BROAD - LEAVED FOREST PLANT COMMUNITIES IN LATVIA DACE SĀMĪTE

History of hardwoods in Latvia 8,000 – 7,800 years ago became Tilia cordata togeather with Alnus incana, A. glutinosa and Populus tremula 7,200 years ago at the begining of Atlantic peroiod - Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior 6,000 years ago hardwoods became established and reached their maximum distribution, even Fagus syvatica and Carpinus betulus apear in our forests 1,500 years ago the forests covered ~80% of the area of the country and mixed broad-leaved-spruce stands predominate and until 13 th century Latvian forest preserved its primeval status well

History of hardwoods in Latvia th century – intensive forest clearings for crop- growing first devasted the most fertile broad-leved forests 18 th century – due to Duchy of Courland where manufacturing and trade rapidly developed, oakwoods was total destroyed At the old crop-growing teretorys soil fertility foal, and hardwoods were replased by Betula pendula, Popula termula and Picea abies Due to previous forest management in naw days forest composition is more like boreal, than it can be in our climatic and vegetation zone

Boreo-nemoral forest zone in Europe Due to – among boreal and nemoral zone, Latvian forests represent nordic coniferous, Europ broad-leaved and mixed stands

European broad-leaved forests in Latvia Dominant tree species are Quercus robur 0.3%* Fraxsinus excelsior0.6% Tilia cordata0.06% Ulmus glabra0.03% * - percentage from all forest stands in Latvia

Broad-leaved forest representation among forest types

Quercus robur – oak Demand temperate light and worm; Grow moustly in riverine forests on rich soils Best represented in eastern part of Latvia (Lubana lake, Pededzes and Aiviekstes river)

Quercus robur forest distribution in Latvia % % 1% and more

Stand age of Quercus robur in Latvia

Fraxinus excelsior - ash Feel good in shadoved places Grow on carbonatic and humus rich soils Offen make stands togeather with oak Best represented in central and north-eastern part of Latvia

Fraxinus excelsior forest distribution in Latvia % % 1-3.9% 4% and more

Stand age of Fraxinus excelsior in Latvia

Tilia cordata – small-leaved lime Ulmus glabra – wych elm lime elm Lime and elm monodominant forest stands meake very rear (river valleys, lake and bog islands) Mostly they make mixed stands togeather with oak, ash and spruce Elm feels good at mor shadowed and humus rich places than lime

Tilia cordata forest distribution in Latvia % 0.05 – 0.09% 0.1% and more Liepāja Jelgava Bauska

Ulmus glabra forest distribution in Latvia % % 0.1% and more

Stand age of Tilia cordata in Latvia

Broad-leaved forest characteristics Gap disturbance – main factor of stand development Total change from vernal to summer vegetation Forest communities are similar to ones in central Europe, the lack of some characteristic species confined to the Fagus sylvatica and Carpinus betula forests are due to geographical limitations

Diagnostic species of European broad-leaved forests Tree speciesShrub species Ulmus glabraEuonymus europaea Acer platanoidesLonicera xylosetum Fraxinus excelsiorPadus avium Quercus roburCorylus avellana Carpinus betulus

Brachypodium sylvaticumMercurialis perennis Carex digitataMilium effusum Lathraea squamariaPhyteuma spicatum Actea spicataPolygonatum multiflorum Adoxa moschatellinaPulmonaria obscura Allium ursinumRanunculus lanuginosus Asperula odorataRanunculus cassubicus Corydalis solidaSanicula europaea Corydalis cavaFestuca altisima Galeobdolon luteumDentaria bulbifera Impatiens noli-tangereStellaria holostea Circaea alpinaMatteuccia struthiopteris Circaea lutetianaCarex remota

Main biodiversity structures Multi-layered and multi-aged tree stand Abundance of cryptogams on stems and trunks Dead wood in diferent satges of decay Woodpecker signs and trees with holes Rich shrub layer Many gaps Low admixture of conifers Trees with trunk diameter more than 30cm

Broad-leaved forest syntaxonomy in Latvia Cl. Alnetea glutinosae Br.-Bl. et Tx O. Alnetalia glutinosae Tx em. Oberd All. Alnion Glutinosae (Malc. 1929) Meijer Drees 1936 em.Th. Müll. et Görs 1958 Ass. Carici elongatae – Alnetum Schwick (N. Priedītis) Wetland forests with Fraxinus excelsior and Alnus glutinosa

Broad-leaved forest syntaxonomy in Latvia Cl. Querco- fagetea Br.-Bl. et Vlieger em Klima 39 O. Fagetalia sylvaticae Pawl. ap. Pawl. et al. 28 All. Alno – Ulmion Br.-Bl. et Tx.ex Tchou 1984 em.Th. Müll. et Görs 1958 SubAll. Alnenion glutinosae – incanae Oberd Padus avium – Fraxinus excelsior community Geum rivale – Fraxinus excelsior community Carex vaginata – Fraxinus excelsior community Crepis paludosa – Fraxinus excelsior community Mercurialis perennis - Fraxinus excelsior community (D. Mangale, D.Sāmīte)

Broad-leaved forest syntaxonomy in Latvia All. Carpinion betuli Oberd Ass. Tilio-Carpinetum Traczyk 1962 All. Carpinion Ass. Querco - Tilietum Laiviņš 1983 Hepatica nobilis – Quercus robur community Calamagrostis arundinacea - Quercus robur community Picea abies - Quercus robur community (D. Sāmīte)

Broad-leaved forest syntaxonomy in Lithuania Vaccinium vitis-idaea – Quercus robur(P. Snarskis, A. Jansons) Scorzonera humilis – Quercus robur Lathyrus niger – Quercus robur Pteridium aquilinum – Quercus robur Polygonatum verticilatum Campanula trachelium – Quercus robur Galeobdolon luteum – Quercus robur Oxalis acetosella – Quercus robur Deschampsia cespitosa – Quercus robur Populus tremula – Quercus robur Geum rivale – Quercus robur Filipendula ulmaria – Quercus robur Calamagrostis canescens – Quercus robur Alnus glutinosa – Quercus robur

The future of broad-leaved forest Forest management Wood cultivation on agriculture land Nature protection Game animal influence PRESENT COMPOSITION AND PATTERNS OF CHANGE CAN BE DUE TO PREVIOUS MAJOR DISTURBANCES AND CHANGES IN LAND USE, WHICH HAPPENED MANY HUNDREDS, EVEN THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO E. van der Maarel

Forest management in broad-leaved forests

Reforestation