Plant and arthropod communities in young oak stands: are they determined by site history? |
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Authors: | Martin Goßner Kerstin Engel Beate Jessel |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Chair of Strategy and Management of Landscape Development (Funded by the Allianz Foundation), Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany;(2) Institute of Ecology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Dornburger Str. 159, 07743 Jena, Germany |
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Abstract: | Effect of site history on forest plant and insect communities was studied by comparing afforestations on former agricultural
land with reafforestations on ancient woodland sites. Vascular plants, mosses, true bugs, lacewings and saproxylic beetles
were surveyed at 18 young broadleaved forest sites dominated by oak (Quercus robur), established between 1986 and 1994 in three different growth regions in Bavaria, Germany. Two strata, near ground level
and the canopy, were sampled. Compared to woodland reafforestations greater species density and abundance of plants and true
bugs were observed in field layer of afforestation sites. Proportion of forest species among plants and true bugs was however
significantly lower in afforestations than on ancient woodland sites. In the canopy, zoo-phytophagous true bugs were significantly
better represented in afforestations and zoophagous true bugs in reafforestations. Saproxylic beetles, especially inhabitants
of old dead wood, were species-poor in afforestations. Results indicate that site history affects both producer and consumer
communities in multiple ways, even 20 years after afforestation of former agricultural land. However, afforestations adjacent
to existing forest stands can be regarded as valuable to nature conservation in effectively extending forest habitats. Investment
in such afforestation therefore represents more than just an agricultural subsidy.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. |
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Keywords: | Afforestations Ancient woodland Community structure Diversity Ecological guilds Insects Land use Plants |
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