Population characteristics of old forest associated epiphytic lichens in Picea abies plantations in the boreal rainforest of Central Norway

2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (9) ◽  
pp. 1743-1753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Hilmo ◽  
Hilde Ely-Aastrup ◽  
Håkan Hytteborn ◽  
Håkon Holien
Keyword(s):  
Picea Abies ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Lichen Species ◽  
Population Characteristics ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Epiphytic Lichens ◽  
Managed Forests ◽  
Rotation Periods ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Retention Trees

The boreal rainforest in Central Norway is rich in rare and (or) red-listed epiphytic lichens but is subject to forest harvesting. Natural old Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. forests have been replaced increasingly by dense, even-aged plantations. This study aims at increasing our knowledge about populations of old forest associated lichens in P. abies plantations. In differently aged plantations, we measured occurrence of six lichen species and the population size and reproductive effort of five lichen species. We found that the success of colonizing plantations differed because of species-specific constraints and needs, and that species occurrence depended on stand age and branch quality. A high number of reproducing thalli and small juvenile thalli of the cyanolichen Lobaria scrobiculata (Scop.) DC. and the pendulous lichen Ramalina thrausta (Ach.) Nyl. suggest effective recruitment within plantations. The populations of the cyanolichens Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. and Pseudocyphellaria crocata (L.) Vain. were too small to be viable and demand special concern to survive in managed forests. The abundance of old forest associated lichens in a managed boreal rainforest could be promoted by a varied and heterogeneous branch structure, increased rotation periods (increase the value of plantations as propagule sources), small clearcuts and retention trees (shorten the distance between sources of propagules and target substrate), and maintaining Salix and Sorbus trees (important host trees for cyanolichens and thereby important dispersal sources).

Saproxylic insect assemblages in Canadian forests: diversity, ecology, and conservation

2008 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Langor ◽  
H.E. James Hammond ◽  
John R. Spence ◽  
Joshua Jacobs ◽  
Tyler P. Cobb
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Dead Wood ◽  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Managed Forests ◽  
Saproxylic Insects ◽  
Associated Species ◽  
Experimental Burns

AbstractSaproxylic insect assemblages inhabiting dead wood in Canadian forests are highly diverse and variable but quite poorly understood. Adequate assessment of these assemblages poses significant challenges with respect to sampling, taxonomy, and analysis. Their assessment is nonetheless critical to attaining the broad goals of sustainable forest management because such species are disproportionately threatened elsewhere by the reductions in dead wood generally associated with commercial exploitation of northern forests. The composition of the saproxylic fauna is influenced by many factors, including tree species, degree of decay, stand age, and cause of tree death. Wildfire and forest harvesting have differential impacts on saproxylic insect assemblages and on their recovery in postdisturbance stands. Exploration of saproxylic insect responses to variable retention harvesting and experimental burns is contributing to the development of prescriptions for conserving saproxylic insects in boreal forests. Understanding of processes that determine diversity patterns and responses of saproxylic insects would benefit from increased attention to natural history. Such work should aim to provide a habitat-classification system for dead wood to better identify habitats (and associated species) at risk as a result of forest management. This tool could also be used to improve strategies to better maintain saproxylic organisms and their central nutrient-cycling functions in managed forests.

scholarly journals Epiphytic lichens as indicator of land-use pattern and forest harvesting in a community forest in west Nepal

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 24-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pramod Nag ◽  
Himanshu Rai ◽  
Dalip Kumar Upreti ◽  
Sanjeeva Nayaka ◽  
Rajan Kumar Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Forest Harvesting ◽  
Conservation Strategy ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Epiphytic Lichens ◽  
Community Forest ◽  
Land Use Pattern ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Lichen Diversity ◽  
Use Pattern

Human inhabitance and agriculture have fundamentally altered global pattern of biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Therefore, integration of community-based approach is an effective conservation strategy. Community forestry is an important community-based approach, which can help in conserving local ecological assets in a sustainable manner. Lichens are known to be more sensitive indicators of ecosystem functions and disturbances than any other cryptogam and vascular plant community. Present study reports a preliminary assessment of epiphytic lichens in a community forest in Dadeldhura district, west Nepal, in order to identify potential indicator of forest health and land-use pattern. Epiphytic (corticolous) lichens were sampled from ten land-use units (LUU), using narrow frequency grids of 10 cm × 50 cm, each divided into five sampling units of 10 cm × 10 cm, on the bark of selected tree species. Quercus leucotrichophora was the dominant phorophyte followed by Pinus roxburghii, Rhododendron arboreum and Myrica esculenta. Foliose parmeloid (Parmotrema spp., Heterodermia spp., Hypotrachyna spp., Bulbothrix spp., Canoparmelia spp., Canomaculina spp.) was the most abundant lichen group, found inhabiting all the phorophytes followed by crustose, fruticose and dimorphic growth forms. Maximum diversity of parmeloid lichens was recorded on older stand of Quercus while younger stands usually harbored crustose lichens (e.g., Lecanora spp., Basidia spp.). Though the lichen diversity increased from outer fringes of the forest to the core, the vegetation stand age was not distributed in any consistent pattern suggesting unconstrained harvesting of the forest. Lichen diversity was found constrained by phorophyte determinants (stand age, aspect, and bark properties) and community harvesting of the forest.doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/botor.v8i0.5555 Botanica Orientalis – Journal of Plant Science (2011) 8: 24-32

