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The Bohemian Forest represents the most extensive continuous forest landscape in central Europe. Two neighbouring national parks (NP), the Bavarian Forest NP in Germany and the Šumava NP in Czechia, protecting the most valuable part of this area have been recognized as an important site for monitoring of effect of climate change on central European biodiversity and ecosystem structure. For long time, a hydrological monitoring program in the Große Ohe headwater catchment and complex monitoring of glacial lakes recently recovering from acidification were flagships of long-term transboundary research in the Bohemian Forest. Recently published results of biodiversity research in the Bavarian Forest NP and experiences with monitoring of mires in the Šumava NP supported a necessity of multidisciplinary and transboundary research. To improve the cooperation of both national parks, optimize methodologies, and coordinate research activities in the region a new Interreg project No. 26 "Silva Gabreta Monitoring - Implementation of transboundary monitoring of biodiversity and water regime" was jointly prepared. The aims and monitoring methodologies of three main project activities are presented in this paper: (i) monitoring of forest biodiversity, (ii) monitoring of mires, and (iii) monitoring of aquatic ecosystems. In addition, we briefly present several supplementary project activities and tasks, such as modelling of mesoclimatic conditions, monitoring of effect of deicing salt, project conference and common database. As well as sampling design, methods and strategies, and brief overview of the preliminary results are mentioned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-scale private forests cover large areas in Europe and often contain structures and habitats of high nature conservation value that are increasingly put under pressure due to a rising interest in fuelwood and wood products. We investigate the distribution of variables like living tree and deadwood volumes, management intensity, diversity and density of tree-related microhabitats recorded in 81 small-scale private forest parcels in the Lower Saxon Hills (northwest Germany). We provide an assessment of the influence of predictors like the individual forest owners' goals and activities, as stated by them in a quantitative survey, as well as landscape parameters like parcel size, slope, landscape fragmentation and forest continuity. Our results indicate that there are two types of structures of conservation value in small-scale private forests: slowly evolving structures (type A) like large-diameter living trees and tree-related microhabitats which mostly depend on landscape parameters that act on longer time scales, and fast evolving structures (type B) like deadwood that are influenced by both owner attitudes and landscape parameters. The resulting implications for integrative forest and conservation management are discussed. When considering the conservation of the slowly evolving type A structures, long-term commitments to conservation legislation, financial incentives and generation-spanning education of forest owners are necessary. Efforts to promote the faster evolving type B structures might prove particularly advantageous in small-scale private forests given the structural diversity of the stands, but also the often strong identification of owners with their land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents results of a study investigating the relationship between migration and recreation in urban forests in two German cities. Research in this field is growing in Europe, yet in certain countries, such as Germany, it remains underdeveloped. Until now, it has revealed ambiguities and diverging results. Furthermore, it has been the subject of criticism and calls for more differentiation between and within migrant groups, as well as for more reflection on the categorisation of “migrant” or “ethnic group”. This paper builds on these claims and aims to shed new light on forest recreation and ethnicity through a context-sensitive research approach in the tradition of symbolic interactionism. It draws upon the analysis of 42 qualitative interviews conducted with people with a Turkish, Russian-German and no migration background. The analysis leads to the construction of five narratives, each of them regrouping respondents who share a similar perspective on a specific theme. The narratives show how personal life context and its interlinkages with migration influence the individual's perspectives on and uses of urban forest. They also show how lifestyle and gender shape recreational practices independently from migration background. Beyond the focus on individual experience, collective recreational practices attributed to some groups are expressed in the narratives. This paper addresses the social aspect of leisure and discusses how forest recreation affects the social construction of groups such as migrant groups. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It is commonly expected that exotic plants experience reduced herbivory, but experimental evidence for such enemy release is still controversial. One reason for conflicting results might be that community context has rarely been accounted for, although the surrounding plant diversity may moderate enemy release. Here, we tested the effects of focal tree origin and surrounding tree diversity on herbivore abundance and leaf damage in a cross‐Atlantic tree‐diversity experiment in Canada and Germany. We evaluated six European tree species paired with six North American congeners in both their native and exotic range, expecting lower herbivory for the exotic tree species in each pair at each site. Such reciprocal experiments have long been called for, but have not been realized thus far. In addition to a thorough evaluation of overall enemy release effects, we tested whether enemy release effects changed with the surrounding tree diversity. Herbivore abundance was indeed consistently lower on exotics across all six tree genera (12 comparisons). This effect of exotic status was independent of the continent, phylogenetic relatedness, and surrounding tree diversity. In contrast, leaf damage associated with generalist leaf chewers was consistently higher on North American tree species. Interestingly, several species of European weevils were the most abundant leaf chewers on both continents and the dominant herbivores at the Canadian site. Thus, most observed leaf damage is likely to reflect the effect of generalist herbivores that feed heavily on plant species with which they have not evolved. At the German site, sap suckers were the dominant herbivores and showed a pattern consistent with enemy release. Taken together, the consistently lower herbivory on exotics on both continents is not purely a pattern of enemy release in the strictest sense, but to some degree additionally reflects the susceptibility of native plants to invasive herbivores. In conclusion, our cross‐Atlantic study is consistent with the idea that nonnative trees have generally reduced herbivory, regardless of tree community diversity and species identity, but for different reasons depending on the dominant herbivore guild. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the multi-scale and multi-factor driving mechanisms of ecosystem services (ES) change is crucial for combating the severe degradation of the ecosystem. We reviewed 408 publications on ecosystem structure, biodiversity, and plant functional traits related to ES in forest ecosystems. Strategies were proposed and key scientific issues were pointed out to improve the forest ecosystem in the karst desertification area. The results showed that the total number of publications has increased rapidly since 2014, of which biodiversity studies contributed the majority. China, the USA, and Germany were the top three countries, accounting for 41%, 9%, and 6% of the research, respectively. Further review found that structure, species diversity, and functional traits have an apparent effect on ES at different (macro, meso, and micro) scales. The optimization of tree structure contributes to the improvement in ES provision and the regulation capacity. Species diversity plays an important role in provision services, while functional diversity is equally important in regulation services. Plant root functional traits can not only help regulation services but also determine the species and structure of rhizosphere microbial communities. The response of ES to a certain factor has been extensively reviewed, but the interaction of multiple driving factors needs to be further studied, especially in how to drive the supply capacity of ES in multi-factor and multi-scale ways. Clarifying the driving mechanism of ES at different scales will help to improve the supply capacity of the ecosystem and achieve the goal of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The retention of structural elements such as habitat trees in forests managed for timber production is essential for fulfilling the objectives of biodiversity conservation. This paper seeks to predict tree-related microhabitats (TreMs) by close-range remote sensing parameters. TreMs, such as cavities or crown deadwood, are an established tool to quantify the suitability of habitat trees for biodiversity conservation. The aim to predict TreMs based on remote sensing (RS) parameters is supposed to assist a more objective and efficient selection of retention elements. The RS parameters were collected by the use of terrestrial laser scanning as well as unmanned aerial vehicles structure from motion point cloud generation to provide a 3D distribution of plant tissue. Data was recorded on 135 1-ha plots in Germany. Statistical models were used to test the influence of 28 RS predictors, which described TreM richness (R2: 0.31) and abundance (R2: 0.31) in moderate precision and described a deviance of 44% for the abundance and 38% for richness of TreMs. Our results indicate that multiple RS techniques can achieve moderate predictions of TreM occurrence. This method allows a more efficient and objective selection of retention elements such as habitat trees that are keystone features for biodiversity conservation, even if it cannot be considered a full replacement of TreM inventories due to the moderate statistical relationship at this stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree hollows are among the rarest habitats in today's Central European managed forests but are considered key structures for high biodiversity in forests. To analyze and compare the effects of tree hollow characteristics and forest structure on diversity of saproxylic beetles in tree hollows in differently structured managed forests, we examined between 41 and 50 tree hollows in beech trees in each of three state forest management districts in Germany. During the two‐year study, we collected 283 saproxylic beetle species (5880 individuals; 22% threatened species), using emergence traps. At small spatial scales, the size of hollow entrance and the number of surrounding microhabitat structures positively influenced beetle diversity, while the stage of wood mould decomposition had a negative influence, across all three forest districts. We utilized forest inventory data to analyze the effects of forest structure in radii of 50–500 m around tree hollows on saproxylic beetle diversity in the hollows. At these larger spatial scales, the three forest management districts differed remarkably regarding the parameters that influenced saproxylic beetle diversity in tree hollows. In Ebrach, characterized by mostly deciduous trees, the amount of dead wood positively influenced beetle diversity. In the mostly coniferous Fichtelberg forest district, with highly isolated tree hollows, in contrast, only the proportion of beech trees around the focal tree hollows showed a positive influence on beetle diversity. In Kelheim, characterized by mixed forest stands, there were no significant relationships between forest structure and beetle diversity in tree hollows. In this study, the same local tree hollow parameters influenced saproxylic beetle diversity in all three study regions, while parameters of forest structure at larger spatial scales differed in their importance, depending on tree‐species composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of assessing forest ecosystem service provision and biodiversity, there seems to be a gap between an existing large body of valuable expert knowledge and its application. We propose fuzzy logic evaluation systems as a contribution to closing that gap. With this method-focused pilot study, we explored the potential of fuzzy logic for assessing the provision of different ecosystem services in a simulation case study, covering a large forest landscape in Southern Germany. Based on expert knowledge and available literature, we designed a fuzzy logic evaluation system for biodiversity, and the