TY - JOUR A1 - Verheyen, Kris A1 - Baeten, Lander A1 - De Frenne, Pieter A1 - Bernhardt-Römermann, Markus A1 - Brunet, Jorg A1 - Cornelis, Johnny A1 - Decocq, Guillaume A1 - Dierschke, Hartmut A1 - Eriksson, Ove A1 - Hedl, Radim A1 - Heinken, Thilo A1 - Hermy, Martin A1 - Hommel, Patrick A1 - Kirby, Keith J. A1 - Naaf, Tobias A1 - Peterken, George A1 - Petrik, Petr A1 - Pfadenhauer, Joerg A1 - Van Calster, Hans A1 - Walther, Gian-Reto A1 - Wulf, Monika A1 - Verstraeten, Gorik T1 - Driving factors behind the eutrophication signal in understorey plant communities of deciduous temperate forests JF - The journal of ecology N2 - 1. Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is expected to change forest understorey plant community composition and diversity, but results of experimental addition studies and observational studies are not yet conclusive. A shortcoming of observational studies, which are generally based on resurveys or sampling along large deposition gradients, is the occurrence of temporal or spatial confounding factors. 2. We were able to assess the contribution of N deposition versus other ecological drivers on forest understorey plant communities by combining a temporal and spatial approach. Data from 1205 (semi-)permanent vegetation plots taken from 23 rigorously selected understorey resurvey studies along a large deposition gradient across deciduous temperate forest in Europe were compiled and related to various local and regional driving factors, including the rate of atmospheric N deposition, the change in large herbivore densities and the change in canopy cover and composition. 3. Although no directional change in species richness occurred, there was considerable floristic turnover in the understorey plant community and a shift in species composition towards more shade-tolerant and nutrient-demanding species. However, atmospheric N deposition was not important in explaining the observed eutrophication signal. This signal seemed mainly related to a shift towards a denser canopy cover and a changed canopy species composition with a higher share of species with more easily decomposed litter. 4. Synthesis. Our multi-site approach clearly demonstrates that one should be cautious when drawing conclusions about the impact of atmospheric N deposition based on the interpretation of plant community shifts in single sites or regions due to other, concurrent, ecological changes. Even though the effects of chronically increased N deposition on the forest plant communities are apparently obscured by the effects of canopy changes, the accumulated N might still have a significant impact. However, more research is needed to assess whether this N time bomb will indeed explode when canopies will open up again. KW - atmospheric deposition KW - determinants of plant community diversity and structure KW - Ellenberg indicator values KW - forest herbs KW - forest management KW - large herbivores KW - north-western Europe KW - resurveys KW - (semi-)permanent plots Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2011.01928.x SN - 0022-0477 VL - 100 IS - 2 SP - 352 EP - 365 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - De Frenne, Pieter A1 - Baeten, Lander A1 - Graae, Bente J. A1 - Brunet, Jorg A1 - Wulf, Monika A1 - Orczewska, Anna A1 - Kolb, Annette A1 - Jansen, Ivy A1 - Jamoneau, Aurelien A1 - Jacquemyn, Hans A1 - Hermy, Martin A1 - Diekmann, Martin A1 - De Schrijver, An A1 - De Sanctis, Michele A1 - Decocq, Guillaume A1 - Cousins, Sara A. O. A1 - Verheyen, Kris T1 - Interregional variation in the floristic recovery of post-agricultural forests JF - The journal of ecology N2 - 1. Worldwide, the floristic composition of temperate forests bears the imprint of past land use for decades to centuries as forests regrow on agricultural land. Many species, however, display significant interregional variation in their ability to (re)colonize post-agricultural forests. This variation in colonization across regions and the underlying factors remain largely unexplored. 2. We compiled data on 90 species and 812 species x study combinations from 18 studies across Europe that determined species' distribution patterns in ancient (i.e. continuously forested since the first available land use maps) and post-agricultural forests. The recovery rate (RR) of species in each landscape was quantified as the log-response ratio of the percentage occurrence in post-agricultural over ancient forest and related to the species-specific life-history traits and local (soil characteristics and light availability) and regional factors (landscape properties as habitat availability, time available for colonization, and climate). 3. For the herb species, we demonstrate a strong (interactive) effect of species' life-history traits and forest habitat availability on the RR of post-agricultural forest. In graminoids, however, none of the investigated variables were significantly related to the RR. 4. The better colonizing species that mainly belonged to the short-lived herbs group showed the largest interregional variability. Their recovery significantly increased with the amount of forest habitat within the landscape, whereas, surprisingly, the time available for colonization, climate, soil characteristics and light availability had no effect. 5. Synthesis. By analysing 18 independent studies across Europe, we clearly showed for the first time on a continental scale that the recovery of short-lived forest herbs increased with the forest habitat availability in the landscape. Small perennial forest herbs, however, were generally unsuccessful in colonizing post-agricultural forest even in relatively densely forested landscapes. Hence, our results stress the need to avoid ancient forest clearance to preserve the typical woodland flora. KW - ancient forest KW - colonization capacity KW - forest herbs KW - functional traits KW - habitat fragmentation KW - habitat loss KW - life-history traits KW - meta-analysis KW - plant population and community dynamics KW - secondary succession Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2010.01768.x SN - 0022-0477 VL - 99 IS - 2 SP - 600 EP - 609 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Malden ER -