Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of Light and N Availability in Forests on Plant Species Diversity in the Field Layer: A Plant Ecological and Modelling Approach

  • Chapter
Environmental Effects of Afforestation in North-Western Europe

Part of the book series: Plant and Vegetation ((PAVE,volume 1))

Abstract

In many European countries agricultural areas are currently being converted to forest. Both spatial arrangement of new forests and habitat quality play a role in the development of the field layer in newly planted forests on former agricultural land. One important goal of afforestation is the development of a natural ecosystem with a valuable field layer.

In the course of succession, open-canopy species are replaced by climax species with a denser canopy, and the light availability on the forest floor is expected to decrease. The differences in the environmental conditions between ancient forests and afforested arable land have not been studied in a successional context. Differences between ancient forests and recent forests on former arable land can be caused by many different factors. Several studies have addressed the vegetational change in the field layer under the influence of nitrogen (N) deposition. The plant ecological approach followed in this study focused on the characteristics of individual species that determine their ecological behavior in relation to light and N availability. A greenhouse experiment was carried out in order to study the interactive effect of light and N on the performance of species of ancient and recent forests.

In addition, an field layer model has been developed of which the main growth processes are based on two compartments: a shoot compartment responsible for the acquisition of carbon (C) through photosynthesis and a root compartment involved in the uptake of N. The relative growth rate of the shoot compared to the growth rate of the root depends on the ratio between the N and C concentration in the pool.

