Abstract
The diversity, spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of dead wood were examined within the near-natural beech forests (Fagus sylvatica) of Serrahn (North-eastern Germany). Data were collected in an 8 ha sample plot and in two permanent plots (0.36 and 0.25 ha) that had been established at the end of the 1960s. The mean volume of dead wood was 94 m3 ha−1, amounting to 14% of the total volume of all trees. The dead wood displayed a large variation in dead wood type, tree size and decay class. Standing dead wood accounted for about one-third of the total dead wood volume. The densities of standing dead trees were about 10% of the densities of the living trees over a wide range of diameters. The overall spatial distribution of dead trees exhibited a random pattern. Among the different dead wood types, standing entire dead trees and uprooted trees deviated from this pattern by displaying a significantly aggregated pattern. In the permanent plots a high mortality of overstorey trees was observed (1.3% year−1) and the average amount of dead wood increased greatly from 2.9 to 111.6 m3 ha−1 over the 35-year observation period. The near-natural beech forests of Serrahn have experienced a long period of low human interference. Nevertheless, our results suggest that the structure and dynamics of dead wood are strongly affected by the last major disturbance events that took place at the end of the Middle Ages. Information about the forest history is therefore a basic requirement when interpreting the results obtained in near-natural forests.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Albrecht L (1990) Grundlagen, Ziele und Methodik der waldökologischen Forschung in Naturwaldreservaten. Naturwaldreservate in Bayern. Schriftenr des Bayerischen StMfELF 1:1–221
BMVEL (Bundesministerium für Verbraucherschutz, Ernährung und Landwirtschaft) (2004) National forest programme for Germany. Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture, Bonn
Bohn U, Gollub G, Hettwer C (2000) Map of the natural vegetation of Europe. Landwirtschaftsverlag, Münster-Hiltrup
Borrmann K (1993) Sturmschäden im Naturwaldreservat. Der Wald 43:304–307
Borrmann K (1996) Vierzig Jahre Naturwaldforschung im Heilige Hallen-Bestand. AFZ/Der Wald 51:1292–1296
Christensen M, Hahn K, Mountford EP, Ódor P, Standovár T, Rozenbergar D, Diaci J, Wijdeven S, Meyer P, Winter S, Vrska T (2005) Dead wood in European beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest reserves. For Ecol Manage 210:267–282
Clark PJ, Evans FC (1954) Distance to nearest neighbour as a measure of spatial relationships in populations. Ecology 35:445–453
Dohndorf J (2004) Totholzinventur in zwei slowakischen Buchen-Urwaldreservaten. Master Thesis, University of Göttingen
Donnelly KP (1978) Simulations to determine the variance and edge effect of total nearest-neighbour distances. In: Hodder I (ed) Simulation studies in archaeology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 91–95
Edman M, Jonsson BG (2001) Spatial pattern of downed logs and wood-living fungi in an old-growth spruce forest. J Veg Sci 12:609–620
Ekbom B, Schroeder LM, Larsson S (2006) Stand specific occurrence of coarse woody debris in a managed boreal forest landscape in central Sweden. For Ecol Manage 221:2–12
Emborg J, Christensen M, Heilmann-Clausen J (2000) The structural dynamics of Suserup Skov, a near-natural temperate deciduous forest in Denmark. For Ecol Manage 126:173–189
