Natural and anthropogenic extensive destruction of the spruce forest community of the European part of Russia: Main trends of biodiversity dynamics

Abstract

We analyzed the main trends of the change in the species richness of plant communities after catastrophic natural (beetle outbreaks, windfalls) and anthropogenic (clear cutting) disturbances. We examined the dynamics of the structural diversity of species richness of herb-dwarf scrubs layer with different reforestation technologies after the death of spruce stands. The study of similarity and ordination of vegetation showed the proximity of the undamaged forest to the unharvested stand, and the difference of these plant communities from clear-cut. The main determining factor of species richness was the intensity of plant community disturbance after catastrophes. We analyzed the reforestation dynamics of plant communities after catastrophic disturbances. Clear cutting led to the formation of grassy communities with a sharp increase in the species and structural diversity of plant community.