Search Results (44)

The Białowieża Forest is home to both primary forests under strict protection and commercial forests, which provides an opportunity to compare them in terms of the number of individuals, number of species, and composition of different animal assemblages. The main goal of our study was to compare spider assemblages inhabiting herbaceous vegetation in these two types of forest stands. Spiders were sampled using a sweep net in an oak–lime–hornbeam forest, an ash–alder forest, and an alder carr. More spiders were found in unmanaged stands compared to managed stands, but a significant difference was found only in the alder carr. Total species richness did not significantly vary between managed and unmanaged stands in all forest types. In the oak–lime–hornbeam forest, more species per sample were found in commercial stands compared to primeval stands, while the result was the opposite for the alder carr. Our research did not show a clear negative impact of forest management on plant-dwelling spiders. The impact of forest management was evident in the case of the riparian forest, where the managed stand was characterized by low canopy cover as a result of logging carried out years ago, which is likely to have resulted in differences in family composition. Full article

Old-growth forests are rare in Europe, yet they play a critical role in biodiversity and carbon storage. This study examines the structural dynamics of the Janj old-growth forest in the Dinaric Alps using repeated field measurements from 2011 and 2021 at 39 systematically arranged 12 m radius plots. All trees (DBH ≥ 7.5 cm), regeneration (10 cm height to 7.5 cm DBH), and coarse woody debris (CWD) were assessed. Results revealed that total basal area declined by 3.5 m² ha⁻¹ over the decade, primarily driven by significant reductions in stem density for silver fir (p = 0.001) and Norway spruce (p = 0.001). In contrast, European beech maintained a stable basal area throughout the study period. Moreover, silver fir exhibited a significant increase in mean diameter (p = 0.032) and a pronounced rise in regeneration individuals (t = 3.257, p = 0.002). These findings underscore a gradual compositional shift towards European beech dominance, with conifers facing higher mortality in larger diameter classes. The substantial volume of CWD (463 m³ ha⁻¹) highlights advanced decay dynamics consistent with mature forest conditions. This study emphasizes the value of repeated measurements to capture subtle yet important successional changes in primeval forests, which is essential for conservation planning and sustainable forest management. Full article

Polyporoid fungi represent an untapped resource in the ancillary use of forests, traditionally utilized in both historic and contemporary medicine for their diverse bioactive properties, yet their potential for creating materials within the food industry remains largely unexplored. This article delves into the polyporoid fungi as a promising, yet underutilized, biomaterial resource for eco-friendly applications in the food sector. Despite their widespread use in traditional and modern medicine, the exploration of these fungi for industrial applications, particularly in food storage solutions and utensils, is in its nascent stages. The Białowieża Primeval Forest, characterized by its abundant deadwood and minimal human intervention, offers a rich repository of polyporoid fungi. This study aims to illuminate the ecological significance and potential industrial applications of polyporoid fungi. By reviewing existing research and synthesizing insights into the genetic diversity, biochemical capabilities, and ecological roles of polyporoid species such as Fomes fomentarius, Fomitopsis pinicola, and Trametes versicolor, this article proposes a novel approach to leveraging polyporoid fungi in developing sustainable solutions that meet current environmental and health-conscious trends. The investigation not only underscores the potential of polyporoid fungi in advancing green technologies but also highlights the importance of utilizing renewable resources in material science, fostering a shift towards more sustainable industrial practices. Full article

The diversity and floristic composition of a primeval forest was studied, located in the district of Yambrasbamba–Bongará–Amazonas, delimiting a 1 ha area, and at an altitude of 1890 m.a.s.l. All individuals with diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 10 cm were inventoried. The plant diversity in the area was measured and a description of its composition and floristic structure was made. The following were recorded: a total of 640 trees distributed in 39 families, 60 genera and 152 species. The value of the Simpson’s index (D) was 0.974 and that of the Shannon–Wiener index was 4.264, indicating that the species had a high abundance of individuals. In turn, Fisher’s alpha value (α) was 23.744, indicating a regular diversity in montane forests in relation to different altitudinal gradients. The families with the highest number of individuals were Melastomataceae, Rubiaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Phyllanthaceae, and Lauraceae. The most abundant species were Alchornea acutifolia Müll.Arg. with 47 individuals (7.34%), Chimarrhis glabriflora Ducke with 39 individuals (6.09%), Hieronyma alchorneoides Allemão with 39 individuals (6.09%), and Cyathea lasiosora (Kuhn) Domin with 33 individuals (5.16%). A comparative analysis was carried out of plots of montane and premontane forests, and the studied plot presented had the third-highest register of families and genera, behind the plots studied in the provinces of Oxapampa and Chanchamayo. Full article