ecosystem services balanced wood production, storm and bark beetle damage resistance, and recreation value. This evaluation system was applied to 100-year simulation outcomes for three contrasting forest management scenarios in the landscape of interest. While the results of the case study in general support the idea of a multifunctional forest management, fuzzy logic turned out pronouncedly useful as a method. This is due to its potential to make otherwise unused expert knowledge applicable and transparent in a formal evaluation process. Based on our results, we discuss the approach related to its potential for interdisciplinary integration of knowledge, for revealing tradeoffs and synergies, and participative planning processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decomposition, vegetation regeneration, and biological control are essential ecosystem functions, and animals are involved in the underlying processes, such as dung removal, seed removal, herbivory, and predation. Despite evidence for declines of animal diversity and abundance due to climate change and land-use intensification, we poorly understand how animal-mediated processes respond to these global change drivers. We experimentally measured rates of four ecosystem processes in 134 grassland and 149 forest plots in Germany and tested their response to climatic conditions and land-use intensity, that is, grazing, mowing, and fertilization in grasslands and the proportion of harvested wood, non-natural trees, and deadwood origin in forests. For both climate and land use, we distinguished between short-term effects during the survey period and medium-term effects during the preceding years. Forests had significantly higher process rates than grasslands. In grasslands, the climatic effects on the process rates were similar or stronger than land-use effects, except for predation; land-use intensity negatively affected several process rates. In forests, the land-use effects were more pronounced than the climatic effects on all processes except for predation. The proportion of non-natural trees had the greatest impact on the process rates in forests. The proportion of harvested wood had negative effects, whereas the proportion of anthropogenic deadwood had positive effects on some processes. The effects of climatic conditions and land-use intensity on process rates mirror climatic and habitat effects on animal abundance, activity, and resource quality. Our study demonstrates that land-use changes and interventions affecting climatic conditions will have substantial impacts on animal-mediated ecosystem processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat trees, which provide roosting, foraging and nesting for multiple taxa, are retained in managed forests to support biodiversity conservation. To what extent their spatial distribution influences provisioning of habitats has rarely been addressed. In this study, we investigated whether abundance and richness of tree-related microhabitats (TreMs) differ between habitat trees in clumped and dispersed distributions and whether the abundance of fifteen groups of TreMs is related to tree distribution patterns. To identify habitat trees, we quantified TreMs in temperate mountain forests of Germany. We determined clumping (the Clark–Evans index), size of the convex hull, diameter at breast height, as well as altitude, slope and aspect of sites for their possible influence on TreMs. We additionally determined the difference in TreM abundance and richness among four options of selecting five habitat trees per ha from 15 candidates: (a) the most clumped trees, (b) five randomly selected and dispersed trees, (c) the single tree with highest abundance or richness of TreMs and its four closest neighbors and (d) a "reference selection" of five trees with known highest abundance or richness of TreMs irrespective of their distribution. The degree of clumping and the size of the convex hull influenced neither the abundance nor richness of TreMs. The reference selection, option (d), contained more than twice the number of TreMs compared to the most clumped, (a), or random distributions, (b), of five habitat trees, while option (c) assumed an intermediate position. If the goal of habitat tree retention is to maximize stand-level abundance and richness of TreMs, then it is clearly more important to select habitat trees irrespective of their spatial pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Setting operational conservation objectives is a major challenge for effective biodiversity conservation worldwide. To analyse forest conservation objectives in Germany in a transparent manner and to achieve a consistent and consensual framework, we systematically classified conservation objectives suggested in concepts by different stakeholders. We analysed 79 biodiversity and forest conservation concepts of different stakeholder groups at various scales and applied textual content analysis and Dirichlet regression to reach a high degree of transferability and applicability. Our analysis revealed a broad consensus concerning forest conservation across stakeholders and scales, albeit with slight differences in focus, but we detected a scale-related mismatch. A wide array of conservation objectives covered social, biotic and abiotic natural resources. Conservation of species, ecosystems and structural elements in forests were found to be of primary importance across stakeholders and scale levels. Shortcomings in the conservation concepts were found in addressing genetic diversity, abiotic resources and socio-cultural objectives. Our results show that problems in forest conservation may be rooted in trade-offs between aims, targeting mismatch across scale levels and insufficient implementation of objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study underlines the often under-estimated importance of forest ownership and land tenure in European forest biodiversity studies which are crucial for the management, structure, and tree species composition of woodland. In particular it is assumed that, in regions with both state-owned forests and smaller private forests, the latter contain more relict habitats shaped by historical woodland management practices. A government decree of 1721, a political compromise, was crucial to the present-day woodland ownership pattern and distribution of woodland habitats in the Osnabrück region (northwest Germany). It resulted in the privatization of woodlands held in common for centuries