Nurse structure effectively facilitate seedling establishment in restoration plantings
Nurse structures (e.g., tree shelters, nurse plants, or deadwood) are increasingly used to improve the outcomes of reforestation and afforestation. However, during discussions with restoration practitioners and stakeholders from different European regions within the SUPERB project, one question repeatedly emerged: how effective are these approaches in reality, and under which environmental conditions do they work best?
We conducted a systematic review of the available scientific evidence on the use of nurse structures. Here are some of the main results of the study, which was published today on Restoration Ecology:
Nurse structures generally facilitate the establishment of planted trees of species with different functional traits. They are particularly effective at improving survival and height growth, although they often reduce diameter growth.
Nurse structures are most effective against drought, frost, and browsing, while their effects on competition and wind remain inconclusive. In dry environments, well-ventilated shelters are preferable to avoid heat and water stress, and nurse plants that compete strongly for water with target trees should be avoided.
The greatest benefits occur during the earliest stages of tree establishment. However, nurse structures should be removed in time to avoid undesirable effects such as spindly growth or suppression of the target trees.
We hope these and other insights from our review contribute to a better understanding of when and where nurse structures can support successful forest restoration, and where the main gaps for future research remain.
A big thanks to Klaus Kremer for leading this systematic review.
📖 Read the full article here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/rec.70524