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Zhang Y, Zhou W, Yuan Q, Deng J, Zhou L, Yu D. Niches, interspecific associations, and community stability of main understory regeneration species after understory removal in temperate forests. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1371898. [PMID: 39268002 PMCID: PMC11390392 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1371898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/15/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Understory removal is frequently used to relieve the renewal pressure on trees and promote the growth capability of trees for maintaining community stability, while the lack of previous study on temperate forests limits our assessment of the effectiveness of this essential management measurement. Methods In this study, we calculated the niche characteristics and interspecific association of main understory species and community stability in temperate forests [original broad-leaved Korean pine forest (BKF), Betula platyphylla secondary forest (BF), and Larix gmelinii plantation (LF)] after understory removal for characterizing the resource utilization capacity of the regeneration trees. Results During the restoration stage, the niche breadth of understory plants with similar habits varied across stands and layers; regeneration tree species with heliophile and semishade occupied a larger niche in BKF and LF, while it was the opposite in LF. Niche overlap among heliophile regeneration trees increased in both BKF and BF, but not in LF. The interspecific association among main species revealed that the distribution of each species was independent and the interspecific association was loose and it varied in different forests and different light-demanding species with regeneration trees. The stability of shrub communities in BF and LF improved whereas that of BKF declined, while that of the herb communities of corresponding forests showed the opposite state. Discussion Our study demonstrated that the effectiveness of understory removal depends on species' ecological habits, which enhances the renewal and resource utilization capacity of regeneration tree species in temperate forests and shrub community stability in BF and LF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Jilin Changbai Mountain West Slope National Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Shenyang, China
| | - Wangming Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Anqing Normal University, Anqing, China
| | - Quan Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Jilin Changbai Mountain West Slope National Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Shenyang, China
- Yancheng Wetland and Natural World Heritage Conservation and Management Center, Yancheng, China
| | - Jiaojiao Deng
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Jilin Changbai Mountain West Slope National Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Shenyang, China
| | - Li Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Jilin Changbai Mountain West Slope National Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Shenyang, China
| | - Dapao Yu
- Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Jilin Changbai Mountain West Slope National Research Station of Forest Ecosystem, Shenyang, China
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Vanneste T, Depauw L, De Lombaerde E, Meeussen C, Govaert S, De Pauw K, Sanczuk P, Bollmann K, Brunet J, Calders K, Cousins SAO, Diekmann M, Gasperini C, Graae BJ, Hedwall PO, Iacopetti G, Lenoir J, Lindmo S, Orczewska A, Ponette Q, Plue J, Selvi F, Spicher F, Verbeeck H, Zellweger F, Verheyen K, Vangansbeke P, De Frenne P. Trade-offs in biodiversity and ecosystem services between edges and interiors in European forests. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:880-887. [PMID: 38424266 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02335-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Forest biodiversity and ecosystem services are hitherto predominantly quantified in forest interiors, well away from edges. However, these edges also represent a substantial proportion of the global forest cover. Here we quantified plant biodiversity and ecosystem service indicators in 225 plots along forest edge-to-interior transects across Europe. We found strong trade-offs: phylogenetic diversity (evolutionary measure of biodiversity), proportion of forest specialists, decomposition and heatwave buffering increased towards the interior, whereas species richness, nectar production potential, stemwood biomass and tree regeneration decreased. These trade-offs were mainly driven by edge-to-interior structural differences. As fragmentation continues, recognizing the role of forest edges is crucial for integrating biodiversity and ecosystem service considerations into sustainable forest management and policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Vanneste
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium.
