Laima ČESONIENĖ, Remigijus DAUBARAS, Paulius KAŠKONAS, Vilma KAŠKONIENĖ, Audrius Sigitas MARUŠKA, Nicola TISO, Marcin ZYCH

Initial impact of clear-cut logging on dynamics of understory vascular plants and pollinators in Scots pine-dominated forests in Lithuania

The development of understory plants and attendant changes of pollinators immediately after clear-cut logging were studied in boreal Scots pine forests. Experiments were carried out in Vacciniosa and Vaccinio-myrtillosa forest types. Considerable decline of the dwarf shrub layer confirmed the negative reaction of this dominated understory life form; however, the frequency dynamics of different vascular plants demonstrated species-specific response to changing environmental conditions. Because of rapid changes of light as well as damage of rhizomes by soil disturbances, the values of mean cover and frequency of the studied Ericaceae species decreased. We detected the most sensitive understory species to be Lycopodium annotinum, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, and Goodyera repens; consequently, their preservation is possible only under sustainable forest resources exploitation. On the other hand, arrival of new light-demanding species caused increased pollinator visitation to focal ericaceous shrubs.

Keywords:

Ericaceae, clear-cutting, understory vegetation,

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