Differential short-term response of functional groups to a change in forest management in a temperate forest

Groot, Maarten de; Eler, Klemen; Flajšman, Katarina; Grebenc, Tine; Marinšek, Aleksander; Kutnar, Lado

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2016.06.025

Cited by 42 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Many studies have found similar trends (e.g., Brunet et al., ; Decocq et al., ; Falk et al., ; Fourrier et al., ). In general, vascular plants have been shown to be more tolerant to forest management practices compared to other organisms such as epiphytic bryophytes and lichens, or even saproxylic insects, mycorrhizal fungi or invertebrates (de Groot et al., ; Tonteri et al., ; Verschuyl, Riffell, Miller, & Wigley, ). However, our study only shows this in the near term.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Initial understory vegetation responses following different forest management intensities in Illyrian beech forests

Kermavnar

Eler

Marinšek

et al. 2019

Applied Vegetation Science

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Background and questions: How forest vegetation responds to disturbance continues to be a focal point, especially in the context of biodiversity conservation. To investigate the short-term effects of forest management on understory vegetation, we asked: (a) Are there any plant indicator species associated with different felling intensities? (b) What are the differences in abundance of plant functional types along the disturbance gradient? (c) How do typical forest species respond to silvicultural treatments? Location: Dinaric Mountains, Slovenia.Methods: At each of three study sites in Illyrian beech forests, nine plots (4,000 m 2 ) were established, comprising a total of 27 plots. Three different felling intensities were implemented at each site, with one third of the plots assigned to each treatment: control, 50% of the growing stock removed and 100% of the growing stock removed. In the centre of each plot, a vegetation survey of vascular plants was done before (in 2012) and two years after (in 2014) felling in a circular sampling area of 400 m 2 . We employed indicator species analysis, and species were grouped into functional types with respect to their traits.Results: Understory species composition differed significantly between treatments.Forty-seven species (out of 251) were significantly associated with the 100% felling intensity. This relatively high number of indicators was due to the post-disturbance colonization of early-successional, non-forest species, coupled with the expansion of pre-treatment resident species. Only one species was a strong indicator for the 50% felled plots, while three species showed a preference for the unfelled plots.Graminoids, tall perennial forbs, annual/biennial forbs and legumes exhibited the most prominent increase in cover at the 50% and 100% felling intensity. Ferns showed non-significant changes, whereas woody plants exhibited a decrease in the most intensive treatment. In general, most of the typical forest species responded with increased frequency and/or abundance after felling. Conclusions:The post-treatment taxonomic and functional composition of plant communities exhibited the largest changes in the most intensively felled stands.Overall, in the short term, ecological conditions in canopy gaps were not modified to an extent that would be detrimental to the persistence of typical forest species. K E Y W O R D SAremonio-Fagion, Natura 2000, felling disturbance gradient, indicator species analysis, plant functional types, typical forest plant species | 49

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Initial understory vegetation responses following different forest management intensities in Illyrian beech forests

Kermavnar

Eler

Marinšek

et al. 2019

Applied Vegetation Science

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“…For example, the occurrence and abundance of woody plant species in forest stands and canopy gaps has been shown to strongly depend on mycorrhiza, which is also directly influenced by management interventions (mainly through soil compaction and soil disturbance). The degree of symbiosis between plants and fungi in the soil is expected to be reduced after tree cutting, particularly in the case of ectomycorrhizal fungi [67].…”

Section: Floristic Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating Short-Term Impacts of Forest Management and Microsite Conditions on Understory Vegetation in Temperate Fir-Beech Forests: Floristic, Ecological, and Trait-Based Perspective

Kermavnar

Marinšek

Eler

et al. 2019

Forests

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Forest understory vegetation is largely influenced by disturbances and given local abiotic conditions. Our research focuses on the early response of understory vegetation to various forest management intensities in Dinaric fir-beech forests in Slovenia: (i) control, (ii) 50% cut of stand growing stock, and (iii) 100% cut of stand growing stock. Apart from identifying overstory removal effects, we were interested in fine-scale variation of understory vegetation and environmental determinants of its species composition. Vegetation was sampled within 27 karst sinkholes, which represent a dominant landform in studied forests. Within each sinkhole, five sampling plots, varying in slope aspect (centre, north, east, south, west), were established (135 in total), where pre-treatment (in 2012) and post-treatment (in 2014) floristic surveys were conducted. The sampled understory species were characterized in terms of Ellenberg's indicator values (EIVs) and plant functional traits (plant height, seed mass, specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content). Diversity metrics (species richness, total cover, Shannon index) increased in plots where the silvicultural measures were applied. Tree species richness also increased in 100% cutting. A redundancy analysis revealed that species composition was related to environmental variables, which are directly influenced by management interventions (overstory canopy cover, microclimate-maximum daily temperature, soil properties-thickness of organic soil layer) as well as by topographic factors (slope inclination and surface rockiness). EIVs for light were significantly affected by treatment intensity, whereas soil-related EIVs (moisture, reaction, nutrients) depended more on the within-sinkhole position. Canopy gaps, compared with uncut control plots, hosted a higher number of colonizing species with a higher plant height and smaller seeds, while leaf traits did not show a clear response. We found a negative correlation between pre-treatment species (functional) richness and post-treatment shifts in floristic (functional) composition. Plots with higher richness exhibited smaller changes compared with species-poor communities. Incorporating different perspectives, the results of this study offer valuable insights into patterns of understory vegetation response to forest management in fir-beech forests.

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“…Forestry operations affect the recruitment of CWD by harvesting the future CWD (Kenefic & Nyland 2007, De Groot et al 2016). In our study the CDW and live tree volumes were higher in the control, unlogged area.…”

Section: Cwd and Living Treesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term effects of single-tree selection cutting management on coarse woody debris in natural mixed beech stands in the Caspian forest (Iran)

Tavankar¹,

Nikooy²,

Picchio³

et al. 2017

iForest

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Coarse woody debris (CWD) has a wide range of ecological and conservation values such as maintaining biodiversity in forest ecosystems. Each forest management method can have a detrimental effect on stand structure and CWD. We analyzed the volume and density of live trees and CWD (snags and downed logs) over a long-term (30 years) selection-logging managed compartment (harvested), and compared these with values obtained from an unlogged compartment (control) in the Iranian Caspian forests. Results showed that the volume and density of live trees and CWD in the harvested area was significantly lower than in the control area, especially large size trees and CWD, very decayed CWD, and rare tree species. The ratio of snags volume to total standing volume (RSS) was significantly higher in the control (7.9%) than in the harvested area (5.2%), and the ratio of downed logs volume to trees volume (RDT) in the control area (6.3%) was significantly higher than in the harvested area (4.6%), while the ratio of downed logs volume to snags volume (RDS) was significantly higher in the harvested area (83.6%) than in the control (74%). Based on the obtained results, we recommend selection cutting forests to be managed based on CWD management plans, including appropriate cutting cycles (15-30 years) and retention of large-diameter (DBH > 75 cm) and cavity trees as a suitable habitat for many wildlife species.

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Differential short-term response of functional groups to a change in forest management in a temperate forest

Cited by 42 publications

References 53 publications

Initial understory vegetation responses following different forest management intensities in Illyrian beech forests

Initial understory vegetation responses following different forest management intensities in Illyrian beech forests

Evaluating Short-Term Impacts of Forest Management and Microsite Conditions on Understory Vegetation in Temperate Fir-Beech Forests: Floristic, Ecological, and Trait-Based Perspective

Long-term effects of single-tree selection cutting management on coarse woody debris in natural mixed beech stands in the Caspian forest (Iran)

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