Long-lasting effects of unplanned logging on the seed rain of mixed conifer-hardwood forests in southern South America

Understanding the effects of disturbance on seed rain is critical to predict changes in forest species composition and diversity.Logging effects on seed rain in a mixed conifer-hardwood forest complex in southern Brazil were evaluated.One year of seed rain data were collected from a large-scale observational experiment in logged and protected forests and quantity and average seed size weighted by species abundance(CWM) were compared between old-growth and logged stands 55 years after logging activities.Using these data,variations in frequency of functional groups of species in the seed rain were examined to see if they could be attributed to logging.Results show that the number of seeds per trap was highly right-skewed,ranging from 13 to 12,788 seeds per trap in one year.Seed rain was affected by logging history,with seed traps in old-growth plots receiving significantly less seeds than traps in logged plots.All species included mean seed size weighted by species abundance were significantly smaller in logged than in old-growth forests.This difference persisted after the exclusion of Arawcaria a large-seeded pioneer which was intensively logged,although the difference of seed size between the two forest classes was greatly reduced.Species abundance in the seed rain differed significantly from the established tree community,between logged and oldgrowth stands.The composition of the seed rain was much more variable than the composition of the established tree community and its points more scattered over the ordination space than the points corresponding to the protected forests.The number of collected seeds across different functional groups of species significantly differed between logged and old-growth plots.The seed rain of logged forests reflects their arrested succes sion as indicated by reduced abundance of functional groups such as pioneers,large seeded pioneers and A raucaria,as well as reduced functional diversity.S eed rain differences between logged and old-growth stands reflect the intensive logging of A.angustifolia.     

Centuries-old logging legacy on spatial and temporal patterns in understory herb communities

Understory herb communities in the Southern Appalachians are among the highest biodiversity plant communities in North America. In the mid-1990s, a debate began over whether understory herb communities recover to their pre-disturbance states following logging. Studies showing reduced herb-layer diversity in previously logged forests were criticized for not accounting for intersite environmental heterogeneity. More recent studies have addressed environmental heterogeneity, but have neglected long-term recovery by using “mature forests” as young as 80 years old as the benchmark for diversity comparison, even though old growth stands have disturbance return intervals exceeding 500 years. Here we address concerns clouding previous studies of high-diversity Appalachian herb communities and investigate their long-term recovery by comparing paired sites of old growth forest and forest logged 100–150 years ago. We found that species richness and individual abundance is greater in old growth forests than mature forests and that species composition differed significantly between the two. Turnover in species among old growth and mature forests accounted for 11% of the total species richness and was significantly greater than expected. Species turnover at intermediate (5–50 m) and landscape-scales (>10 km) contributed the most towards total species richness. Herb communities in rich cove forests have successional trajectories that exceed 150 years, with important community changes still occurring long after the forest returns to what has been previously termed a “mature” state. To conserve the diverse herb layer, we conclude that mature forest stands are too young to serve as baselines for recovery, landscape-scale preservation of multiple forest stands is needed to maximize species richness, and maintaining 100–150-year logging rotations will likely lead to loss of biodiversity.     

A comparison of impacts from silviculture practices and North American beaver invasion on stream benthic macroinvertebrate community structure and function in Nothofagus forests of Tierra del Fuego

The sub-Antarctic biome of South America is the world's southernmost forested ecosystem and one of the last remaining wilderness areas on the planet. Nonetheless, the region confronts various anthropogenic environmental impacts, such as the invasive North American beaver (Castor canadensis) and timber harvesting, particularly in stands of Nothofagus pumilio. Both of these disturbances can affect terrestrial and aquatic systems. To understand the influence and relative importance of these disturbances on sub-Antarctic watersheds, we characterized in-stream and riparian habitat conditions (pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, temperature, stream size, distance to riparian forest, bank slope, substrate heterogeneity, benthic organic matter) and benthic macroinvertebrate community structure (density, richness, diversity, evenness) and function (biomass, functional feeding group percent) in 19 streams on Tierra del Fuego Island. To explain the effects of beaver invasion and timber harvesting, we compared these physical and biotic variables among four habitat types: (a) beaver meadows, (b) shelterwood cut harvested areas without forested riparian zones, (c) variable retention harvested areas with riparian buffers, and (d) unmanaged old-growth primary forests. Most habitat variables were similar at all sites, except for dissolved oxygen (significantly higher in streams from old-growth primary forests). Benthic communities in beaver meadows had significantly lower diversity, compared to streams of unmanaged old-growth primary forests, and managed sites presented intermediate values between the two. Functionally, the benthic community in beaver meadows displayed a reduction of all functional feeding groups except collector-gatherers; again variable retention harvested areas with riparian buffers were similar to unmanaged old-growth primary forest streams, while shelterwood cut harvested areas occupied an intermediate position. These results indicated that current forestry practices that include both variable retention and legally mandated riparian forested buffers may be effective in mitigating impacts on stream benthic communities. Finally, these data demonstrated that C. canadensis invasion was a relatively larger impact on these streams than well-managed forestry practices.     

