The effects of intensive logging on the capacity of karst dolines to provide potential microrefugia for cool-adapted plants

Abstract

Dolines are local depressions of karst surfaces. They can be considered potential microrefu-gia for various species. We investigated the plant species composition and vegetation pattern of two medium-sized dolines in Hungary before and 10 years after logging, and analysed how different species groups (oak forest species, beech and ravine forest species and disturbance-tolerant species) were affect-ed. The cover and number of oak forest species and disturbance-tolerant species increased, while the cover and number of beech and ravine forest species decreased within dolines due to logging. Therefore, their species composition and vegetation pattern have changed substantially, and dolines have partially lost their capacity to act as safe havens for plant species adapted to cooler conditions.