Influence of the environmental factors on the species composition of lichen Scots pine forests as a guide to maintain the community (Bory Tucholskie National Park, Poland) (original) (raw)

Conservation perspectives for Central European lichen Scots pine forests in Poland

Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Silvarum Colendarum Ratio et Industria Lignaria

The article describes 91T0 habitat resources in the Natura 2000 network. It is noted that Poland has a special responsibility for the maintenance of the habitat on the European continent, by virtue of its participation in Polish Natura 2000 sites and Poland's request that it be added to Annex I of the Habitat Directive. It has been shown that the information about lichen Scots pine forest resources and their present condition in many Polish Natura 2000 sites need to be verifi ed and updated. The authors conclude that the proposed methods for the maintenance of existing patches of habitat 91T0 at a favourable conservation status are too conservative and do not guarantee achievement of the conservation objectives. This paper proposes the removal of litter and humus or optionally controlled surface fi res, as a method of ensuring a stable presence of lichen forests in the Polish landscape. The rationale for this approach is the accumulated knowledge in the fi eld of development of the lichen forests in Poland and its role in ecological succession.

Diversity of Lichens in Forest Communities of the “ Pupy ” Nature Reserve in the Puszcza Piska Forest ( Ne Poland )

2017

The paper presents the results of lichenological research conducted in the “Pupy” Forest Nature Reserve (NE Poland). The aim of the study was to investigate the species composition of lichens and to determine the role and importance of forest plant communities to the diversity of these organisms. Field studies were carried out at seven study sites (plots), each with an area of 0.1 ha. The plots were selected within the most typical and representative forest communities of the reserve. A total of 95 lichen species were identified. The studies have shown that natural forest communities, in particular oak-linden-hornbeam forest and wet mixed spruce-oak forest are distinguished by a much higher diversity of lichens compared to secondary forest stands (pine and spruce monocultures). This is primarily attributed to the presence of age-differentiated populations of oak trees in these communities. The secondary forest stands do not provide the correct conditions for growth of many stenotopi...

Diversity loss of lichen pine forests in Poland

European Journal of Forest Research, 2018

In Central Europe, deciduous forests are the dominant community type and lichen pine forests are restricted to certain areas with extremely nutrient-poor and xeric soil types. In recent decades, a retreat of vegetation of oligotrophic habitats has been observed in Central Europe. In this study, we assessed changes of lichen pine forests in Poland: within the main area of the range in Central Europe. We used two sets of data collected at a local and regional (nationwide) scale. On the basis of data from semi-permanent plots, we examined changes in the structure and species composition of lichen pine forests over 33 years at the local scale (between 1975 and 2008). To compare trends at the regional scale, we used data collected in the Polish Vegetation Database (PVD). For identification of lichen pine forests we determined a group of co-occurring Cladonia species. We analyzed differences in species richness and vegetation structure at the regional scale in tree time periods (1) between 1951 and 1969, (2) 1970 and 1989, and (3) 1990 and 2011. We found that changes in lichen pine forests are primarily quantitative at both scales. Our results indicate that the abundance of Cladonia species is limited by strong competitors, i.e., vascular plants and bryophytes, which may be explained by eutrophication and climate warming. Only pine forests with a minor abundance of lichens have chances to persist in the vegetation of Central Europe, while the most valuable communities with high abundance of indicators will disappear. Though an assessment of the total decrease in the area of lichen pine forests is not possible with the available regional data, local observations indicate a large decline in the area of lichen pine forests in Central Europe. Their conservation seems to be a serious challenge, because it is difficult to provide optimal conditions for all indicators.

The impact of forest management on changes in composition of terricolous lichens in dry acidophilous Scots pine forests

The Lichenologist, 2013

This study focuses on dry acidophilous Scots pine forests, well known for their high biodiversity of cryptogams. We hypothesized that dense forests and heavy management were responsible for changes in species diversity, decreasing trends in lichen cover and increasing moss cover. This hypothesis was tested in three types of Scots pine forests maintained under three different management regimes: 1) managed forests (forest plantations regenerated by planting), 2) semi-natural forests (forest plantations regenerated naturally), both located in the Borská nížina lowland in SW Slovakia, and 3) natural forests (primordial vegetation without visible management actions from the associationCladonio-PinetumJuraszek 1928), located in the Bory Tucholskie National Park, NW Poland.We observed that the cover of the canopy tree layer had the most significant influence on the diversity of lichens. Managed forests are planted and maintained to achieve denser tree stocking, and although the environmen...