Stand structure, fuel loads, and fire behavior in riparian and upland forests, Sierra Nevada Mountains, USA; a comparison of current and reconstructed conditions

Fire plays an important role in shaping many Sierran coniferous forests, but longer fire return intervals and reductions in area burned have altered forest conditions. Productive, mesic riparian forests can accumulate high stem densities and fuel loads, making them susceptible to high-severity fire. Fuels treatments applied to upland forests, however, are often excluded from riparian areas due to concerns about degrading streamside and aquatic habitat and water quality. Objectives of this study were to compare stand structure, fuel loads, and potential fire behavior between adjacent riparian and upland forests under current and reconstructed active-fire regime conditions. Current fuel loads, tree diameters, heights, and height to live crown were measured in 36 paired riparian and upland plots. Historic estimates of these metrics were reconstructed using equations derived from fuel accumulation rates, current tree data, and increment cores. Fire behavior variables were modeled using Forest Vegetation Simulator Fire/Fuels Extension.Riparian forests were significantly more fire prone under current than reconstructed conditions, with greater basal area (BA) (means are 87 vs. 29 m²/ha), stand density (635 vs. 208 stems/ha), snag volume (37 vs. 2 m³/ha), duff loads (69 vs. 3 Mg/ha), total fuel loads (93 vs. 28 Mg/ha), canopy bulk density (CBD) (0.12 vs. 0.04 kg/m³), surface flame length (0.6 vs. 0.4 m), crown flame length (0.9 vs. 0.4 m), probability of torching (0.45 vs. 0.03), predicted mortality (31% vs. 17% BA), and lower torching (20 vs. 176 km/h) and crowning indices (28 vs. 62 km/h). Upland forests were also significantly more fire prone under current than reconstructed conditions, yet changes in fuels and potential fire behavior were not as large. Under current conditions, riparian forests were significantly more fire prone than upland forests, with greater stand density (635 vs. 401 stems/ha), probability of torching (0.45 vs. 0.22), predicted mortality (31% vs. 16% BA), and lower quadratic mean diameter (46 vs. 55 cm), canopy base height (6.7 vs. 9.4 m), and frequency of fire tolerant species (13% vs. 36% BA). Reconstructed riparian and upland forests were not significantly different. Our reconstruction results suggest that historic fuels and forest structure may not have differed significantly between many riparian and upland forests, consistent with earlier research suggesting similar historic fire return intervals. Under current conditions, however, modeled severity is much greater in riparian forests, suggesting forest habitat and ecosystem function may be more severely impacted by wildfire than in upland forests.     

Epiphytic lichen diversity in late-successional Pinus sylvestris forests along local and regional forest utilization gradients in eastern boreal Fennoscandia

Pinus sylvestris-dominated forests have been heavily utilized across all of boreal Fennoscandia and the remaining natural forests are generally highly fragmented. However, there are considerable local and regional differences in the intensity and duration of past forest utilization. We studied the impact of human forest use on the diversity of epiphytic and epixylic lichens in late-successional Pinus sylvestris-dominated forests by assessing species richness and composition along both local and regional gradients in forest utilization. The effects of local logging intensity were analysed by comparing three types of stands: (i) near-natural, (ii) selectively logged (in the early 20th century) and (iii) managed stands. The effects of regional differences in duration and intensity of past forest use were analysed by comparing stands in two contrasting regions (Häme and Kuhmo–Viena). The species richness of selectively logged stands was as high as that of near-natural stands and significantly higher in these two stand categories than in managed stands. Species richness increased with the density of small understorey Picea, which correlated strongly with decreasing intensity of local forest use and increasing structural complexity of selectively logged and near-natural stands. Stands in the Häme region hosted a lower number of species, and were less likely to host many old-growth indicator species than the Kuhmo–Viena region, suggesting that species have been lost from stands in the Häme region due to a longer history of intensive forest use. We conclude that selectively logged stands, along with near-natural stands, are valuable lichen habitats particularly for species confined to old-growth structures such as coarse trees and deadwood. In landscapes where natural forests have become fragmented, the management or restoration of the remaining late-successional Pinus-dominated forests, e.g. through the use of fire, should be carefully planned to avoid adverse effects on lichen species richness.     

