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The distribution of large ungulates in space is in large extent driven by the availability of forage, which in temperate forests depends on light availability, and associated plant diversity and cover. We hypothesized that the increased number of GPS fixes of European bison (Bison bonasus L.) in usually avoided spruce forests was an effect of higher plant species richness and cover of the forest floor, which developed owing to increased light availability enhanced by spruce mortality. We carried out 80 forest floor plant surveys combined with tree measurement on plots chosen according to the number of GPS locations of GPS‐collared European bison. The mean plant species richness per plot was higher on intensively visited plots (IV) than rarely visited (RV) plots (30 ± 5.75 (SD) versus. 26 ± 6.19 (SD)). The frequency of 34 plant species was higher on IV plots, and they were mainly herbaceous species (32 species), while a significant part of 13 species with higher frequency on RV plots was woody plants (5 species). The species richness of forbs was higher on IV plots, while other functional groups of plants did not differ. Tree stem density on the IV plots was lower than on the RV plots (17.94 ± 6.73 (SD) versus 22.9 ± 7.67 (SD)), and the mean value of Ellenberg's ecological indicator for light availability for all forest floor plant species was higher on IV plots. European bison visiting mature spruce forests was driven by higher forest floor plant cover and species richness, and high share and species richness of forbs. The two latter features may be translated into higher quality and diversity of forage. In spite of morphological characteristics suggesting that European bison is a species of mixed (mosaic) habitats, it seems to be well adapted to thrive in diverse forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deadwood plays a crucial role in the maintenance of biodiversity in forests. • We used full-factorial experiment to study diversity of wood-inhabiting macrofungi. • Wood species identity and spatial arrangement were relevant for fungal diversity. • The type of habitat did not influence composition and species richness of fungi. Deadwood plays a crucial role in the maintenance of biodiversity in forest ecosystems. Its quantity and quality are commonly used in ecology and nature conservation as a proxy indicator of forest biodiversity. In this study we exposed 720 logs of wood in a full-factorial experiment, set in a temperate European forest, to test the influence of forest type (three levels), host wood identity (four species) and degree of contact with soil (three levels) on species richness and species composition of wood-inhabiting macrofungi. The forest type did not influence the taxon richness and had limited influence on the composition of deadwood-dwelling mycobiota. The degree of contact with soil was an important factor, with the taxon richness of the subterranean logs extremely low and their fungal composition being a subset of the species pools of logs lying on the soil surface and those hanging above the ground. The host wood identity was the strongest predictor of taxon richness and composition of macrofungi: Carpinus betulus wood hosted the highest, Quercus robur the medium, and Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris ex aequo the lowest taxon richness of fungi. Fungal communities differed significantly between all host wood species with the exception of conifers, which hosted similar mycocoenoses. Our study indicates that host wood identity and degree of log contact with soil are the most important factors determining macrofungal communities in deadwood, overriding the influence of forest type. Taking into account the degree of wood debris contact with soil revealed that the common practice of leaving subterranean wood biomass (stumps and root systems) in logged forests does not have any importance for the diversity of macrofungi. Thus, a reasonable amount of diverse above ground wood debris needs to be left (or brought from outside) to maintain the diversity of the forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]