An indicator species highlights continuous deadwood supply is a key ecological attribute of boreal old‐growth forests

Martin, Maxence; Tremblay, Junior A.; Ibarzabal, Jacques; Morin, Hubert

doi:10.1002/ecs2.3507

Cited by 12 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 96 publications

(156 reference statements)

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“…Moreover, these stands are the habitat of a biodiversity indicator species, the Black-backed Woodpecker Picoides arcticus), associated with old-growth attributes. Thus, forest harvesting may threaten vertebrate species associated with old-growth forest attributes [11] but also organisms (insects, fungi, non-vascular plants) that have low-dispersal capacity and for show extinction risk increases rapidly when ecological continuity is broken [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term effect of forest harvesting on boreal species assemblages under climate change

Bouderbala

Labadie²,

Béland³

et al. 2023

PLOS Clim

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Logging is the main human disturbance impacting biodiversity in forest ecosystems. However, the impact of forest harvesting on biodiversity is modulated by abiotic conditions through complex relationships that remain poorly documented. Therefore, the interplay between forest management and climate change can no longer be ignored. Our aim was to study the expected long-term variations in the assemblage of bird and beetle communities following modifications in forest management under different climate change scenarios. We developed species distribution models to predict the occurrence of 88 species of birds and beetles in eastern Canadian boreal forests over the next century. We simulated three climate scenarios (baseline, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) under which we varied the level of harvesting. We also analyzed the regional assemblage dissimilarity by decomposing it into balanced variations in species occupancy and occupancy gradient. We predict that forest harvesting will alter the diversity by increasing assemblage dissimilarity under all the studied climate scenarios, mainly due to species turnover. Species turnover intensity was greater for ground-dwelling beetles, probably because they have lower dispersal capacity than flying beetles or birds. A good dispersal capacity allows species to travel more easily between ecosystems across the landscape when they search for suitable habitats after a disturbance. Regionally, an overall increase in the probability of occupancy is projected for bird species, whereas a decrease is predicted for beetles, a variation that could reflect differences in ecological traits between taxa. Our results further predict a decrease in the number of species that increase their occupancy after harvest under the most severe climatic scenario for both taxa. We anticipate that under severe climate change, increasing forest disturbance will be detrimental to beetles associated with old forests but also with young forests after disturbances.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term effect of forest harvesting on boreal species assemblages under climate change

Bouderbala

Labadie²,

Béland³

et al. 2023

PLOS Clim

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“…Woodpecker species are the quintessential primary cavity excavators and indicator species of forest biodiversity (Martin et al., 2021; Mikusiński et al., 2001). Species‐specific differences in preferences for tree species, nest height, and activity times make a larger diversity of woodpecker species to provide a larger number and diversity of cavities (in terms of size, shape, height, and substrate) (Nappi et al., 2015; Vergara & Schlatter, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unravelling the cavity‐nesting network at large spatial scales: The biogeographic role of woodpeckers as ecosystem engineers

Alaniz,

Carvajal,

Quiroz

et al. 2023

Journal of Biogeography

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AimPrimary cavity nesters (e.g. woodpeckers) act as ecosystem engineers by providing tree cavities to several vertebrates that use them as nests or refuges. Although diverse assemblages of primary excavators are assumed to increase the number of tree cavities, environmental factors can limit populations of primary excavators, thus weakening their ecological function. We aim to test the biogeographical‐scale relationships between primary excavators and cavity users by distinguishing the contribution of environmental variables.LocationSouthern South America.Materials and MethodsWe used species distribution models, which combine bioclimatic and remote sensing derived variables, to map the richness of vertebrates composing the cavity‐network of temperate and Mediterranean forests of South America. Based on a resampling procedure for ensuring spatial independence, we fitted structural equation models to estimate relationships between forest characteristics and cavity user vertebrates.ResultsRichness of secondary cavity users (mammals, obligated, habitat generalists and forest specialists) were positively and strongly influenced by the richness of primary excavators. Environmental variables affected differently the richness of primary and secondary cavity users. The richness of primary cavity users responded to tree richness and height while that of habitat specialist secondary users was positively affected by primary productivity and negatively by sclerophyll forests.Main ConclusionsOur results confirm the role of primary excavators as ecosystem engineers but highlight the importance of considering large spatial scales when analysing cavity‐nesting networks. Biogeographical patterns of tree diversity and forest structure can be important drivers of cavity nesting networks that remain hidden when studies are conducted over fine spatial scales.

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“…One key prerequisite to meeting this challenge is distinguishing natural forests and forests established through planting or seeding following harvest, that often exhibit profound differences in ecological and biogeochemical functions (Savilaakso et al., 2021; Vilà et al., 2013). Older, uncut boreal forests store more carbon (Fredeen et al., 2005; Jonsson et al., 2020) and harbor larger numbers of species than planted forests do (Bradshaw et al., 2009; Jonsson et al., 2020; Patry et al., 2017; Savilaakso et al., 2021), in part linked to larger amounts of old and large dead trees (Fridman, 2000; Martin et al., 2021; Nordén et al., 2013; Santaniello et al., 2017). In an increasingly fragmented landscape, strict protection of these old forests may greatly increase habitat connectivity (Mikusiński et al., 2021), which is also culturally and economically important, for recreation and for reindeer herding because lichens found mainly in older forests are important winter food (Sandström et al., 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Widespread Unquantified Conversion of Old Boreal Forests to Plantations

2022

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Across the boreal biome, clear‐cutting of old, previously non clear‐cut forests with high naturalness followed by tree planting or seeding is a major land use change. However, how much previously uncut forest has been converted to plantations remains unquantified. We combine Swedish national databases on clear‐cuts and forest inventories to show that at least 19% of all clear‐cuts since 2003 have occurred in old forests that were most likely not previously cut and planted or seeded. Old forests have been cut and lost at a steady rate of ∼1.4% per year for the same period, and at this rate they will disappear by the 2070s. There is further evidence that this type of unreported forest conversion is occurring across much of the world's boreal forest.

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An indicator species highlights continuous deadwood supply is a key ecological attribute of boreal old‐growth forests

Abstract: An indicator species highlights continuous deadwood supply is a key ecological attribute of boreal old-growth forests.

Cited by 12 publications

References 96 publications

Long-term effect of forest harvesting on boreal species assemblages under climate change

Long-term effect of forest harvesting on boreal species assemblages under climate change

Unravelling the cavity‐nesting network at large spatial scales: The biogeographic role of woodpeckers as ecosystem engineers

Widespread Unquantified Conversion of Old Boreal Forests to Plantations

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