Forest naturalness in northern Europe: perspectives on processes, structures and species diversity

Abstract

Saving the remaining natural forests in northern Europe has been one of the main goals to halt the ongoing decline of forest biodiversity. To facilitate the recognition, mapping and efficient conservation of natural forests, there is an urgent need for a general formulation, based on ecological patterns and processes, of the concept of "forest naturalness". However, complexity, structural idiosyncracy and dynamical features of unmanaged forest ecosystems at various spatio-temporal scales pose major challenges for such a formulation. The definitions hitherto used for the concept of forest naturalness can be fruitfully grouped into three dimensions: 1) structure-based concepts of natural forest, 2) species-based concepts of natural forest and 3) process-based concepts of natural forest. We propose that explicit and simultaneous consideration of all these three dimensions of naturalness can better cope with the natural variability of forest states and also aid in developing strategies for forest conservation and management in different situations. To become operational, criteria and indicators of forest naturalness need to integrate the three dimensions by combining species (e.g. red-listed-, indicator-and umbrella species) with stand and landscape level structural features that are indicative of disturbance and succession processes.

Biodiversity, carbon storage and dynamics of old northern forests

“…Here we do not give a full discussion of these concepts, only a summary of the main distinctions applied to each concept. The concepts are more fully discussed by Rolstad et al (2002), ), Brumelis et al (2011, and others.…”

“…Brumelis et al (2011) recommends that these should all be considered when assessing the natural character of a forest and they propose a qualitative ranking of naturalness based on all three dimensions.…”

Defining Benchmarks for Restoration of Green Infrastructure: A Case Study Combining the Historical Range of Variability of Habitat and Species’ Requirements

“…A wide range of studies have indicated that intensified management and use of natural and cultural land covers (e.g., forests, woodlands, and grasslands) has caused reductions in the composition, structure, and function of biodiversity [3][4][5]. Additionally, urbanization and development of transport infrastructure may directly and indirectly affect both land cover patterns and ecological processes [6,7].…”

Managing a boreal forest landscape for providing timber, storing and sequestering carbon

“…Moreover, intensive timber extraction has caused profound ecological changes in forests like simplification of stand structure (e.g., homogenization of tree's age and composition), reduction of dead wood, altered disturbance dynamics (e.g., fire suppression) and the loss and fragmentation of old growth forests (Brumelis et al 2011;Hanski 2005;Siitonen 2001). …”