Knowra Masting Masting Masting is the synchronized production of unusually large seed crops by many trees at irregular intervals. It alternates resource-intensive reproductive pulses with years of lower seed production.
Predator satiation : A defense in which prey become so abundant that predators cannot consume a large fraction of them. A large, synchronized crop can overwhelm seed-eating animals, leaving more seeds to survive.
Seed predator : An animal that consumes seeds, often reducing the number available to germinate. Predators face a temporary abundance of food during mast years, but may still leave many seeds uneaten.
Beech mast : A large, irregular seed crop produced by beech trees, especially European beech. Beech crops are a well-studied example of synchronized, variable seed production.
Climate change and masting : The study of how changing climate affects the timing and size of plant reproductive events. Shifting temperatures and rainfall may alter the cues that synchronize mast crops.
Pollen coupling : The increase in successful pollination when many plants release pollen at the same time. Synchronized flowering can improve pollination, linking the timing of reproduction across trees.
Seed dispersal : The movement of seeds away from the plants that produced them. Abundant seeds can feed dispersers and increase the number transported to new sites.
Oak mast : A large crop of acorns produced by oak trees. Oak acorns provide a familiar example of seed production that varies sharply among years.
Masting evolution : The study of how natural selection shapes intermittent, synchronized reproduction in plants. The relative evolutionary benefits of predator satiation, pollination, and resource storage remain debated.
Resource budget model : A model in which reproduction depends on stored resources accumulated and spent over time. It explains how trees can build reserves in lean years before producing a large seed crop.
Forest regeneration : The renewal of a forest through the establishment and growth of new plants. A large crop can produce a pulse of seedlings when conditions for germination are favorable.
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