Structural and environmental characterization of old-growth temperate rainforests of northern Chiloé Island,Chile: Regional and global relevance

Old-growth forests are ecologically relevant reservoirs of biodiversity and provide valuable and unique ecosystem functions in the landscape. However, what constitutes an old-growth stand is confusing because the definition depends largely on the forest type under study. Despite the ecological importance of old-growth temperate rainforests in southern Chile in comparison to other global forests, no attempts have been made to characterize them as a way to assess their structural variability. Here, we characterized old-growth stands of Valdivian and North Patagonian rain forest types located in Chiloé Island (Chile, 42°30′S) using inventory data from 23 permanent plots (0.1 ha each) located in rural landscapes and protected areas of northern Chiloé Island. For each stand, its age (average age of the oldest trees present in each stand) and disturbance regimes (evidence of recent human impact, e.g. cuttings or fires, and tree growth rates) were used as defining old-growth criteria. We characterized the structure (tree species richness, size-density distributions, vertical stratification and presence of snags) and floristic composition of each stand. Environmental variables (i.e. temperature, distance to coastline and elevation) were related to stand structure using multivariate constrained correspondence analysis. Old-growth forests were commonly characterized by (a) tree basal areas >80 m²/ha; (b) density of shade-tolerant tree species in the emergent and dominant canopy layer >36%; (c) higher tree species richness (>7 tree species) than successional stands; (d) presence of large canopy emergents (>80 cm dbh, >25 m tall); (e) high vertical heterogeneity; and (f) minimum stand ages older than 200 years. Old-growth forests showed a distinctive structural variability and floristic diversity influenced both by stand age and disturbance history of the stands. Structural variability was also related to environmental differences among sites (e.g. air temperature, distance to coastline, soil types). Old-growth forest features described here can offer a baseline for managers interested in maintaining and restoring old-growth forest structure in southern temperate rain forests.     

Variation in vegetation structure and soil properties related to land use history of old-growth and secondary tropical dry forests in northwestern Mexico

The objective of this study was to compare the vegetation structure and soil properties among old-growth tropical dry forests representing three categories of grazing intensity by cattle (light, moderate and heavy grazing) and a category of 20–30-yr-old secondary forest experiencing occasional grazing in a locality in northwestern Mexico. Within each forest type, three 0.1 ha plots located in different grazing ranges (“potreros”) were used as replicates. All woody plants (stem ≥ 2.0 cm diameter at 1.30 m height, DBH) were identified and measured in each plot. Mean basal area and above-ground biomass (AGB) were significantly higher in the moderately grazed old-growth forest. Species density was significantly lower in the secondary forest, where a leguminous tree species was dominant. Accumulation of AGB after 20–30 yr of secondary forest recovery accounted for 43% of the old-growth forest AGB. Soil properties varied among forest categories but did not follow a consistent pattern: mean total N and organic matter content were highest in the old-growth forest with moderate grazing; cation exchange capacity (CEC) was similar among the three old-growth forests categories, but it was significantly lower in the secondary forest compared to the old-growth forest with low grazing. Canonical Correspondence Analysis showed that CEC was highly correlated with the actual species distribution in the study area, especially with Acacia cochliacantha the dominant species of the secondary forest category. Resprouting capacity of the persisting species in the old-growth forests experiencing chronic disturbance could have contributed to the maintenance of some of the structural characteristics of a mature forest. Tropical secondary forests seem to accumulate AGB relatively fast, reflecting their potential for carbon storage and provision for other ecosystem services; therefore, they deserve urgent protection measures.     

