Size and position matter: riparian plant establishment from fluvially deposited trees

The sprouting of fluvially deposited trees is an important process for floodplain woodland regeneration along dynamic rivers. This paper investigates how tree size and relative elevation of the location of fluvially deposited trees affects their survival. The survival of newly deposited trees along the River Tagliamento, Italy, was monitored over three field campaigns (2001, 2003 and 2005). A significant negative correlation was found between relative elevation and tree survival, while tree length was significantly positively correlated to survival. Consequently, larger trees deposited at lower elevations have a greater likelihood of regeneration, although the influence of these factors varied according to genera.