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High resilience of bryophyte assemblages in streamside compared to upland forests
Mats Dynesius1, Kristoffer Hylander, Christer Nilsson
1Landscape Ecology Group, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, SE-901 87 Umeå, Sweden. mats.dynesius@emg.umu.se
Ecology
|May 20, 2009
Summary
Bryophyte assemblages in boreal forests show greater resilience to clear-cutting in streamside areas compared to uplands. Streamside forests maintain species composition better after logging, indicating higher ecosystem resilience.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Forestry
- Botany
Background:
- Landscape heterogeneity influences disturbance regimes and ecosystem resilience.
- Bryophyte (liverwort and moss) assemblages are sensitive indicators of forest disturbance.
- Boreal forests in northern Sweden provide a unique setting to study clear-cutting impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the resilience of bryophyte assemblages to clear-cutting between streamside and upland boreal forests.
- To test the hypothesis that streamside bryophyte communities exhibit higher resilience due to factors like moisture and reduced environmental change.
- To investigate the role of species survival, recolonization, and invasion in determining forest resilience.
Main Methods:
- Studied 18 sites in northern Sweden, comparing paired streamside and upland plots in old-growth and recently clear-cut (30-50 years prior) forests.
- Assessed bryophyte species assemblages in 0.1-ha plots.
- Measured resilience as the magnitude of change in species composition between old and young stands.
Main Results:
- Bryophyte assemblages were significantly more resilient in streamside forests than in upland forests.
- Upland forests showed significant changes in species composition and greater reductions in species richness post-disturbance.
- Streamside areas experienced higher rates of species invasion, suggesting complex resilience dynamics.
Conclusions:
- Topography-related factors, such as those influencing moisture and resource availability, are key drivers of spatial variation in forest organism resilience in boreal ecosystems.
- Landscape-scale resilience is influenced by stress, resource availability, disturbance-intolerant species presence, and the magnitude of environmental change.
- Short-term recovery does not guarantee long-term resilience to the pre-disturbance state.
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