Abstract
Uneven-aged forest management systems are being discussed as a complement to meet the demands of ecological and social criteria related to sustainable forest management. Here we propose to experimentally compare uneven-aged to even-aged forest management to evaluate whether uneven aged forestry can be used as a conservation tool to increase or maintain biodiversity both in the short and long-term. We will determine the abundance, diversity and assemblage composition of insects, wood fungi, bryophytes and lichens in the different stand types and use old growth forest as a reference state. As explanatory variables, we will use e.g. forest structure, tree species composition, field layer, soil type, and composition of the surrounding landscape. We will test the following hypotheses: 1) Uneven aged forestry will retain pertinent ecological structures necessary to maintain abundance, species richness and composition of insects, wood fungi, bryophytes and lichens: a) at higher levels than observed in stands with even-aged structure and b) similar to levels in forest reserves, within 3-5 years following harvest. 2) Pertinent ecological legacies will persist in uneven aged stands over longer time periods (50+ years) and will maintain overall higher levels of biodiversity in stands managed for even-aged structures. 3) Uneven aged forest management will favour species associated with old growth forest characteristics but disfavour species associated with early successional forests.
Sweden