Tree-related microhabitats are similar in mountain forests of Europe and North America and their occurrence may be explained by tree functional groups

Abstract

Abstract Key message Drivers of the abundance and richness of tree-related microhabitats are similar in mountain forests of Europe and North America and their occurrence may be explained by tree functional groups. Abstract A common approach to support forest-dwelling species in managed forests is to preserve valuable habitat trees. To assess the quality of habitat trees, a hierarchical typology of tree-related microhabitats (TreMs) is applied in the European context for inventory standardization. The first aim of this study was to evaluate whether it is possible to use this hierarchical typology as a standard protocol regardless of location, which is important for potentially standardizing future studies of TreMs, by testing whether the typology could be applied to the western North American mountain forests of Idaho. The second aim of the study was to analyse drivers that influence TreMs in forests of the region. Thirdly, we assessed whether the occurrence of TreMs could be explained by functional groups of trees across the western mountain forests of Idaho and Central European mountain forests, using TreM inventory data previously collected in the Black Forest, Germany. Abundance and richness of TreMs per tree were analyzed as a function of tree species, live status (dead vs. live trees), diameter at breast height (DBH), and site factors (latitude and altitude). Our results show that the TreM typology could be applied with slight modifications in the forests of Idaho. The abundance and richness of TreMs per tree increased with DBH. Snags offered more TreMs per tree than live trees. We were able to group tree species from the two continents in functional groups that were related to the occurrence of certain TreMs. Tree functional groups offer an opportunity to predict the role of certain tree species for habitat provision through TreMs. Combinations of trees from different functional groups could be used to optimize provisioning of TreMs within forest stands.