Erdmann M, Wilke H (1997) Quantitative und qualitative Totholzerfassung in Buchenwirtschaftswäldern. For Cbl 116:16–28
Harmon ME, Franklin JF, Swanson FJ, Sollins P, Gregory SV, Lattin JD, Anderson NH, Cline SP, Aumen NG, Sedell JR, Lienkaemper GW, Cromack K, Cummins KW (1986) Ecology of coarse woody debris in temperate ecosystems. Adv Ecol Res 15:133–302
Holeksa J (2001) Coarse woody debris in a Carpathian subalpine spruce forest. For Cbl 120:256–270
Jung T, Blaschke H, Osswald WF (2000) Involvement of Phytophthora species in central and western European oak decline and the influence of site factors on the disease. Plant Pathol 49:706–718
Klenke R, Biedermann M, Keller M, Lämmel D, Schorcht W, Tschierschke A, Zillmann F, Neubert F (2004) Habitatansprüche, Strukturbindung und Raumnutzung von Vögeln und Säugetieren in forstwirtschaftlich genutzten und ungenutzten Kiefern- und Buchenwäldern. Beitr Forstwirtsch u Landsch ökol 38:102–110
Koop H (1981) Vegetatiestructuur en dynamiek van twee natuurlijke bossen: het Neuenburger en Hasbrucher Urwald. Verslagen van landbouwkundige onderzoekingen 904. PUDOC, Wageningen
Koop H, Hilgen P (1987) Forest dynamics and regeneration mosaic shifts in unexploited beech (Fagus sylvatica) stands at Fontainebleau (France). For Ecol Manage 20:135–150
Korpel S (1995) Die Urwälder der Westkarpaten. Fischer Verlag, Stuttgart
Kovac J (1999) Zgradba pragozdnega ostanka Bukov vrh (Structure of virgin forest residue Bukov Vrh). Gozdarski vestnik Let 57:227–236
Kramer H, Akça A (1995) Leitfaden zur Waldmeßlehre. Sauerländer's Verlag, Frankfurt
Landesamt für Forsten und Großschutzgebiete Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (2000) Datenbankprojekt Naturwaldreservate, Version 1.0, Schwerin
Leibundgut H (1956) Empfehlungen für die Baumklassenbildung und Methodik bei Versuchen über die Wirkung von Waldpflegemaßnahmen. IUFRO Sektion 23, 10. Mitteilungen
Leibundgut H (1993) Europäische Urwälder. Haupt, Bern/Stuttgart
Mackensen J, Bauhus J (1999) The decay of coarse woody debris. Nat Carbon Account Syst Tech Rep 6:1–41
Mansik KH (1969) Struktur und jahreszeitliche Entwicklung in Waldgesellschaften des nordbrandenburgisch-südmecklenburgischen Buchengebietes. Institut für Landesforschung und Naturschutz, Potsdam
Mayer H, Zukrigl K, Schrempf W, Schlager G (1989) Urwaldreste, Naturwaldreservate und schützenswerte Naturwälder in Österreich. Inst. f. Waldbau, Univ. f. Bodenkultur, Wien
McComb W, Lindenmayer D (1999) Dying, dead, and down trees. In: Hunter ML (ed) Maintaining biodiversity in forest ecosystems. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 335–372
MCPFE (Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe) (2003) Vienna declaration and Vienna resolutions. Adopted at the fourth ministerial conference on the protection of forests in Europe, 28–30 April 2003, Vienna, Austria
Meyer P (1999) Totholzuntersuchungen in nordwestdeutschen Naturwäldern: Methodik und erste Ergebnisse. For Cbl 118:167–180
Meyer P, Ackermann J, Balcar P, Boddenberg J, Detsch R, Förster B, Fuchs H, Hoffmann B, Keitel W, Kölbel M, Köthke C, Koss H, Unkrig W, Weber J, Willig J (2001) Untersuchungen der Waldstruktur und ihrer Dynamik in Naturwaldreservaten. Methodische Empfehlungen. IHW-Verlag, Eching
Meyer P, Tabaku V, von Lüpke B (2003a) Die Struktur albanischer Rotbuchen-Urwälder—Ableitungen für eine naturnahe Buchenwirtschaft. For Cbl 122:47–58
Meyer P, Bartsch N, Wolff B (2003b) Methoden der Totholzerfassung im Wald. Forstarchiv 74:263–274