Large beech (Fagus sylvatica) trees as ‘lifeboats’ for lichen diversity in central European forests

Biodiversity and Conservation, 2016

The forest management practices used in central Europe in the last several centuries have led to loss of lichen diversity that may be largely attributed to a loss of substrate variability and quantity. In an attempt to obtain information enabling us to mitigate this process, we surveyed affinity of lichen species to the substrates they currently occupy in six forest areas in the Czech Republic, located between 200 and 1000 m a.s.l. Tree bases and stems represented the most important substrate for lichen species, and especially so for threatened (i.e. red-listed) species. Lichen species richness per individual tree generally increased with stem diameter, especially for beech. Stems and tree bases of large-diameter beeches provide habitats that have enabled the survival of a crucial component of the red-listed lichen species in central Europe, far outweighing other tree species. The deciduous tree species that are commonly considered as favourable for lichen diversity (e.g. maples, ash, elms) were inhabited by only a few other lichen species additional to those associated with beech. This may be due to the low frequency of these tree species in most managed forests, and also some forest reserves, at the present time. Similarly, low incidence of dead wood in managed forests has likely limited its contribution to the lichen diversity, despite the high potential for lichen diversity associated with such substrates. It is Communicated by Francis Brearley.

Climatic gradients within temperate Europe and small-scale species composition of lichen-rich dry acidophilous Scots pine forests

Fungal Ecology, 2015

We investigated patterns in community composition in Central-European lichen-rich pine forests along a macroclimatic gradient, using two plot sizes. Diversity of lichens, especially the number of boreal and subatlantic taxa per plot increased from southern Slovakia to northern Poland (Baltic Sea). The ecological indicator value for continentality was highest in two inland regions which were characterised by low winter temperatures. Principal coordinates analysis sorted the regions along two major compositional gradients of similar importance, one mirroring the south-to-north gradient and correlating with the Gorczy nski index of thermal continentality, and a second correlating with lowest winter temperature. Regional differences driven by macroclimate were the most important determinant of species composition even in small plots. Continentality was of primary importance in assembling terrestrial lichen communities, but its particular components acted differently. Lowest winter temperature appeared to be well connected with ecological meaning of continentality, which is expressed among others in ecological indicator values.

Lichen diversity in the managed forests of the Karnieszewice Forest Division and its surroundings (N Poland

The lichen biota of the Karnieszewice Forest Division (N Poland) is presented. Despite it is predominantly a strongly managed woodland area, 270 lichen species were found there including many rare species for Poland, as well as for European Low-land. Near 20% of the whole lichen biota are considered to be threatened in the country (categories CR, EN, VU), and 34 species are protected by law in Poland. Agonimia flabelliformis is reported for the second time from Polish lowlands.

Effects of forest management on epiphytic lichens in temperate deciduous forests of Europe – A review