This study showed the importance of the interactive effect of light and N on plant performance. Reduction of the light availability in the young forests will reduce the growth of fast-growing and competitive species while the growth of forest species, given that they already occur in the forest, will hardly be affected. This result stresses the importance of design (e.g. choice of tree species and density of the trees) and management of the tree layer, in controlling the development of the field layer vegetation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Barkham, J. P. (1992). The effects of management on the ground flora of ancient woodland, Brigsteer park wood, Cumbria, England. Biological Conservation 60, 167-187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berendse, F., & Elberse, W. Th. (1989). Competition and nutrient losses from the plant. In H. Lambers, H. Konings, M. L. Cambridge, T. L. Pons (Eds.), Causes and consequences of variation in growth rate and productivity of higher plants, pp. 269-284. The Hague, The Netherlands: SPB Academic Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bierzychudek, P. (1982). Life histories and demography of shade-tolerant temperate forest herbs: a review. The New Phytologist, 90, 757-776.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bloom, A. J, Chapin, F. S., & Mooney, H. A. (1985). Resource limitation in plants - an economic analogy. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 16, 363-392.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bossuyt, B., Hermy, M., & Deckers, J. (1999). Migration of herbaceous plant species across ancient–recent forest ecotones in central Belgium. Journal of Ecology, 87, 629-638.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brewer, R. y(1980). A half-century of changes in the herb layer of a climax deciduous forest in Michigan. Journal of Ecology, 68, 823-832.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brouwer, R. (1962a). Distribution of dry matter in the plant. Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science, 5, 361-376.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brouwer, R. (1962b). Nutritive influences on the distribution of dry matter in the plant. Netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science, 10, 399-408.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brouwer, R. (1963). Some aspects of the equilibrium between overground and underground plant parts. Jaarboek van het Instituut voor Biologisch and Scheikundig onderzoek aan Landbouwgewassen 1963: 31-39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brunet, J., & von Oheimb, G. (1998a). Migration of vascular plants to secondary woodlands in southern Sweden. Journal of Ecology, 86, 429-438.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunet, J., & von Oheimb, G. (1998b). Colonization of secondary woodlands by Anemone nemorosa. Nordic Journal of Botany, 18, 369-377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brunet, J., Diekmann, M., & Falkengren-Grerup, U. (1998). Effects of nitrogen deposition on field layer vegetation in south Swedish oak forests. Environmental Pollution, 102, 35-40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brunet, J., von Oheimb, & G., Diekmann, M. (2000). Factors influencing vegetation gradients across ancient-recent woodland borderlines in southern Sweden. Journal of Vegetation Science 11, 515-524.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bungard, R. A., Morton, J. D., McNeil, D.L., & Daly, G. T. (1998). Effects of irradiance and nitrogen on Clematis vitalba establishment in a New Zealand lowland podocarp forest remnant. New Zealand Journal of Botany, 36, 661-670.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeWitt, T. J., Sih, A., & Wilson, D. S. (1998). Costs and limits of phenotypic plasticity. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 13, 77-81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diekmann, M., & Dupre, C. (1997). Acidification and eutrophication of deciduous forests in northwestern Germany demonstrated by indicator species analysis. Journal of Vegetation Science, 8, 855-864.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diekmann, M., Brunet, J., Ruhling, A., & Falkengren-Grerup, U. (1999). Effects of nitrogen deposition: Results of a temporal-spatial analysis of deciduous forests in South Sweden. Plant Biology, 1, 471-481.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dzwonko, Z. (2001). Assessment of light and soil conditions in ancient and recent woodlands by Ellen-berg indicator values. Journal of Applied Ecology, 38, 942-951.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Elemans, M. (2005). Plant traits in forest understory herbs – a modeling study. PhD thesis, Faculty of Biology, Utrecht University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Emborg, J. (1998). Understorey light conditions and regeneration with respect to the structural dynamics of a near-natural temperate deciduous forest in Denmark. Forest Ecology and Management, 106, 83-95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Falkengren-Grerup, U. (1993). Effects on beech forest species of experimental enhanced nitrogen deposition. Flora, 188, 85-91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fredericksen, T. S., Ross, B. D., Hoffman, W., Morrison, M. L., Beyea, J., Johnson, B.N., Lester, M.B., & Ross, E. (1999). Short-term understory community responses to timber-harvesting intensity on non-industrial private forestlands in Pennsylvania. Forest Ecology and Management, 116, 129-139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Givnish, T. J. (1988). Adaptation to sun and shade: a whole-plant perspective. In J. R. Evans, S. Von Caemmerer, W. W. Adams (Eds.), Ecology of photosynthesis in sun and shade. Melbourne: CSIRO Editorial Services Unit, pp. 63-92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graae, B.J., Sunde, P.B., Fritzboger, B., (2003). Vegetation and soil differences in ancient opposed to new forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 177, 179-190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graae, B.J., & Sunde, P.B. (2000) The impact of forest continuity and management on forest floor vegetation evaluated by species traits. Ecography, 23, 720-731.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grashof-Bokdam, C., & Geertsema, W. (1998) The effect of isolation and history on colonization patterns of plant species in secondary woodland. Journal of Biogeography, 25, 837-846.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Halpern, C. B., & Spies, T. A. (1995). Plant species diversity in natural and managed forests of the Pacific Northwest. Ecological Applications, 5, 913-934.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, K. (Ed.), (2002). Planning afforestation on previously managed arable land - influence on deposition, nitrate leaching, and carbon sequestration. http://www.fsl.dk/afforest.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hermy, M., Honnay, O., Firbank, L., Grashof-Bokdam, C., & Lawesson, J. E. (1999). An ecological comparison between ancient and other forest plant species of Europe, and the implications for forest conservation. Biological Conservation, 91, 9-22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Honnay, O., Hermy, M., & Coppin, P. (1999). Impact of habitat quality on forest plant species colonization. Forest Ecology and Management, 115, 157-170.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kirby, K. J., & Thomas, R. C. (2000). Changes in the ground flora in Wytham Woods, southern England from 1974 to 1991 - implications for nature conservation. Journal of Vegetation Science, 11, 871-880.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knops, J. M. H., & Reinhart, K. (2000). Specific leaf area along a nitrogen fertilization gradient. American Midland Naturalist, 144, 265-272.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koerner, W., Dupouey, J.L., Dambrine, E., & Benoit, M. (1997). Influence of past land use on the vegetation and soils of present day forest in the Vosges mountains, France. Journal of Ecology, 85, 351-358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Koike, T. (1986). Photosynthetic responses to light intensity of deciduous broad-leaved tree seedlings raised under various artificial shade. Environmental Control in Biology, 24, 51-58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambers, H., Chapin, F. S., & Pons, T.L. (1998). Plant physiological ecology. New York: Springer-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lameire, S., Hermy, M., & Honnay, O. (2000). Two decades of change in the ground vegetation of a mixed deciduous forest in an agricultural landscape. Journal of Vegetation Science, 11, 695-704.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leuschner, C., & Rode, M. W. (1999). The role of plant resources in forest succession: changes in radiation, water and nutrient fluxes, and plant productivity over a 300-yr-long chronosequence in NW-Germany. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 2, 103-147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Q. H., & Brakenhielm, S. (1996). Variability of plant species diversity in Swedish natural forest and its relation to atmospheric deposition. Vegetatio, 125, 63-72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lusk, C. H. (2002). Leaf area accumulation helps juvenile evergreen trees tolerate shade in a temperate rainforest. Oecologia, 132, 188-196.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Niinemets, U. (1999). Components of leaf dry mass per area - thickness and density - alter leaf photosyn-thetic capacity in reverse directions in woody plants. New Phytologist, 144, 35-47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nordin, A., Nasholm, T., & Ericson, L. (1998). Effects of simulated N deposition on understorey vegetation of a boreal coniferous forest. Functional Ecology, 12, 691-699.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olff, H., Van Andel, J., & Bakker, J. P. (1990). Biomass and shoot root allocation of 5 species from a grassland succession series at different combinations of light and nutrient supply. Functional Ecology, 4, 193-200.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Onimaru, K., & Yabe, K. (1996). Comparisons of nutrient recovery and specific leaf area variation between Carex lasiocarpa var occultans and Carex thunbergii var appendiculata with reference to nutrient conditions and shading by Phragmites australis. Ecological Research, 11, 139-147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peace, W. J. H., & Grubb, P. J. (1982). Interaction of light and mineral nutrient supply in the growth of Impatiens parviflora. New Phytologist, 90, 127-150.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, P. M. (1994). Flora, vegetation, and soil in broadleaved ancient and planted woodland, and scrub on Rosnaes, Denmark. Nordic Journal of Botany, 14, 693-709.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, P. M., & Philipp, M. (2001). Implantation of forest plants in a wood on former arable land: a ten year experiment. Flora, 196, 286-291.

