Disturbances and Climate Drive Structure, Stability, and Growth in Mixed Temperate Old-growth Rainforests in the Caucasus

Pederson, Neil; Lanter, Claudia; Köse, Nesibe; Doğan, Mehmet; Bugmann, Harald; Bigler, Christof

doi:10.1007/s10021-019-00462-x

Cited by 12 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…The Caucasus is influenced by a warm and humid climate from the Black Sea, which supports the establishment of humid broad‐leaved deciduous forests with an evergreen understory containing Cenozoic relict plants. Similarly, humid and warm winds coming from the Caspian Sea are captured by the eastern Great Caucasus range and Elburz mountain range promoting the formation of luxuriant mesophyllous vegetation with dominance of Cenozoic relict taxa (Akhani et al., 2010; Dagtekin et al., 2020; Denk et al., 2001; Martin‐Benito et al., 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First description and conservation implications of a unique stand of the Caucasian wingnut in Lapankuri (Georgia)

Davitashvili,

Bétrisey,

Janiashvili

et al. 2023

Feddes Repertorium

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Many north‐temperate tree species survived glacial periods in small, low‐density populations in refugia. These refugia are located in eastern and western North America, South Europe, East Asia, and western Asia. As a part of western Asia, Georgia harbors two main refugia: the Colchis in western Georgia and the eastern Great Caucasus, where many Cenozoic relict plants still exist. In this article, we report a new population of Pterocarya fraxinifolia (the Caucasian wingnut) which was discovered in the eastern Great Caucasus, near the village Lapankuri. The Lapankuri P. fraxinifolia stand is unique because the species grows not only in a narrow strip of riparian vegetation, but is also occurring in a broad band up to 100 m away from the river. Pterocarya fraxinifolia is dominant in the stand and is represented by large and old trees. Many other relict trees such as Diospyros lotus and Juglans regia are also present in the Lapankuri stand. Although some Cenozoic relict species are widely cultivated and naturalized in Central and Western Europe, natural stands of these plants provide the only evidence of their past growing conditions; therefore, conservation of this place is strongly advocated.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

First description and conservation implications of a unique stand of the Caucasian wingnut in Lapankuri (Georgia)

Davitashvili,

Bétrisey,

Janiashvili

et al. 2023

Feddes Repertorium

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“…An increasing body of research in temperate forests highlights that on top of background gap dynamics, forest stands periodically experience intermediate severity disturbance events, such as thunderstorms or ice storms (Frankovic et al, 2021; Martin‐Benito et al, 2020; Meigs & Keeton, 2018; Nagel, Mikac, et al, 2017; Pettit et al, 2021). Such events have approximate recurrence intervals of several centuries (Fraver et al, 2009; Frelich & Lorimer, 1991; Nagel et al, 2014), less than the lifespan of most late successional species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intermediate disturbances are a key driver of long‐term tree demography across old‐growth temperate forests

Nagel

Firm

Rozman

2021

Ecology and Evolution

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Same, but different: similar states of forest structure in temperate mountain regions of Europe despite different social-ecological forest disturbance regimes

Stritih,

Senf,

Kuemmerle

et al. 2024

Landsc Ecol

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Context Ecosystem services provided by mountain forests are critically linked to forest structure. Social-ecological disturbance regimes (i.e., the rate, frequency, and patch size distribution of disturbances driven by interacting natural and anthropogenic processes) and land use affect forest structure, but their specific impacts are not fully understood. Objectives We examine how differences in disturbance regimes affect patterns of forest structure across three European mountain ranges with similar vegetation types but different land-use histories: the European Alps, the Carpathians, and the Caucasus. Methods We related data on horizontal and vertical forest structure, measured by spaceborne lidar (GEDI), with Landsat-derived information on forest disturbances (1986–2020) and topographic, climatic, and anthropogenic predictors. Results We found similar social-ecological disturbance regimes in the Alps and Carpathians (average annual disturbance rates of 0.34% and 0.39%, respectively, and median patch size < 0.5 ha), yet much lower disturbance rates and patch sizes in the Caucasus (0.08% yr−1 and < 0.2 ha). Despite different disturbance regimes, we found similar patterns of forest structure. Two alternative states emerged consistently across all mountain ranges: a tall and closed-canopy state in 74–80% of forests and a low and open-canopy state (< 50% canopy cover) in the rest. While forest structure responded consistently to abiotic drivers such as topography and climate, its association with anthropogenic pressures differed between mountain ranges. Stand-replacing disturbances played an important role in the Carpathians, while forest structure in the Caucasus was related to proximity to settlements, reflecting local forest use. Conclusions Different social-ecological contexts in mountain regions can produce markedly different forest disturbance regimes. Despite these differences, similar states of forest structures emerge, suggesting strong attractors of structure in temperate mountain forests.

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Disturbances and Climate Drive Structure, Stability, and Growth in Mixed Temperate Old-growth Rainforests in the Caucasus

Cited by 12 publications

References 70 publications

First description and conservation implications of a unique stand of the Caucasian wingnut in Lapankuri (Georgia)

First description and conservation implications of a unique stand of the Caucasian wingnut in Lapankuri (Georgia)

Intermediate disturbances are a key driver of long‐term tree demography across old‐growth temperate forests

Same, but different: similar states of forest structure in temperate mountain regions of Europe despite different social-ecological forest disturbance regimes

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