采伐方式对海南岛霸王岭热带山地雨林恢复的影响

比较3种采伐方式(重复采伐、径级择伐和采育择伐)对海南岛霸王岭热带山地雨林恢复群落中物种多样性、群落结构和功能群组成的影响。结果表明:3种方式采伐后(20～25年)的山地雨林恢复群落物种丰富度呈增加趋势,主要表现为小径级(胸径<10cm)的长寿命先锋种增加;与老龄林相比,径级采伐和采育择伐没有增加伐后林中成年树的物种丰富度;3种采伐恢复林中幼树和小树的物种累积速度低于老龄林;森林采伐后恢复群落中的个体密度显著高于老龄林,但胸高截面积显著低于老龄林;伐后林群落中胸高截面积减少最多的为采育择伐,其次为径级择伐和重复采伐;森林采伐恢复群落内长寿命先锋种的物种丰富度、个体密度和胸高截面积均增加,而后期耐荫种物种丰富度变化较小;采育择伐在短期降低了森林木材蓄积量,但没有显著改变群落中功能群组成,因而能够在相对较短的时间内恢复到干扰前的水平。     

Impact of logging on tree,liana and herb assemblages in a Bornean forest

In the present study, the impact of logging was assessed on the forest structure, richness, and composition of trees, lianas, and ground herbs in Indonesian Borneo. There were no significant differences in tree height, diameter, basal area, or abundance between unlogged and logged forest. Liana abundance was higher in logged than unlogged forest, but the difference was marginally nonsignificant. There was also no significant difference in the percentage cover of ground herbs. Tree species richness was similar between unlogged and logged forest, while liana species richness was higher in logged forest and herb species richness between unlogged forest. Tree and liana compositions differed significantly between unlogged and logged forest, but logging explained only a small part (<7%) of the variance in composition. In contrast to trees and lianas, ground herb composition did not differ significantly between unlogged and logged forest. Our findings indicate that the modest extraction intensity practiced did not have a severely adverse impact on forest structure or plant composition. This highlights the important role that logged forests may play in conserving biodiversity and the need to protect these forests from further disturbance.     

Efficacy of riparian buffers in mitigating local population declines and the effects of even-aged timber harvest on larval salamanders

Headwater streams are an important and prevalent feature of the eastern North American landscape. These streams provide a wealth of ecosystem services and support tremendous biological diversity, which is predominated by salamanders in the Appalachian region. Salamanders are ubiquitous throughout the region, contributing a significant biomass that supports ecological and ecosystem processes. One of the greatest threats to salamanders is loss of headwater-riparian habitat through timber harvest. In this study, we measured larval salamander abundance at five headwater streams with different riparian buffer widths retained following logging. By sampling larval salamanders using leaf litter bags, we assessed the impacts of even-aged timber harvest on aquatic larval salamander abundances, where it was found that larvae are negatively impacted by increased stream sedimentation and a decrease in riparian buffer width. We found that retention of a 9-m buffer was effectively no different than complete removal of all riparian forest, and as such, current regulations to protect headwater streams are ineffectual. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed between the 30 m buffer treatment and uncut control treatments suggesting that a 30 m or larger riparian buffer may assuage the in-stream effects of riparian timber harvest. Management guidelines for Appalachian forests should be revised to accommodate the biology of plethodontid salamanders.     

Spatial patterning and population structure of a common woodland herb, Trillium erectum, in primary and post-logging secondary forests

We investigated the population age structure and spatial patterning of a common understory perennial, Trillium erectum var. album, in primary and post-logging secondary (industrially logged in the early 1900s) cove forests of the southern Appalachian Mountains. Within each of 8 T. erectum populations (4 in primary forest and 4 in secondary forest), we mapped the locations of all T. erectum plants in a 10 m × 10 m plot located within the center of each population. We recorded the height and life stage of each plant and excavated a randomly selected subset for age determination. Trillium erectum populations in primary forests displayed a somewhat stronger and more consistent spatial structure than those found in secondary forests. However, aside from being on-average younger due to a higher concentration of juveniles, age structures of secondary forest populations were similar to those of primary forests and both forest types had similar maximum plant ages. Our results, when considered with the life history of the species, suggest that logging did not eliminate T. erectum from secondary forests. Rather, residual plants and patches of plants that survived logging provided the propagules needed to expand and reestablish populations following logging. This relatively rapid recovery stands in stark contrast to the slow recovery observed by others in post-agricultural secondary forest. When considered in the context of other studies of post-disturbance recovery in secondary forests, our results suggest that the full history of a site must be carefully considered when examining the impacts of disturbance on forest perennial herbs.     

