NATURAL GERMINATION AS RESILIENCE COMPONENT IN MEDITERRANEAN COPPICE STANDS OF CASTANEA-SATIVA MILL AND QUERCUS-ILEX L

In the Mediterranean basin, most of the present forests derive from or iginal forests where the dominant species was different from the prese nt one. These changes are largely due to human activities reflecting m illenia of management and, often, overexploitation. In southern France , for example, palaeoecologists believe that the original malacophyllo us deciduous forest of downy oak (Quercus pubescens) was replaced by a sclerophyllous evergreen holm oak (Quercus ilex) coppice in the dries t areas, and chestnut (Castanea sativa) orchards or coppices in the '' wettest'' areas. However, for the last several decades, exploitation o f these coppice stands has been decreasing. In this study, we addresse d the question of the resilience of these managed ecosystems in the fa ct of changing management schemes, and to determine appropriate strate gies and criteria of sustainable development. We present some aspects of the auto-succession after clearcutting of holm oak coppice stands a nd aspects of the natural regeneration of 4 species (Q. ilex, Q. pubes cens, C. sativa, and P. pinaster). The consequences of the contrasted life history strategies are compared to estimate the future of these c oppices.