Biotic homogenisation and differentiation along a habitat gradient resulting from the ageing of managed beech stands

Durak, Tomasz; Holeksa, Jan

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2015.05.001

Cited by 23 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…As a result of the above-mentioned processes, managed forests underwent homogenization and differentiation of the plant community simultaneously. This is in accordance with the results of an earlier study of the same forests [50]. In contrast, homogenization in unmanaged forests was caused not only by the decrease of turnover but also by the nestedness-related decrease in species richness.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…At the same time species richness may have increased in species-rich areas, for example, due to the higher amount of nutrients available in more diverse stands. As presented by Durak and Holeksa [50], such conditions may favor the expansion of species with a wide soil pH range, and a strong ability to spread laterally and induce vegetative regeneration or regeneration by seeds/spores dispersed on long distans (e.g., Dryoperis dilatata (Hoffm.) A.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…In the Polish part of the Eastern Carpathians, these drivers were most likely related to the decrease in the intensity of forest use and forest aging [50][51][52], which resulted in a lower level of disturbances as well as an increase in the density of the canopy and the volume of the forest stand [28,53,54]. These factors most likely contributed towards higher habitat stability, which led to the decrease in species diversity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…and Körte, Paris quadrifolia L., Pulmonaria obscura Dumort.) [50,57]. At the same time species richness may have increased in species-rich areas, for example, due to the higher amount of nutrients available in more diverse stands.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Impact of Changes in Species Richness and Species Replacement on Patterns of Taxonomic Homogenization in the Carpathian Forest Ecosystems

Durak

Węgrzyn

et al. 2015

Forests

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Abstract:The Carpathians are Eastern Europe's largest contiguous forest ecosystem and a hotspot of biodiversity. However, not much is known about changes in species diversity in these forests. Here we investigate the long-time changes in the diversity of plant communities in the Eastern Carpathian beech forests. We also inquire about the similarity of plant communities between managed and protected forests. We conduct our analyses using not only the broad-sense measure of changes in β diversity (β sor ) but also the measures that reveal whether the changes result from spatial turnover (β sim ) or nestedness (β nes ). Our study demonstrated that the mean species richness did not significantly change over time in both forest types. However, we found a significant decrease of species diversity in protected forests and the same trend, but on a smaller scale, in managed forests. In both forest types the decrease of species diversity was mainly caused by spatial turnover, while nestedness-related changes were relatively small. However, the direction of changes in β nes differed in managed and unmanaged forests in such a way that it reduced the decrease of species diversity in managed forests and amplified the decrease of species diversity in unmanaged forests. We discuss our findings in terms of biotic homogenization.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Impact of Changes in Species Richness and Species Replacement on Patterns of Taxonomic Homogenization in the Carpathian Forest Ecosystems

Durak

Węgrzyn

et al. 2015

Forests

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“…Nevertheless, some seemingly essential questions emerge: (1) how will changes in habitat conditions affect the biodiversity of forest vegetation on various levels of spatial organisation, and (2) will they contribute to its homogenisation? The results of some studies show the phenomenon of differentiation within those forest communities that are poorer in terms of habitat conditions [22]. It is not known whether or not this kind of process will finally result in the homogenisation of communities [23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How Biotic Differentiation of Human Impacted Nutrient Poor Deciduous Forests Can Affect the Preservation Status of Mountain Forest Vegetation

Durak

2016

Forests

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A significant loss of biodiversity resulting from human activity has caused biotic homogenisation to become the dominant process shaping forest communities. In this paper, we present a rare case of biotic differentiation in European temperate deciduous forest herb layer vegetation. The process is occurring in nutrient poor oak-hornbeam forests in mountain areas (Polish Eastern Carpathians, Central Europe) where non-timber use was converted into conventional forest management practice. This change contributed to increases in the nitrogen content and pH reaction of the soil that, contrary to predominant beliefs on the negative impact of habitat eutrophication on diversity, did not result in a decrease in the latter. We discuss possible reasons for this phenomenon that indicate the important role of tree stand composition (an increasing admixture of beech worsening the trophic properties of the soil). The second issue considered involves the effect of the changes in herb species composition of oak-hornbeam forest on its distinctiveness from the beech forest predominating in the Polish Eastern Carpathians. Unfortunately, despite the increase in the species compositional dissimilarity of oak-hornbeam forest, a reduction in their distinctiveness in relation to the herb species composition of beech forest was found. Such a phenomenon is an effect of the major fragmentation of oak-hornbeam forests, a spread of beech forest-type species, and forest management that gives preference to beech trees. Consequently, it can be expected that changes occurring in oak-hornbeam forest vegetation will contribute to a decrease in the forest vegetation variability at the regional scale.

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A closer look at invasiveness and relatedness: life histories, temperature, and establishment success of four congeners

et al. 2020

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Successful invasive species are often closely related to other invasive species, suggesting that shared traits contribute to their invasion success. Alternatively, related species can differ in invasiveness, where some are highly invasive yet congeners seem unable to invade. Here, we compared the traits and establishment abilities of two highly successful invasive species, Gambusia affinis and G. holbrooki, to those of two close relatives, G. geiseri and G. hispaniolae. Using laboratory experiments, we compared lowtemperature tolerances and life histories of the four species. In a semi-natural mesocosm experiment, we simulated the invasion of standardized, simple pond communities and examined the effects of these traits on each species' ability to become established. The invasive species, G. affinis and G. holbrooki, were more tolerant of low-temperature stress, had greater fecundities, higher growth rates, and reached maturity sooner than G. geiseri and G. hispaniolae. In mesocosms, the invasive Gambusia exhibited higher intrinsic growth rates and carrying capacities and thus achieved and maintained larger populations than the two congeners. Only G. affinis and G. holbrooki successfully established long-term populations in these experimental communities. G. geiseri and G. hispaniolae failed to establish as a result of 100% overwintering mortality. These results support the notion that the ability of invaders to cope with the abiotic conditions of target communities has a major effect on whether establishment occurs, while life histories play an important secondary role. Our results showed that invasiveness is likely not a trait of the entire genus Gambusia.

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Biotic homogenisation and differentiation along a habitat gradient resulting from the ageing of managed beech stands

Cited by 23 publications

References 65 publications

The Impact of Changes in Species Richness and Species Replacement on Patterns of Taxonomic Homogenization in the Carpathian Forest Ecosystems

The Impact of Changes in Species Richness and Species Replacement on Patterns of Taxonomic Homogenization in the Carpathian Forest Ecosystems

How Biotic Differentiation of Human Impacted Nutrient Poor Deciduous Forests Can Affect the Preservation Status of Mountain Forest Vegetation

A closer look at invasiveness and relatedness: life histories, temperature, and establishment success of four congeners

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