Ekholm, Adam
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Research article2022Peer reviewedOpen access
Ekholm, Adam; Axelsson, Petter; Hjalten, Joakim; Lundmark, Tomas; Sjogren, Jorgen
The rotation forestry system provides high biomass production, but could also have a negative impact on species sensitive to disturbance. Continuous cover forestry (CCF) could contribute to solving these conflicting goals, but its feasibility in nutrient limited boreal forests is yet unresolved. In a unique experiment, we simultaneously assessed the short-term effect of single-tree selection on both biomass production and biodiversity (vascular plants, bryophytes, wood-inhabiting fungi), and tested fertilization as a way to mediate growth-biodiversity trade-offs. We found that unharvested stands and stands subjected to single-tree selection had a similar species assemblage of vascular plants, bryophytes, and wood-inhabiting fungi. Fertilization increased growth by 37% and induced shifts in two understory species (favoring the grass Avenella flexuosa and disfavoring the bryophyte Hylocomium splendens). We conclude that single-tree selection may become a useful tool to enhance biodiversity in managed forests.
Biodiversity; Boreal forest; Picea abies; Selection system; Single-tree selection; Uneven-aged forestry
AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment
2022, Volume: 51, number: 12, pages: 2478-2495 Publisher: SPRINGER
SLU Plant Protection Network
SLU Forest Damage Center
Ecology
Forest Science
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-022-01749-5
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/117557