Mountford EP (2002) Fallen dead wood levels in the near-natural beech forest at La Tillaie reserve, Fontainebleau, France. Forestry 75:203–208
Müller J, Strätz C, Hothorn T (2005) Habitat factors for land snails in European beech forests with special focus on coarse woody debris. Eur J For Res 124:233–242
Müller-Using S, Bartsch N (2003) Totholzdynamik eines Buchenbestandes (Fagus sylvatica L.) im Solling. Allg Forst u J Ztg 174:122–130
Nationalparkamt Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Nationalparkamt Müritz (1995/96) Nationalparkplan als Pflege- und Entwicklungsplan für den Müritz-Nationalpark. Nationalparkamt Müritz, Neustrelitz
Nilsson SG, Niklasson M, Hedin J, Aronsson G, Gutowski JM, Linder P, Ljungberg H, Mikusinski G, Ranius T (2002) Densities of large living and dead trees in old-growth temperate and boreal forests. For Ecol Manage 161:189–204
von Oheimb G, Friedel A, Tempel H, Westphal C, Härdtle W (2004) Untersuchungen zur Struktur und zur Moos- und Flechtenflora in unbewirtschafteten und bewirtschafteten Buchenwäldern des Nordostdeutschen Tieflandes. Beitr Forstwirtsch Landsch ökol 38:81–86
von Oheimb G, Westphal C, Tempel H, Härdtle W (2005) Structural pattern of a near-natural beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest (Serrahn, northeast Germany). For Ecol Manage 212:253–263
Parish R, Antos JA, Fortin MJ (1999) Stand development in an old-growth subalpine forest in southern interior British Columbia. Can J For Res 29:1347–1356
Peterken G (1996) Natural woodland. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Piovesan G, Di Filippo A, Alessandrini A, Biondi F, Schirone B (2005) Structure, dynamics and dendroecology of an old-growth Fagus forest in the Apennines. J Veg Sci 16:13–28
Pontailler J-Y, Faille A, Lemee G (1997) Storms drive successional dynamics in natural forests: a case study in Fontainebleau forest (France). For Ecol Manage 98:1–15
Pretzsch H (1993) Analyse und Reproduktion räumlicher Bestandesstrukturen. Versuche mit dem Strukturgenerator STRUGEN. Schriften aus der Forstlichen Fakultät der Universität Göttingen und der Nieders Forstl Versuchsanstalt 114:1–87
Rademacher C, Winter S (2003) Totholz im Buchen-Urwald: Generische Vorhersagen des Simulationsmodells BEFORE-CWD zur Menge, räumlichen Verteilung und Verfügbarkeit. For Cbl 122:337–357
Ranius T, Hedin J (2001) The dispersal rates of a beetle, Osmoderma eremita, living in tree hollows. Oecologia 126:363–370
Rouvinen S, Kouki J (2002) Spatiotemporal availability of dead wood in protected old-growth forests: a case study from boreal forests in eastern Finland. Scand J For Res 17:317–329
Saniga M, Schütz J-P (2001a) Dynamics of changes in dead wood share in selected beech virgin forests in Slovakia within their development cycle. J For Sci 47:557–565
Saniga M, Schütz J-P (2001b) Dynamik des Totholzes in zwei gemischten Urwäldern der Westkarpaten im pflanzengeographischen Bereich der Tannen-Buchen- und der Buchenwälder in verschiedenen Entwicklungsstadien. Schweiz Z For 152:407–416
Saniga M, Schütz J-P (2002) Relation of dead wood course within the development cycle of selected virgin forests in Slovakia. J For Sci 48:513–528
Schauer W (1969) Zur forstlichen Pflege und Behandlung. In: Rat des Bezirkes Neubrandenburg (ed), Das Naturschutzgebiet Serrahn. Ergebnisse der Erforschung eines Reservates mit vielfältiger Naturausstattung. Neubrandenburg, Greifswald, pp 97–109
Schauer W (1974) Beitrag zur Erarbeitung von ökologisch begründeten Pflegeprinzipien für NSG mit Laub- und Nadelholzmischbestockungen im Pleistozängebiet der DDR. Archiv für Naturschutz und Landschaftsforschung 14:95–116
