface soil temperature is strongly linked to the decrease in solar radiation due to its interception by plants.