Gap creation in recovering rainforests may reduce the intensity of competition and provide opportunities for later successional species to co‐occur with predominant earlier successional species. This study examined the potential of artificial gaps to facilitate the natural regeneration and establishment of woody species in dense regenerating stands of Kānuka (Kunzea robusta) that have developed following the removal of degrading factors especially clearing and grazing in many parts of New Zealand. Artificial gaps were created through selective felling of Kānuka canopy trees and the species composition, density, growth and survival of native woody species regenerating in the canopy gaps and under paired intact Kānuka canopies were monitored for 28 months. Gap creation resulted in a significant increase in the number of species and density of woody regeneration including a wider range of woody species, although no mature phase species (including podocarps) were found, potentially due to seed limitations. There was no significant effect detected with respect to the interaction of time and gap creation on species recruitment. Survival and growth of woody regeneration were significantly greater in canopy gaps than beneath the intact canopy despite the higher proportions of herbaceous ground vegetation and browsing incidence in gap treatments. The tendency of woody seedlings to grow taller in canopy gaps may have permitted them more rapid recovery from browsing. The duration of the study was too short to fully capture the potential of canopy intervention, but woody regeneration within the artificial gaps is likely to accelerate as the regeneration proceeds, especially if browsing is controlled, and the results presented here provide useful insight into the early stages of this process.

中文翻译：

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新西兰早期森林中人工缝隙形成后原生木本物种的再生

恢复雨林的间隙创造可能会降低竞争的强度，并为后来的演替物种与主要的早期演替物种共同发生提供机会。这项研究探讨了人工间隙促进卡努卡（Kunzea Robusta）茂密再生林中木本物种自然再生和建立的潜力）是由于消除了退化因素而产生的，尤其是在新西兰许多地方的清除和放牧之后。人工砍伐是通过选择性砍伐卡努卡冠层树木而造成的，并监测了在冠层间隙和成对完整的卡努卡冠层下成对的天然木本物种的种类组成，密度，生长和存活情况，监测了28个月。产生间隙导致木质再生的物种数量和密度显着增加，包括更广泛的木质物种，尽管未发现成熟相物种（包括罗汉果），这可能是由于种子限制所致。在时间和空缺形成对物种募集的相互作用方面，没有发现明显的影响。尽管在间隙处理中草本地面植被的比例和浏览率较高，但冠层间隙的木质再生的存活和生长显着大于完整冠层之下。木本幼苗在树冠间隙中长得更高的趋势可能使它们从浏览中恢复得更快。研究持续时间太短，无法完全捕捉到树冠干预的潜力，但是人工间隙内的木质再生可能会随着再生的进行而加速，尤其是在控制浏览的情况下，此处提供的结果可为早期的研究提供有用的见识。此过程的各个阶段。木本幼苗在树冠间隙中长得更高的趋势可能使它们从浏览中恢复得更快。研究持续时间太短，无法完全捕捉到树冠干预的潜力，但是人工间隙内的木质再生可能会随着再生的进行而加速，尤其是在控制浏览的情况下，此处提供的结果可为早期的研究提供有用的见识。此过程的各个阶段。木本幼苗在树冠间隙中长得更高的趋势可能使它们从浏览中恢复得更快。研究持续时间太短，无法完全捕捉到树冠干预的潜力，但是人工间隙内的木质再生可能会随着再生的进行而加速，尤其是在控制浏览的情况下，此处提供的结果可为早期的研究提供有用的见识。此过程的各个阶段。