Disturbance interval modulates the starting point for vegetation succession
Metadatos
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John Wiley & Sons
Materia
Clearcutting Disturbance interaction Disturbance modification Ecological legacy Fire Light Plants Succession Traits Vegetation
Fecha
2021-06-18Referencia bibliográfica
Gustafsson, L... [et al.] 2021. Disturbance interval modulates the starting point for vegetation succession. Ecology 102( 9):e03439. [10.1002/ecy.3439]
Resumen
Increased frequency and new types of disturbances caused by global change calls
for deepened insights into possible alterations of successional pathways. Despite current interest
in disturbance interactions there is a striking lack of studies focusing on the implication of
decreasing times between disturbances. We surveyed forest-floor vegetation (vascular plants
and bryophytes) in a Pinus sylvestris–dominated, even-aged production forest landscape,
unique because of the presence of stands under a precisely dated disturbance interval gradient,
ranging from 0 to 123 yr between clearcutting and a subsequent megafire. Despite a dominance
of early-successional species in all burned stands 5 yr after fire, progression of succession
was linked to time since the preceding clearcutting disturbance. This was most clearly seen in
increased frequency with time since clearcutting of the dominant, late-successional dwarf
shrub Vaccinium myrtillus, with surviving rhizomes as an important mechanism for postfire
recovery. Our results demonstrate the role of legacy species as significant drivers of succession.
We conclude that the starting point for succession is modulated by disturbance interval, so that
shortened intervals risk reducing development towards late-successional stages. We suggest
that a decrease in long successional sequences caused by more frequent disturbances may represent
a general pattern, relevant also for other forest types and ecosystems.