Sprouting Strategies in Forest Ecosystems

Sprouting strategies encompass the capacity of forest trees and shrubs to regenerate vegetatively from existing tissues following disturbance. This form of regeneration, often termed resprouting, operates alongside seed-based recruitment to shape species composition, structure and ecosystem resilience. Sprout regeneration can arise from stumps, roots or stem bases and is driven by stored non-structural carbohydrates and meristematic activity. In many temperate and tropical systems, resprouting underpins rapid recovery of canopy cover, stabilises soil and counteracts invasive species establishment. The interplay between sprouting and seeding influences successional trajectories, with sprouts typically dominating early biomass accumulation while seeds contribute to long-term diversity. Understanding sprouting strategies is therefore critical for the restoration of degraded forests, adaptive management of coppice and pollard systems, and forecasting responses to increasingly frequent disturbances such as wildfire, logging and storm events.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated that resprouting canopy trees play a pivotal role in post-logging understory dynamics by rapidly re-establishing cover and modulating light and resource availability. Vigorous sprout growth from cut stumps offsets the usual surge in herbaceous richness and reduces the establishment of alien species in the period before seedling recruitment becomes effective. This sprouting canopy effect not only maintains community composition but also promotes forest resilience by curbing invasive colonisers. These findings highlight the importance of species with strong resprouting capacity in sustainable forestry practices and in mitigating the ecological impacts of partial harvesting.

Sprouting Strategies in Forest Ecosystems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in sprouting strategies in forest ecosystems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Resprouting: Vegetative regeneration process in which new shoots emerge from existing root or stem tissues following disturbance.

Sprout regeneration: A form of resprouting where shoots develop directly from stumps or root collars, utilising stored carbohydrates.

Seed regeneration: Establishment of new individuals through germination of seeds, contributing to genetic diversity and long-term succession.

Coppice: Traditional silvicultural system relying on repeated cutting of stems to ground level to promote sprout regrowth.

Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC): Mobile sugar and starch reserves in plant tissues that fuel resprouting after biomass loss.

References

1. Differential roles of seed and sprout regeneration in forest diversity and productivity after disturbance. Forest Ecosystems (2024).
2. Resprouting trees drive understory vegetation dynamics following logging in a temperate forest. Scientific Reports (2020).
3. Effects of logging on the trade-off between seed and sprout regeneration of dominant woody species in secondary forests of the Natural Forest Protection Project of China. Ecological Processes (2022).