Changes in the condition of woodland key habitats

In Lithuania, key and potential key forest habitats (hereinafter (P)WKH) were inventoried for the first time during 2000–2004. A repeated inventory of existing and newly established habitats was carried out during 2013–2017. This study assessed changes in (P)WKH over a period of 10–15 years between the main and repeated inventory. The gathered long-term and numerous information on the key biological elements of (P)WKH, rare species (mosses, lichens, vascular plants, mushrooms, beetles and molluscs), negative factors and the most appropriate measures for the preservation of biological values were analysed. The results showed that over a period of 10–15 years, 90.5% of woodland key habitats (WKH) remained stable or improved, and the status of potential woodland key habitats (PWKH) remained stable or improved in 60.3% of all PWKHs. The most significant changes were identified in the scenarios of WKH change into potential and PWKH change into key habitats. According to the PKMB to WKH change scenario, all investigated biological elements had a significant increased tendency of 1.2–2.3 times. All investigated biological elements decreased 1.4–3.9 times according to the WKH to PKMB change scenario. During the 10–15 years period, most WKH and some PWKH confirmed their potential to conserve and enrich biodiversity in a relatively small area, thus ensuring the function of a sustainable forest landscape as rare species habitats and being part of a network of protected areas. Special attention should be given to the necessary measures for the conservation of (P)WKH biodiversity (protection against economic use and application of nature management measures), continuous monitoring of these areas, as well as the admission and implementation of the legal framework for forest habitats in the general forest management policy.

The Persisting Influence of Edge on Vegetation in Hemiboreal Alnus Glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. Swamp Forest Set-Asides Adjacent to Recently Disturbed Stands

To increase set-aside areas and protect biodiversity values in managed hemiboreal forest landscapes, small forest parcels called Woodland Key Habitats have been designated in Baltic and Nordic countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the persisting influence of the edge on vegetation dynamics for young, medium-old and old edges in Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. Woodland Key Habitats. All of these edges are adjacent to recently disturbed (clear-cut) stands. We surveyed edge influence on vegetation in bryophyte, herbaceous, shrub and tree layers in 90 plots in 30 set-aside forest stands in Southern Latvia. We tested the differences in the number of species and projective coverage in all vegetation layers, but plant functional types were examined—separately in the herbaceous layer. We found that edge influence in protected forest stands of A. glutinosa swamp forests reflects strong changes in vegetation and plant functional types in the herbaceous layer mostly up to 20 years after clear-cut disturbance in adjacent stands. The greatest differences were between young edges (≤20 years) and old edges (≥41 years), but there were very few significant differences between medium-old (21–40 years) and old edges which signifies more rapid changes in the early stages of edge influence and gradual stabilization of vegetation later on. We found that in edges adjacent to recently disturbed stands (up to 20 years), significantly less rare and indicator epiphytic lichen species occur, but this occurrence increases over time and edge influence is no longer present beyond 20 years after disturbance. Changes in vegetation and species occurrence found in our study indicated the need to plan the allocation of set-aside patches in production forest landscapes to ensure connectivity over longer period of time. Careful planning of clear-cuts in neighboring areas over time can significantly reduce the impact of edge effect on these set-asides.

Evaluation and long-term conservation perspectives of woodland key habitat bryophyte and lichen indicators in Latgale

<span lang="EN">Nowadays human impact to habitats and species are stronger then ever before. Latvia is typical example of fragmented landscape, where forest patches are mixed with agricultural land and waterbodies. Latgale is one of typical such a fragmented landscape parts of Latvia. Around 6.41 % of Latgalian forests were evaluated as Woodland Key Habitats (WKHs) or potential WKHs (P)WKHs after WKH inventory. In total 16 WKH types, suitable for bryophyte and lichen indicator species existence were identified in Latgale. (P)WKH type, forest stand age and area were significant factors influencing bryophyte and lichen specialist and indicator species richness in forest stand level. WKH status did not provide any official conservation status for habitats or species based on current legislation in Latvia. Therefore establishment of conservation areas as microreserves for habitats and species and Nature Reserves in areas, with high (P)WKH density is an effective tool for their long-term conservation in Latgale. Further scientific studies of bryophytes, lichens and WKHs are necessary for planning the best conservation scenarios taking into account also forest ecosystem services. </span>