Vegetation, especially forest ecosystems, plays an important role in the global energy flow and material cycle. The vegetation index (VI) is an important index reflecting the dynamic change in vegetation and directly reflects the response of ecosystem to global climate change. The Greater Khingan Mountains Forest region is located in the northeast of China. It is the largest primeval forest region in China, which is well preserved and less affected by human activities. It is of great significance to study the driving mechanism of forest vegetation change for future ecological prediction and management. In this study, GIMMS NDVI data were used to explore the characteristics of nonlinear temporal and spatial variation of NDVI in the Greater Khingan Mountains and its relationship with climatic factors. Firstly, the EEMD method was used to analyze the characteristics of vegetation change in the study area from 1982 to 2015. Secondly, the relationship between vegetation change and climate was discussed by using precipitation and temperature data. The results showed that the following: (1) from 1982 to 2015, the interannual change in vegetation in the Greater Khingan Mountains presented a trend of slow fluctuation and gradual decrease (SLOPE = −0.1645/10,000, p < 0.01). (2) The spatial distribution of vegetation change had obvious geographical differences, and in the central region, the overall distribution characteristics had an obvious browning trend, and in the northwest and southeast, the distribution characteristics had a green trend. (3) The correlation analysis results of vegetation change and climate factors showed that NDVI change was significantly positively correlated with temperature and precipitation; additionally, NDVI change was more correlated with temperature with a range of 0.8–1 than precipitation. (4) The results of vegetation attribution analysis in four typical areas of the study area showed that the following: the coniferous forest area has good cold tolerance and drought tolerance, the correlation between vegetation change and climate factors (temperature, precipitation) was not the strongest, which was 0.537 and 0.828, respectively. The ecological transition area and the broad-leaved forest area, which was located at the edge of the study area, have relatively fragile ecosystems, showed a strong correlation with precipitation, and the correlation coefficients reached 0.670 and 0.632, respectively. The surface water resources provide favorable conditions for the growth of vegetation, it showed a weak correlation with precipitation, and the correlation coefficient was 0.5349. Full article

Terrestrial ecosystems play a crucial role in the formation of soil resistome and the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Comprehensive studies of soil microbial communities, their structure, integrity, and level of antibiotic resistance (AR) in various terrestrial ecosystems were conducted. In total, 389 strains of dominant bacteria were isolated from the studied ecosystems, 57 of which were resistant to antibiotics, with levels of antibiotic resistance exceeding 70%. The soil microbiome of primeval forests was characterized by a low content of bacteria resistant to antibiotics; only two species, Bacillus cereus and Pantoea agglomerans, showed a high resistance to antibiotics. In the soil of agroecosystems of medicinal plants, among 106 strains of bacteria, a high level of resistance to antibiotics was found in 13 species. It was established that the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is highest in the soil of agroecosystems contaminated by enrofloxacin. Among 190 tested bacterial strains, 42 (22%) were characterized by a high level of antibiotic resistance. Therefore, the soil ecosystem is a key link in the formation and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which is a potential danger to humans. To reduce the risk of AR for humans, it is necessary to take appropriate measures to manage the soil microbiome and avoid soil contamination with antibiotics. Full article

The structural diversity of old-growth forests is a fundamental element as regards ecosystem stability and functionality. The current study aims at exploring the texture diversity in the unique virgin Frakto forest of Greece through the determination of the forest development phases and their related stages. Eight sample plots of 0.25 hectares each were randomly distributed to serve the field research needs. During the single phases, a significant number of variables at the stand level, such as the total dead and living timber volume and the density expressed as the number of stems per hectare and basal area, were calculated, and their values were merged into three main stages. The Frakto virgin forest was found to be dominated by the optimal stage (61.7%), followed by the decay stage (22.7%), and the initial stage (15.6%), in alignment with relevant distributions reported for other European virgin forests. Statistically significant differences in terms of stem density and woody volume between the stages demonstrated increased structural diversity and heterogeneity, a typical characteristic of primeval forests. The results offer an insight into forest growth dynamics under natural processes, thus providing a knowledge base for the promotion of sustainable forest management. Full article

The study was conducted in the Białowieża Forest, which is the only place in Europe where the full development cycle of forests takes place on a large scale. The objective of this study was to compare spider assemblages inhabiting tree trunks and tree branches in the optimal, terminal and regeneration phases of a primeval oak–lime–hornbeam stand, in terms of their abundance, species diversity and species richness. Spiders of tree branches were sampled using a sweep net into which branches were shaken, while spiders inhabiting tree trunks were collected using traps made of corrugated cardboard placed around the trunks. The three analysed phases did not differ in terms of total species richness. We found that the species diversity of both foliage-dwelling and trunk-dwelling spider assemblages was higher in the terminal phase compared to other phases, which may indicate that the former phase offered the most diverse niches for spiders as a result of the significant disturbance in the stand structure. In addition, we found fewer spider individuals and species in individual samples collected on tree branches from a plot in the regeneration phase compared to the other phases, which may be a consequence of the structure of the stand in this phase (low canopy cover, lush herbaceous vegetation). Full article