and created a huge number of small, private forest parcels in the 18th century. These developments are discussed in relation to Europe-wide processes in forest affairs. Mainly due to the low economic importance of these forest parcels, as well as the individualism of the forest owners, coppice structures providing valuable habitats have persisted until today. For instance, over-aged coppice stands provide important habitat conditions for saproxylic species and unique herbaceous layers. These valuable habitats must be protected while creating new coppice stands to eventually take their place in future decades. Management plans for Natura 2000 sites in the Osnabrück region should address this problem while reconciling any conflict of interests between private owners and nature conservation organizations. Researchers are encouraged to give more consideration to the important relationship between current woodland biodiversity and the history of forest ownership patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity is diminishing globally at an unprecedented rate in times of intensive land use and ongoing climate change. Since biodiversity is related to important ecosystem functions and ecosystem services it is nowadays the goal by law to maintain and improve biodiversity. One instrument to achieve this goal is the establishment of protected areas. We carried out a large biodiversity survey (BIOKLIM-Project) within the National Park Bavarian Forest (German part of the Bohemian Forest) to provide a broad range of data to assess the effects of the benign neglect strategy on species and communities across different taxonomic groups. A further aim was to assess and predict the consequences of climate change on the low mountain range. We provided evidence that the benign neglect strategy leading to large scale disturbance by bark beetle increased habitat heterogeneity and consequently overall species diversity in former commercial forest. Our study furthermore showed that species assemblages are currently under re-organization caused by climate change. Our findings supported the National Park management and contributed to the question how biodiversity respond due to the benign neglect strategy. Our results underline the importance of gathering long term biodiversity data in order to answer numerous upcoming questions in times of heavy humancaused environmental change. Such data finally inspired forest managers, conservation biologists, and ecologists. As a bunch of new hypotheses arose during BIOKLIM, we already set up some experiments as a complementary tool to deepen our understanding on specific objects such like dead-wood ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated ground beetle communities (Coleoptera, Carabidae) in ancient woodland remnants in north-western Lower Saxony, Germany. A total of 90 pitfall traps was exposed in a stratified design in 10 stands of mature oak–beech and oak–hornbeam forests in the year 2003. Overall, 47 species (10,676 individuals) were recorded. Among these were the two relict species Carabus glabratus and Abax parallelus, and 14 further eurytopic forest species. Eleven species exhibited a high frequency and were found in all of the ten stands. Multiple linear regressions showed several significant relationships at two scales for species richness of different groups of carabids and for several of the measured environmental factors. Forest area, litter depth, amount of dead wood, distance to forest edge, and soil moisture were found to be key factors determining species richness. Furthermore, recent disturbance by logging reduced the number of forest species. According to direct gradient analyses soil moisture and litter depth have greatest influence on species communities of both, forest species and widespread species. Habitat suitability models for the two recorded relict species, A. paralellus and C. glabratus, were developed using logistic regression. The presence of A. parallelus in the mature ancient woodland remnants depends mainly on higher values of soil moisture, whereas for C. glabratus none of the measured environmental variables appeared to be key factors. Implications for the conservation of carabid assemblages in mature ancient woodlands include the advice to spread out logging over long periods of time and over various woodlands in order to keep the stand disturbance at a long-term low level. Variation in logging practices may help to conserve diverse structures. Afforestation with non-native tree species should be avoided in the managed ancient woodlands. Finally, especially the preservation of a high soil moisture seems to be important to conserve typical carabid communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we present an approach for the identification of indicators for biodiversity within forest ecosystems. We analyze the data of stands of pure Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst) and European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.), as well as mixed P. abies–F. sylvatica forests in the Solling mountains (NW Germany). The analysis is based on 683 vegetation samples in total. For different plant groups, that is, vascular plants, bryophytes, Red List species, we investigate species numbers as a parameter of biodiversity. Species numbers are differentiated into three classes to describe low to high diversity. Plots are separately examined for the three different forest types. In order to take the species–area relationship into account, we only use relevés with a plot size of 100 m2. Our approach focuses on the probability to be in a defined range of species numbers, that is, class, if a certain species occurs. For the purpose of facilitating the differentiation of the classes, we use the presence values of species in the classes for further characterization of indicators. Few indicators were found for the low ranges of species numbers. In addition, there were only a small number of species groups and stand types having indicators for all three classes. Various species have multiple indicator functions, e.g., with regard to the investigated species groups. The focus on a few of these multi-indicators allows a rapid assessment of forest biodiversity. The catalog of indicators resulting from the investigation helps to facilitate and accelerate biodiversity evaluations of forest stands, in particular with regard to nature conservation and the restoration of natural forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]