Medicinal plants in old-growth, degraded and re-growth forests of NW Pakistan

Many old-growth forest stands in northwest Pakistan have been structurally transformed as a consequence of logging and livestock grazing, some of which are thereafter left to secondary succession. These forests represent an important resource for local inhabitants who gather and sell medicinal plants as part of their livelihood. With this in mind, the main objectives of our study were: (1) to assess differences in the structure of the tree layer and the abundance of medicinal plants among differently transformed forests, (2) to evaluate the recovery potential of medicinal plants under re-growth forests, and (3) to assess relationships between tree stand structural characteristics and the occurrence of medicinal plants.The first step of the study involved creating an approximate map covering an area of 90 km² for five forest-use types (old-growth forest, forest degraded by logging, derived woodland, agroforest and re-growth forest). Fifteen plots per forest-use type were randomly allocated at altitudes ranging from 2200 m to 2400 m asl, within which the abundance of 10 locally important medicinal herb species was assessed.The study stands differed greatly in tree basal area, which was highest in old-growth forest (48 m² ha⁻¹), lowest in agroforest areas (6 m² ha⁻¹) and intermediate in re-growth forest (20 m² ha⁻¹). All ten medicinal plant species were encountered in old-growth and in re-growth forests, but only five of these species also occurred on agroforest plots. The mean coverage of study medicinal plants was highest in old-growth forest (7%), low in forest degraded by logging, derived woodland and agroforest (0.3-2%), and intermediate in re-growth forest (4%). The Jaccard abundance based similarity index indicates a considerable similarity (0.6) between re-growth and old growth forest for both trees and medicinal plants. The overall abundance of medicinal plants increased with increasing tree basal area and canopy cover. The abundance of some particular species decreased; however, the most sought-after medicinal species Bergenia ciliata, Valeriana jatamansi and Viola cancescens increased with tree basal area within specific forest-use type and also across forest-use types. In conclusion, our data suggest that anthropogenic forest degradation leads to a reduction in the abundance of economically viable medicinal plants for the study region. It is further indicated that this can be reversed if degraded forests are allowed to regenerate.     

Effects of even-aged timber harvest on stream salamanders: Support for the evacuation hypothesis

Habitats worldwide are increasingly threatened by degradation and conversion. Critical to the process of habitat loss is the organismal response, which can have effects on immediate conservation measures or future restoration. Among the most threatened and underappreciated habitats are headwater streams, which are small but abundant features of montane forests. These habitats comprise a significant proportion of the total stream length, can harbor remarkable biodiversity, and are critical for numerous ecosystem processes. One of the most abundant organisms in montane headwater ecosystems are salamanders, and therefore what happens to salamanders when the forest habitats surrounding headwater streams are altered? Three main hypotheses exist: (1) mortality hypothesis; (2) retreat hypothesis; and (3) evacuation hypothesis. To examine these hypotheses we evaluated the impacts of even-aged riparian timber harvest on stream-breeding salamanders. Riparian forests along headwater streams were logged, leaving riparian buffers of 0 m, 9 m, and 30 m. Responses to each riparian alteration were measured in terms of salamander terrestrial habitat use and growth in the riparian habitat, as well as changes in population density within headwater streams. Adult and juvenile salamander densities measured in headwater streams were significantly greater in logged riparian treatments than in unaltered riparian treatments. In addition, salamanders significantly reduced their terrestrial habitat use following riparian logging with both the average distance from the stream and the relative abundance of salamanders decreasing. It is unlikely that salamanders will persist in highly modified riparian habitats, as we measured significantly reduced body conditions over short periods of time at these sites. We present corroborative evidence that salamanders evacuate the riparian habitat following intensive riparian logging, emigrating to adjacent headwater streams. Our results underscore the sensitivity of stream salamanders to riparian habitat alteration as well as the importance of riparian buffers in preserving amphibian assemblages.     

Effects of alternative silviculture on stump sprouting in the southern Appalachians

Stump sprouts are an important form of regeneration for a number of species in the southern Appalachians, especially the oaks (Quercus spp.). Alternative regeneration systems to clearcutting such as shelterwood and leave-tree systems are being implemented in many hardwood stands in the Appalachians. However, the effects of these alternative silvicultural systems on stump sprouts are not known. Therefore, we evaluated the impact of three silvicultural systems: a clearcut, leave-tree, and shelterwood on stump sprouting. These treatments were implemented in seven stands in Virginia and West Virginia in the Appalachian Plateau (AP) and Ridge and Valley (RV) physiographic provinces. The stands were even-aged oak dominated Appalachian hardwood stands with ages ranging from 62 to 100 years.     

