Reproductive life traits of plants growing on ultramafic substrate on the Koniambo massif (New Caledonia) as a tool to reinforce and reconnect fragmented forests - Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie Accéder directement au contenu
Communication Dans Un Congrès Année : 2023

Reproductive life traits of plants growing on ultramafic substrate on the Koniambo massif (New Caledonia) as a tool to reinforce and reconnect fragmented forests

Résumé

New Caledonia has the important task to combine its exceptional biodiversity with the rapid development of human activities. One of the most important threats is habitat fragmentation especially due to mining on ultramafic soils [1]. Over the past 40 years, revegetation was the main approach to mitigate such impacts. Ecological restoration capability and concepts have recently been developed in the past 15 years, and requires knowledge of ecological succession and the study of seed ecology for restoration. Following a previous study conducted in the south of New Caledonia [2], we applied a same approach in the north of the territory on the Koniambo massif. The aim was to study reproductive traits (e.g. dispersal syndrome, type of fruit, size and weight of seeds, germination and dormancy types) of species constituting two vegetation types para-(MPF) and pre-forest (PF). Both surround the relics of forest (F) that still existing and which have suffered repeated fires. This suggests that they are stages of ecological succession leading to the humid forest that must be restored. The interest of such an approach is to provide, from the new knowledge acquired, a list of candidate species that can be used for plantings to improve forest edges or to constitute stepping zone corridor. To attain our objectives, we first identified forest zones to be studied on the Koniambo massif. We carried inventories in the forest (F) and in surrounding vegetation (MPF and PF). For all listed species, we characterised 41 of their life traits that led to the completion of our previous database [2]. The analysis of these life traits (with a focus on reproductive ones), crossed with the presence of the species in all vegetation types, led to the selection of 15 candidate species. It was predicted that these species would result in a closed forest canopy and/or attract seed dispersers. Their seeds were harvested and their ecophysiology studied. Knowledge of seed germination techniques allowed for the cultivation of seedlings and were used to for a first plantation of 1 hectare both in MPF and PF. Four species (505 individuals): Cryptocarya transversa (Lauraceae), Ficus austrocaledonica (Moraceae), Metrosideros laurifolia and Syzygium frutescens (Myrtaceae) could successfully be cultivated and planted. An analysis of all these data will be presented, together with recommendations, to inform land managers on how to implement ecological restoration projects in a forest environment.
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Dates et versions

hal-04472002 , version 1 (21-02-2024)

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  • HAL Id : hal-04472002 , version 1

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Bruno Fogliani, Yawiya Ititiaty, Aurore Martini, Fabrice Brescia. Reproductive life traits of plants growing on ultramafic substrate on the Koniambo massif (New Caledonia) as a tool to reinforce and reconnect fragmented forests. 10th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 10 ON SERPENTINE ECOLOGY, ICSE, Jun 2023, Nancy (FR), France. ⟨hal-04472002⟩

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