| | - Leen Depauw
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Emiel De Lombaerde
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Camille Meeussen
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Sanne Govaert
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Karen De Pauw
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Pieter Sanczuk
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Kurt Bollmann
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Jörg Brunet
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lomma, Sweden
| | - Kim Calders
- CAVElab-Computational and Applied Vegetation Ecology, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sara A O Cousins
- Biogeography and Geomatics, Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Diekmann
- Vegetation Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Ecology, FB2, University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany
| | - Cristina Gasperini
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Bente J Graae
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Per-Ola Hedwall
- Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Lomma, Sweden
| | - Giovanni Iacopetti
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Jonathan Lenoir
- UMR CNRS 7058 « Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés », Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France
| | - Sigrid Lindmo
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Anna Orczewska
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | - Quentin Ponette
- Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Jan Plue
- Biogeography and Geomatics, Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Federico Selvi
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Fabien Spicher
- UMR CNRS 7058 « Ecologie et Dynamique des Systèmes Anthropisés », Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France
| | - Hans Verbeeck
- CAVElab-Computational and Applied Vegetation Ecology, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Florian Zellweger
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Kris Verheyen
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Pieter Vangansbeke
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
| | - Pieter De Frenne
- Forest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Melle-Gontrode, Belgium
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Royo AA, Carson WP. Stasis in forest regeneration following deer exclusion and understory gap creation: A 10-year experiment. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2569. [PMID: 35167151 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Chronically elevated ungulate browse pressure in temperate forests worldwide often generates ecological legacies characterized by low plant diversity and contributes to the formation of dense, nearly monodominant, and highly recalcitrant layers of understory vegetation. Once established, these recalcitrant layers combined with continued browsing may jointly constrain tree establishment and diversity so completely that understory recovery may be unattainable without mitigating browse pressure, the recalcitrant layer, or both. Here, we investigate the independent and synergistic effects of both white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) browsing and hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula) competition on tree regeneration in a 10-year experiment. Specifically, we examine how tree seedling establishment, growth, and composition are filtered by fern cover versus fern removal (gaps), browser presence versus absence (exclosures), and their combined effects during 10 years at three hardwood forest sites in Pennsylvania, USA. Fern gaps enhanced establishment for multiple tree species, increasing seedling density and diversity, particularly in the first 3 years post-treatment, and enhancing richness (≤1 species) over the course of the experiment. Excluding deer for a decade increased the height growth of other regeneration and altered species composition, but had no effect on diversity, richness, and density. Notably, we observed higher Prunus serotina seedling densities outside exclosures, possibly due to greater secondary dispersal. We argue that browsing legacies in second growth forests established at the turn of the last century created two conditions inimical to diverse forest regeneration: an overstory dominated by two species, P. serotina and Acer rubrum (86% of basal area), and a dense recalcitrant understory layer dominated by a native fern. The first condition limits propagule supply, the second strongly filters seedling establishment, and both create impoverished forest understories composed of few individuals and species. In undisturbed forest understories, the inertia toward impoverishment was sustained across the decade even where browsing was eliminated. Consequently, stand replacing disturbances (whether natural or anthropogenic) that disrupt the understory layer and reinitiate succession may be necessary to propel forests out of their current stasis and down a pathway leading to greater diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro A Royo
- USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Forestry Science Laboratory, Irvine, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Walter P Carson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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Finlayson C, Roopsind A, Griscom BW, Edwards DP, Freckleton RP. Removing climbers more than doubles tree growth and biomass in degraded tropical forests. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8758. [PMID: 35356565 PMCID: PMC8948070 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Huge areas of tropical forests are degraded, reducing their biodiversity, carbon, and timber value. The recovery of these degraded forests can be significantly inhibited by climbing plants such as lianas. Removal of super-abundant climbers thus represents a restoration action with huge potential for application across the tropics. While experimental studies largely report positive impacts of climber removal on tree growth and biomass accumulation, the efficacy of climber removal varies widely, with high uncertainty as to where and how to apply the technique. Using meta-analytic techniques, we synthesize results from 26 studies to quantify the efficacy of climber removal for promoting tree growth and biomass accumulation. We find that climber removal increases tree growth by 156% and biomass accumulation by 209% compared to untreated forest, and that efficacy remains for at least 19 years. Extrapolating from these results, climber removal could sequester an additional 32 Gigatons of CO2 over 10 years, at low cost, across regrowth, and production forests. Our analysis also revealed that climber removal studies are concentrated in the Neotropics (N = 22), relative to Africa (N = 2) and Asia (N = 2), preventing our study from assessing the influence of region on removal efficacy. While we found some evidence that enhancement of tree growth and AGB accumulation varies across disturbance context and removal method, but not across climate, the number and geographical distribution of studies limits the strength of these conclusions. Climber removal could contribute significantly to reducing global carbon emissions and enhancing the timber and biomass stocks of degraded forests, ultimately protecting them from conversion. However, we urgently need to assess the efficacy of removal outside the Neotropics, and consider the potential negative consequences of climber removal under drought conditions and for biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Finlayson
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologySchool of BiosciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Anand Roopsind
- Center for Natural Climate SolutionsConservation InternationalArlingtonVirginiaUSA
| | - Bronson W. Griscom
- Center for Natural Climate SolutionsConservation InternationalArlingtonVirginiaUSA
| | - David P. Edwards
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologySchool of BiosciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Robert P. Freckleton
- Ecology and Evolutionary BiologySchool of BiosciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
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