Radiation use efficiency in adjacent hardwood and pine forests in the southern Appalachians

The efficiency with which trees convert photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) to biomass has been shown to be consistent within stands of an individual species, which is useful for estimating biomass production and carbon accumulation. However, radiation use efficiency (?) has rarely been measured in mixed-species forests, and it is unclear how species diversity may affect the consistency of ?, particularly across environmental gradients. We compared aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), intercepted photosynthetically active solar radiation (IPAR), and radiation use efficiency (? = ANPP/IPAR) between a mixed deciduous forest and a 50-year-old white pine (Pinus strobus L.) plantation in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Average ANPP was similar in the deciduous forest (11.5 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) and pine plantation (10.2 Mg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹), while ? was significantly greater in the deciduous forest (1.25 g MJ⁻¹) than in the white pine plantation (0.63 g MJ⁻¹). Our results demonstrate that late-secondary hardwood forests can attain similar ANPP as mature P. strobus plantations in the southern Appalachians, despite substantially less annual IPAR and mineral-nitrogen availability, suggesting greater resource-use efficiency and potential for long-term carbon accumulation in biomass. Along a 260 m elevation gradient within each forest there was not significant variation in ?. Radiation use efficiency may be stable for specific forest types across a range of environmental conditions in the southern Appalachian Mountains, and thus useful for generating estimates of ANPP at the scale of individual watersheds.     

The effects of selective logging on stand structure and the regeneration of subboreal forests in Hokkaido, northern Japan

We investigated the effects of selective logging on stand structure and regeneration in selectively logged subboreal forests in Taisetsuzan National Park in Hokkaido in northern Japan. The basal area decreased and the size structure of trees altered in the stands studied due to repeated, intense selective logging, in which larger trees were cut down as a priority. Sapling density in the stands was much lower than that in primary forests. In the simple and multiple regression analyses that were used to estimate the effects of selective logging on sapling density, sapling density had a significant positive correlation with tree density and had little correlation with the density of logged stumps or the height ofSasa (dwarf bamboo) growing on the forest floor. These results suggest that the establishment sites around canopy trees influenced the establishment of saplings, rather than the gaps caused by selective logging. However, both the coefficient of determination and the standardized partial regression coefficient of multiple regression analysis were higher for the stand with a dense cover ofSasa than for the stand with a sparse cover ofSasa. Thus, the success of regenerating forests with selective logging depends on both the site of advanced regeneration and the light conditions that regulate growth.     

Deer prevent western redcedar (Thuya plicata) regeneration in old-growth forests of Haida Gwaii: Is there a potential for recovery?

The current increase in deer populations in many forests has fostered a growing concern about their impact on forest ecology. Sitka black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitchensis) were introduced to Haida Gwaii (British Columbia, Canada) in the late 19th century, and they have dramatically affected the regeneration of woody species in both old- and second-growth forests since then. The lack of recruitment in western redcedar (Thuja plicata) in old-growth forests has been attributed to deer. The objectives of this study were to (1) experimentally confirm that deer browsing causes a lack of western redcedar recruitment and (2) assess the potential for and speed of recovery after a prolonged exclusion of deer. We installed a set of 20 enclosures and monitored them over a period of 8 years from 1997 to 2005. We compared temporal changes in redcedar cover and in the survival and growth of marked seedlings in plots that were or were not accessible to deer. Redcedar cover in the vegetation layer accessible to deer was generally low (from 3 to 5%) but higher inside the enclosures (an average difference of 2.3%). Protected seedlings survived better, were higher, presented more leafed shoots, and had less stems than unprotected individuals, features that suggest that deer were key to the lack of regeneration. However, growth was very slow (protected marked seedlings grew 2.5 cm on average in 8 years) and, under the current conditions, the time required for a protected seedling to escape deer would probably take over two decades. This very slow growth rate under closed canopy conditions probably reflects a gap-phase regeneration strategy and/or sensitivity to competition with other woody species. The combination of a very slow growth with a high palatability and a lack of physical defences, in contrast to the other dominant conifers in this ecosystem, probably explain why redcedar regeneration can be eliminated from old-growth forest by abundant deer populations.     

