Abstract
Forest ecosystems are among the most complex and dynamic biological systems of our planet. They play an important role in sustaining biodiversity, regulating the climate, and preserving water resources. Furthermore, they serve as natural filters, improving the quality of soil and air, and also preventing erosive processes. Forests create unique conditions for life of various species of plants and animals, which contributes to maintenance of the natural biodiversity and supports the stability of the ecosystem. Likewise, forests are important for the carbon cycle. They absorb a large amount of carbon, thus hindering global warming. Therefore, forest ecosystems are of paramount ecological value and their preservation is crucial for a balanced functioning of the planet. Our studies were carried out in the forest ecosystems of the Desna-Starohutskyi National Park, which is in the Ukrainian Polissia. The materials and methods of the study included systematic collection of the data on density of tree crowns, and also records of diversity of plants of the herb-shrub stratum in the chosen forest areas. Those data were analyzed using statistical methods. The study results revealed that the crown density has a significant effect on diversity of herb-shrub plants in the lower forest strata. Increase in crown density correlated with decrease in the light availability in the herb-shrub stratum. Change in the crown density towards increase significantly altered the conditions for competition between herbaceous and shrub species. Decrease in light availability led to shift in the competition ratio between the species, promoting dominance of more shade-loving species. Increase in crown density, which often reached 100%, made the competition more severe, especially for key resources (light, water, and nutrients). Because of this, species diversity in the herb-shrub stratum of the forest ecosystems was observed to decrease, and less adapted species were extruded. In general, change in tree-crown density in the forest ecosystem had a significant effect on the dynamics of herbaceous and shrub species, changing competitive relations and the structure of those plant communities. The results we obtained expand the knowledge about interactions between crown density and the structure of herb-shrub stratum, which gives perspectives for more efficient management of forest resources, and can also improve scientific identification and implementation of measures for protection of forest ecosystems.
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Claims 7
Claim · model-written summary
Crown density has a significant effect on diversity of herb-shrub plants in the lower forest strata.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
t0“Influence of tree-crown density on dominant plant species of the herb-shrub stratum in the zone of mixed forests”
e1“the crown density has a significant effect on diversity of herb-shrub plants in the lower forest strata”
Claim · model-written summary
Increase in crown density correlated with decrease in light availability in the herb-shrub stratum.
Verbatim
t0“Influence of tree-crown density on dominant plant species of the herb-shrub stratum in the zone of mixed forests”
e2“Increase in crown density correlated with decrease in the light availability in the herb-shrub stratum”
Claim · model-written summary
Increase in crown density significantly altered the conditions for competition between herbaceous and shrub species.
- Taxon
- plant species of the herb-shrub stratumt0
- Treatment
- Change in the crown density towards increasee3
- Outcome
- conditions for competitione3
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
t0“Influence of tree-crown density on dominant plant species of the herb-shrub stratum in the zone of mixed forests”
e3“Change in the crown density towards increase significantly altered the conditions for competition between herbaceous and shrub species”
Claim · model-written summary
Decrease in light availability shifted the competition ratio between species and was associated with more shade-loving species dominating.
Verbatim
t0“Influence of tree-crown density on dominant plant species of the herb-shrub stratum in the zone of mixed forests”
e4“Decrease in light availability led to shift in the competition ratio between the species, promoting dominance of more shade-loving species”
Claim · model-written summary
Increase in crown density, often reaching 100%, made competition more severe, especially for light, water and nutrients.
Verbatim
t0“Influence of tree-crown density on dominant plant species of the herb-shrub stratum in the zone of mixed forests”
e5“Increase in crown density, which often reached 100%, made the competition more severe, especially for key resources (light, water, and nutrients)”
Claim · model-written summary
Species diversity in the herb-shrub stratum decreased in the forest ecosystems, with less adapted species being extruded.
Verbatim
t0“Influence of tree-crown density on dominant plant species of the herb-shrub stratum in the zone of mixed forests”
e6“species diversity in the herb-shrub stratum of the forest ecosystems was observed to decrease, and less adapted species were extruded”
Claim · model-written summary
Change in tree-crown density had a significant effect on the dynamics of herbaceous and shrub species, changing competitive relations and plant community structure.
- Taxon
- plant species of the herb-shrub stratumt0
- Treatment
- change in tree-crown density in the forest ecosysteme7
- Outcome
- dynamics of herbaceous and shrub speciese7
- Qualifier
- changing competitive relations and the structure of those plant communitiese7
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
t0“Influence of tree-crown density on dominant plant species of the herb-shrub stratum in the zone of mixed forests”
e7“change in tree-crown density in the forest ecosystem had a significant effect on the dynamics of herbaceous and shrub species, changing competitive relations and the structure of those plant communities”