Forest Ecology and Management, 2013

This review aims at summarizing literature on epiphytic lichens in relation with forest management in temperate deciduous forests of Europe, including suggestions for mitigating the impact of forestry and stimulating further research. The review is focused on environmental factors that directly depend on, or that are known to interact with forest management, such as tree (and forest) age and size, tree species composition, large scale fa ctors (e.g. climate and air pollution), landscape context, and past forest his tory. The literature demonstrates the sensitiveness of epiphytic lichens to forestry: forest management, and especially the shelterwo od system, is a source of threat for many forest-dwelling lichens. Several studies include explicit recommendations for mitigating the effect of forestry. The main ones are: (a) selective cutting should be preferred to the shelterwood system; (b) the negative effect of the shelterwood system could be mitigated by the extension of the rotation period and by the retention of groups of mature trees at the final harvest; (c) the creation of stands with intermediate canopy openness should be promoted; (d) logs and snags should be retained in production forests; (e) large old trees should be maintained in production forests and some of them left until dead and decomposed (''eternity trees''); (f) tree species diversity should be maintained in mixed stands; (g) forest fragments around existing species-rich oldgrowth remnants should be maintained, to create a network of set-aside areas; (h) indicator species could be used for a rapid assessment of forest sites worthy of conservation. However, some topics are still scarcely explored, such as the case of (a) coppice forests, (b) the evaluation of the landscape context and forest history, (c) dead wood-dwelling communities and the role of different types of dead wood for lichen conservation, (d) the effects of emerg ing infectious diseases, and (e) the use of indicator species to assess the conservation importance of forests. Other research approaches, that are still scarcely developed for lichens, may contribute further information for a more comp rehensive understanding of the processes that are behind observed patterns of lichen diversity, such in the case of the evaluation of the role of species functional traits in determining the dispersal ability and the response of lichens to environmental factors.

Effect of land-use on lichen diversity in the transboundary region of Lithuania and northeastern Poland

Twelve transects, each 7 km long and 10 m wide (in groups of six in Lithuania and Poland), and additional five areas (three on the Lithuanian side and two on the Polish side) were chosen for the evaluation of lichen diversity along the Via Baltica highway in the segment between Marijampolë and Suwalki towns. The study area was similar geographically, but had a different history of land-use practices determined by different human activities in both countries. A total of 194 species of lichens were registered during the present study in the whole investigated area; 165 species were reported from the Lithuanian part and 136 from the Polish part. In the Polish part of the study area, among the commonest species acidophilous lichens were more frequently registered, meanwhile on the Lithuanian side nitrophilous species were more common. On the other hand, most of the lichens characteristic of forests with a long ecological continuity were registered only in the Lithuanian part of the study area. The large-scale totally replacing sylviculture combined with relatively intensive agriculture affected lichen diversity more adversely than the agricultural landscape intermixed with surviving islands of natural biotopes. The differences in lichen diversity were caused by a decrease of landscape/ biotope diversity on the Polish side and maintenance of landscape/biotope diversity through a more traditional land-use on the Lithuanian side.

Richness of Lichen Species, Especially of Threatened Ones, Is Promoted by Management Methods Furthering Stand Continuity

2013

Lichens are a key component of forest biodiversity. However, a comprehensive study analyzing lichen species richness in relation to several management types, extending over different regions and forest stages and including information on site conditions is missing for temperate European forests. In three German regions (Schwäbische Alb, Hainich-Dü n, Schorfheide-Chorin), the so-called Biodiversity Exploratories, we studied lichen species richness in 631 forest plots of 400 m 2 comprising different management types (unmanaged, selection cutting, deciduous and coniferous age-class forests resulting from clear cutting or shelterwood logging), various stand ages, and site conditions, typical for large parts of temperate Europe. We analyzed how lichen species richness responds to management and habitat variables (standing biomass, cover of deadwood, cover of rocks). We found strong regional differences with highest lichen species richness in the Schwäbische Alb, probably driven by regional differences in former air pollution, and in precipitation and habitat variables. Overall, unmanaged forests harbored 22% more threatened lichen species than managed age-class forests. In general, total, corticolous, and threatened lichen species richness did not differ among management types of deciduous forests. However, in the Schwäbische-Alb region, deciduous forests had 61% more lichen species than coniferous forests and they had 279% more threatened and 76% more corticolous lichen species. Old deciduous age classes were richer in corticolous lichen species than young ones, while old coniferous age-classes were poorer than young ones. Overall, our findings highlight the importance of stand continuity for conservation. To increase total and threatened lichen species richness we suggest (1) conserving unmanaged forests, (2) promoting silvicultural methods assuring stand continuity, (3) conserving old trees in managed forests, (4) promoting stands of native deciduous tree species instead of coniferous plantations, and (5) increasing the amount of deadwood in forests.