Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

This study analyzes the influence of historical land use, environmental conditions, and stand characteristics on ground vegetation in sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) plantations in southern Sweden. By examining 30 sample plots with different land-use histories (post-pasture, post-agricultural, and ancient forest), 99 vascular plant species were recorded and categorized into forest specialists, generalists, woody, and open land species. A varied range of ground vegetation diversity among sites was found, although without any significant differences in the mean species richness across land-use histories. However, post-pasture plantations exhibited a significantly higher mean number of woody species (8.5) compared to other categories, which ranged from 4.3 to 5.0 species. Analysis of vegetation layers showed similar mean cover percentages for tree and herb layers across land-use categories, and shrub and moss layers displayed low variability. The cover of the herb layer and the number of generalist species decreased significantly with increased cover of the tree and shrub layers. This implies that denser canopy cover could inhibit the diversity and abundance of herbaceous vegetation. The results of non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis showed that historical land use, alongside soil pH and nitrogen levels, significantly influenced species composition. A strong positive correlation was observed between soil pH and species composition along NMDS Axis 1, as well as between nitrogen levels and Axis 1, indicating that soil fertility is a major driver of species distribution. Light availability and moisture were correlated with species composition along Axis 2, representing a gradient from darker, moister to lighter, drier conditions. Isolated post-agricultural sycamore plantations were found to be colonized by several forest specialist species within 60 years. However, some species, such as Anemone nemorosa, remained more abundant in areas with continuous forest cover. Although a direct comparison was not possible due to differences in sample plot size, an analogous study on ground vegetation in oak stands suggests similar trends, indicating that the plant diversity and colonization dynamics of sycamore and oak plantations might be comparable. However, further studies are necessary to confirm this pattern. These findings demonstrate the adaptability of sycamore plantations to different land-use histories and environmental conditions, highlighting their potential as valuable habitats for forest plant species.