BigCB Catalog Detail: "Patterns of acorn production in California oaks"
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DatasetID 265
Name Patterns of acorn production in California oaks
Description We examined spatial patterns and spatial autocorrelation (synchrony) of annual acorn production in three species of oaks (genus Quercus) over a 288 km transect in central coastal California. Over small (within-site) distances of < 4 km, synchrony of acorn production between individual trees was significant but varied through time and, for coast live oaks Q. agrifolia, differed at two sites 135 km apart. On a larger geographic scale, valley Q. lobata and blue Q. douglasii oaks exhibited significant synchrony in most distance categories between trees and sites up to 135 km apart and, in the case of coast live oaks, up to the maximum extent of the transect. Spatial patterns over this geographic scale also differed among species, with valley and blue oaks, but not coast live oaks, exhibiting distinct declines in synchrony of acorn production with distance. Interspecific synchrony in acorn production was generally lower than that within species but still significant over the entireextent of the survey. Spatial synchrony between sites was to some extent related to the same environmental variables previously found to correlate with annual acorn production within a site, suggesting that the environmental factors determining acorn production locally also influence spatial patterns over larger geographic areas. These results demonstrate that mast-fruiting in oaks occurs not only on a widespread geographic scale but also across species. They also confirm that synchrony over large geographic areas and complex spatial patterns varying in time can occur in systems where dispersal does not occur and thus environmental variability (the Moran effect) alone is likely to be driving spatial dynamics.
Physical Location
Publisher/Owner Walt Koenig, Hastings Natural History Reserve, wicker@uclink4.berkeley.edu , 831 659-5981
Publication Date
Permissions Undetermined
Source Mark Stromberg NRS file
Contact Walt Koenig
Type Biological Survey - Observational
Subject Plant
Geo. Extent Hastings Reserve
URL
NRS Registry? yes
Format Database
Timespan Start 1980
Timespan End
Total Items
Databased Items   (as of )
Comments Koenig Walter, D., M. H. Knops Johannes, et al. (1999). "Spatial dynamics in the absence of dispersal: Acorn production by oaks in central coastal California." Ecography 22(5): 499-506. Koenig Walter, D. and J. Haydock (1999). "Oaks, acorns, and the geographical ecology of acorn woodpeckers." Journal of Biogeography 26(1): 159-165. Koenig Walter, D., R. McCullough Dale, et al. (1999). "Synchrony and asynchrony of acorn production at two coastal California sites." Madrono 46(1): 20-24. Koenig Walter, D. and M. H. Knops Johannes (1998). "Testing for spatial autocorrelation in ecological studies." Ecography 21(4): 423-429. Koenig Walter, D., M. H. Knops Johannes, et al. (1996). "Acorn production by oaks in central coastal California: Influence of weather at three levels." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 26(9): 1677-1683. Koenig Walter, D., M. H. Knops Johannes, et al. (1994). "Estimating acorn crops using visual surveys." Canadian Journal of Forest Research 24(10): 2105-2112. Koenig Walter, D., L. Mumme Ronald, et al. (1994). "Acorn production by oaks in central coastal California: Variation within and among years." Ecology (Tempe) 75(1): 99-109.
Entered By Sarah Hinman
Last Updated

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