Edaphic attributes indicative of edge effect in Semideciduous tropical forest

Silva, Cristiane Figueira da; Souza, Rodrigo Camara de; Pereira, Marcos Gervásio; Pinto, Luiz Alberto da Silva Rodrigues; Ferreira, Robert; Correia, Maria Elizabeth Fernandes; Menezes, Carlos Eduardo Gabriel; Fontes, Marcelo Antoniol; Silva, Tiago Paula da

doi:10.1016/j.actao.2021.103776

Cited by 26 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 43 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Such edge-interior gradients are well known in vegetation science and mostly ascribed to the higher light availability, thinner litter layer, higher litter quality and seed flux from adjacent habitats (Guirado et al, 2006;Pellissier et al, 2013;Normann et al, 2016;Govaert et al, 2020). Also in our study we found positive effects of a warmer summer microclimate, lower tree cover (indicating a higher light availability) and a higher soil pH on the number of generalist species, which are all environmental conditions that can be related to edge proximity (Matlack, 1993;Figueira da Silva et al, 2021).…”

Section: Species Richness Gradients From Urban Forest Edges Towards I...supporting

confidence: 75%

Nutrient‐demanding and thermophilous plants dominate urban forest‐edge vegetation across temperate Europe

De Pauw,

Depauw,

Calders

et al. 2024

J Vegetation Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

QuestionsForests are highly fragmented across the globe. For urban forests in particular, fragmentation increases the exposure to local warming caused by the urban heat island (UHI) effect. We here aim to quantify edge effects on herbaceous understorey vegetation in urban forests, and test whether these effects interact with forest structural complexity.LocationWe set up a pan‐European study at the continental scale including six urban forests in Zurich, Paris, Katowice, Brussels, Bremen, and Stockholm.MethodsWe recorded understorey plant communities from the edge towards the interior of urban forests. Within each urban forest, we studied edge‐to‐interior gradients in paired stands with differing forest structural complexity. Community composition was analysed based on species specialism, life form, light, nutrient, acidity and disturbance indicator values and species' thermal niches.ResultsWe found that herbaceous communities at urban forest edges supported more generalists and forbs but fewer ferns than in forests' interiors. A buffered summer microclimate proved crucial for the presence of fern species. The edge communities contained more thermophilous, disturbance‐tolerant, nutrient‐demanding and basiphilous plant species, a pattern strongly confirmed by corresponding edge‐to‐interior gradients in microclimate, soil and light conditions in the understorey. Additionally, plots with a lower canopy cover and higher light availability supported higher numbers of both generalists and forest specialists. Even though no significant interactions were found between the edge distance and forest structural complexity, opposing additive effects indicated that a dense canopy can be used to buffer negative edge effects.ConclusionThe urban environment poses a multifaceted filter on understorey plant communities which contributes to significant differences in community composition between urban forest edges and interiors. For urban biodiversity conservation and the buffering of edge effects, it will be key to maintain dense canopies near urban forest edges.

show abstract