The effect of stand structure on the composition and diversity of different organism groups in the forests of Õrség region

Informations

Funding country

Hungary

Acronym

-

URL

-

Start date

4/1/2009

End date

3/31/2013

Budget

32,356 EUR

Fundings

Abstract

The relationships between background variables and community ecological variables of different forest-dwelling organism groups are investigated in the forests of Õrség region (west Hungary). The measured background variables are: tree species composition, stand structure (size distribution of trees, vertical and horizontal pattern of the canopy, dead wood), litter and soil properties, light conditions, microclimate, landscape relations and history of the forest stands. The selected functionally different organism groups are: bryophytes (epiphytic and forest floor assemblages, diaspore bank of the soil), fungi (saproxylic and forest floor assemblages), lichens (epiphytic and forest floor assemblages), herb layer, tree regeneration, shrubs, spiders, saproxylic beetles, birds. Based on the gained quantitative functions we can predict complex biological variables of organism groups (abundance of species or functional species groups; diversity, composition and abundance of the whole assemblage) by simple structural variables of the forest stands. These investigations form the ecological basis for the nature based forest management and forest conservation management, and establish long term dynamical studies. This research has already started: the sampling plots have been selected, and from the background variables the measurements of stand structure, light conditions and landscape variables have been finished. From the biological variables the field inventory of tree regeneration, forest herbs, bryophytes and birds have been carried out. In the framework of this project we are planning to continue the field inventory of some important background variables, and organism groups.