Geobotanical survey of wood-pasture habitats in Europe: diversity, threats and conservation

Abstract

Agro-silvopastoral land-use has a long tradition throughout Europe. Depending on the region, wood-pasture occurs as vanishing relic of historical land-use, or still more or less widespread as multiple-use rangeland. A new development is that former intensively managed land is being left to evolve towards wood-pasture as an economically and ecologically favourable alternative. In a review of European wood-pasture habitats we distinguish 24 types based on the geobotanical criteria of region, structure, land-use and tree species composition. The European wood-pasture types may be classified as hemiboreal and boreal (4 types), nemoral old-growth (7), nemoral scrub and coppice (5), meridional old-growth (2), meridional scrub and coppice (4), and grazed orchards (2). Wood-pasture forms part of the cultural heritage of Europe, and may add significantly to the preservation of regional biodiversity. The role of wood-pasture in ecological restoration planning and the possibilities of maintaining or enhancing features of wood-pasture deserve more recognition. Many wood-pastures suffer from regeneration failure and are over-mature. Other threats to wood-pasture include abandonment, intensification, oak disease, overgrazing and clearance. In the European Union Habitats Directive, woodpasture habitats are represented but rather inconsistently. We suggest neglected woodpasture habitat types to be considered for inclusion. Wood-pasture may form an important element for the economic integrity of rural areas aiming to improve ecological quality‚ provided they are managed sustainably.

Influences of forest type and habitat structure on bird assemblages of oak (Quercus spp.) and pine (Pinus spp.) stands in southwestern Turkey

“…Due to changes in socio-economical conditions, cessations of these practises have become more frequent recently (Debussche et al, 2001;Ciancio et al, 2006, Hartel et al 2014, leaving coppices abandoned (Barbéro et al, 1990) or converted into monospecific plantations managed for timber production (Fabbio et al, 2003). Traditionally managed stands often harbour a high biodiversity (Bergmeier et al, 2010), and the loss and replacement of these habitats in favor for conventionally managed forestry plantations is believed to have negative implications for many forest organisms (e.g. Spitzer et al, 2008;Hartel et al 2014), including highly specialized species (e.g.…”

Reviving wood-pastures for biodiversity and people: A case study from western Estonia

“…Since their origin in Europe in the Holocene (Bergmeier et al 2010), they have developed as multifunctional resources, shaped by the local needs of humans, local social and environmental factors, grazing intensity, and type of livestock (Chételat et al 2013;Hartel and Plieninger 2014). The resulting mosaic of grassland with shrubs and trees of different ages as well as variable light and shade conditions provides important semi-open and semi-natural habitats for a wide range of species (Bergmeier and Garbarino 2014;Falk 2014;.…”

Grazing and abandonment determine different tree dynamics in wood-pastures

“…Wood-pastures are wooded traditional rural biotopes where livestock, usually cattle, horses, or sheep, are allowed to forage (Bergmeier et al 2010). Different types of woodpastures occur throughout Europe, and they provide a variety of ecosystem goods and services (Bergmeier and Roellig 2014).…”

“…Canopy cover in wood-pastures varies locally and regionally, depending on forest type, tree species composition, grazing intensity, and potential selective cutting by managers. Together, the trees and grazers create and maintain habitat heterogeneity and consequently high values related to biodiversity, landscape, history, and culture (McAdam et al 2009;Bergmeier et al 2010). However, grazing may threaten the regeneration of seedlings and saplings, especially in overgrazed areas (Bergmeier et al 2010).…”

“…Together, the trees and grazers create and maintain habitat heterogeneity and consequently high values related to biodiversity, landscape, history, and culture (McAdam et al 2009;Bergmeier et al 2010). However, grazing may threaten the regeneration of seedlings and saplings, especially in overgrazed areas (Bergmeier et al 2010). The failure of regeneration and the loss of old trees due to senescence and cutting threaten the long-term persistence of wood-pastures (Bergmeier et al 2010).…”