Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the colonization patterns of forest herb
layer species in newly established plantations on former arable fields. Among six
stands surveyed the following hypotheses were tested:

1. Species richness is higher in new stands adjacent to older forest than in
isolated ones

2. Oak stands provide better conditions for colonization than beech stands
due to more suitable light conditions
3. Differences in migration rates are related to the diaspore dispersal mode
of the plant species
The maximum possible migration rates for the stands measured varied between
4.7 m year-1 and 69.9 m year-1. The maximum realized migration rates ranged
from 0.37 to 66.0 m year-1 and the mean migration rates varied from 0.37 to 8.2
m year-1. These migration rates are consistently higher than the results presented
in previous similar studies. The species richness was higher in adjacent stands
compared to isolated stands and new oak stands contained more species than
beech stands where only a few of the fast colonizers were found. The results
showed that the migration of different forest herb layer species is influenced by
the diaspore dispersal mode, special border characteristics between older forest
and young plantations and the light conditions depending on the tree species
planted. The fringe between the older stand and the new plantation should be
long and without roads and open vegetation in order to enhance successful
forest plant colonization. Concerning the ability of plants to colonize new stands
soon after canopy closure, conditions are generally more favorable in oak stands
than in beech stands, probably mainly due to differences in light availability.