Sammanfattning

How seedling mortality and browsing affects species composition of regenerating forests has been mostly studied on a small scale. Yet, large-scale analyses based on extensive data are essential for robust prediction of species composition in young forests. In this study, we used a dataset from a national inventory of young forests (1-4 metres in height) to investigate the species composition of young forests across Sweden. We found that most of the regenerated forest area (almost 90%) was planted with Norway spruce (southern Sweden) and Scots pine (northern Sweden). Regeneration of Norway spruce was generally relatively successful but as a consequence of seedling mortality and browsing, almost 40% of the area regenerated with Scots pine will probably not develop into pine-dominated stands. Thus, low survival of Scots pine seedlings and trees can profoundly change the trajectory of species composition of the young forest from what was originally intended, and a large proportion of the young stands may develop into mixtures of conifers and broadleaves. While such mixtures may benefit certain biodiversity and ecosystem services, a loss of Scots pine dominated stands may also have adverse impacts on the economic returns as well as pine-dependent biodiversity and recreational values.

Nyckelord

browsing damage; Scots pine; Norway spruce; mixed forest

Publicerad i

Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research
2022, Volym: 37, nummer: 1, sidor: 1445-1457
Utgivare: TAYLOR AND FRANCIS AS

SLU författare

• Ara, Mostarin

  • Institutionen för sydsvensk skogsvetenskap, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

• Nilsson, Urban

  • Institutionen för sydsvensk skogsvetenskap, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

Associerade SLU-program

SLU Skogsskadecentrum


Globala målen

Skydda, återställa och främja ett hållbart nyttjande av landbaserade ekosystem, hållbart bruka skogar, bekämpa ökenspridning, hejda och vrida tillbaka markförstöringen samt hejda förlusten av biologisk mångfald


UKÄ forskningsämne

Skogsvetenskap


Publikationens identifierare

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02827581.2021.2005133

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/114698