New indicator on forest vegetation

A new forest vegetation indicator has been published in Biodiversity.fi. The indicator shows how powerfully regeneration cuttings affect understory vegetation, but it also reveals some changes occurring in old growth forests. Especially Bilberry (European Blueberry) suffers a great deal in regeneration cuttings, but the effects are long lasting also in the case of lichens and bryophytes.

In old uncut forests the cover of lichens has decreased as the cover of bryophytes has increased. The probable causes to these changes include increasing shadowing of trees and nitrogen fallout, which both benefit bryophytes.The indicator is based on a research conducted by Finnish Forest Research Institute earlier this year.

FO12 Forest vegetation