The shift from Scots pine to Norway spruce in southern Swedish forestry: consequences for biodiversity

Abstract

The specific management prescriptions used in production forest stands have direct implications for the biodiversity these managed lands support. A key management prescription in intensively managed production forests is the tree species grown. In southern Sweden Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) was the dominating coniferous tree species used in production forests up until the early 20th century. However, over recent decades there has been a rapid shift in land use, with Norway spruce (Picea abies) frequently being planted in place of this tree species. Although both tree species are conifers, their distinctive physiognomy, and the associated implications for understorey conditions has raised concerns regarding the possible implications of this land-use change for biodiversity. We therefore evaluated these concerns by surveying the understorey vascular plants and bryophyte communities of these two production forest types. To do so we surveyed 30 stands each of Scots pine and Norway spruce, in three mature age categories, and analysed associated drivers of understorey vegetation, including site characteristics, and silvicultural prescriptions. Our results reveal significantly higher coverage of vascular plants in sites dominated by Scots pine, and a distinctive community composition in these stands; whereas the cover of bryophytes is similar in both stand types.