Schiegg K (2000) Are there saproxylic beetle species characteristic of high dead wood connectivity? Ecography 23:579–587
Schmaltz J, Lange A (1999) Untersuchungen in der Zerfalls- und Verjüngungsphase eines Buchennaturwaldes auf der Insel Vilm. Forstarchiv 70:66–73
Schober R (1952) Massentafeln zur Bestimmung des Holzgehaltes stehender Bäume und Waldbestände. Verlag Paul Parey, Berlin, Hamburg
Sheil D, Burslem DF, Alder D (1995) The interpretation and misinterpretation of mortality rate measures. J Ecol 83:331–333
Siitonen J (2001) Forest management, coarse woody debris and saprophylic organisms: Fennoscandian boreal forests as an example. Ecol Bull 49:11–41
Smejkal GM, Bindiu C, Visoiu-Smejkal D (1997) Banater Urwälder. Ökologische Untersuchungen in Rumänien. Mirton Verlag, Temeswar
Söderström L (1989) Regional distribution patterns of bryophyte species on spruce logs in northern Sweden. Bryologist 92:349–355
Spetich MA, Shifley SR, Parker GR (1999) Regional distribution and dynamics of coarse woody debris in Midwestern old-growth forests. For Sci 45:302–313
Ståhl G, Ringvall A, Fridman J (2001) Assessment of coarse woody debris—a methodological overview. Ecol Bull 49:57–70
Stöcker G (1998) Totholztypen in Entwicklungsphasen naturnaher Fichtenwälder—Anwendungsbeispiele. Beitr Forstwirtsch u Landsch ökol 32:1–6
Stokland JN (2001) The coarse woody debris profile: an archive of recent forest history and an important biodiversity indicator. Ecol Bull 49:71–83
Tabaku V (2000) Struktur von Buchen-Urwäldern in Albanien im Vergleich mit deutschen Buchen-Naturwaldreservaten und -Wirtschaftswäldern. Cuvillier Verlag, Göttingen
Tempel H (2003) Die Waldentwicklung in den Serrahner Bergen bis zur Einrichtung des Wildparks Serrahn 1849. Natur Naturschutz in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern 38:26–33
Thomas FM, Blank R, Hartmann G (2002) Abiotic and biotic factors and their interactions as causes of oak decline in Central Europe. For Pathol 32:277–307
Vrska T, Hort L, Odehnalova P, Adam D, Horal D (2001a) The Razula virgin forest after 23 years (1972–1995). J For Sci 47:15–37
Vrska T, Hort L, Odehnalova P, Adam D, Horal D (2001b) The Milesice virgin forest after 24 years (1972–1996). J For Sci 47:255–276
Vrska T, Hort L, Odehnalova P, Horal D, Adam D (2001c) The Boubin virgin forest after 24 years (1972–1996)—development of tree layer. J For Sci 47:439–459
Weber H (1968) Vergleich der Brutvogeldichte in unberührten und forstwirtschaftlich genutzten Buchenwäldern. Arch Nat Landsch 8:113–134
Acknowledgments
We thank the Müritz National Park Administration for collaboration and the permission to conduct this study in the Serrahn beech forests. We are also grateful to Jan Habel, Britta Marquardt and Maren Mönnich for assistance in the field, and to two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. This research was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Research Focus: “Future-Orientated Silviculture”, contract no. 0339756).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by Hans Pretzsch.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
von Oheimb, G., Westphal, C. & Härdtle, W. Diversity and spatio-temporal dynamics of dead wood in a temperate near-natural beech forest (Fagus sylvatica). Eur J Forest Res 126, 359–370 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-006-0152-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-006-0152-4