Specialisation and diversity of multiple trophic groups are promoted by different forest features

DOI
Publisher DOI
Abstract
While forest management strongly influences biodiversity, it remains unclear how the structural and compositional changes caused by management affect different community dimensions (e.g. richness, specialisation, abundance or completeness) and how this differs between taxa. We assessed the effects of nine forest features (representing stand structure, heterogeneity, and tree composition) on thirteen above‐ and belowground trophic groups of plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria in 150 temperate forest plots differing in their management type. Canopy cover decreased light resources, which increased community specialisation but reduced overall diversity and abundance. Features increasing resource types and diversifying microhabitats (admixing of oaks and conifers) were important and mostly affected richness. Belowground groups responded differently to those aboveground and had weaker responses to most forest features. Our results show that we need to consider forest features rather than broad management types and highlight the importance of considering several groups and community dimensions to better inform conservation.
Date Issued
2019-01
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Subjects
biodiversity exploratories
•
dark diversity
•
forest management
•
global change
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land‐use
•
multidiversity
•
specialisation
•
temperate forests
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Gossner, Martin M
Seibold, Sebastian
Simons, Nadja K.
Schall, Peter
Manning, Peter
Ammer, Christian
Bauhus, Jürgen
Buscot, François
Ehbrecht, Martin
Goldmann, Kezia
Jung, Kirsten
Müller, Jörg
Müller, Jörg C.
Pena, Rodica
Polle, Andrea
Renner, Swen C.
Ruess, Liliane
Schönig, Ingo
Schrumpf, Marion
Solly, Emily F.
Tschapka, Marco
Weisser, Wolfgang W.
Wubet, Tesfaye
Lawler, Joshua
Additional Credits
Journal
Ecology Letters
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing
ISSN
1461-023X
Access(Rights)
open.access
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