Linda Csölleová , Marek Kotrík , Dávid Kupček , Vlastimil Knopp , František Máliš
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Forest microclimate buffering is a key factor influencing living conditions of forest understorey species. Shaping open-air conditions into unique microclimate, forest canopies can mitigate climate change impacts on forest vegetation. In managed forests, canopy disturbances associated with forest harvest reduce microclimate buffering, threaten forest-dwelling species, and may trigger compositional shifts of understorey towards warm-demanding plants. However, how long does it take for microclimate to recover and whether understorey changes are permanent or temporary remain sufficiently unexplored. To reveal changes in microclimate, potential compositional shifts of understorey and time for microclimate and vegetation recovery, we measured forest microclimate and recorded understorey composition along developmental gradient of even-aged managed oak forests in the Western Carpathians (Central Europe). We compared offsets of air temperature and soil moisture to open-air conditions and thermal and moisture requirements of understorey plants between developmental stages and analysed relationships of these measures to tree layer structural variables. During growing season, all developmental stages exhibited lower maximum temperatures and higher soil moisture minima than open-air conditions, with the smaller thermal and higher moisture offsets in the stages of seed cut and clearings compared to mature stand. In a vegetation response to cutting disturbances, we did not identify thermophilization, but shift towards drought tolerant plants, i.e. xerophilization. This emphasizes higher importance of water availability than temperature for vegetation of oak forest in sub-continental conditions. Importantly, observed xerophilization was linked to occurrence of species typical for non-forest vegetation or more open forests, which are typical for oak dominated forests. Microclimate typical for mature stands recovered when tree regeneration reaches the height of ca. 10–15 m. Also, xerophilization was temporary and moisture requirements of vegetation recovered along with microclimate. Our results indicate that decrease in microclimate buffering effect may support restoration of declined vegetation diversity of sub-continental oak forest and forest understories have potential to recover along with forest succession. On the other hand, period of microclimate buffering effect loss is rather long and many plants could by threatened by extreme conditions during ongoing climate change. Thus, to safeguard all forest species novel harvest techniques combining open light gaps with closed-canopy components are required.
期刊介绍：
Forest Ecology and Management publishes scientific articles linking forest ecology with forest management, focusing on the application of biological, ecological and social knowledge to the management and conservation of plantations and natural forests. The scope of the journal includes all forest ecosystems of the world.
A peer-review process ensures the quality and international interest of the manuscripts accepted for publication. The journal encourages communication between scientists in disparate fields who share a common interest in ecology and forest management, bridging the gap between research workers and forest managers.
We encourage submission of papers that will have the strongest interest and value to the Journal''s international readership. Some key features of papers with strong interest include:
1. Clear connections between the ecology and management of forests;
2. Novel ideas or approaches to important challenges in forest ecology and management;
3. Studies that address a population of interest beyond the scale of single research sites, Three key points in the design of forest experiments, Forest Ecology and Management 255 (2008) 2022-2023);
4. Review Articles on timely, important topics. Authors are welcome to contact one of the editors to discuss the suitability of a potential review manuscript.
The Journal encourages proposals for special issues examining important areas of forest ecology and management. Potential guest editors should contact any of the Editors to begin discussions about topics, potential papers, and other details.
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