Influence of Stand Age And Structure on the Epiphytic Lichen Vegetation in the Middle-Boreal Forests of Finland

1992 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-180
Author(s):  
M. Hyvärinen ◽  
P. Halonen ◽  
M. Kauppi
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Competitive Ability ◽  
Lichen Species ◽  
Tree Canopy ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Ecological Strategy ◽  
Epiphytic Lichen ◽  
Vertical Location ◽  
Community Variation

Abstract The epiphytic lichen vegetation on the trunks of Pinus sylvestris and Picea abies was studied and analysed by canonical correspondence analysis in relation to a number of environmental variables. The distribution and abundance of epiphytic lichen species proved to be dependent on the age of the stand, showing divergent responses in relation to phorophyte species and environmental variables such as acidity of the bark and vertical location on the trunk. The importance of stand age in the pattern of community variation is concluded to be an outcome of interaction between changes in the structure of the tree canopy, microclimate and properties of the bark. The responses of single lichen species to changes in the environment seem to vary considerably, indicating differences in competitive ability and ecological strategy between the species.

Edge Effects on the Epiphytic Lichen Flora of Picea Abies in Middle Boreal Finland

2000 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 387-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Kivistö ◽  
Mikko Kuusinen
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Picea Abies ◽  
Forest Edge ◽  
Lichen Species ◽  
Forest Fragments ◽  
Epiphytic Lichen ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Forest Margin ◽  
Lichen Flora

AbstractThe edge effect of large clear-cuts on the epiphytic lichen flora of Picea abies in old-growth forest fragments was studied at three south-exposed and four north-exposed forest clear-cut edges in middle boreal Finland. The sampling of the species cover on trunk bases was carried out along four transects parallel to the forest margin: (1) at the forest margin, (2) 10 m from the margin, (3) 20 m from the margin and (4) 50 m from the margin. In addition, control trees were sampled > 100 m from nearest edge. Our results showed that the epiphytic lichen species diversity was lower at the forest margin than in the forest interior for sunny south-facing edges, while the species diversity in north-exposed edges was independent of the distance from the forest margin. The cover of a common and abundant lichen species, Parmeliopsis ambigua, was slightly higher at the forest edge and decreased inside the forest for both south-exposed and north-exposed edges.

Factors controlling epiphytic lichen biomass during postfire succession in black spruce boreal forests

2009 ◽  
Vol 39 (11) ◽  
pp. 2168-2179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Boudreault ◽  
Yves Bergeron ◽  
Darwyn Coxson
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Stand Structure ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Tree Age ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Epiphytic Lichens ◽  
Dominant Group ◽  
Epiphytic Lichen ◽  
Structure Tree ◽  
Species Groups

Alectorioid lichens are the dominant group of epiphytic lichens in boreal forests. Epiphytic lichen richness and abundance generally increase with stand age and within-stand heterogeneity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the importance of time elapsed since the last fire, stand structure, tree size, tree age, and branch height for epiphytic lichen biomass of the boreal forest of western Quebec. We sampled 12 sites belonging to four forest age classes (from 50 to >200 years). We assessed epiphytic lichen biomass of three species groups ( Bryoria , Evernia , and Usnea ) on 12 trees in each site. Our results showed that biomass of Bryoria and Usnea was higher in intermediate stages (between 101 and 200 years) compared with younger (50–100 years) and older (>200 years) stages. Biomass of the three species groups was greater on larger diameter trees (>16 cm) compared with smaller ones (<16 cm). These results indicate that the protection of postfire stands aged between 101 and 200 year should be prioritized to maintain the functional role of epiphytic lichens in managed landscapes.

