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Forest history and ...
Forest history and the development of old-growth characteristics in fragmented boreal forests
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- Jönsson, Mari (author)
- Mittuniversitetet,Institutionen för naturvetenskap, teknik och matematik (-2012),Skoglig mångfald
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- Fraver, Shawn (author)
- Mittuniversitetet,Institutionen för naturvetenskap, teknik och matematik (-2012),Skoglig mångfald
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- Jonsson, Bengt Gunnar, 1963- (author)
- Mittuniversitetet,Institutionen för naturvetenskap, teknik och matematik (-2012),Skoglig mångfald
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(creator_code:org_t)
- Wiley, 2009
- 2009
- English.
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In: Journal of Vegetation Science. - : Wiley. - 1100-9233 .- 1654-1103. ; 20:1, s. 91-106
- Related links:
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https://urn.kb.se/re...
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https://doi.org/10.1...
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Abstract
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- Questions: Can small and isolated high-conservation value forests (e.g. designated woodland key habitats) maintain old-growth forest characteristics and functionality in fragmented landscapes? To what extent have past disturbances (natural and anthropogenic) influenced the development of old-growth characteristics of these forests? How long does it take for selectively cut stands to attain conditions resembling old-growth forests? Location: Southern boreal zone of central Sweden. Methods: We linked multiple lines of evidence from historical records, biological archives, and analyses of current forest structure to reconstruct the forest history of a boreal landscape, with special emphasis on six remaining core localities of high-conservation value forest stands. Results: Our reconstructions revealed that several of these stands experienced wildfires up to the 1890s; all had been selectively harvested in the late 1800s; and all underwent substantial structural and compositional reorganization over the following 100-150 years. This time interval was sufficient to recover considerable amounts of standing and downed dead wood (mean 60.3 m3 ha−1), a range of tree ages and sizes (mean basal area 32.6 m2 ha−1), and dominance of shade-tolerant spruce. It was insufficient to obtain clearly uneven tree age structures and large (>45 cm diameter) living and dead trees. Thus, these forests contain some, but not all, important compositional and structural attributes of old-growth forests, their abundance being dependent on the timing and magnitude of past natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Our landscape-level analysis showed marked compositional and structural differences between the historical forest landscape and the present landscape, with the latter having a greater proportion of young forests, introduction of non-native species, and lack of large trees and dead wood. Conclusions: The remnant high-conservation value stands were not true representatives of the pre-industrial forests, but represent the last vestige of forests that have regenerated naturally and maintained a continuous tree cover. These traits, coupled with their capacity for old-growth recovery, make them valuable focal areas for conservation.
Subject headings
- NATURVETENSKAP -- Biologi -- Ekologi (hsv//swe)
- NATURAL SCIENCES -- Biological Sciences -- Ecology (hsv//eng)
Keyword
- Coarse Woody Debris • Dendrochronology • Fire Ecology • Historical Records • Land-Use History • Picea Abies • Southern Boreal Zone • Stand Dynamics • Stand Reconstruction • Sweden • Woodland Key Habitats
- Terrestrial ecology
- Terrestisk ekologi
Publication and Content Type
- ref (subject category)
- art (subject category)
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