Vegetation Changes in Temperate Floodplain Forests: Temporal Scale Matters

Authors:
Publisher website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Aim: Understanding temporal patterns of vegetation change is crucial for assessing the ecological integrity of forest understoreys under shifting management and climate regimes. This study investigates long‐term (60‐year) and short‐term (10‐year) changes in species composition, functional traits, and phylogenetic diversity (PD) of understorey communities in Central European floodplain forests. The goal is to determine how different temporal scales capture ecological dynamics and to identify trait‐based mechanisms underlying community shifts. Location: The research was conducted in floodplain forests across Central Europe, encompassing oak, ash, hornbeam, and willow‐dominated stands distributed along a gradient of soil moisture availability. Methods: We analyzed repeated vegetation plot records across two temporal scales. Changes in species richness, functional diversity (FD), and PD were quantified. Species‐level shifts were linked to plant traits such as height, seed mass, and leaf dry matter content (LDMC), with analyses stratified by forest type. Results: Over 60 years, species richness and PD declined, driven by the loss of phylogenetically distinct light‐demanding specialists and an increase in tall woody generalists with conservative strategies. FD remained stable but showed directional trait shifts. In contrast, the 10‐year data showed limited changes in diversity indices, despite continued increases in some woody species and temporary gains of specialists in drier hornbeam stands. Trait–abundance correlations indicated that taller species with high LDMC or heavier seeds were favored under conditions of canopy closure and drought. Invasive species also increased in abundance over the 60‐year period, whereas short‐term trends exhibited weaker signals. Conclusions: Long‐term data revealed compositional and trait‐based transformations missed in short‐term assessments, emphasizing the value of extended temporal monitoring. Trait–environment interactions varied among forest types, reflecting site‐specific drivers such as differences in moisture conditions. These findings highlight the need for temporally informed forest management strategies that promote resilience by addressing both species impoverishment in the forest understorey and trait‐based filters.
Funding Information
  • Grantová Agentura České Republiky (23‐07533S)
  • Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences (RVO 67985939)
  • Biologické Centrum, Akademie Věd České Republiky (RVO 60077344)

This publication has 49 references indexed in Scilit: