implications for biodiversity in production forests
Petersson, Lisa
(2019).
Replacing Scots pine with Norway spruce.
Diss. (sammanfattning/summary)
Alnarp :
Sveriges lantbruksuniv.,
Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae, 1652-6880
; 2019:85
ISBN 978-91-7760-488-4
eISBN 978-91-7760-489-1
[Doctoral thesis]
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Abstract
The production forests of southern Sweden are mainly dominated by either Scots pine
(Pinus sylvestris) or Norway spruce (Picea abies). Public concerns are now being raised
regarding a decrease in the area on which Scots pine is being regenerated, and an
increased reliance on Norway spruce production stands. The main reasons for a shift in
regenerated tree species include concerns regarding higher ungulate browsing pressure
on Scots pine regeneration, together with the expectation that Norway spruce provides
more favourable management and profits. The aim of this thesis was to examine the
potential consequences of a tree species shift from different perspectives, but with a
primary focus on implications for biodiversity. To do so the diversity of vascular plants,
bryophytes, lichens and birds were contrasted in three age classes (30, 55, 80 years of
age) of Scots pine and Norway spruce production stands in southern Sweden. Although
there was an overlap from many of the common species, the community composition of
species groups varied between the stand categories contrasted. (I) The cover of
understory vascular plants was higher in all stand age classes of the Scots pine stands,
compared to Norway spruce. The semi-light conditions, created by Scots pine’s less
dense canopy, seems favourable to at least some keystone species, including, for
example, the ericaceous shrub Vaccinium myrtillus. The denser canopy of Norway spruce
limited vascular plant cover and species richness. (II) The darker and more humid
Norway spruce stands were instead more favourable to a higher diversity of bryophyte
species than was found in Scots pine stands. Scots pine associated forest floor species
included a higher species richness and cover of terricolous lichens and bryophytes
associated with dryer and lighter environment. (III) Scots pine and Norway spruce
production forests support overlapping but still distinct bird communities, of which 80-
year spruce stands had the highest average bird species richness, and largest total number
of species recorded. These stands were associated with more broadleaves and higher
stand complexity, i.e. vertical zonation, tree size variation and availability of dead wood.
Study (IV) reviewed the biodiversity and ecosystem services consequences of a shift in
tree species. Few benefits can be expected (e.g. reduced stand-level browsing damage),
and these benefits will likely come at the expense of a range of negative outcomes for
biodiversity, production, aesthetic and recreational values, as well as increased stand
vulnerability to storm, frost, and drought damage, and potentially higher risks of pest and
pathogen outbreak. Overall the findings of this thesis should clarify for forest owners,
forest managers, and policymakers the many potentially adverse biodiversity and
ecosystem service implications that could be expected if sites traditionally regenerated
with Scots pine production stands are instead converted to Norway spruce.
Authors/Creators: | Petersson, Lisa | ||||||||||
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Title: | Replacing Scots pine with Norway spruce | ||||||||||
Subtitle: | implications for biodiversity in production forests | ||||||||||
Alternative abstract: |
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Series Name/Journal: | Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae | ||||||||||
Year of publishing : | 2019 | ||||||||||
Number: | 2019:85 | ||||||||||
Number of Pages: | 51 | ||||||||||
Papers/manuscripts: |
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Place of Publication: | Alnarp | ||||||||||
Publisher: | Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences | ||||||||||
ISBN for printed version: | 978-91-7760-488-4 | ||||||||||
ISBN for electronic version: | 978-91-7760-489-1 | ||||||||||
ISSN: | 1652-6880 | ||||||||||
Language: | English | ||||||||||
Publication Type: | Doctoral thesis | ||||||||||
Article category: | Other scientific | ||||||||||
Full Text Status: | Public | ||||||||||
Subjects: | (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 1 Natural sciences > 106 Biological Sciences (Medical to be 3 and Agricultural to be 4) > Ecology (A) Swedish standard research categories 2011 > 4 Agricultural Sciences > 401 Agricultural, Forestry and Fisheries > Forest Science | ||||||||||
Keywords: | biodiversity, plant communities, conifer, hemiboreal zone, Vaccinium myrtillus, browsing pressure, light transmittance, tree species | ||||||||||
URN:NBN: | urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-p-103013 | ||||||||||
Permanent URL: | http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:slu:epsilon-p-103013 | ||||||||||
ID Code: | 16504 | ||||||||||
Faculty: | S - Faculty of Forest Sciences | ||||||||||
Department: | (S) > Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre | ||||||||||
Deposited By: | SLUpub Connector | ||||||||||
Deposited On: | 10 Dec 2019 12:57 | ||||||||||
Metadata Last Modified: | 10 Dec 2019 12:57 |
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