Litter legacy after spruce plantation removal hampers initial vegetation establishment |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen''s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, Northern Ireland;2. DSI/NRF Research Chair in Inland Fisheries and Freshwater Ecology, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda 6140, South Africa;3. Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Harborne Building, Reading RG6 6AS, England;4. Department of Ecology and Resource Management, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa;5. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda 6140, South Africa;6. Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Botswana International University of Science and Technology, Palapye, Botswana;7. Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Makhanda 6140, South Africa;1. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürcherstrasse 111, CH-8093 Birmensdorf, Switzerland;2. Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland;3. info fauna karch, UniMail, Bâtiment G, Bellevaux 51, 2000 Neuchâtel, Switzerland;1. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución, Instituto IEGEBA (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Intendente Güiraldes 2160, C1428EGA, Argentina;2. División de Mastozoología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales “Bernardino Rivadavia,” Avenida Ángel Gallardo 470, C1405DJR Buenos Aires, Argentina.;1. Laboratorio Ecotono, Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Universidad Nacional del Comahue - CONICET, Quintral 1250, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche, RN, Argentina;2. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente, Universidad Nacional del Comahue - CONICET, Quintral 1250, 8400 San Carlos de Bariloche, RN, Argentina |
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| Abstract: | Restoration of areas used for intensive even-aged Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) plantations often involves felling and subsequent spontaneous vegetation succession. However, the accumulated litter layer may hamper vegetation development, and thereby postpone recovery or even change the outcome.We studied effects of the litter layer on vegetation establishment during two seasons following a clear-cut of Norway spruce in Denmark. We experimentally assessed the response of multiple vegetation properties to litter removal, with and without wildlife exclusion by fencing, and in combination with sowing of trees, while fencing. Burning was tested as an alternative way to remove the litter layer.Vegetation establishment was poor, when the litter layer was intact, and cover developed slowly remaining below 10% after two years, irrespective of fencing. In contrast, litter removal and fencing together gave significantly faster recovery and reached nearly 60% mean cover. Vegetation cover was driven by few dominant species, especially the sedge Carex pilulifera. Species richness was similar in all treatments, but increased with sowing of trees. Fencing resulted in taller birch seedlings independently of litter removal, but enhanced by seedling density. Litter removal seemed to favor species with lighter seeds, lower specific leaf area (SLA) and lower Ellenberg N value, i.e. associated with relative infertile conditions. Disturbing the litter by burning seemed to have an effect comparable to mechanical removal, and could be a management alternative.Our results showed that a persistent litter layer after spruce plantation removal may hamper the initial vegetation establishment. Actively removing litter may serve as an additional restoration intervention to overcome this legacy. However, as grazing can keep this potential in check, wildlife exclusion may be necessary as well. To speed up recovery and diversify vegetation structure after spruce plantation removal, we suggest patchy disturbance of the litter, essentially combined with wildlife exclusion. |
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| Keywords: | Dispersal filter Ecological restoration Forest Grazing exclusion Secondary succession Seedbank |
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