scholarly journals Litter-dwelling invertebrates in natural and plantation forests in the southern Carpathians, Romania

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfred-Stefan Cicort-Lucaciu ◽  
Diana Cupsa ◽  
Felicia Sucea ◽  
Sara Ferenti ◽  
Severus-Daniel Covaciu-Marcov
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Beech Forest ◽  
Forest Plantations ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Beech Forests ◽  
Sessile Oak ◽  
Native Forests ◽  
Individual Number ◽  
Romanian Carpathians ◽  
Glacial Periods

Forest plantations usually have a poorer fauna than native forests of the same region. Exceptions seem to appear in colder areas of Europe with few native forests. The Jiu Gorge National Park (JGNP) is situated in the Southern Romanian Carpathians, where numerous native, especially beech, forests are present. However, in the southern part of JGNP there are plantations with non-native species, like pine or black locust, where previous studies had reported a poor fauna. Based on this information, we supposed that this fauna poverty in plantations will be obvious also in the case of the litter macrofauna. This was verified by analyzing the litter macrofauna from 15 forests in the JGNP (10 natural forests and five forest plantations). We collected 12,950 individuals belonging to 28 invertebrate groups. The highest number of taxa was registered in the sessile oak forest, while the highest individual number and taxa diversity was observed in two beech forests. In the beech and birch reforestation areas the fauna was poorer than in old mature forests of the same tree species. In contrast to native forests, the fauna in plantations was much poorer, especially in the pine plantations. Detritiphagous taxa were the most affected by factors of the plantations. In the plantations, more mobile groups with various trophic regimes prevail. The plantations that are present in the southern areas of JGNP, replaced the original sessile oak forests, compared to which they have a much poorer fauna. Forest plantations from JGNP have low value for biodiversity, compared to the northern European areas where natural forests became very rare and the fauna is recent. JGNP is not in the same situation, having extended native forests, which are present in the area since the glacial periods. Therefore, these forests shelter the native fauna of the region. There are few plantations, present only in the disturbed part of JGNP, but even there they have only a very low importance for biodiversity. The data from JGNP confirms the fact that zones with high biodiversity and native forests should be conserved. Key words: Carpathians, beech, forest plantations, past, native, invertebrates, leaf litter, forestry.

scholarly journals Phytocenological and edaphic characteristics of sessile oak forests on Miroc Mt in northeastern Serbia

2013 ◽  
pp. 27-55
Author(s):  
Rade Cvjeticanin ◽  
Olivera Kosanin ◽  
Milun Krstic ◽  
Marko Perovic ◽  
Marijana Novakovic-Vukovic
Keyword(s):  
Beech Forest ◽  
Quercus Petraea ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Oak Forests ◽  
Oak Forest ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Beech Forests ◽  
Sessile Oak ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Natural Stands

This research was carried out in natural stands of sessile oak (Quercus petraea agg. Ehrendorfer 1967) on Miroc mountain. Three comunities were investigated: Pure sessile oak forest (Quercetum montanum Cer. et Jov. 1953. s.l.), sessile oak-common hornbeam forest (Querco-Carpinetum moesiacum Rud. 1949. s.l.) and sessile oak-balkan beech forest (Querco-Fagetum Glis. 1971). Pure sessile oak forests are found on the following soils: dystric ranker and acid cambic soil on sandstone, dystric ranker and acid cambisols on phyllite, and acid cambic soil on schists. Sessile oak-hornbeam forests grow on sandstone, granite and schists. Sessile oak-beech forests are found on acid cambisol on phyllite and sandstone conglomerate. Various ecological conditions (exposition, slope, altitude, soil types and bedrock) on Mt Miroc caused the occurence of diverse sessile oak forest communities, while different states of these forest stands resulted from the implementation of management measures.

scholarly journals Microclimatic Tipping Points at the Beech–Oak Ecotone in the Western Romanian Carpathians

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 919 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Hohnwald ◽  
Adrian Indreica ◽  
Helge Walentowski ◽  
Christoph Leuschner
Keyword(s):  
Canopy Structure ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Beech Forest ◽  
Oak Forests ◽  
Tipping Points ◽  
Sensitive Species ◽  
Beech Forests ◽  
Relative Air Humidity ◽  
Elevation Difference ◽  
Romanian Carpathians

