Resurvey studies of terricolous bryophytes and lichens indicate a widespread nutrient enrichment in German forests
- Author:
- Diekmann M., Heinken T., Becker T., Dörfler I., Heinrichs S., Leuschner C., Peppler-Lisbach C., Osthaus M., Schmidt W., Strubelt I. & Wagner E.-R.
- Year:
- 2023
- Journal:
- Journal of Vegetation Science
- Pages:
- 34: e13201 [12 p.]
- Url:
- https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.13201
Questions: Vegetation resurveys, both single studies and meta-analyses,
have predominantly
been based on vascular plant data while bryophytes and lichens have
largely been neglected. Our study aims to fill this gap and addresses the following
research questions: has the overall species richness of terricolous bryophytes and
lichens in forests changed over time? Which are the winners and losers among single
species and ecological species groups? Do the results give a signal of the impact of
nutrient enrichment, of changes in the light regime and of climate change?
Location: Deciduous and coniferous forests in Germany.
Methods: We compiled 35 single resurvey data sets, including 1096 plots in total
(each sampled twice). The time interval between initial surveys and resurveys ranged
from 10 to 65 years. The differences between old and new plots were analysed with
respect to the frequency of single species, total species richness, and the absolute and
relative numbers of taxa in the species groups. Trend scores of species were related
to ecological indicator values to identify the main environmental drivers behind the
observed changes.
Results: Total species richness did not systematically change, while pleurocarpous
mosses had increased at the expense of acrocarpous mosses and, in coniferous forests,
of lichens. Weak changes were generally observed in deciduous forests on base-rich
soils. In coniferous forests and in deciduous forests on acid soils, species with
high nitrogen demand and high shade tolerance had increased, whereas those being
typical for more infertile and open forest sites had decreased. There were trends towards
a larger share of taxa with a more oceanic distribution.
Conclusions: The changes in the vegetation of terricolous bryophytes and lichens in
the studied forests indicate nutrient enrichment and increasingly shady conditions
in forests on acid soils, likely caused by nitrogen deposition and shrub layer closure.
Keywords: acrocarpous mosses, bryophytes, Ellenberg indicator values, lichens, liverworts, nitrogen
deposition, pleurocarpous mosses, shrub layer, species trend scores, tree layer.
- Id:
- 35787
- Submitter:
- zpalice
- Post_time:
- Saturday, 23 September 2023 01:16