Sediment deposition in streams adjacent to upland clearcuts and partially harvested riparian buffers in boreal forest catchments

The rates of fine sediment deposition were compared among three logged and three reference stream reaches 2–3 years before and 3–4 years after logging to assess the environmental impacts of partial harvesting as a novel riparian management strategy for boreal forest streams. The partial-harvest logging resulted in 10, 21 and 28% average basal area removal from riparian buffers at the three logged sites, adjacent to upland clearcut areas. No significant differences from pre-logging or reference-site sedimentation patterns were detected for two of the three logged sites. At the site with the most intense riparian logging (WR2), significant increases of 3–5 times higher than pre-logging or reference levels were detected in fine inorganic sediment (250–1000 μm) load and accumulation in the first year after logging, but no significant change was detected in fine organic sediments or very fine sediments (0.5–250 μm). The increased inorganic sediment deposition at WR2 was temporary with no significant differences from reference or pre-logging levels detectable by summer of the second post-logging year. Logging impacts on fine sedimentation in streams appeared to have been mitigated by careful logging practices including winter harvesting in riparian areas to reduce ground disturbance, and a tendency to avoid immediate (within 3–5 m) stream-side areas. Where it is feasible and advisable to conduct partial harvesting in riparian buffers of boreal forest streams, the logging can be conducted without posing significant risk of increased sediment inputs to streams when careful logging practices are followed.     

Epiphytic lichen diversity in old-growth and managed Picea abies stands in Alpine spruce forests

In the last decades, a large body of literature has grown to evaluate the impact of forest management on epiphytic lichens in boreal coniferous forests. However, information is still lacking on coniferous forests of the Alps. This study compares lichen diversity between spruce forest stands of four successional stages: (1) young, (2) intermediate, (3) mature forests managed for timber production with a rotation cycle of 120–180 years, and (4) old-growth protected forests. The emphasis was placed on the occurrence of nationally rare and calicioid species (lichens and fungi traditionally referred to as Caliciales, known to be indicative of forest age and continuity). For each forest successional stage, four plots were selected. In each plot, 7 spruce individuals were surveyed for epiphytic lichens according to a standardised sampling method. Species richness increased from young to mature stands, while no difference was detected between mature and old-growth stands. This pattern was also confirmed for rare and calicioid species which are, however, more frequent in old-growth stands. Differences in species composition were also found between the different forest successional stages. Mature and old-growth plots slightly overlap, indicating that to some extent comparable lichen assemblages could be found in these stands. A nested pattern of species assemblages was found, old-growth stands hosting most of the species which were also found in stands belonging to the previous forest successional stages. Our results support the hypothesis that the management regime applied to spruce forests of the Italian Alps renders mature stands managed for timber production somewhat similar to old-growth stands as lichen habitat. However, we found a higher complexity in old-growth forests, and many species of conservation concern clearly preferred old-growth stands. In this perspective, a further prolongation of the normal cycle it is likely to be a most favourable conservation-oriented management to be recommended at least within protected areas and Natura 2000 sites, where conservation purposes should receive a high priority.     

Floristic and structural patterns along a chronosequence of secondary forest succession in Argentinean subtropical montane forests

We studied forest structure and composition along a chronosequence of secondary forest succession in Northwest Argentina's montane forests (‘Yungas’) at 27°S, between 700 and 900 m. Early herbaceous stages, forested stages of 11, 25, 45, and 50 years after abandonment, and old-growth forests were surveyed. Secondary forests included stands that originated in abandoned herbaceous crops and in abandoned fruit orchards. Basal area and species composition differed between 50-year-old secondary forests and old-growth forests. In contrast, tree density and species diversity were similar in the 50-year-old and in the old-growth forests. The previous use (herbaceous crops or fruit orchards) was an important influence on secondary forest composition. Whereas stands originating in herbaceous fields were dominated by wind-dispersed native species such as Heliocarpus popayanensis, Tecoma stans, Parapiptadenia excelsa, and Tipuana tipu, fruit-orchard-originated stands were dominated by animal-dispersed species. Among the animal-dispersed species, the exotic tree Morus alba was the most abundant, and its abundance in secondary forests seems to slow the succession toward old-growth forest composition. Overall, after accounting for differences attributable to pre-abandonment conditions, secondary forest succession showed a trend toward compositional convergence, with the rate of succession apparently regulated by the demography of long-lived pioneer species.