    Google Scholar 

  • Poorter, H., & Nagel, O. (2000). The role of biomass allocation in the growth response of plants to different levels of light, CO2, nutrients and water: a quantitative review. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, 27, 595-607.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reich, P. B., Walters, M. B., & Ellsworth, D. S. (1992). Leaf life-span in relation to leaf, plant, and stand characteristics among diverse ecosystems. Ecological Monographs, 62, 365-392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reich, P. B., Walters, M. B., Ellsworth, D. S., Vose, J. M., Volin, J. C., Gresham, C., & Bowman, W. D. (1998). Relationships of leaf dark respiration to leaf nitrogen, specific leaf area and leaf life-span: a test across biomes and functional groups. Oecologia, 114, 471-482.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rode, M. W. (1999). Influence of forest growth on former heathland on nutrient input and its consequences for nutrition and management of heath and forest. Forest Ecology and Management, 114, 31-43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schippers, P., & Olff, H. (2000). Biomass partitioning, architecture and turnover of six herbaceous species from habitats with different nutrient supply. Plant Ecology, 149, 219-231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shipley, B. (2000). Plasticity in relative growth rate and its components following a change in irradiance. Plant Cell and Environment, 23, 1207-1216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singleton, R., Gardescu, S., Marks, P. L., & Geber, M. A. (1901). Forest herb colonization of postagricul-tural forests in central New York State, USA. Journal of Ecology, 89, 325-338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steinger, T., Roy, B. A., & Stanton, M. L. (2003). Evolution in stressful environments II: adaptive value and costs of plasticity in response to low light in Sinapis arvensis. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 16, 313-323.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thimonier, A., Dupouey, J. L., & Timbal, J. (1992). Floristic changes in the herb-layer vegetation of a deciduous forest in the Lorraine Plain under the influence of atmospheric deposition. Forest Ecology and Management, 55, 149-167.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thimonier, A., Dupouey, J. L., Bost, F., & Becker, M. (1994). Simultaneous eutrophication and acidifica-tion of a forest ecosystem in northeast France. New Phytologist, 126, 533-539.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, W. A, Kriedemann, P. E., & Craig I. E. (1992). Photosynthetic response to light and nutrients in sun-tolerant and shade tolerant rainforest trees. I. Growth, leaf anatomy and nutrient content. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, 19, 1-18.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tilman, D. (1985). The resource-ratio hypothesis of plant succession. American Naturalist, 125, 827-852.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tilman, D. (1988). Plant strategies and the dynamics and structure of plant communities. Monographs in population biology 26. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Dobben, H., Ter Braak, C., & Dirkse, G. M. (1999). Undergrowth as a biomonitor for deposition of nitrogen and acidity in pine forest. Forest Ecology and Management, 114, 83-95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Duuren, L., Rider, C., Dijkstra, R., & Meijer, R. (1997). Biobase; register biodiversiteit. Van Duuren, L. Voorburg/Heerlen, Centraal buro voor de Statistiek.

