Author:
Desponts Mireille,Desrochers André,Bélanger Louis,Huot Jean
Abstract
This study was undertaken to determine the contribution of old-growth and senescent forest stands regenerated through clear-cutting to the biodiversity of wet boreal fir stands in eastern Quebec because overmature stands are becoming scarce in that region. The study area was located in the Laurentian Mountains north of the city of Québec. The structure and composition of nonvascular plant communities (mosses, hepatica, lichens, and saprophytic fungi) of old-growth forests were compared with those of mature or senescent fir stands harvested 60 years ago. Nonvascular plants have a more uniform structure and a lower diversity in mature than in senescent or old-growth forests. A variety of specialized soil- and wood-inhabiting species and many rare species not observed in mature stands regenerated through clear-cutting are found in the latter. Structural diversity of senescent second-growth fir stands becomes similar to that of old-growth stand because of mortality within the overstory. These structural characteristics favour the development of diversified nonvascular plant communities, especially wood-inhabiting species found on slightly decomposed woody debris and soil-inhabiting species that colonize disturbed soils.[Journal translation]
Publisher
Canadian Science Publishing
Subject
Ecology,Forestry,Global and Planetary Change
Cited by
29 articles.
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