气候变化领域集成服务门户(CCPortal): Effects of skid trails on understory vegetation in forests: A case study from Northern Bavaria (Germany)

CCPortal

DOI	10.1016/j.foreco.2019.117579
	Effects of skid trails on understory vegetation in forests: A case study from Northern Bavaria (Germany)
	Mercier P.; Aas G.; Dengler J.
发表日期	2019
ISSN	0378-1127
卷号	453
英文摘要	While it is well-known that skid trails in forests locally increase soil compaction and illumination, the effect on vegetation and its spatial and temporal variation have hardly been studied in temperate forests. We surveyed Norway Spruce (Picea abies), Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) and European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) dominated forests to reflect the range of the prevalent forests types and ecological gradients of Northern Bavaria, Germany. In each forest type, we chose skid trails with different times since last use (0–2 years ago, 3–6 years ago, ≥7 years ago) to address the temporal aspect and sampled 4-m2 plots on the trail itself, adjacent to the trail and in the forest interior to address the spatial aspect. We analysed the response of soil compaction, canopy cover, vascular plant and bryophyte species richness, vegetation cover and height, both in total and differentiated by layer, and mean ecological indicator values to the use of skid trails. Skid trails exhibited significantly higher soil compaction together with a more diverse, more light and moisture demanding vegetation compared to the forest interior. On the trails, graminoids were favoured over woody perennials. Vegetation adjacent to the skid trail resembled the forest interior, yet soil compaction exceeded that of the forest interior. Irrespective of time since last use, the soils on skid trails remained more compacted and likewise ecological response of understory vegetation did not change with time. Canopy cover and species richness responded strongly site-specific, and effects lasted the longest in the surveyed Scots Pine dominated forests but were diminished in European Beech dominated forests. Our results indicate a shift to a more ruderal and wetland-like vegetation on skid trails, which, however, hardly extended into the adjacent forest stand. Overall, plot-scale richness was higher on skid trails than in adjacent the adjacent forest, suggesting that skid trails could contribute to greater habitat diversity in managed forests. Since soils remained compacted even for several decades without use, a designated skid trail system is essential. There is a lack of long-term studies on the understory response to the use of skid trails and further research focussed on the persistence in time is needed. © 2019 Elsevier B.V.
英文关键词	Biodiversity; Bryophyte; Ecological indicator value; Forest management; Germany; Logging trail; Skid trail; Soil compaction; Temperate forest; Understory vegetation; Vascular plant
语种	英语
scopus关键词	Biodiversity; Compaction; Ecology; Soil mechanics; Soils; Surveys; Vegetation; Bryophyte; Ecological indicator values; Germany; Skid trails; Soil compaction; Temperate forests; Understory vegetation; Vascular plant; Forestry; biodiversity; bryophyte; compaction; coniferous forest; deciduous forest; environmental gradient; environmental indicator; forest; forest management; forest soil; logging (timber); spatiotemporal analysis; temperate forest; understory; vascular plant; vegetation cover; vegetation dynamics; Biodiversity; Compaction; Ecology; Plants; Soil Mechanics; Surveys; Bavaria; Germany; bryophytes; Fagus sylvatica; Picea abies; Pinus sylvestris; Tracheophyta
来源期刊	Forest Ecology and Management
文献类型	期刊论文
条目标识符	http://gcip.llas.ac.cn/handle/2XKMVOVA/155726
作者单位	Ecological-Botanical Gardens, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, Bayreuth, 95447, Germany; Lower Nature Conservation Authority, County Schleswig-Flensburg, Flensburger Str. 7, Schleswig, 24837, Germany; Vegetation Ecology Group, Institute of Natural Resource Sciences (IUNR), Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Grüental, Postfach, 8820 Wädenswil, Switzerland; Plant Ecology Group, Bayreuth Centre of Ecology and Environmental Research (BayCEER), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, Bayreuth, 95447, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714	Mercier P.,Aas G.,Dengler J.. Effects of skid trails on understory vegetation in forests: A case study from Northern Bavaria (Germany)[J],2019,453.
APA	Mercier P.,Aas G.,&Dengler J..(2019).Effects of skid trails on understory vegetation in forests: A case study from Northern Bavaria (Germany).Forest Ecology and Management,453.
MLA	Mercier P.,et al."Effects of skid trails on understory vegetation in forests: A case study from Northern Bavaria (Germany)".Forest Ecology and Management 453(2019).