Coppicing systems: current knowledge from the perspective of vegetation ecology Radim Hédl, Jakub Houška, Markéta Chudomelová, Martin Kopecký, Péter Szabó, Jan Šipoš, Ondřej Vild
Coppice pařezina / chồi cây / terubusan / Short-rotation forest management system utilizing natural resprouting ability of deciduous tree species Year 5-20+ Year 1 Year 2-4
Active coppice-with-standards Bradfield Woods, Suffolk, UK
Abandoned coppice-with-standards Děvín, Pálava, SE Czech Republic
Converted coppice-with-standards Bacín, central Bohemia, Czech Republic
Woodbanks: protection of coppices against pasturing animals
Oliver Rackham: classic of woodland history research Hayley Wood, September 2008
Czech Repubic: increasing interest in the past 10 years Ecologist s view Forester s view
Conversions to high forest From the 19th to the mid of the 20th century Člověk pařezinovým hospodařením velmi silně zasahoval do produkční podstaty lesní půdy, a toto hospodářství se projevilo dnes převážně již tak škodlivě, že místy vedlo k úplné degradaci půd a tím i k většímu nebo menšímu snížení půdní úrodnosti a tím i dřevní produkce. Prof. J. Pelíšek Otázka převodů však zůstává stále otevřenou, pařezina jako hospodářství a pěstební způsob může být zdokonalena (na př. vytvořením etáže výstavkové a pod.) a může být za určitých okolností dobře využita. Prof. B. Polanský (both quotations are from the special issue of Lesnictví from 1957 on the conversion of coppices to high forest)
Why care about coppicing? Ancient forest management system, once widespread Likely shaped composition and diversity of forest communities Recent focus of conservationists and foresters declining species and habitats woody biomass production
Coppicing in European lowlands in the Middle Ages
Charters 1249 Szabó et al. 2015 J Hist Geogr
Coppicing cycles how often were forests cut Mikulov estate (SE Czech Repubic) Urbarium from 1384: Das holcz, das do get niderhalb des wegs durich die Chlausen, das haist der Lelasch, und ist deselb zeit 2 jar alt gevesen; wann er zw 7 jarn chumpt, so schaczt mann für 36 lb. und 2 lb. ze leitchauff. Forest description from 1692:
Coppicing, 19 th century Moravia (E-Czech Rep.) 28,000 km 2 Source: historical forest database, www.longwood.cz
Perspective of vegetation ecology 1. Long-term legacy of coppicing at the landscape scale 2. Consequences of coppicing abandonment in the 20th century 3. Effects of coppicing restoration
coppicing extent Late Middle Ages Moravia (E Czechia) Szabó et al. 2015 J Hist Geogr potential natural vegetation Oak-hornbeam forest Acidophilous beechwoods Eutrophic beechwoods Spruce forest
Forest habitats historically formed by coppicing Alluvial forests Oak-hornbeam forests Thermophilous oakwoods Ravine forests Acidophilous oakwoods R. Hédl
Legacy of the historical coppicing at the scale of Moravia Which species groups are linked with historical coppicing? GLM with abiotic factors and coppicing in the 19th century Gr. Lathyrus niger Gr. Geranium sanguineum Gr. Hieracium sabaudum YES Gr. Lathyrus vernus Gr. Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum Gr. Asarum europaeum NO -5 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 model improvement [AIC] Different response of species groups: strong links in open-canopy habitats weak prediction in mesic habitatsincluding oak-hornbeam forests
Variance partitioning(rda) R 2 adj= 0.087 Altitude climate 0.006 0.029 [a] [d] [b] 0.005 [g] [f] [e] 0.0002 0.003 Soils substrate 0.040 Coppicing explains 1.2% in species composition variability. 1/3 is independent, 2/3 combined effect with soil and climate [c] Coppicing 19 th C. 0.004** 0.913 Residuals = [h]
Abandoned coppice resampled after 50 years Species richness impoverishment Share of plots Species per plot
Oakwoods resampled after 40-60 years Decline thermophilous oakwood species? Consequence of coppicing abandonment
Long-term soil seed bank dynamics Conversion of coppice-with-standards to high forest Van Calster et al. 2008, Appl Veg Sci
Chronosequence in post-coppicing beechwoods Appennines, Central Italy Canullo et al. 2011, Folia Geobot Species richness all / clonal species
Chronosequence in coppiced forest, Norfolk, UK Ash and Barkham, 1976, J Ecol Species richness
Species richness 11-year observation of species richness in coppices, England Mason and MacDonald, 2002, Biodiv Conserv
Flowering species richness 11-year observation of species richness in coppices, England Mason and MacDonald, 2002, Biodiv Conserv
Coppicing intensity / tree species, Utinkuv háj, S Moravia, CZ 3 years of observation after coppicing establishment Hédl et al., submitted herb layer coverage herb layer species richness
Coppicing intensity / tree species, Utinkuv háj, S Moravia, CZ 3 years of observation after coppicing establishment Hédl et al., submitted annuals perennials
Utinkuv háj From high-forest to coppice-with-standards Just after canopy cutting Winter 2011-2012 1st year Sept. 2012
Utinkuv háj lime coppice resprouting in 2012
Utinkuv háj peak of ruderal herb species (3rd year, 2014)
Knowledge gaps long-term observations in active / restored coppices joint studies of multiple trophic levels effects of coppicing on nutrient contents and dynamics effects of dominant coppiced tree species
Acknowledgments The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) / ERC Grant agreement no 278065. www.longwood.cz www.longwood.cz