European beech (Fagus sylvatica) is a drought-sensitive species that likely will retreat from its xeric distribution edges in the course of climate warming. Physiological measurements indicate that the species may not only be sensitive to soil water deficits, but also to high temperatures and elevated atmospheric vapor pressure deficits (vpd). Through microclimatological measurements in the stand interior across near-natural beech forest–oak forest ecotones, we searched for microclimatic tipping points in the contact zone with the aim to define the thermic and hydrometeorological limits of beech more precisely. In three transects in the foothills of the Romanian western Carpathians, we measured in mid-summer 2019 air temperature, relative air humidity, and vpd at 2 m height in the stand interior across the ecotone from pure oak to pure beech forests, and compared the readings to the microclimate in forest gaps. Mean daytime temperature (T) and vpd were by 2 K and 2 hPa, respectively, higher in the oak forests than the beech forests; the extremes differed even more. Especially in the second half of the day, the oak forests heated up and were more xeric than the beech forests. Part of the differences is explained by the elevation difference between oak and beech forests (200–300 m), but species differences in canopy structure, leaf area, and canopy transmissivity enhance the microclimatic contrast. Our T and vpd data point to thresholds at about 30 °C and 25 hPa as maxima tolerated by beech in the lowermost shade canopy for extended periods. In conclusion, the rather sharp stand microclimatic gradient demonstrated here for the xeric distribution limit of beech may well be the decisive factor that hinders the spread of beech into the warmer oak forests.

scholarly journals Effect of Land Use History on Biodiversity of Pine Plantations

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra V. Uribe ◽  
Nicolás García ◽  
Cristián F. Estades
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Biotic Homogenization ◽  
Pine Plantations ◽  
Aerial Photographs ◽  
Forest Plantations ◽  
Land Use History ◽  
Central Chile ◽  
Native Forests ◽  
The Impact

The growing replacement of native vegetation by forest plantations is considered a global threat to biodiversity. Significant variation in biotic communities among stands with similar management suggests that previous land use might have an effect on the capacity of forest plantations to harbor native species. The goal of our study was to determine the effect of land-use history on the biodiversity currently present in pine plantations in the coastal range of Central Chile. In particular, we hypothesized that plantations that directly replaced native forests should have higher diversity of plants and birds than plantations that were established in agricultural areas. We also expected that plantations of higher number of rotations should have fewer habitat-specialists and more generalists/exotics, reflecting a process of biotic homogenization. Using aerial photographs and satellite images encompassing a period of six decades, we classified 108 4-ha sampling units into native forests, and mature (17–20 year) pine plantations of first, second, and third rotation, of either forest or agricultural origin. At each site, we collected data on the abundance and richness of diurnal birds and understory plants, and analyzed their behavior in relation to the land-use history using Generalized Linear Models (GLMs). Also, we evaluated dissimilarity of communities of each pine plantation “treatment” to assess the occurrence of biotic homogenization. As predicted, pine plantations that directly replaced native forests had a higher abundance of forest specialists and less abundance of exotics and generalists than plantations of agricultural origin. In contrast, the number of rotations of pine plantations not only did not affect negatively the diversity and abundance of forest specialist species, but the models showed some signs of naturalization in the studied systems over time, such as the increase in the abundance of native herbs and a reduction in the abundance of their exotic counterparts. These results agree with the lack of evidence for a decrease in the dissimilarity of biotic communities in plantations with time, suggesting that the management of pine plantations in Central Chile is not promoting biotic homogenization, beyond the impact of the initial stages of land use change.

scholarly journals Biogeographic Distribution of Cedrela spp. Genus in Peru Using MaxEnt Modeling: A Conservation and Restoration Approach

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 261
Author(s):  
Alexander Cotrina Sánchez ◽  
Nilton B. Rojas Briceño ◽  
Subhajit Bandopadhyay ◽  
Subhasis Ghosh ◽  
Cristóbal Torres Guzmán ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endangered Species ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Timber Species ◽  
National Service ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Entropy Model ◽  
Probability Of Occurrence ◽  
Bioclimatic Variables ◽  
Population Sizes

The increasing demand for tropical timber from natural forests has reduced the population sizes of native species such as Cedrela spp. because of their high economic value. To prevent the decline of population sizes of the species, all Cedrela species have been incorporated into Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The study presents information about the modeled distribution of the genus Cedrela in Peru that aims to identify potential habitat distribution of the genus, its availability in areas protected by national service of protected areas, and highlighted some areas because of their conservation relevance and the potential need for restoration. We modeled the distribution of the genus Cedrela in Peru using 947 occurrence records that included 10 species (C. odorata, C. montana, C. fissilis, C. longipetiolulata, C. angustifolia, C. nebulosa, C. kuelapensis, C. saltensis, C. weberbaueri, and C. molinensis). We aim to identify areas environmentally suitable for the occurrence of Cedrela that are legally protected by the National Service of Protected Areas (PAs) and those that are ideal for research and restoration projects. We used various environmental variables (19 bioclimatic variables, 3 topographic factors, 9 edaphic factors, solar radiation, and relative humidity) and the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) to predict the probability of occurrence. We observed that 6.7% (86,916.2 km2) of Peru presents a high distribution probability of occurrence of Cedrela, distributed in 17 departments, with 4.4% (10,171.03 km2) of the area protected by PAs mainly under the category of protection forests. Another 11.65% (21,345.16 km2) of distribution covers areas highly prone to degradation, distributed mainly in the departments Ucayali, Loreto, and Madre de Dios, and needs immediate attention for its protection and restoration. We believe that the study will contribute significantly to conserve Cedrela and other endangered species, as well as to promote the sustainable use and management of timber species as a whole.

