T. 2012. Dynamic response of herbaceous vegetation to gap opening in a Central European beech stand. Silva Fennica 46(1): 53-65.Herbaceous ground vegetation in artificially-created gaps was studied in a managed beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest over a period of eight years in Northern Hungary, Central Europe. These gaps were being used as an alternative to the regular shelterwood system to create uneven-aged stands. The effects of gap size (15 and 40 m diameter) and canopy openness on herbaceous species colonization and persistence were assessed in a systematic grid of 5 × 5 m. Overall, herbaceous cover was low before gap creation, increased soon afterwards, and continued to rise over time. The number of herb species increased in the gaps and, to a lesser extent, in adjacent areas under the remaining tree canopy. Colonization of gaps was rapid and there was substantial turnover of species i.e. various species disappeared from the gaps over time whilst others colonized. Species with both long-term persistent seed banks and long distance dispersal abilities were the most successful types colonizing gaps. Six species occurred preferentially in large gaps, while only one species was found to prefer small gaps. Species present before gap creation survived in both gap sizes. Smaller gaps with a diameter of half the height of canopy trees also tended to remain free of common weed species, whereas large cover of Rubus fruticosus L. and Calamagrostis epigejos (L.) Roth could hamper natural regeneration in larger gaps. For the successful regeneration of beech we recommend the use of small gaps complemented by few large gaps.

Questions: At least half of the European woodland is recent and most stands have been under heavy management since the Industrial Revolution. Woodland herbs have adapted to the conditions of the forest interior and many species occur at lower frequencies in recent habitats as well as in young stands. We compared herbaceous plant composition of forests with different land-use history and looked for life-history traits that could be responsible for the differences.Location: Bakony Mountains, Western Hungary, Central Europe.Methods: Adjacent old ancient, young ancient and post-agricultural recent forest stands were surveyed in the submontane beech zone in Western Hungary. Frequency data were recorded for herbaceous plants, indicator species analysis was carried out and trait-based species groups were identified.Results: Species composition differed among all three categories. The most profound difference was in the occurrences of ancient forest species (species with low dispersal ability and early flowering). These were most abundant in old ancient forests, while three species were entirely missing from recent stands. Young stands were dominated by few shade-tolerant herbs and lacked most ancient forest species. Post-agricultural woodland was largely dominated by competitive species.Conclusions: Current forest management as well as past agricultural use influenced herb composition. Reintroduction of ancient forest herbs might be necessary in the recent forests.

Abstract:A new forest state assessment methodology to complement existing conservation and forestry data has been developed. The aim is to provide tools for strategic planning including spatial distribution of conservation priorities. The method is point-based using a dense systematic sampling grid and provides more detailed information than vegetation maps or forest subcompartment descriptions, but requires less effort than forest inventories. Indicators include canopy composition and structure, deadwood, herbs, microhabitats, disturbances, shrubs and regeneration. The results can inform managers about the structural and compositional diversity of forest stands in the form of thematic maps and can provide the basis for analysis of habitat suitability for forest-dwelling organisms. A smartphone application has been developed to enable electronic data collection. PostGIS and Python scripts were used in the data flow. In this paper, we outline the development of the assessment protocol, and present the sampling design and the variables recorded. The main advantages of the survey methodology are also shown by case-studies based on data collected during the first field season in 2014. The protocol has been designed for low mountain forests in Hungary, but it can be modified to fit other forest types.

Az „Erdei életközösségek védelmét megalapozó többcélú állapotértékelés a magyar Kárpátokban” című, a Svájci-Magyar Együttműködési Program keretében támogatott projekt fő célkitűzése egy új erdőállapot-leíró módszertan kidolgozása és az Északi-középhegység három tájegysége (Börzsöny, Mátra, Aggteleki-karszt) területén, közel 50 000 hektáron történő alkalmazása volt. A szisztematikus mintavételezéssel, finom térbeli felbontással, sokféle változó rögzítésével végrehajtott felvételezés alapján jelen tanulmány a faállomány-összetétel, faállomány-szerkezet és holtfa-ellátottság témakörét értékeli. Az eredmények az Aggteleki-karszt fafaj- és szerkezeti gazdagságát, a Mátra elegyfafajokban való szegénységét és jelentős álló holtfa mennyiségét, illetve a Börzsöny változatos záródásviszonyait mutatják. Fekvő holtfa mennyiség tekintetében a tájegységek között nincs lényegi különbség, s az agresszíven terjedő adventív fafajok is jórészt azonosak (akác, bálványfa). A gyakorlati vonatkozású konklúziók között a cikk rámutat egyes állapotjellemzők (pl. elegyfafajok jelenléte/aránya, holtfa mennyiség) gazdálkodás-függésére, s javaslatot tesz a kapcsolódó szakmai kérdések kezelésére.