Can we use shelterwoods in Mediterranean pine forests to promote oak seedling development?

Published source details Prévosto B., Monnier Y., Ripert C. & Fernández C. (2011) Can we use shelterwoods in Mediterranean pine forests to promote oak seedling development?. Forest Ecology and Management, 262, 1426-1433.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use mechanical thinning before or after planting Action Link

Use mechanical thinning before or after planting

A replicated, controlled study in 2007-2010 in Mediterranean Aleppo pine Pinus halepensis woodland in France (Prévosto et al. 2011) found that shelterwood cutting increased the height, diameter and survival of planted holly oak Quercus ilex and downy oak Q. pubescens seedlings. Seedling height of holly oak (uncut: 10 cm; intermediate cut: 13 cm: intensively cut: 15 cm) and downy oak (uncut: 9 cm; intermediate cut: 8 cm: intensively cut: 9 cm) and stem diameter (uncut: 2.0 and 1.5 mm; intermediate cut: 2.7 and 2.0 mm: intensively cut: 3.3 and 2.4 mm, respectively) differed between all treatments. Number of holly oak seedlings/point was higher in intermediate cut (2.4) than uncut plots (uncut: 2.1) and similar to both in intensively cut plots (2.2). Numbers of downy oak seedlings/point was higher in intermediate cut (2.1) and intensively cut (2.3) than uncut plots (1.3). Data was collected in 2010 in four replicates of uncut, intermediate cut (33% of basal area removed) and intensively cut (66% of basal area removed) treatment plots (25 × 25 m). Plots were established in October and seeded in November 2007 with downy oak and holly oak sowing points of three acorns spaced 1 m apart.