Density‐dependent effects on the reproductive ecology of trees in a temperate woodland

Jackson, Eleanor E. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9884-2972; Greenwell, Matthew P. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5406-6222; Bullock, James M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0529-4020; Oliver, Tom H. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4169-7313; Topple, Susie; Foster, Christopher W. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7635-6797; Gripenberg, Sofia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8788-2258. 2025 Density‐dependent effects on the reproductive ecology of trees in a temperate woodland. Ecology and Evolution, 15 (6), e71491. 14, pp. 10.1002/ece3.71491

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71491

Abstract/Summary

The reproductive success of plants often depends on their local conspecific densities. The degree of isolation from conspecific plants can mediate an individual's interactions with other organisms. For example, a high density of flowers can attract pollinators and improve seed set, and a high density of seeds can attract enemies such as seed predators. It is the joint outcome of positive and negative density‐dependent effects that will determine the spatial distribution of a population, yet they are rarely studied simultaneously. We related two indicators of reproductive success (fruit set and fruit drop) to tree size and the density of neighbouring conspecifics for 32 Crataegus monogyna (Rosaceae) individuals in a temperate woodland. Overall, 26% of flowers set seed, but seed set was not density dependent. We found that 25% of fruits were dropped before reaching maturity, and 24% of mature fruits were dropped before the typical dispersal period. The drop of both immature and mature fruits increased with the density of reproductive conspecifics in this system, with potential implications for spatial patterns of seedling recruitment.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1002/ece3.71491
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Biodiversity and Land Use (2025-)
ISSN:	2045-7758
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.
Additional Keywords:	density dependence, hawthorn, Janzen- Connell hypothesis, pollen limitation, pollination, predispersal seed mortality, Wytham Woods
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment
Related URLs:	Dataset Code Code
Date made live:	10 Jun 2025 09:30 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/539544

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1002/ece3.71491

UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:

Biodiversity and Land Use (2025-)

ISSN:

2045-7758

Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:

Open Access paper - full text available via Official URL link.

Additional Keywords:

density dependence, hawthorn, Janzen- Connell hypothesis, pollen limitation, pollination, predispersal seed mortality, Wytham Woods