Matts Lindbladh, Per-Ola Hedwall, Ida Wallin, Annika M. Felton, Henrik Böhlenius, Adam Felton. (2014). Short-rotation bioenergy stands as an alternative to spruce plantations: implications for bird biodiversity. Silva Fennica vol. 48 no. 5 article id 1135. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.1135

Keywords: Norway spruce; Picea abies; hybrid aspen; Sweden; Populus × wettsteinii; production forests

Highlights: There is a gap in knowledge regarding the biodiversity implications of replacing production forests with bioenergy stands; We compared the avian biodiversity of early rotation hybrid aspen stands and spruce plantations, the latter being the dominant production forest type in southern Sweden; Our results indicate that young hybrid aspen stands can support relatively diverse and distinctive bird communities.

Abstract | Full text in HTML | Full text in PDF | Author Info

Global efforts to decrease dependence on fossil fuels have increased interest in bioenergy production. One source of bioenergy is fast growing deciduous tree species, such as hybrid aspen (Populus × wettsteinii Hämet-Ahti). The majority of research on hybrid aspen which assesses biodiversity implications, has however primarily focused on agricultural lands as the reference condition. This has resulted in a substantial gap in our knowledge regarding the biodiversity implications of replacing production forest types with hybrid aspen, a form of reforestation taking place in northern Europe. In this study we address this knowledge gap by comparing the avian biodiversity of young hybrid aspen and spruce (Picea abies L.) plantations of similar age, the latter being the most prevalent forestry alternative in in southern Sweden. We found that hybrid aspen stands had higher bird species richness and abundance as well as a distinct community composition compared to the spruce stands. We suggest that the most likely driver was the greater structural and tree species complexity in the aspen stands, provided for by the fenced exclusion of ungulates from the regenerating hybrid aspen stands. Our results indicate that at least during early stages of regeneration, and in comparison to the dominating production forest type in the region, hybrid aspen stands can support relatively high levels of bird diversity, and a bird species composition more closely associated with broadleaf habitat types requiring restoration in this region.

Lindbladh, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, SLU – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 49, SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden E-mail: matts.lindbladh@slu.se
Hedwall, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, SLU – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 49, SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden E-mail: per-ola.hedwall@slu.se
Wallin, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, SLU – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 49, SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden E-mail: ida.wallin@slu.se
Felton, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, SLU – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 49, SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden E-mail: annika.felton@slu.se
Böhlenius, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, SLU – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 49, SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden E-mail: henrik.bohlenius@slu.se
Felton, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, SLU – Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 49, SE-230 53 Alnarp, Sweden E-mail: adam.felton@slu.se

Category : Research note

article id 92, category Research note

Adam Felton, Erik Andersson, David Ventorp, Matts Lindbladh. (2011). A comparison of avian diversity in spruce monocultures and spruce-birch polycultures in southern Sweden. Silva Fennica vol. 45 no. 5 article id 92. https://doi.org/10.14214/sf.92

Keywords: biodiversity; conservation; sustainable forestry

Abstract | View details | Full text in PDF | Author Info

The replacement of some spruce monocultures with stands composed of planted Norway spruce (Picea abies) and naturally regenerated birch (Betula spp.) has a range of potential benefits, but the implications for biodiversity are generally unknown. Here we conduct a paired replicated study in southern Sweden of the avian biodiversity found within Norway spruce monocultures, and within Norway spruce stands possessing approximately 20% birch. Our research leads us to three findings. First, avian diversity was significantly higher in the spruce–birch polycultures. Second, spruce–birch polycultures exclusively attracted broadleaf-associated bird species and retained the majority of conifer-associated bird species found in the spruce monocultures. Third, avian biodiversity within the spruce–birch polycultures did not incorporate threatened taxa. We suggest that in addition to the apparent benefits for stand level diversity, widespread use of spruce–birch polycultures could provide a means of softening the matrix for broadleaved-associated species, while concurrently providing an increased broadleaf base from which future conservation actions could be implemented. Our results are relevant to multi-use forestry, and recent policy initiatives by forest certification agencies which aim to increase broadleaf-associated biodiversity within conifer-dominated production forest landscapes.

Felton, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Alnarp, Sweden E-mail: adam.felton@ess.slu.se
Andersson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Alnarp, Sweden E-mail: ea@nn.se
Ventorp, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Alnarp, Sweden E-mail: dv@nn.se
Lindbladh, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Alnarp, Sweden E-mail: ml@nn.se

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