PARENT SESSION
Poster Session 11: Disturbance Ecology
Tuesday, August 9, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM, Exhibit Hall 220 A-E, Level 2, Palais des congrès de Montréal
Effects of management on beech woodland structure in Northern Spain.
Onaindia, Miren1, Peña, Lorena1, Rodriguez, Gloria1, San Sebastian, Mikel1, Amezaga, Ibone1, 1 Dpt. Plant Biology and Ecology., Bilbao., Bizkaia, Spain
ABSTRACT- Plant species composition, percent cover and structural diversity were determined in beech woodlands located in the Basque Country (Northern Spain) and characterized by different silvicultural management practices (i.e., different levels of woodland disturbance through human intervention). Practically undisturbed, old-growth forests were compared to woodlands that had been subject to two different types of silvicultural management, i.e., wood-pastures and naturally regenerated woodlands. In this work, it was observed that, among the above mentioned silvicultural management groups, plant species cover varied significantly for 12 out of the total 52 plant species present in the study area. Regarding species composition, several nemoral species, were only found in undisturbed, old-growth woodlands. Three indices, accounting for the compositional, growth-form and structural diversity, were determined, i.e., species richness, diversity indices of Shannon and Simpson. Indices of evenness of Pielou and Simpson were also calculated. Plant species composition and cover provide extremely valuable, complementary information needed to understand the structural changes derived from the application of different silvicultural managements practices.
Key words: conservation, diversity, disturbance, forestry