Forest Ecology and Management最新文献

{"title":"Land tenure and human disturbance influence the current distribution of aboveground biomass in Sri Lankan rainforest fragments","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122285","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122285","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study examines the landscape distribution of aboveground biomass (AGB) in fragmented tropical rainforests in Sri Lanka. While most attribute AGB losses from fragmentation to abiotic edge effects (e.g., desiccation and wind), land tenure and human disturbance also play a significant role. In South Asia, forest fragments are essential food, medicine, and wood sources for large rural populations. Despite this, few studies have addressed AGB dynamics in smallholder landscapes with a long land clearance and cultivation history. This study explored three objectives: (a) assessing the accuracy of a common allometric height-diameter model, (b) comparing AGB stocks in forest fragments to primary forests, and (c) examining the influence of land tenure, abiotic edge effects, and human disturbance on AGB distribution. We estimated AGB using field-based measurements in 18 forest fragments and two primary forest sites and employed mixed effects models to explore the landscape distribution of AGB. The allometric height-diameter model overestimated fragment tree heights compared to measured heights, leading to an overestimation of AGB by 25 %. AGB stocks were significantly lower in fragmented forests (259.9 Mg ha⁻¹) than in primary forests (434.5 Mg ha⁻¹), and there was no significant correlation between plot AGB and variables associated with abiotic edge effects (i.e., distance-to-edge, fragment size, isolation). However, AGB positively correlated with factors related to decreased accessibility and local land ownership. These findings suggest that land tenure and human disturbance strongly influence the current AGB distribution in Sri Lankan rainforest fragments, emphasizing the need to understand human impacts for effective conservation and management.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142162376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Modeling post-fire mortality of Turkish pine (Pinus brutia Ten.)","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Turkish pine (<em>Pinus brutia</em>) is a widely distributed species in fire-prone regions of the eastern Mediterranean, where it is of economic and ecological importance. After wildfires, damaged trees are usually salvage logged out of concern that fire-injured individuals will eventually die. While fire is a major cause of Turkish pine mortality, the species has traits, such as thick bark, that should confer some resistance to low-intensity fire. The aim of this study is to develop post-fire tree mortality models for Turkish pine to support post-fire management decisions. We selected 510 Turkish pine trees from four wildfires that occurred in the Mediterranean region of Türkiye in 2018 and 2019. Only fire-damaged trees that had initially survived the fires were selected. We measured tree diameter, height, and bark thickness and fire-caused injuries (crown volume scorched, bark char height, bark char index, cambium kill rating, and ground char index) within two months after fire. Stem-related variables were measured at three different heights (0, 50, and 130 cm). We then quantified delayed mortality for two years after each fire and developed mixed effects logistic regression models to predict probability of mortality. Most Turkish pines (84 %) survived, with the majority of mortality occurring during the first year post-fire. Crown volume scorched and stem damage variables were the most important predictors of mortality. Models were selected based on their explanatory power and practical use in the field. Among these, the most explanatory model includes crown volume scorched and bark char index measured at 0 cm stem height. The suggested model for use in forestry includes crown volume scorched and diameter at breast height. Some trees were able to survive and flush new foliage during the first season after fire despite 100 % crown scorch due to low bud kill. Our results show that Turkish pine can survive fire when stem injury is low. The mortality models can assist managers in making more evidence-based decisions for post-fire management and developing more ecologically sustainable post-fire management operations.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142162374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Local controls modify the effects of timber harvesting on surface soil carbon and nitrogen in a temperate hardwood forest","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122268","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122268","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Managing for structural complexity to enhance forest health and resiliency is increasingly incorporated in silvicultural treatments. High spatial variability in stands managed for structural complexity could obscure forest management effects on surface soils. Yet few studies have assessed how within-stand variation in forest structure and other local controls influence the effects of timber harvesting on surface soil organic matter dynamics over time. We used a stratified random sampling design to capture variation in stand age, legacy structure, soil type, and topography in a second-growth, oak-hardwood forest in the northeastern U.S. We compared surface soil carbon and nitrogen content and availability in 15 harvested stands managed to promote tree regeneration (<em>n</em> = 144 plots) and five unharvested controls (<em>n</em> = 48 plots). We also examined changes over time since harvest in just the harvested stands using a 25-year chronosequence. Timber harvesting strongly influenced surface soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics. The harvested stands had lower soil carbon and nitrogen, microbial biomass, and carbon mineralization but higher nitrogen mineralization. These differences were more pronounced in the drier soil type with higher organic matter content than in the more moist soil type. Across the 25-year chronosequence, elevation, soil type, and downed woody material density dictated the direction of changes in surface soil carbon and nitrogen over time. Soil carbon and nitrogen accrued over time at drier, higher elevation (∼300 m) sites and was positively associated with higher densities of fine woody material but declined at lower elevations (∼180 m). Proximity to legacy trees was associated with higher soil carbon and nitrogen concentrations and availability. Our findings underscore the importance of silvicultural practices that retain structural legacies in shaping surface soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics over time. Our results also highlight how accounting for spatial variation in local controls on soil carbon and nitrogen, such as topography, can improve detection of changes from forest management practices that increase spatial heterogeneity within stands, such as irregular shelterwood and seed tree regeneration methods.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142162373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of habitat edges on spatial and spatio-temporal occurrence patterns of mesocarnivores in landscapes dominated by Eucalyptus plantations","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122257","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122257","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Human population growth leads to drastic changes in landscape structure that often result in fragmentation. Fragmentation modifies the landscape and divides it into smaller habitat patches, creating habitat edges. These can affect the distribution and abundance of species and influence interspecific interactions. By comparing edges with habitat interiors, we intend to study how or if habitat edges influence mesocarnivores’: i) activity patterns, ii) co-occurrence in time, and iii) occupancy. We used camera-trapping to monitor the mesocarnivore community in two <em>Eucalyptus</em> plantations interspersed with patches of natural habitats, producing a landscape rich in habitat edges. 18 camera traps were placed in each study site, half on habitat edges and half in the interior habitat. We found a higher overlap of the mesocarnivores activity patterns in interior habitat than in habitat edges and a consistent positive effect for edge density on occupancy at both species and community-level. This study demonstrates that habitat edges shape mesocarnivores’ spatial and temporal behaviour. While spatially all species are positively affected by edges, as these can provide alternative or higher availability of resources, or act as travel corridors, to minimize interspecific interactions in edges, species activity overlap is greater within interior habitats than in edge habitats. Our findings support the design of better management measures in human-altered ecosystems, such as agricultural areas and forestry plantations, to guarantee the conservation of biodiversity while maintaining economic profitability.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112724005693/pdfft?md5=e168a5eeb8c99f9d51cb005eaca164da&pid=1-s2.0-S0378112724005693-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142151141","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Responses to drought of two Mediterranean ring-porous, deciduous species: Searching for climate smart trees and shrubs","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122282","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122282","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Drought-tolerant tree species with high growth rates and a good capacity for carbon storage in woody tissues (dense wood) are searched for due to aridification. Deciduous, ring-porous tree and shrub species could show such drought tolerance and growth traits, thus representing good candidates for climate-smart rewilding. However, we still do not know the long-term growth rates of these species and how they respond to drought, particularly in climate change hotspots such as the Mediterranean Basin. We analysed these issues at the site and individual levels in two ring-porous, deciduous species (<em>Pistacia terebinthus</em>, <em>Celtis australis</em>) using dendroecology and wood anatomy. The ring width, earlywood vessel diameter, vessel density (VD) and area (%) were measured in two focal sites, one per species, and then growth data were compared with two secondary sites to test if site-to-site synchrony changed through time. Ring-width indices (RWI) and the hydraulic diameter (<em>Dh</em>) of earlywood were calculated. Growth rates (ring width), <em>Dh</em> and vessel area were higher in <em>C. australis</em> (1.03−2.26 mm, 269 μm, 33.9 %) than in <em>P. terebinthus</em> (0.57−0.72 mm, 146 μm, 21.5 %). Consequently, VD was higher in <em>P. terebinthus</em> than in <em>C. australis</em> (104 vs. 61 vessels mm⁻²). The ring width and <em>Dh</em> were more coupled in <em>P. terebinthus</em> (<em>r</em> = 0.43) than in <em>C. australis</em> (<em>r</em> = 0.32). RWI series of the focal and secondary sites have been synchronized since the 1990s as temperatures rose. Precipitation during the growing season (May, June) enhanced growth and VD of both species. <em>P. terebinthus</em> was more responsive to a drought index than <em>C. australis</em>. The two study species show high growth rates and tolerate drought being thus suitable candidates for climate-smart rewilding.