Plant survival, growth, and physiological performance analysis of Nothofagus glauca seedlings through different environmental conditions characterized by a shrubland versus a forest canopy in the Mediterranean region of Chile

These data were used to better understand how to restore Nothofagus glauca, an edemic, shade-tolerant, threatened tree species from Mediterranean central Chile. Locally sourced seeds were collected in 2015 and seedlings were grown in a nursery either one (sown 2017) or two (sown 2016) years before outplanting in 2018. Both stocktypes were established into two planting hole sizes under different environmental conditions characterized by a shrubland versus a forest canopy, with and without vegetation management. A wide variety of data are included in this data publication; the data were used to analyze seedling survival, growth, and physiological performance. Nursery data includes pre-planting seedling morphology, nutrient status, and root growth potential. Field data includes measures of edaphic characteristics (i.e., nutrient status, gravimetric and volumetric water content), weather conditions (i.e., temperature, relative humidity, vapor pressure deficit), and seedling physiological status (i.e., survival, morphology, nutrient status, pre-dawn water potential, leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic pigment-related measurements).<br>Data were collected to determine if the larger stocktype will have higher survival and growth than the smaller stocktype during establishment, and to determine if higher performance of either or both stocktypes will be observed under the shrubland conditions, despite the presence of water constraints that are usually observed in more open canopies.<br>For more information about this study and these data, see Acevedo et al. (2024).