Long-term vegetation change in marshy pine forest Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum Kleist 1929

Abstract

D³ugookresowe zmiany rooelinnooeci w zespole sosnowego boru bagiennego Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum Kleist 1929Long-term vegetation change in marshy pine forest Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum Kleist 1929 Abstract. Marshy pine forests have a relatively broad range of distribution across Europe but are very scattered. The typical Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum association is mainly restricted to nature reserves, because bog forests have been drained in many unmanaged sites where they naturally occur. Changes in the vegetation of natural forest associations in protected areas of NE Poland were studied with respect to environmental changes and ongoing autogenic successional processes in Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum associated plant communities. Changes in the species composition of natural communities after ca. 40 years were monitored on 14 relevés in nature reserves. Most plots (nine) were located in the Bia³owie¿a National Park with the rest in nature reserves in the Augustów and Knyszyn forests. The re-sampling of phytosociological relevés was done by the same method originally used by BraunBlanquet. The groundwater table and depth of organic layer were measured close to each relevé edge. The collection of vegetation data for the two periods (old -new relevés) included such parameters as: species richness, cover of layers, ecological indicator values, number of occurrences and cover coefficients of species and particular taxonomical groups. The analysis of vegetation changes in natural communities of marshy pine forest indicated that four more species were present than in the past. The largest changes in species richness occurred in the moss and herbaceous flora. The mean number of trees, shrubs and herbaceous species per plot increased significantly. Notable changes in the vertical structure of forest communities were visible. There was also an increase of ca. 20% in the secondary layer of tree canopy cover and a concomitant decrease in the moss layer. The depth of the soil organic layer reached 150 cm. The groundwater table exhibited large seasonal fluctuations in height between spring (mean of 24.3 cm) and summer (mean of 86 cm). There were changes in all the measured parameters describing the species composition of the Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum association. Tree species Picea abies, Betula spp. and Quercus robur, all increased in abundance over the period between sampling and re-sampling, either through increased presence in the lowest layer of stands in new relevés or, in the case of Quercus robur, previously unreported occurence in the shrub layer. Many species characteristic of bog communities disappeared or significantly decreased in abundance, whereas some species typical of mineral soils became more common. The vegetation in repeatedly sampled plots became more chacteristic of wet sites than the initial bog sites over the 40 year period between sampling.

Controls on trace-element concentrations in the pore waters of two Sphagnum-dominated mires in southern Poland that are heavily polluted by atmospheric deposition

“…Long-term studies of autogenic successional changes in natural marshy pine forests (V. uliginosi-Pinetum) indicate a lowering of water tables and an increasing dryness of undisturbed peat bogs in Poland over the last 40 years (Czerepko, 2011). These results are in accord with the increase in potential evapotranspiration observed for Poland over the years 1970-2004 (Łabędzki et al, 2012).…”

Unexpected differences in butterfly diversity between two peat bogs in the same area

“…The BM raised bog seems to be more susceptible to adverse changes than JG. The only phytosociological record repeated after 25 years indicates that, besides an increase in the number of plant species in the northern part of BM, the tree cover there is now denser (CZEREPKO 2011).…”

“…Land reclamation schemes, agriculture, afforestation and peat digging have fragmented them, thereby significantly reducing their coverage ( VAN SWAAY & WARREN 1999, VASANDER et al 2003. Simultaneous falls in the water table have made them susceptible to successional changes (CZEREPKO 2008(CZEREPKO , 2011. Peat bogs are characterized by a unique fauna and flora, and although there is little variety in the taxa recorded, they contribute significantly to global biodiversity (MINAYEVA 2008).…”

Encroachment of woody species on a drained transitional peat bog in ‘Mszar Bogdaniec’ nature reserve (Western Poland)

“…In the late-successional stages, the number of species typical to bogs was lower than in early-successional stages. Czerepko (2011) found that the share of species typical for bogs decreased and share of species typical for coniferous forests increased over the past 35 years in bog pine forests (Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum) of NE Poland. Based on data from the dendroecological and phytosociological inventories, this study showed differences in floristic composition of the plant associations studied.…”

“…This case study is different from the classical scheme of succession in raised bogs. This scheme includes massive entering of Scots pine and a stage of pine bog forest Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum, as an important phase of succession (Jasnowski 1962;Ellenberg 1988;Herbich 2001;Herbich and Herbichowa 2002;Herbichowa et al 2007;Czerepko 2010Czerepko , 2011. The lack of the Vaccinio uliginosi-Pinetum stage and even plant communities referring to this stage, both in this study as well as in historical materials (Maciantowicz et al 1999), suggests another course of succession.…”