Comparison of plantations and naturally regenerated clearcuts in the Acadian Forest: forest floor bryophyte community and habitat features

2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy L Ross-Davis ◽  
Katherine A Frego
Keyword(s):  
Community Composition ◽  
Forest Floor ◽  
Tree Canopy ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Percent Cover ◽  
Managed Forests ◽  
Habitat Features ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Disturbance Regimes ◽  
Acadian Forest

To address concern for loss of bryophyte biodiversity within managed forests, we compared community composition and environmental characteristics among three disturbance regimes: (i) naturally regenerated clear-cut forests, (ii) cutover spruce plantations (established on clear-cut forest land), and (iii) afforested field spruce plantations (established on agricultural fields) across a range of ages (19–102 years) in the Acadian Forest region of New Brunswick, Canada. Abundances of all forest floor bryophyte species, available substrates, microtopographical features, and tree canopy were measured as percent cover (1 m2) in 26 stands: 12 naturally regenerated clear-cut forests, eight cutover plantations, and six afforested field plantations. Multivariate analyses indicated that both bryophyte community composition and associated environment differed significantly across disturbance regimes, with no strong trends related to time since clearing (i.e., stand age). Spruce plantations were characterized by low substrate diversity and microtopographic and canopy homogeneity. Both plantation types had lower bryophyte species richness, evenness, and diversity (H') relative to naturally regenerated clear-cut forests; cutover plantations had the highest total bryophyte cover. The bryophyte community of plantations was composed of a subset of species found within naturally regenerated clear-cut forests: many liverworts and epixylic mosses were absent, with fewer pioneer species and more perennial stayers (equivalent to K-strategists) than expected.Key words: bryophyte, disturbance regime, substrate, canopy, microtopography, plantation.

Litter fall in some European coniferous forests as dependent on climate: a synthesis

2001 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 292-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Berg ◽  
V Meentemeyer
Keyword(s):  
Picea Abies ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Scots Pine ◽  
Coniferous Forests ◽  
Stand Age ◽  
Litter Fall ◽  
Climatic Parameters ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Needle Litter ◽  
Pinus Spp

Litter fall data was available for 64 sites in Europe, most of them in Fennoscandia. Included were 48 sites with pine (Pinus spp.), mainly Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), and 16 sites with spruce (Picea spp.), mainly Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). Regressions were calculated for needle and total litter fall against a set of climatic parameters, and the best simple relationships were obtained with annual actual evapotranspiration (AET) and other parameters including temperature, whereas for example, precipitation gave lower r values. For needle litter fall and AET using all data, the R2adj value was 0.635 (n = 64), and for needle litter for pine and spruce separately, the R2adj were 0.576 (n = 48) and 0.775 (n = 16), respectively. AET plus stand age gave highly significant relationships for both coniferous genera combined (R2adj = 0.683), and for pine and spruce separately the corresponding values were 0.655 and 0.843, respectively. Using all available data we found highly significant relationships between needle litter fall and total litter fall. For Fennoscandia, litter fall for Scots pine and Norway spruce were compared. AET versus needle litter fall gave highly significant relationships for Scots pine (R2adj = 0.448, n = 34) and for Norway spruce (R2adj = 0.678, n = 13); the relationships were significantly different from each other.

Wood-inhabiting cryptogams on dead Norway spruce (Picea abies) trees in managed Swedish boreal forests

1999 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 178-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Kruys ◽  
Clas Fries ◽  
Bengt Gunnar Jonsson ◽  
Tomas Lämås ◽  
Göran Ståhl
Keyword(s):  
Picea Abies ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Large Diameter ◽  
Managed Forests ◽  
Red Lists ◽  
Dead Trees ◽  
Utilization Patterns ◽  
Specific Species

We surveyed the quantity and quality of dead Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) trees and wood-inhabiting cryptogams in a managed boreal forest landscape in northern Sweden. Size and decay of dead trees was related to substrate utilization by wood-inhabiting species. Coarse woody debris (CWD) was surveyed along 34 strip transects. CWD and wood-inhabiting cryptogams were surveyed in eight circular plots at each site. A total of 6195 spruce CWD units occurred along strip transects and 809 spruce CWD units in circular plots. On average 2.2 m3/ha spruce CWD was found on the plots. The majority (63%) of the transect CWD units were <10 cm diameter and in early to intermediate decay stages. Sixty-eight wood-specific species of fungi, lichens, mosses, and hepatics occurred on the plots. Of these, 13 occurred on [Formula: see text]5% of the 809 CWD units surveyed for wood-inhabiting species. Eight species occur on the Swedish red lists, indicating that such species are indeed uncommon in managed forests. Red-listed species showed strong preferences for large diameter CWD and CWD in late decay stages, i.e., substrates that are poorly represented in managed forests. Frequently occurring species, however, showed utilization patterns that correspond with the distribution of the substrate types.

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