Abstract
The project aims at assessing the effects of forest fragmentation on biodiversity with focus on boreal forest edges. The main objective is to assess the total, landscapel-level impact of forest edges for species showing contrasting responses to edges. We will test the hypothesis that magnitude and distance of edge influence can be predicted from contrast in vegetation structure and matrix characteristics (type, size, structure, age). The following questions will be addressed: 1) How does the quantity and quaility of forest edges change with fragmentation level? 2) How do different species (trees, vascular plants, lichens, bryophytes, beetles) respond to forest edges? 3) To what extent can edge effects be predicted from matrix characteristics? 4) What are the long-term ecological consequences of different forest management scenarios on the landscape-level response of species? The study area covers northern half of Sweden and include 60 landscapes (5x5 km). The amount and structure of edges are quantified in digital aerial photographs. Vascular plants, lichens and beetles are quantified in sample plots and transects. A model will be constructed for predicting edge effects on biodiversity at landscape level. Expected outputs include width of buffer zones around key biotopes, minimum patch size for survival of sensitive species and optimal landscape configurations for biodiversity. The project is done in co-operation with the National Inventory of Landscapes in Sweden and SLU.
Sweden