Abstract
• Key messageLong-term strict protection of woodland communities may lead to their compositional simplification and homogenisation.• ContextIn the past, it has often been postulated that structures and processes typical for natural forests should be mimicked by silvicultural activities in the case of managed tree stands.• AimsTo determine which features and traits of natural woodland communities (alongside typical old-growth attributes) should be imitated in managed forests, as well as which should not (and for what reasons).• MethodsTree data from five permanent study plots (of a total area of 15.44 ha) established in 1936 in the core area of the Białowieża National Park (NE Poland) are used to calculate several quantitative indices describing the temporal dynamics (in terms of stand structure and composition) of eight major woodland community types.• ResultsMost structural attributes revealed rather high stability over time. In contrast to these, during the observation period, noticeable changes in the composition of particular Białowieża woodland communities have been taking place, related to declining occurrence and reduced roles characteristic for a large number of tree species.• ConclusionIn many ways, natural forests can serve as an important model for managed forest stands. However, in certain circumstances, silvicultural treatments counteracting natural developmental trends may appear to be indispensable, especially when more diverse and stable tree species composition (at a given spatial and temporal scale) is indicated or desirable.
Highlights
Scientific interest in well-preserved forests has a very long history, dating back to the second half of the nineteenth century, if not longer (Lähde et al 1999; Pommerening and Murphy 2004; Brang 2005)
Taking into account the current controversies concerning the relationships between natural and managed forests, in this paper, we present an analysis of the long-term structural and compositional dynamics characterising the natural woodland communities occurring in Białowieża Forest, NE Poland
Numerous studies show that the long-term dynamics of Białowieża Forest have been influenced by a number of factors, including (1) past disturbances, both natural (storms, Table 5 Coefficients measuring the similarity of tree species composition in 1936 and 2012 (SN = similarity calculated for tree density; SBA = similarity calculated for basal area), as well as dominant tree species in woodland communities occurring in Białowieża National Park (NP), for two record dates: 1936 and 2012
Summary
Scientific interest in well-preserved (virgin, pristine, primeval, prime, natural, old-growth, unmanaged, untouched, strictly protected) forests has a very long history, dating back to the second half of the nineteenth century, if not longer (Lähde et al 1999; Pommerening and Murphy 2004; Brang 2005). The remnants of such forests served as important observation and research objects, above all for foresters interested in developing and promoting a kind of close-tonature silviculture (Leibundgut 1959, 1982; Lähde et al 1999; Schütz 1999a; Brang 2005; O’Hara 2014, 2016; Schütz et al 2016) This concern was based on the underlying assumption that a thorough knowledge of natural structures and processes might be of great help in developing effective silvicultural strategies aimed at creating sustainable, productive, economically beneficial and ecologically sound forests. O’Hara (2016) argues that, Bin an era of rapid environmental change, a simple emulation of natural systems and processes will not be enough to secure the capacity of forests to withstand and adapt to ongoing climate change, and to provide a wide array of forest-ecosystem benefits and services of importance to society^
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