Acorns

[tracy]

Where are all the acorns this year? Mike and I remember having loads last year by this time that we were able to roast and eat.... haven't seen any yet this year. Weird...

[athelstan]

This year is not a mast year. Mast years occur on average each 4 - 7 years and is Nature's way of providing an abundance of seed in order that predators will have a lesser affect on seedling production.

What I find amazing is that the mast years are usually those years prior to the most favourable growing year, so Nature in effect predicts the weather for the following year.

[tracy]

Wow, that is amazing. And all the trees just know this? How cool! ok, I will forgive them for the lack of acorns I guess, thanks for that!

[Darren]

Hi athelstan

What would you call a favourable growing year?

[athelstan]

Darren,I can only presume that a favourable growing year for most plant species would consist of the obvious requirements of exposure to cold and warmth to break dormancy, with the exception of Oak as these are non-dormant, moderate rainfall, no late frosts, little competition from weeds and a low incidence of pests and diseases such as mildew, rust, scab etc.

Perhaps the emphasis should be put on the word "favourable" rather than "perfect".

[Darren]

Thanks you, something to look out for.

I only guess that this year was not a favourable year. hardly any hazel nuts and acorn etc. Might be the reason I'm catching squirrels at this time of the year.

[tracy]

Chris has written a short blog on this topic

http://www.woodlands.co.uk/blog/trees/mast-and-mast-years/

We can ask him questions!

Tracy

[mikepepler]

So do mast years come regionally, nationally, etc? Or if you have a bit of a micro-climate going on will it vary?

I wondered if the trees "saved up" some energy in the in-between years in order to produce a bumper crop when the mast year comes? Perhaps this would give the acorns a better chance of survival - if there are only a few, then food is scarce and they'll get eaten, but if there's loads then some will make it. I guess this might be even more true of the years before mast are lean, so keeping down the population of acorn-eaters?

[greyman]

Googling 'Mast years turns up all sort's of stuff but here is a link to an article in -

http://forestry.oxfordjournals.org/

http://forestry.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/80/5/555

Seems to do what is says on the can - however it seems that there may be a developing trend to shorter cycles.