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112724005942/pdfft?md5=dbc5d76c6b6759f2a98a6a73c4449b7f&pid=1-s2.0-S0378112724005942-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142151142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Climate vulnerability of Nothofagus pumilio, Nothofagus dombeyi and Austrocedrus chilensis in northern Patagonia’s temperate forests","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Rapid climate change is exposing forests worldwide to increasing stress. In the temperate forests of northern Patagonia (Argentina), increased tree mortality and stand-level dieback have been reported in recent time. However, a comprehensive understanding of how climate change is affecting native trees´ growth across this complex mountainous landscape is still lacking. With a dendrochronological analysis of three widespread tree species (the conifer <em>Austrocedrus chilensis</em>, the evergreen broadleaf <em>Nothofagus dombeyi</em> and the deciduous broadleaf <em>Nothofagus pumilio</em>) in 24 stands across a steep precipitation gradient (1900–700 mm year⁻¹ over &lt;80 km) in the eastern Andes, we explore how recent climate trends are affecting the climate sensitivity of tree growth, basal area increment (BAI), growth synchrony and interannual growth variability. In the colline–lower montane belts (500–1100 m a.s.l.), the growth of <em>A. chilensis</em> and <em>N. dombeyi</em> is primarily constrained by high temperatures and low precipitation in late spring/early summer across the whole gradient. Towards higher elevations, growth limitation of <em>N. pumilio</em> has been shifting from cold- to drought- (and heat-) limited during the last four decades. BAI has generally declined in all <em>A. chilensis</em> stands since the late 1970s, partly due to increasing competition in juvenile stands. However, growth synchrony and interannual variability have increased consistently in both juvenile and mature stands since 1980. The BAI of <em>N. dombeyi</em> has recently diverged across sites, with stable or positive trends at the drier sites and negative trends at the moister sites; yet, similar to <em>A. chilensis,</em> growth synchrony and interannual variability have generally increased. At higher elevations, <em>N. pumilio</em> stands revealed contrasting BAI trends in recent decades, with an overall decrease in growth synchrony and interannual variability. Regional trends in BAI, growth synchrony and interannual variability appeared to be largely modulated by elevation and stand characteristics rather than decreasing precipitation in eastern direction. Across the species, a strong relation between recent BAI, growth synchrony and interannual variability trends, and growth rate at young age (reflecting stand history) was detected, indicating that stands with fast growth at young age are more likely to suffer from premature vitality decline at higher age. Future warming most likely will weaken the vitality of <em>A. chilensis</em> in much of its current distribution range, and that of fast-growing <em>N. dombeyi</em> forests especially at low to mid elevations, while <em>N. pumilio</em> stands are only beginning to experience negative climate warming-related effects.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112724005735/pdfft?md5=b88f837ab2bce246bbdec9d819b8ed31&pid=1-s2.0-S0378112724005735-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142150653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Post-harvest recovery of microclimate buffering and associated temporary xerophilization of vegetation in sub-continental oak forests","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122238","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122238","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>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.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142150650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vegetation patterns in mature plantations of Pinus radiata and Pseudotsuga menziesii: Implications for forest transitions","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122264","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122264","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Plantation forests that will not be harvested are becoming more prevalent throughout the forestry industry. The reason for not harvesting may be for carbon sequestration, facilitation of ecological restoration, or due to the establishment of plantations in sensitive environments where harvesting is no longer viable or economic. These forests are referred to as non-harvest plantation forests, a term that covers both plantations that have been established with or without the intent of harvest. The future of such forests is uncertain and there is increasing desire to transition to native forest cover without clearcut of the plantation. We used vegetation data from eight older (&gt;40 years) abandoned exotic plantation stands, four of <em>Pinus radiata</em> and four of <em>Pseudotsuga menziesii</em> in the Hawke’s Bay region of Aotearoa New Zealand to (1) examine the structure and composition of the understorey vegetation in the plantation stands, (2) explore the influence of environmental variables and plantation characteristics on plant communities, and (3) make recommendations for the ongoing management of non-harvest plantation forests. Vegetation composition data were analysed using ordination and PERMANOVA, including the fit of environmental vectors. Hierarchical cluster analysis showed five clusters of plots, with two clusters containing plots in both <em>P. radiata</em> and <em>P. menziesii</em> stands. The communities of native understorey vegetation were different between <em>P. radiata</em> and <em>P. menziesii</em> stands, however neither plantation species contained significantly higher native species richness or importance value. Analyses of linear relationships found plantation age and stocking (stem density) had the greatest effect on native understorey vegetation importance value in <em>P. menziesii</em> stands. There was no relationship between importance value and stocking in <em>P. radiata</em>. Age could not be assessed in <em>P. radiata</em> due to the narrow range of stand ages. All stands sampled contained native canopy tree species: <em>P. menziesii</em> had dominant understorey cover of <em>Melicytus ramiflorus</em> and <em>Fuscospora fusca</em>, while <em>P. radiata</em> had dominant cover of <em>Kunzea ericoides</em> and <em>Pterophylla racemosa.