scholarly journals Evaluation of wood properties from six native species of forest plantations in Costa Rica

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Tenorio ◽  
Róger Moya ◽  
Cynthia Salas ◽  
Alexander Berrocal
Keyword(s):  
Costa Rica ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Wood Properties ◽  
Forest Plantations

scholarly journals Macromycetes of beech forests within the eastern part of the Fagus area in Europe

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Lisiewska
Keyword(s):  
Central Europe ◽  
Beech Forest ◽  
Forest Communities ◽  
Beech Forests ◽  
Rotten Wood

This work presents the author's view on the habitat if individual forest communities based on the fungi she has collected and gives a comparison of the mycoflora of beech forest in Poland and in south and central Europe. The beech forest were studied by the phytosociological method. Fruit bodies occurring on the soil, in the litter and on rotten wood were studied.

scholarly journals Impacts of non-native Norway spruce plantation on abundance and species richness of ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Web Ecology ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. Elek ◽  
T. Magura ◽  
T. Tóthmérész
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Beech Forest ◽  
Nature Management ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Active Nature

Abstract. The impacts of non-native Norway spruce plantation on the abundance and species richness of carabids were studied in the Bükk National Park in Hungary, central Europe. Pitfall catches from recently established (5 yr old), young (15 yr after planting), middle-aged (30 yr after planting), old Norway spruce Picea abies plantation (50 yr after planting), and a native submontane beech forest (Fagetum sylvaticae) as a control stand were compared. Our results showed that deciduous forest species decreased significantly in abundance in the plantations, and appeared in high abundance only in the native beech forest. Furthermore, open habitat species increased remarkably in abundance in the recently established plantation. Carabids were significantly more abundant and species rich in the native forest than in the plantations, while differences were not significant among the plantations. Multiple regression between the abundance and species richness of carabids and twelve environmental measurements showed that pH of the soil, herb cover and density of the carabids’ prey had a significant effect in determining abundance and species richness. Our results showed that plantation of non-native Norway spruce species had a detrimental effect on the composition of carabid communities and no regeneration could be observed during the growth of plantations even 50 yr after the establishment. This emphasises the importance of an active nature management practice to facilitate the recolonization of the native species.

scholarly journals Modeliranje višinske in debelinske rasti dominantnih dreves ter ocenjevanje indeksov produkcijske sposobnosti gozdnih rastišč

2021 ◽  
Vol 125 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Andrej Bončina ◽  
Vasilije Trifković ◽  
Živa Bončina
Keyword(s):  
Growth Models ◽  
Tree Height ◽  
European Beech ◽  
Productivity Index ◽  
Silver Fir ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Site Productivity ◽  
Beech Forests ◽  
Sessile Oak ◽  
Diameter Increment

Modeling the height and diameter growth of trees is an important part of forest management. Growth models provide the basis for determining the thinning regime, target tree dimensions and optimal proportions of developmental phases of forest stands. We developed individual height growth models for dominant Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in two forest types (sessile oak-European beech forests and pre-Alpine silver fir-European beech forests). Based on the models, the site productivity index (SPI), defined as the dominant tree height at a diameter of 45 cm, was determined for spruce and beech in both forest types. Based on the diameter increment of the dominant trees, the age of trees in regard to their diameter was calculated, which was the basis for Height-Age modeling. The site productivity index (SPI) of spruce in sessile oak-beech forests and pre-Alpine silver fir-European beech forests is higher than that of beech: 31.3 and 29.7 vs 28.7 and 27.9, respectively. Estimated site indices (SI; dominant tree height at the age of 100 years) in sessile oak- European beech forests and pre-Alpine silver fir-European beech forests were 33.4 and 32.0 for spruce, and 29.0 and 27.0 for beech, respectively. Using the described procedure, it is possible to determine indices of site productivity of spruce and beech (SI and SPI) in the selected forest habitat types. Testing the procedure in other forest types and for other tree species is suggested.

Nested forest nutrient cycles: implications for plantation management

1993 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 694-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Q. Hendrickson ◽  
J. Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Litter Production ◽  
Forest Plantations ◽  
Nutrient Cycles ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Plantation Forest ◽  
Atmospheric Processes ◽  
Basic Understanding ◽  
Internal Storage ◽  
Storage Pools

Natural forests may be viewed as containing nested nutrient cycles: an "external" cycle mediated by atmospheric processes, a "soil" cycle of litter production and decay, and one or more "plant" cycles involving retranslocation and internal storage pools. The goal of plantation forest management should be to enhance all of these cycles. Stimulating the "external" cycle by adding fertilizer nutrients is likely to increase "soil" and "plant" cycling rates as well. A basic understanding of how these nested cycles are linked can improve the management of nutrients in forest plantations.

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