Changes in forest landscape patterns resulting from recent afforestation in Europe (1990–2012): defragmentation of pre-existing forest versus new patch proliferation

Abstract

& Key message Recent afforestation in Europe might involve deep changes on landscape composition and configuration. We show that afforestation promotes defragmentation of pre-existing forests and new patch proliferation, in forestdominated and non-forest-dominated landscapes respectively, while it is not associated to decreasing landscape diversity. These processes are modulated by geographic factors and might affect functional connectivity and biodiversity conservation in newly forested landscapes. & Context A recent forest increase in Europe might drive changes in the landscape pattern, with increasing forest defragmentation and connectivity but decreasing land cover diversity that, in turn, might affect biodiversity conservation. However, little is known about these patterns of change and their association with the environmental context. & Aims To explore the association of forest cover increase with changes in the spatial pattern of European landscapes, while considering their original landscape composition, geographical position and elevation. & Methods We obtained data from ESA and GFC land cover maps and other GIS layers and performed a set of GLM on randomly selected 752 landscapes with recent (1990-2012) forest increase. & Results A decrease in landscape diversity in the last decades was not associated to forest increase but to high cropland and low scrub-grassland cover. A forest increase promoted the defragmentation of already-existing forests and new patch proliferation in forest-dominated and non-dominated landscapes, respectively. These processes also depend on elevation and geographical position, with forest defragmentation concentrated in Northern and Eastern Europe and new patch proliferation in southern and western regions, and in mid-elevation areas. & Conclusion Changes in afforested landscapes are more complex than expected and cannot be solely attributable to forest increase, but also to landscape composition and location across elevation and geographical gradients across Europe.

Functional diversity enhances tree growth and reduces herbivory damage in secondary broadleaf forests, but does not influence resilience to drought

“…The rapid assembly of tree communities in secondary beech forests and their similarity to the ones present in long‐established ones could be due to different factors. Firstly, as reported by Palmero‐Iniesta, Espelta, Gordillo, and Pino (2020), the spontaneous expansion of forests on former pastures in mountain areas across Europe mostly occurs in the vicinity of already existing forests (see Figure c,d), thus favouring the availability and arrival of propagules. Furthermore, such fast and effective forest regeneration would be facilitated by the abundance in our area of vertebrate‐dispersed tree species (12 out of the 19 recorded).…”

Spontaneous forest regrowth in South‐West Europe: Consequences for nature's contributions to people

“…Trends in other material or regulating NCP were less evident in our study. Spontaneous forest regrowth tends to increase the connectivity of forested habitats, both in forest‐dominated and non‐dominated landscapes (Palmero‐Iniesta et al., 2020; Benayas et al., 2008). Our contrasting observation that denser Q. robur forest patches occurred in areas with lower habitat connectivity is hence likely to reflect a sampling effect because the proliferation of novel, and still sparse, forest patches is most likely to occur where forests are already abundant.…”

Trilemma of Nordic–Baltic Forestry—How to Implement UN Sustainable Development Goals

“…Evaluating the impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on biodiversity is hugely more difficult when soil biodiversity is also considered, where we have numerous blind spots [74]. Planning, e.g., afforestation efforts to decrease habitat fragmentation, is not a simple issue, and local knowledge is needed, as the best methods might differ depending on landscape composition and location across elevation and geographical gradients in the region [75].…”