Seed production varies widely over time (masting), with many cascading effects on the ecosystem. This makes long-term monitoring essential for forest management and conservation. Traditional methods, such as seed traps and quadrat sampling, are labour-intensive, resource-demanding, and prone to issues like trap destruction or limited canopy visibility. Our latest study demonstrates that the ground-based timed count method is a fast, reliable alternative for monitoring seed production in European beech (Fagus sylvatica). We found a strong loglinear relationship between timed counts and the traditional quadrat-based method, confirming its accuracy. This suggests that timed counts can significantly reduce the cost and effort required for seed monitoring, enabling broader and more efficient sampling.
Interestingly, differences between these methods may influence masting metrics, particularly at the species level. This variation appears to be linked to the patchiness of seedfall, with timed counts capturing greater variability at low seedfall levels. Refining and calibrating cost-effective monitoring techniques will improve large-scale seed production assessments, strengthening our ability to track forest dynamics in a rapidly changing environment.