From mixtures to monocultures: Bird assemblage responses along a production forest conifer-broadleaf gradient

Abstract

Increasing the prevalence of broadleaf trees in conifer-dominated production forests is a recommended means of improving habitat availability for broadleaf and mixed-forest species. The implications for biodiversity are often measured by contrasting broadleaf-conifer mixtures with conifer-dominated stands. However, few studies include broadleaf-dominated stands in these assessments. Here we contrasted the bird assemblages of even-aged production forests along a mixture gradient from Norway spruce (Picea abies) dominated, to birch (Betula spp.) dominated stands in southern Sweden. We conducted point count surveys of bird individuals exhibiting breeding behaviour within 30 stands varying from

Keywords

Mixed species stands; Forest biodiversity; Bird conservation; Managed forest; Broadleaved forest

Published in

Forest Ecology and Management
2021, volume: 494, article number: 119299
Publisher: ELSEVIER

SLU Authors

• Felton, Adam

  • Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Hedwall, Per-Ola

  • Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Trubins, Renats

  • Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Lagerstedt, Jakob

  • Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Felton, Annika

  • Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Lindbladh, Matts

  • Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Forest Science

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119299

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/112586