Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) Seedling Survival above the Tree-line in the Cairngorm Mountains, Scotland

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Abstract
In 1964 the age, height and degree of damage were recorded for Scots pine Pinus sylvestris L. seedlings on the slopes of Creag an Leth-choin in the Cairngorm Mountains, from an altitude of 550-915 m a.s.l. The survey was repeated 22 years later in an identical manner for the same area in 1986. The number of seedlings recorded and the past, e.g. 1959, 1975, 1976, seemed to be particularly favourable for seedling establishment. However, no seedlings from the 1964 cohort have survived the 22 years to the second survey of 1986. The highest number of seedlings did not occur in the altitudinal zone nearest the seed source, the tree-line, but between 640-700 m. These results are compared with two sets of data presented in 1982 by other workers for the Cairngorm Mountains. One set was from the unique creag Fhiaclach site, where a natural tree-line still exists; the other was nearby to this in the Glen Feshie area. The main threats to seedling survival are identified. It is argued that the Creag an Lethchoin data is more typical for the Cairngorms as a whole.