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A review on plant diversity and forest management of European beech forests

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Abstract

The impact of historical and present drivers on forest biodiversity is poorly understood. A better understanding is mandatory to ensure conservation and appropriate management of biodiversity and ecosystem functions in the face of climate warming and increasing demand for wood products. Here, we assess forest management strategies for maintaining plant biodiversity in Central European beech forests, with a focus on Germany. We show that (1) diversity of the German vascular plant flora increased exponentially during the Holocene reaching 3874 species mainly through apomictic and hybrid speciation. Vascular plant species confined to forests comprise about 10 % of this flora. No loss in vascular plants restricted to forests occured over the past 250 years despite of forest management; (2) the indigenous arboreal flora has a low diversity (64 tree species) compared with other continents due to environmental changes in the last 2 million years; (3) forest management has maintained a high plant diversity in the past. It should be an aim of silviculture to ensure this in the future; and (4) only 22 of the indigenous tree species are commercially used; nine of these commercially used species are threatened by diseases. We introduce the concept of palaeo-neophytes to address genera that existed in Central Europe during the latest Cenozoic. The introduction of species of palaeo-neophytic genera and sub-Mediterranean species is discussed as a measure to buffer negative effects on native species caused by climate change and spread of novel diseases.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the help of Thomas Denk, of Michael Scherer-Lorenzen and of Sebastiaan Luyssaert in preparing this manuscript and of editorial remarks by Craig D. Allen. We also thank Annett Boerner, Adelaide, www.dn.com.au/annett-boerner.html, for the preparation of the artwork.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, PO Box 100164, 07701, Jena, Germany

    E. D. Schulze

  2. Ecological Botanical Gardens, University of Bayreuth, 95440, Bayreuth, Germany

    G. Aas

  3. Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Althansstr 14 (UZAII), Vienna, Austria

    G. W. Grimm

  4. Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, TU München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354, Freising, Germany

    M. M. Gossner

  5. University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim, Holzminden, Göttingen (HAWK), Büsgenweg 1a, 37077, Göttingen, Germany

    H. Walentowski

  6. Department of Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, University of Goettingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077, Göttingen, Germany

    C. Ammer

  7. Department Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Theodor-Lieser Str 4, 06120, Halle, Germany

    I. Kühn

  8. National Research and Development Institute for Forestry, National Forest Inventory, Calea Bucovinei 73b, 725100, Câmpulung Moldovenesc, Romania

    O. Bouriaud

  9. Department of Forest and Wood Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    K. von Gadow

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Correspondence to E. D. Schulze.

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Communicated by Juergen Bauhus.

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Schulze, E.D., Aas, G., Grimm, G.W. et al. A review on plant diversity and forest management of European beech forests. Eur J Forest Res 135, 51–67 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-015-0922-y

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