Effect of clear-cutting on the understory vegetation,soil and diversity of litter beetles in scots pine-dominated forest |
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Authors: | Laima ?esonien? Remigijus Daubaras Vytautas Tamutis Vilma Ka?konien? Paulius Ka?konas Vidas Stak?nas |
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Institution: | 1. Botanical Garden, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuanialaima.cesoniene@vdu.lt https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5196-3948;3. Botanical Garden, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1953-2985;4. Institute of Biology and Plant Biotechnology, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas distr., Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6120-2066;5. Faculty of Natural Sciences, Instrumental Analysis Open Access Centre, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1939-9408;6. Institute of Metrology, Kaunas University of Technology, Kaunas, Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6218-6432;7. Department of Ecology, Institute of Forestry, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Kaunas distr., Lithuania https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0719-2263 |
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Abstract: | Currently, the aim of modern forest management is not only timber production but also the protection of biodiversity. The initial effects of clear-cut logging on forest understory vegetation, soil and the diversity of litter beetles have been studied. We examined unstudied effects of clear-cutting disturbance on understory vascular plant species abundance, forest soils, and understory vegetation nutrients as well as beetle diversity one year after clear-cutting. Substantial changes in the prominence values and above-ground mass of forest-related vascular plant and moss species were detected. Clear-cuttings resulted in fast appearance of new light-loving plant species. The significant decrease in understory plant biomass influenced the reduction of nutrient pools in clear-cut areas after one year. The clear-cut logging negatively influenced the richness of species and the number of individuals of stenobiontic forest-related beetles in the forest litter. However, forest clear-cuttings were beneficial for eurytopic and open land species. |
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Keywords: | Beetles forest litter nutrients soil species richness understory vegetation |
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