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Woodland Restoration Project
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It is likely that this difference in
growth-form is related to the number of silver birch trees which occurred in this area.
The density of silver birch trees was fairly constant over
the project site, except in the area of square 1, where the density was nearly doubled
(Fig.4). |
Figure 4. Silver birch density. |
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The substrate in the area of square 1 was
very shallow and stony (Plate 8). It is possible that these conditions are generally
unfavourable for rhododendron growth. The conditions are unlikely to have favoured the
growth of silver birch either. However, it is probable that slower growth of rhododendron
in this area originally allowed more silver birch seedlings to survive and grow tall, than
in other areas where the rhododendron was growing prolifically.
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Silver birch was fairly evenly
distributed in square 1. In other areas of the project site it tended instead, to occur in
clumps. This suggests that in these areas the seedlings only survived in isolated patches
as yet uncovered by rhododendron, whereas in square 1 the silver birch and rhododendron
were competing equally. |
Plate 8. Stony, shallow substrate
in Square 1. |
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Continued
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