Hostplant limitation is a key focus of the spatial interaction between a phytophagous butterfly and a hostplant. The possible drivers related to the hostplants are species richness, abundance, or availability, but no consensus has been reached. In this study, we investigated the butterfly–hostplant interaction using the case of the forest canopy butterfly T. aureus in Asia, whose narrow distribution is assumed to be limited by its exclusive hostplant, Magnoliaceae, in tropic and subtropic regions. We recorded the Magnoliaceae species, as well as plant and butterfly individuals in transect, and we collected tree traits and topography variables. The results confirm that this butterfly is limited by the hostplants of their larval stage. The hostplants occurred exclusively in the middle-mountain region, with preference only for primeval forests. The hostplant resource was superior in the middle-mountain region, particularly concentrating in primeval forests. The hostplant’s abundance, together with altitude and habitat types, was critical to this butterfly’s occurrence, while those hostplant trees with an exposed crown, which are demanded by this butterfly in its oviposition, were the best drivers of positive butterfly–hostplant interactions. Therefore, the hostplant’s limitation was mainly determined by the availability of the hostplant. This case study supports the hypothesis that the limitation on this butterfly’s occurrence was driven by the hostplant’s availability, and it suggests that protecting high-quality forests is a valuable activity and essential in the conservation of canopy butterflies. Full article

Fire prevention policies during different periods may lead to changes in the drivers of forest fires. Here, we use historical fire data and apply the boosted regression tree (BRT) model to analyze the spatial patterns and drivers of forest fires in the boreal forests of China from 1981 to 2020 (40 years). We divided the fire data into four periods using the old and new Chinese Forest Fire Regulations as a dividing line. Our objectives here were: to explore the influence of key historical events on the drivers of forest fires in northern China, establish a probability model of forest fire occurrence, and draw a probability map of forest fire occurrence and a fire risk zone map, so as to interpret the differences in the drivers of forest fires and fire risk changes over different periods. The results show that: (1) The model results from 1981 to 2020 (all years) did not improve between 2009 and 2020 (the most recent period), indicating the importance of choosing the appropriate modeling time series length and incorporating key historical events in future forest fire modeling; (2) Climate factors are a dominant factor affecting the occurrence of forest fires during different periods. In contrast with previous research, we found that here, it is particularly important to pay attention to the relevant indicators of the autumn fire prevention period (average surface temperature, sunshine hours) in the year before the fire occurrence. In addition, the altitude and the location of watchtowers were considered to have a significant effect on the occurrence of forest fires in the study area. (3) The medium and high fire risk areas in our three chosen time periods (1981–14 March 1988; 15 March 1988–2008; 2009–2020) have changed significantly. Fire risks were higher in the east and southeast areas of the study area in all periods. The northern primeval forest area had fewer medium-risk areas before the new and old regulations were formulated, but the medium-risk areas increased significantly after the old regulations were revised. Our study will help understand the drivers and fire risk distribution of forest fires in the boreal forests of China under the influence of history and will help decision-makers optimize fire management strategies to reduce potential fire risks. Full article

The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between the content of C, N, P and their stoichiometry in the soils of Białowieża Primeval Forest in northeastern Poland. The studies were carried out in the forest reserves of Białowieża Primeval Forest, i.e., in Władysław Szafer Landscape (WS), in Dębowy Grąd (DG), in Lipiny (LP), and in Koryciny Reserve (KOR) in northeastern Poland (Podlaskie Voivodeship). A close relationship was found between the content of TC and TN in the soils of the studied deposits, which is confirmed by positive linear relationships for the soils of the 0–5 cm layer (r = 0.965 ***, r² = 0.931) and 5–40 cm depth (r = 0.959 ***, r² = 0.919). The C:N ratio ranged from 17.40 to 24.50, with the highest content recorded in the soil of Lipiny reserve, which may indicate slowed decomposition processes and accumulation of organic matter in the soil due to a very acidic soil reaction (${\mathrm{pH}}_{{\mathrm{CaCl}}_2}$3.98). The C:P ratio in reserves of Koryciny and Dębowy Grąd ranged from 114.4 to 229.7, and the mean value in the litter was 547.8. The value of C:P ratio > 300 may favor biological sorption of phosphorus in the soil of Lipiny reserve. The values of stoichiometric C:N:P ratio may be an indicator of the intensity of nutrient flux entering forest soils from dead plant residues. Full article

