Forest land use discontinuity and northern red oak Quercus rubra introduction change biomass allocation and life strategy of lingonberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea

• Published in: Forest ecosystems Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 109 - 123
• Main Authors: Woziwoda, Beata, Dyderski, Marcin K., Jagodziński, Andrzej M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 02.02.2021; Elsevier Limited; Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Geobotany and Plant Ecology, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, PL-90-237?ód?,Poland%Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa 5, PL-62-035 Kórnik, Poland; KeAi Communications Co., Ltd
• Subjects: Ancient and recent forest; Biomass; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Boreal forests; Carbon sequestration; Coniferous forests; Crop production; Ecology; Ecosystem services; Ecosystems; Environmental changes; Foliage; Forest biomass; Forest management; Forest products; Forestry; Forests; Fruits; Hardwoods; Indigenous plants; Indigenous species; Introduced species; Invasive plants; Invasive tree; Land use; Leaves; Life Sciences; Lingonberry; Non wood forest products; Pine; Pine trees; Pinus sylvestris; Plant species; Population decline; Quercus rubra; Shoots; Stems; Trees; Understory; Understory biomass; Vaccinium vitis-idaea; Wildlife conservation; Invasive tree; Non wood forest products; Red oak introduction; Lingonberry; Ancient and recent forest; Scots pine monoculture; Ecosystem services; Understory biomass
• ISSN: 2197-5620; 2095-6355; 2197-5620
• DOI: 10.1186/s40663-021-00287-y

Background Multi-purpose use of forests in a sustainable way forces a recognition of how introduction of alien woody species in forests with different land use histories affect native plants other than trees. Lingonberry Vaccinium vitis-idaea is an important understory component of temperate and boreal forests and provider of valuable non-wood forest products. Here we studied effects of land use changes and introduction of Northern red oak Quercus rubra on lingonberry in mesic Scots pine forests (in central Poland). We measured lingonberry cover, height of shoots, biomass of stems and leaves, and fruit productivity. Shoots were collected within 200 research plots located in recent and ancient Scots pine forests, with and without Q. rubra . Results We found that V. vitis-idaea reached lower cover, aboveground biomass and fruit production in recent than ancient forests and in forests with than without Q. rubra . The fruit production in recent pine forest was only 2% of that reported in ancient pine forest, and V. vitis-idaea did not reproduce generatively in forests with Q. rubra . Biomass and carbon sequestration of V. vitis-idaea in forests with alien (invasive) trees decreased by 75% compared to ancient pine forest. Effects were also clear at the individual shoot level – in less suitable conditions we found taller heights and higher biomass allocation into stems than foliage. Biomass allocation in fruiting and non-fruiting shoots in pine forests was also different – less of the dry biomass of fruiting shoots was allocated to leaves than to stems. Conclusions In the age of high interest in ecosystem services and discussions about usage of alien tree species as alternatives in forest management, our results clearly indicate disruption of ecosystem services provided by V. vitis-idaea in the presence of Q. rubra . Lingonberry benefited from the continuity of forest land use, however, regardless of land-use legacy, alien tree introduction led to decline in abundance of species crucial for ecosystem functioning. Therefore, to maintain valuable native species and for conservation of ecosystem services delivery, we suggest limiting the introduction of Q. rubra in areas with abundant V. vitis-idaea , especially in forests with continuous forest land-use history.