TY  - JOUR
A1  - Müller, Jörg
A1  - Boch, Steffen
A1  - Blaser, Steffen
A1  - Fischer, Markus
A1  - Prati, Daniel
T1  - Effects of forest management on bryophyte communities on deadwood
JF  - Nova Hedwigia : Zeitschrift für Kryptogamenkunde
N2  - Epixylic bryophytes are important components of forest vegetation but are currently endangered by increment of wood harvest and intensive forest management. In this paper we present a study about the relationship between forest management, deadwood abundance, deadwood attributes and species richness of epixylic bryophytes on 30 plots comprising three forest types (managed coniferous, managed deciduous and unmanaged deciduous forests) in three regions in Germany. Additionally we analyzed the relations between deadwood attributes (wood species, decay, deadwood type, size) and bryophytes on deadwood items (n = 799) and calculated species interaction networks of wood species and bryophytes. Overall, species richness of epixylic bryophytes was positively related to deadwood abundance and diversity. The mean deadwood abundance was lowest in unmanaged forests (9.7 m(3) ha(-1)) compared with 15.0 m(3) ha(-1) in managed deciduous and 25.1 m(3) ha(-1) in managed coniferous forests. Accordingly, epixylic bryophyte species richness per plot increased from 7 species per 400 m(2) in unmanaged, 10 in managed deciduous and 16 in managed coniferous forests. The interaction network provided evidence of importance of tree-species diversity for bryophyte diversity and the relevance of particular wood species for rare bryophytes.
 Generally, the results demonstrate a considerable lack of deadwood in all forest types, even in unmanaged forests. Species richness of epixylic bryophytes was strongly limited by available substrates within the observed deadwood abundance ranging up to only 60 m(3) ha(-1). Altogether, this suggests a high demand to increase both abundance and diversity of deadwood in forests.
KW  - Coarse woody debris
KW  - cryptogams
KW  - deadwood
KW  - species interaction network
KW  - wood harvest
Y1  - 2015
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1127/nova_hedwigia/2015/0242
SN  - 0029-5035
VL  - 100
IS  - 3-4
SP  - 423
EP  - 438
PB  - Cramer
CY  - Stuttgart
ER  -