In northern Europe, a long history of human exploitation effectively eliminated legacies of natural disturbances in mixed oak forests and we currently lack understanding of the role of natural disturbance factors in affecting oak regeneration into the forest canopies. We compiled dendrochronological, observational and paleochronological data from Southern Sweden to discuss the role of forest fires in oak (Quercus spp.) dynamics. We analyzed oak age structure and its growth dynamics in six southern Swedish forests, which experienced fires between 42 and 158 years prior to our sampling. Extending our analysis over longer time frames, we studied the relationship between sediment charcoal and oak pollen in an area of south-eastern Sweden, where oak has been a common canopy species. In three of the study sites, forest fires resulted in increased oak regeneration. Although fires were generally not associated with a wave of growth releases in surviving trees, the mean basal area growth rate of oaks increased by a range of 108% to 176%, following the fires. The overall pattern indicated that historical fires in oak-dominated forests were of low severity, did not kill canopy oaks, and yet provided a window of regeneration opportunities for that species. Post-fire sprouting of oak and an increase in oak seedling densities following modern prescribed fires are consistent with this explanation. Consistent with this conclusion were significant positive correlations between charcoal concentration and the oak pollen percentage in a site in southeastern Sweden. We discuss the co-occurrence of oak and pine in the historical southern Swedish landscape, as a possible analogy to eastern North American oak-pine forests. Modern conservation policies aimed at the preservation of oak in the southern Swedish landscape should consider the use of low severity fires to maintain natural oak regeneration.

在北欧，人类悠久的开采历史有效地消除了混合栎林中自然干扰的遗留现象，我们目前尚不了解自然干扰因素在影响橡木向森林冠层再生中的作用。我们收集了瑞典南部的树木年代学，观测和古年代学数据，以讨论森林火灾在橡树（栎属）中的作用。spp。）动态。我们分析了瑞典南部六个森林中橡木的年龄结构及其生长动态，这些森林在取样之前经历了42至158年的大火。在更长的时间范围内扩展了我们的分析，我们研究了瑞典东南部的沉积碳和橡木花粉之间的关系，那里的橡木是常见的树冠物种。在三个研究地点，森林大火导致橡木再生增加。尽管大火通常与幸存的树木中的生长释放浪潮无关，但随着大火的发生，橡树的平均基底面积增长率增加了108％至176％。总体格局表明，以橡树为主的森林中的历史大火程度不高，没有杀死冠层橡树，但为该树种提供了再生机会。现代规定的火烧后橡木的后火发芽和橡木幼苗密度的增加与该解释一致。与此结论一致的是，瑞典东南部某地的木炭浓度与橡木花粉百分比之间存在显着的正相关。我们讨论了瑞典南部历史景观中橡树和松树的共存，可能是类似于北美东部橡树-松树林的比喻。旨在保护瑞典南部景观中的橡木的现代保护政策应考虑使用低烈度的火灾来维持天然橡木的再生。与该结论一致的是瑞典东南部某地的木炭浓度与橡木花粉百分比之间的显着正相关。我们讨论了瑞典南部历史景观中橡木和松木的共存，可能与北美东部橡木松林类似。旨在保护瑞典南部景观中的橡木的现代保护政策应考虑使用低烈度的火灾来维持天然橡木的再生。与该结论一致的是瑞典东南部某地的木炭浓度与橡木花粉百分比之间的显着正相关。我们讨论了瑞典南部历史景观中橡木和松木的共存，可能与北美东部橡木松林类似。旨在保护瑞典南部景观中的橡木的现代保护政策应考虑使用低烈度的火灾来维持天然橡木的再生。