Effects of forest management on vascular plant diversity of mixed temperate Nothofagus forests along a precipitation gradient

11 S.

e-journal

200212760

Forest Ecology and Management ; Jrg. 593 ; 122915 (2025) , 11 S.

Under adaptive management, operational adjustments from planning to monitoring aim to promote plant diversity and enhance forest resilience. We evaluated the long-term effects (> 25 years) of shelterwood harvesting on the taxonomic and functional diversity of vascular plants in Nothofagus dombeyi, N. obliqua and N. alpina (Nothofagaceae) forests of north-western Patagonia. The study was conducted in three sites (West, Middle, and East) located along a west-east precipitation gradient. Changes in plant diversity between managed (m) and unmanaged (u) forest were assessed using linear models, multivariate analyses and network approaches. We recorded 63 plant species, 34 of which were endemic to Patagonia. Chusquea culeou (Poaceae) and Nothofagus regeneration (diameter at breast height < 10 cm) were dominant, except in the East managed forest. Life form and management were associated per site. Managed forests showed higher Dq= 2 alpha diversity, while beta diversity was affected by site and management. Unmanaged forests in the West and Middle sites had similar compositions, while the East unmanaged forest had a high number of unique species. In the managed West and Middle sites, silviculture increased spatial heterogeneity and promoted Nothofagus regeneration. In contrast, the managed East site displayed more homogenous microsites with higher Poaceae frequency and bare soil coverage. These findings highlight the complex role of silviculture in shaping plant communities under varying environmental conditions, emphasizing the importance of long-term studies across environmental gradients to guide adaptive forest management.
Keywords: α- diversity; β- diversity; Non-parametric analysis; Northwestern Patagonia; Nothofagaceae; Shelterwood