title: Biodiversity differences between managed and unmanaged forests: meta-analysis of species richness in Europe.
abstract: Past and present pressures on forest resources have led to a drastic decrease in the surface area of unmanaged forests in Europe. Changes in forest structure, composition, and dynamics inevitably lead to changes in the biodiversity of forest-dwelling species. The possible biodiversity gains and losses due to forest management (i.e., anthropogenic pressures related to direct forest resource use), however, have never been assessed at a pan-European scale. We used meta-analysis to review 49 published papers containing 120 individual comparisons of species richness between unmanaged and managed forests throughout Europe. We explored the response of different taxonomic groups and the variability of their response with respect to time since abandonment and intensity of forest management. Species richness was slightly higher in unmanaged than in managed forests. Species dependent on forest cover continuity, deadwood, and large trees (bryophytes, lichens, fungi, saproxylic beetles) and carabids were negatively affected by forest management. In contrast, vascular plant species were favored. The response for birds was heterogeneous and probably depended more on factors such as landscape patterns. The global difference in species richness between unmanaged and managed forests increased with time since abandonment and indicated a gradual recovery of biodiversity. Clearcut forests in which the composition of tree species changed had the strongest effect on species richness, but the effects of different types of management on taxa could not be assessed in a robust way because of low numbers of replications in the management-intensity classes. Our results show that some taxa are more affected by forestry than others, but there is a need for research into poorly studied species groups in Europe and in particular locations. Our meta-analysis supports the need for a coordinated European research network to study and monitor the biodiversity of different taxa in managed and unmanaged forests.
authors.affiliation: Cemagref, UR EFNO, Domaine des Barres, F-45290 Nogent-sur-Vernisson, France.
authors.forename: Yoan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Paillet
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bergès
authors.forename: Joakim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hjältén
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Odor
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Avon
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernhardt-Römermann
authors.forename: Rienk-Jan
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bijlsma
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Bruyn
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fuhr
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Grandin
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kanka
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lundin
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luque
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Magura
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matesanz
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mészáros
authors.forename: M-Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Sebastià
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Standovár
authors.forename: Béla
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tóthmérész
authors.forename: Anneli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uotila
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valladares
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vellak
authors.forename: Risto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Virtanen
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D005060:Europe; D014197:Trees