Herb layer species richness declines with heterogeneity of the forest structure in primary beech-dominated forests while proportion of forest specialists increases

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60460709%3A41320%2F24%3A100544" target="_blank" >RIV/60460709:41320/24:100544 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/62156489:43410/24:43924774

Result on the web

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2024.121728" target="_blank" >http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2024.121728</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2024.121728" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.foreco.2024.121728</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Herb layer species richness declines with heterogeneity of the forest structure in primary beech-dominated forests while proportion of forest specialists increases

Original language description

Nature conservation in the Carpathians focuses on primary forest remnants as biodiversity hotspots. They are often recognized by structural attributes such as tree size heterogeneity and the occurrence of ancient trees. Studies from managed forests or on gradients from managed to unmanaged forests suggest that structure heterogeneity increases herb layer diversity. We have focused on mountain beech primary forests and tested the effect of tree -stand structure, and natural disturbance history on the herb vegetation composition and richness in 150 plots across Slovakia to complement the recent evidence. The overall herb species richness is declining with the increase of recent tree and shrub layer cover, and this decline was also observed for the richness of forest specialists, although their proportion to the other species is growing. Interestingly, we did not find any effect of canopy continuity or time since the last disturbance in the plot on the forest specialist's proportion. Our results suggest that species rich understory of primary mountain beech forests are characterized by relatively low structural complexity and low tree and shrub layer cover, and this is true also if only forest specialist species are considered. These outcomes emphasize the need for tailored strategies in monitoring and managing protected forests. With the recent landscape changes in Europe, they are important for understanding herbaceous vegetation development after the abandonment of forest use.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

40100 - Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries

Project

<a href="/en/project/GA22-31322S" target="_blank" >GA22-31322S: Long-term disturbance dynamics as drivers of taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of primary forest communities</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)<br>S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Forest Ecology and Management

ISSN

0378-1127

e-ISSN

0378-1127

Volume of the periodical

556

Issue of the periodical within the volume

17.0

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

17

Pages from-to

1-17

UT code for WoS article

001181633400001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85184474473