TITLE:
Survival of Juvenile Acer grandidentatum Nutt. (Bigtooth Maple, Aceraceae) in Central Texas Woodlands
AUTHORS:
O. W. Van Auken, D. L. Taylor
KEYWORDS:
Survival, Mortality, Populations, Edwards Plateau, Rare Plants, Seedlings, Woodlands, Dynamics
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.11 No.3,
March
26,
2020
ABSTRACT: Populations of Acer grandidentatum Nutt. (Bigtooth maple, Aceraceae = Sapindaceae) in
central Texas are mostly found in isolated, deep, relatively remote, limestone
canyons. Acer grandidentatum is found
with a few other mostly deciduous species. Recruitment of juveniles has been
reported to be lacking. One population of A.
grandidentatum juveniles was found in a limestone canyon in a State Natural
Area in Central Texas. Fifty juveniles were located. Wire enclosures were
placed around half of the seedlings with half left in the open. In an adjacent
canyon, 50 juvenile seedlings were planted in a similar habitat with adult A. grandidentatum trees nearby. Half
were in enclosures and half in the open. Plant survival was followed for four
growing seasons until November 2019. At the end of that time when survivals
were compared between plants in enclosures and those in the open in both canyon
communities, there was a significant difference in survival in both communities
(χ2, P Odocoleus virginianus).