</em> Both plantation species sampled showed potential for succession towards a native forest, however, 43 % of <em>P. radiata</em> plots had exotic self-seeded conifers in the understorey suggesting the need for ongoing intervention. Although emergent canopy species of the Podocarpaceae and Nothofagaceae families were found throughout the stands sampled, they were more sparse and less dominant than the native understorey and co-canopy angiosperm species indicating that disturbance of the exotic canopy may be required for further growth and establishment of Podocarpaceae and Nothofagaceae species.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112724005760/pdfft?md5=f909147c94289e39a688436873e52b5b&pid=1-s2.0-S0378112724005760-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142150651","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"DArTseq-generated SNPs revealed low genetic diversity and genetic erosion along life stages in fragmented populations of Afrocarpus gracilior (Pilg.) C.N.Page in southern Ethiopia","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122256","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122256","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Forest fragmentation can have severe genetic impacts that threaten the long-term viability of tree species, though susceptibility varies by species. This study investigates the genetic effects of fragmentation on <em>Afrocarpus gracilio</em>r populations in traditional agroforestry systems and relict forest patches. We used single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers generated by the DArTseq platform to assess genetic diversity and population structure in both adult and progeny cohorts. Our findings indicate overall low genetic diversity (H_E &lt; 0.1) across all <em>A. gracilior</em> populations studied, with progeny cohorts showing even lower diversity than adults. Progeny from isolated or few mother trees exhibited the lowest genetic diversity, suggesting heightened genetic drift and inbreeding. Genetic differentiation between populations ranged from little (F_ST &lt; 0.05) to moderate (0.05 &lt; F_ST &lt; 0.15), with progeny cohorts from smaller populations showing relatively higher differentiation and significant index of association scores. A Mantel test found no significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances. Analysis of molecular variance indicated that most genetic variation occurred within populations (57–61 %), rather than between populations (1.07–4.93 %) or individuals (about 38 %). Clustering analysis using the discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) method, classified the genotypes into five groups, whereas phylogenetic analysis identified three major clusters with further subgrouping. Overall, the study highlights low genetic diversity in <em>A. gracilio</em>r populations, with significant inbreeding and genetic drift in progeny from small, isolated populations. These results are crucial for informing conservation, restoration, and genetic rescue efforts for the species.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142150649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of cattle and cervids on plants and flower-visiting insects in young spruce plantations","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122258","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122258","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Livestock summer grazing in mountains and forests in Norway is generally considered beneficial to biodiversity. In this study we investigated if this is the case for cattle in boreal production forest. We collected biodiversity data on field layer vegetation, floral resources and flower-visiting insects in young spruce plantations that were planted 2–10 years ago. We picked young spruce plantations inside and outside well-established cattle grazing areas. On each plantation, we sampled fenced and unfenced plots (20 * 20 m each). This study design allowed us to investigate long-term effects of cattle grazing as well as short-term effects of excluding cervids only and short-term effects of excluding cervids and cattle. Long-term cattle grazing reduced the abundance of woody plants and reduced the abundance of flowers. Excluding cervids for two summers led to reduced height of woody plants (shrubs and heather) and to increased flower abundance. In contrast, excluding cervids and cattle for two summers led to increased height of graminoids, herbs and woody plants, to higher abundance of graminoids, higher flower abundance and higher abundance of flower-visiting insects. In conclusion, cattle affected the studied system in different ways and to a larger extent than native cervids. Our study shows that we must be careful when inferring results from cattle grazing studies on grasslands to forest ecosystems. As this study documents a negative effect of cattle on floral resources and flower-visiting insects, and we currently are facing a global pollination crisis, a careful consideration of the current practice of cattle grazing in boreal forest might be needed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037811272400570X/pdfft?md5=1922920ea0043054d47a197b9b576af0&pid=1-s2.0-S037811272400570X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142151140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}