The genus Xerobdella contains three species of land leeches confined to the Palearctic region, one of which is X. anulata (Autrum, 1958), an exceptionally rare endemic of the Dinaric Alps. In the current study, we provide new data and a literature overview on this rarely encountered species, presenting its currently known distribution, providing additional data on its morphology and, for the first time, presenting comprehensive data on its habitat preferences and seasonal dynamics. Additionally, we provide novel DNA barcodes for the Dinaric land leech and compare the obtained sequences with the related X. lecomtei. Altogether, 22 specimens of X. anulata were collected using pitfall traps in three habitat types: managed forests with adjacent meadows and a primeval forest in the Dinaric Alps of Croatia. We report the first finding of X. anulata in open habitats, which harbored most of the specimens. Our findings show that X. anulata exhibits surface activity, highlighting the effectiveness of pitfall traps in sampling such elusive taxa, with perspectives for future morphological, phenological and even molecular research. Full article

Climate warming is accelerating permafrost degradation. Soil microorganisms play key roles in the maintenance of high-latitude permafrost regions and forest ecosystems’ functioning and regulation of biogeochemical cycles. In this study, we used Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing to investigate soil bacterial community composition at a primeval Larix gmelinii forest and a secondary Betula platyphylla forest in a permafrost region of the Greater Xing’an Mountains. The Shannon diversity index tended to decrease and then increase with increasing soil depth, which was significantly higher in the L. gmelinii forest than in the B. platyphylla forest at 40–60 cm. Proteobacteria (19.86–29.68%), Acidobacteria (13.59–31.44%), Chloroflexi (11.04–27.19%), Actinobacteria (7.05–25.57%), Gemmatimonadetes (1.76–9.18%), and Verrucomicrobia (2.03–7.00%) were the predominant phyla of the bacterial community in two forest types. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria showed a decreasing trend in the B. platyphylla forest and an increasing trend in the L. gmelinii forest, whereas that of Chloroflexi increased and then decreased in the B. platyphylla forest and decreased in the L. gmelinii forest with increasing soil depth. The relative abundance of Acidobacteria was significantly higher in the B. platyphylla forest than in the L. gmelinii forest at 0–20 cm depth, whereas that of Actinobacteria was significantly higher in the L. gmelinii forest than in the B. platyphylla forest at 0–20 cm and 40–60 cm depth. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) and two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that microbial community composition was more significantly influenced by forest type than soil depth. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that microbial community structure was strongly affected by soil physicochemical properties such as nitrate nitrogen (NO3−-N), pH, and total organic carbon (TOC). These results offer insights into the potential relationship between soil microbial community and forest conversion in high latitude permafrost ecosystems. Full article

Białowieża Primeval Forest (BPF, approx. 1700 km²) is an important forest area in Europe from the point of view of the protection of natural diversity. BPF is covered with old mixed tree stands of mostly natural origin. Norway spruce is a tree species in BPF and covers approx. 27% of its area. Between 2012 and 2017 a large outbreak of the bark beetle Ips typographus (Linnaeus, 1758) took place in the forest, which transformed the stands and left many dead standing trees. At that time salvage logging had begun but was stopped due to protests by scientists and activists and for legal reasons. As a result of research conducted using a radiotelemetry method in 2020, we found that the Western barbastelle bat Barbastella barbastellus (Schreber, 1774) chooses nursery roosts in dead Norway spruce trees, showing ecological plasticity by colonizing a newly available resource. Based on this, we found that the Western barbastelle has a preference for a type of roost rather than a tree species. Insect outbreaks in forests of primary, natural, or semi-natural origin are one of the natural factors that shape the habitat. Removal of dead standing trees disrupts these processes, and in this particular case results in the disappearance of a newly appeared ecological niche. Full article

Forest fires lead to permafrost degradation and localized drought, and regional droughts increase the probability of forest fires, leading to a positive feedback loop between climate change and fires. However, the relationship between fire occurrence and climatic factors change is unclear for boreal forests, which represent the largest land-based biome and stock of carbon. Here, we analyzed the relationship between lightning fire occurrence and meteorological and topographic factors based on the fire frequency, burned area, and meteorological data from the primeval forest region of the northern Daxing’an Mountains in China. We found that lightning fires occurred most frequently at an altitude of 600 to 700 m. From 1999 to 2019, the frequency of lightning fires showed an overall upward trend, whereas the affected area had no obvious change. It can be attributed to fire suppression efforts and greatly increased investment in fire prevention in China. Snow cover had a strong regulatory effect on the start and end dates of lightning fires for seasonal cycle. The frequency of lightning fires was positively correlated with the average temperature, maximum temperature, and surface evaporation and negatively correlated with precipitation and surface soil moisture (0–10 cm). The result will be useful in the spatially assessment of fire risk, the planning and coordination of regional efforts to identify areas at greatest risk, and in designing long-term lightning fires management strategies. Full article