Responses of ground vegetation species to clear‐cutting in a boreal forest: aboveground biomass and nutrient contents during the first 7 years

Abstract

Rapid growth of ground vegetation following clear-cutting is important to site productivity because vegetation retains nutrients in the ecosystem and can decrease nutrient leaching prior to stand re-establishment. Aboveground biomass, nutrient contents (N, P, K and Ca) and species composition of ground vegetation were determined 1 year before and for 7 years after clear-cutting of a mixed forest dominated by Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.] in eastern Finland. The biomass of the feather mosses [Pleurozium schreberi Brid. and Hylocomium splendens (Hedw.) B. S.& G.] and the dwarf shrubs (Vaccinium myrtillus L. and V. vitisidaea L.), which had dominated the ground vegetation in the mature forest, significantly decreased after clearcutting. However, with the exception of H. splendens, these species had recovered within 3-5 years. The biomass of Deschampsia flexuosa (L.) Trin. considerably increased soon after clear-cutting, and Epilobium angustifolium L. appeared 3-5 years after cutting. These species contributed to the retention of nutrients not simply because of their biomass but also because of higher nutrient concentrations in their tissues. Total biomass and nutrient contents of the ground vegetation exceeded those of the pre-cutting levels. The proportion of ground vegetation biomass and nutrient contents represented by mosses decreased after cutting, while V. myrtillus, although reduced after cutting, remained a marked nutrient sink. The results suggest that H. splendens is the most sensitive species to cutting, but the biomass of P. schreberi, V. myrtillus and V. vitis-idaea return to initial levels soon after clear-cutting as do the nutrient contents of ground vegetation.

The Impact of Moss Species and Biomass on the Growth of Pinus sylvestris Tree Seedlings at Different Precipitation Frequencies

“…The competitive effects of mosses were greatest when mosses were at their maximum biomass, but this effect varied among moss species and was strongest for seedlings surrounded by H. splendens, because this species had a greater depth of the moss layer than the other species at this biomass. Our findings are relevant for understanding forest regeneration in boreal forests, since it is known that changes in both moss species composition and biomass occur during forest succession after both natural and anthropogenic disturbances [18,57]. The values we used in the 80% moss biomass classes (500 g/m 2 ) were comparable to moss biomass values of P. schreberi and H. splendens measured in 140 y-old uncut forest stands in Eastern Finland, while moss biomass during the first seven years after clear-cutting was about 50% of this value [18].…”

“…Our findings are relevant for understanding forest regeneration in boreal forests, since it is known that changes in both moss species composition and biomass occur during forest succession after both natural and anthropogenic disturbances [18,57]. The values we used in the 80% moss biomass classes (500 g/m 2 ) were comparable to moss biomass values of P. schreberi and H. splendens measured in 140 y-old uncut forest stands in Eastern Finland, while moss biomass during the first seven years after clear-cutting was about 50% of this value [18]. It is also known that mosses can be strongly affected by global change factors, such as atmospheric N deposition [44,58], climatic warming and changes in precipitation regimes [2,26].…”

“…Even though mosses are widely abundant in boreal forests, the moss layer can be highly variable due to differences in moss species composition [17,18]. Moss species have many different morphological [6,19] and physiological characteristics [19,20] that can exert differential effects on seedlings.…”

Effect of fertilization, tiller cutting and environment on plant growth and yield of European blueberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) in Norwegian forest fields

“…Clear cutting of E. blueberry stands in Finland and Sweden indicate that it could take longer since the ground covering were reduced [2,37], while a Norwegian study reported improved plant growth when clear cuttings were smaller than in Finland and Sweden [34].…”

Effects of clear-cutting and slash removal on soil water chemistry and forest-floor vegetation in a nutrient optimised Norway spruce stand

“…Commonly, as a result of clear-cut of the forest the biomass of these species decreases (Palviainen et al 2005a) and early successional species (e.g. graminoids) increase in abundance (Bergstedt and Milberg 2001;Palviainen et al 2005b). The N-retention capacity of the forest-floor vegetation can, however, be expected to be reduced in forests with a closed canopy, because of low amounts of forest floor vegetation (Berdén 1994;Hedwall et al 2010).…”