Abstract
Managed broadleaf deciduous forests are an important type of forest vegetation in Central Europe, also in the Western Carpathians. These forests are both economically and environmentally valuable. However, little is known about ecological species groups and the inter-specific associations of dominant species in temperate deciduous managed forests in Central Europe. Since the forest stands are in a managed landscape, they are not consistent with the traditionally recognized and used vegetation associations in the Western Carpathians. For these reasons our research contributes to understanding the consequences of broadleaf deciduous forest management. The aim of this research was the determination of ecological species groups and an investigation into the main environmental drivers, in order to explain the distribution of ecological species groups. The numerical TWINSPAN classification was selected to distribute 146 relevés to the five ecological species groups. Of these, 77 relevés were divided into two groups with Fagus sylvatica dominant, while 63 relevés were Quercus petraea dominant. Carpinus betulus, Tilia cordata and Fraxinus excelsior were dominant in 19 relevés. Constrained Analysis of Principal Components was used to explain the vegetation–environment relationship on three transects in the Male Karpaty Mountains. Altitude, pH, Ca, C, K and Mg were selected as the significant environmental drivers responsible for a large part of the species group variability (31.8%). The main requirement for sustainable forest management is knowledge of the vegetation–environment relationship and this research was focused on gaining such understanding. This knowledge can be used as a decision support tool for sustainable management in managed deciduous forests.
Highlights
Knowledge of species–habitat relationships is important in understanding vegetation patterns in forested landscapes [1]
The total of 146 relevés was grouped by TWINSPAN analysis into five ecological species groups (Table 1)
From the detailsvariables above it between is possible to postulate in the study area.can be an important factor in distinguishing between ecological species groups (ESGs) 2
Summary
Knowledge of species–habitat relationships is important in understanding vegetation patterns in forested landscapes [1]. Those relationships are an important topic within the framework of the assessment of protected areas and their effectiveness in the conservation of forest vegetation biodiversity [2,3,4]. In Central Europe, studies on interactions between forest vegetation and environment have been focused on various parameters, such as the niche breadth of tree species under the soil nutrient [5]; forest vegetation and land-use changes [6]; forest vegetation to topographical-soil gradient [7]; beech and spruce forest to soil chemical properties [8]; and environmental controls of plant species richness [9,10]. Disturbance may sometimes override the site's influence, especially in forested areas where human disturbances have a long history and play a key role in land-use changes
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