Open oakwoods facing modern threats: Will they survive the next fifty years?

Chudomelová, Markéta; Hédl, Radim; Zouhar, Václav; Szabó, Péter

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2017.04.017

Cited by 35 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…For example, structural changes caused by the invasion of a deciduous forest by Impatiens glandulifera are documented as becoming visible 5 years after the invasion and causing significant alterations after 13 years ( Rusterholz et al, 2017 ). Oak forests and riparian forests in particular are reported as being affected by the impact mechanism of structural changes caused by alien plants ( Kopeć et al, 2014 ; Nobis et al, 2016 ; Chudomelová et al, 2017 ; Nobis et al, 2017 ; Radovanović et al, 2017 ).…”

Section: Synthesismentioning

confidence: 99%

A Systematic Review of the Impact of Invasive Alien Plants on Forest Regeneration in European Temperate Forests

Langmaier

Lapin

2020

Front. Plant Sci.

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Invasive alien species (IAS) are one of the major threats to global and local biodiversity. In forest ecosystems, the threats caused by IAS include hybridization, transmission of diseases and species competition. This review sets out to analyze the impact of alien plant species on forest regeneration, which we consider to be one of the key stages in tree ecology for the survival of forest ecosystems in the future. The focus of the study is directly relevant to practitioners, forest managers and the conservation management of forests. With this systematic review, we aim to provide an overview of 48 research studies reporting on the impact and/or management of IAS in European temperate forests. We followed a multi-step protocol for compiling the publications for the literature review, with nine search queries producing a total of 3,825 hits. After several reduction rounds, we ended up with a grand total of 48 papers. We identified 53 vascular plant species having a negative influence on forest regeneration in Central European forests. In total, 21 tree species are reported to be impacted by IAS in 24 studies. The results of the review synthesis show that five impact mechanisms affect the regeneration success of native tree species: competition for resources, chemical impact on regeneration, physical impact on regeneration, structural impact on regeneration and indirect impact through interaction with other species. We identified in our synthesis management measures that have been recommended for application at different stages of biological invasions. The associated costs and required resources of management measures are under-reported or not accessible by reviewing the scientific literature. We can thus conclude that it is very import to improve the links between science and practical forest management. We expect that this review will provide direction for invasive plant species research and management aimed at protecting biodiversity in European temperate forest ecosystems.

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Section: Synthesismentioning

confidence: 99%

A Systematic Review of the Impact of Invasive Alien Plants on Forest Regeneration in European Temperate Forests

Langmaier

Lapin

2020

Front. Plant Sci.

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“…and Carpinus betulus to resprout after coppicing (Matula et al, 2012;Leonardsson and Götmark, 2014) and reduced management intensity during recent decades (Collet et al, 2008). This gradual succession is a natural process, but it has serious consequences for plant biodiversity (Kopecký et al, 2013;Chudomelová et al, 2017).…”

Section: F I G U R Ementioning

confidence: 99%

Historical charcoal burning and coppicing suppressed beech and increased forest vegetation heterogeneity

Máliš

Bobek

Hédl

et al. 2020

J Vegetation Science

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Questions: Long-term legacies of historical human activities in temperate forests are increasingly recognised as an important driver of vegetation diversity and composition. To uncover centuries-old legacies, novel approaches are, however, needed. Here, we combine anthracology of historical charcoal kilns and long-term vegetation resurveys. We asked whether the historical coppicing oriented on charcoal production affected tree-species composition and how the forest understorey vegetation changed after the coppicing was abandoned. Location: Temperate broadleaved forests in the Slovak Karst National Park, central Europe. Methods: To explore the historical forest structure and long-term changes in tree composition, we sampled charcoal remains from 28 historical kilns, identified the burnt tree taxa and estimated the original diameter of the burnt wood. To analyse the vegetation changes over the last four decades, we resurveyed plant composition of 60 quasi-permanent plots established in 1975. Results: Historical charcoal burning was associated with coppicing, which decreased Fagus sylvatica dominance and favoured Quercus spp. in the tree layer. Several decades after the abandonment of coppicing, we observed the decline of Quercus spp. and spread of shade-casting tree species with nutrient-rich litter. This probably triggered the identified demise of light-demanding species, the spread of nitrophytes and taxonomic homogenisation of the forest understorey. Conclusions: The shift from historical coppicing to current high-forest management was likely a main driver of the observed taxonomic homogenisation and decline of light-demanding plants, as in other European lowland forests. Long-term data from charcoal kilns showed, however, that closed-canopy forests dominated by beech were historically more common and observed changes in vegetation thus represent a natural process. Findings also suggest that coppicing taking place over centuries enhanced diversity of forest understorey vegetation. Our novel approach combining a vegetation resurvey and charcoal kiln anthracology thus uncovered otherwise hidden links between current biological processes and the historical human legacies, with consequent important implications for nature protection and management.

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“…This may have been because it is light-demanding and thrived in the ever-changing mosaic of lighter and darker phases created by coppicing. Currently, however, Quercus-dominated forests both in Europe and North America are on the retreat (Nowacki and Abrams, 2008;Amatangelo et al, 2011;Chudomelová et al, 2017;Hanberry et al, 2019). One of the reasons behind this phenomenon -sometimes called the 'oak change' (Watt, 1919;Petersson et al, 2019) -may be the recent decrease in management intensity and the subsequent ecological succession towards more closed forests.…”

Section: Quercus In Coppice Woodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Standard trees versus underwood: Historical patterns of tree taxon occurrence in coppice forests

Szabó

Hédl

Šipoš

2020

J Vegetation Science

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Questions: Coppice woods were once widespread in Europe. It is usually assumed that underwood tree taxon composition was not directly influenced by people, whereas especially Quercus was promoted among standard trees. However, no work has quantitatively tested these assumptions. Our main question was whether there were any patterns in our data to suggest that certain trees occurred more frequently as standards than as underwood, possibly as a result of management decisions. Location: Czech Republic. Methods: We constructed a database covering 12,000 hectares of forests around AD 1900. We recorded the occurrence of tree taxa for standards and underwood in 1,507 compartments in 21 forest units. We visualised patterns in these data by bar graphs and chord diagrams. We analysed correlation patterns through association analysis and co-correspondence analysis. Results: There was a statistically significant association between the occurrences of standards and underwood in individual compartments for Quercus, Alnus, Carpinus, Fagus, Larix, Populus tremula and Tilia. Only Quercus standards and underwood showed a positive association. The taxon composition of standards and underwood in forest compartments was statistically significantly correlated. Conclusions: No simple answer can be given to the question whether or not the taxon composition of standards and underwood in coppice woods differed as a result of management. At the level of individual tree taxa, some trees were more common as standards while others, as underwood. However, the prevalence of Quercus among standards was not confirmed because in our study area Quercus was a common underwood tree as well. At the same time, no significant differences were apparent in the taxon composition of standards and underwood in individual forest compartments. It seems difficult to differentiate between the effects of human selection and indirect selection through natural properties and environmental factors. Our results also highlight the need to carefully consider the properties of written historical sources.

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Open oakwoods facing modern threats: Will they survive the next fifty years?

Cited by 35 publications

References 62 publications

A Systematic Review of the Impact of Invasive Alien Plants on Forest Regeneration in European Temperate Forests

A Systematic Review of the Impact of Invasive Alien Plants on Forest Regeneration in European Temperate Forests

Historical charcoal burning and coppicing suppressed beech and increased forest vegetation heterogeneity

Standard trees versus underwood: Historical patterns of tree taxon occurrence in coppice forests

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