Speaker
Description
Long-term community dynamics are typically characterized by changes in species composition and diversity, whereas shifts among entire communities and habitat types remain underexplored. The objective of this study is to quantify temporal changes in forest habitat types across European temperate forests and to determine how these changes are associated with shifts in typical species, as well as with macroclimatic trends and local environmental conditions. Here, we use the forestREplot database, which includes approximately 7,000 (quasi-)permanent plots spanning 108 regions across European temperate forests and compiles forest vegetation resurveys dating back to the 1920s. EUNIS habitat types were assigned to both baseline and resurvey plots using the expert-based EUNIS-ESy classification system. We address the following research questions: (1) Are there significant gains or losses in habitat types across temperate forest regions, and which habitat types change the most? (2) Which typical species are associated with these changes? (3) What are the main drivers of temporal habitat change, including macroclimate, nitrogen deposition, canopy cover, and soil conditions?
| Status Group | Postdoctoral Researcher |
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