    Google Scholar 

  • Veneklaas, E. J., & Poorter, L. (1998). Growth and carbon partitioning strategies of tropical tree seedlings in contrasting light environments. In H. Lambers, H. Poorter, Van Vuuren MMI, (Eds.), Inherent variation in plant growth. Physiological mechanisms and ecological consequences. Leiden: Backhuys Publishers, 337-362.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verburg, R. (1998). The witch at the forest floor. Reproductive allocation and clonal diversity in the pseudo-annual Circaea lutetiana L. Utrecht: Utrecht University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Verheyen, K., Bossuyt, B., Hermy, M., & Tack, G. (1999). The land-use history (1278-1990) of a mixed hardwood forest in western Belgium and its relationship with chemical soil characteristics. Journal of Biogeography, 26, 1115-1128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verheyen, K., Honnay, O., Motzkin, G., Hermy, M., & Foster, D. R. (2003). Response of forest plant species to land-use change: a life- history trait-based approach. Journal of Ecology, 91, 563-577.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walters, M. B., & Reich, P. B. (1996). Are shade tolerance, survival, and growth linked? Low light and nitrogen effects on hardwood seedlings. Ecology, 77, 841-853.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walters, M. B., & Reich, P. B. (1999). Low-light carbon balance and shade tolerance in the seedlings of woody plants: do winter deciduous and broad-leaved evergreen species differ? New Phytologist, 143, 143-154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weeda, E. J., Westra, R., Westra, Ch., & Westra, T. (1987). Nederlandse Oecologische Flora. Wilde planten en hun relaties. Amsterdam: IVN.

    Google Scholar 

  • Westoby, M., Warton, D., & Reich, P. B. (2000). The time value of leaf area. American Naturalist, 155, 649-656

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Westoby, M., Falster, D. S., Moles, A. T., Vesk, P. A., & Wright, I. J. (2002). Plant ecological strategies: Some leading dimensions of variation between species. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 33, 125-159.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Willems, J. H., & Boessenkool, K. P. (1999). Coppiced woodlands and their significance for herbaceous plant species conservation. In Dong Ming & M. J. A. Werger (Eds.), A spectrum of ecological studies. In honour of Professor Zhang Zhangcheng at his 70th birthday. Southwest China Normal University Press, 188-196.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, P. J., Thompson, K., & Hodgson, J. G. (1999). Specific leaf area and leaf dry matter content as alternative predictors of plant strategies. New Phytologist, 143, 155-162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microbiology and Tumorbiology Center (MTC), Karolinska Institute, Nobelsväg 16, Solna, Sweden

    M. Elemans

  2. Faculty of Science, Institute of Environmental Biology, Sorbon-nelaan 16, NL 3584 CA, Utrecht, the Netherlands

    M. Elemans & G.W. Heil

Authors
  1. M. Elemans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G.W. Heil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Utrecht University, The Netherlands

    Gerrit W. Heil

  2. KU Leuven, Belgium

    Bart Muys

  3. Forest & Landscape, Hørsholm, Denmark

    Karin Hansen

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2007 Springer

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Elemans, M., Heil, G. (2007). Effects of Light and N Availability in Forests on Plant Species Diversity in the Field Layer: A Plant Ecological and Modelling Approach. In: Heil, G.W., Muys, B., Hansen, K. (eds) Environmental Effects of Afforestation in North-Western Europe. Plant and Vegetation, vol 1. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4568-9_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation