Denisa Slabejová, Fedor Čiampor Jr, Zuzana Čiamporová-Zaťovičová, Ivan Jarolímek, Mária Šibíková, Michaela Michalková
Impact of short rotation coppice of Populus ×canadensis on vegetation and soil fauna diversity
Dendrobiology 2024, vol. 92: 112-124
https://doi.org/10.12657/denbio.092.009
Supplementary materials (TableS1.xlsx)
Supplementary materials (TableS2.xlsx)
Abstract:
Sustainable forest management aims to preserve biodiversity while simultaneously meeting wood production demands. One of the ways to achieve this aim is by using short-rotation plantations of non-native trees. The cultivation of hybrid Populus ×canadensis (Canadian poplar) presents a unique case study in forest management due to its potential impact on biodiversity. This study investigates the influence of the short rotation coppice of Canadian poplar on vegetation and soil fauna, filling the knowledge gap by evaluating the multitaxa biodiversity data. The data were sampled in the Western Slovakia region. Nine vegetation plots (plot × reference plots selected and based on the forest potential vegetation in the study area) and four twin soil eDNA samples (plot × neighboring reference plot) were investigated. For vegetation data neophytes, archaeophytes, and apophytes were distinguished. The percentage number and percentage coverage were calculated for each category. In the plantation of Canadian poplar, a high number and cover of non-native species and apophytes were recorded. Metabarcoding analysis of soil fauna biodiversity using eDNA revealed a diverse community composed mainly of invertebrates, suggesting that the cultivation of Canadian poplar affects species diversity less than the composition of the soil fauna community. Overall, the findings underscore the complexity of managing Canadian poplar plantations and the importance of considering both ecological and economic factors. Different groups of organisms react differently to the replacement of alien tree species – in the vegetation, both the overall diversity and the species composition of plant communities have changed, in the soil fauna only the species composition has changed. Sustainable forest management practices must be tailored to specific local contexts to minimize negative impacts on biodiversity while maximizing economic benefits.
Keywords: Canadian poplar, plantation, biodiversity, herb synusia, soil fauna, DNA metabarcoding