Forest history and ecology in the Czech Republic ERC project „Long-term woodland dynamics in Central Europe: from estimations to a realistic model Radim Hédl Institute of Botany Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic

Why do we want to know history of the forest? better understanding of the present state advice on management decision making provides a broader perspective to our research WoS: “historical ecology“ 1973–2008 Historical ecology

AD the present history time ecology paleoecology archaeology BC fine coarse resolution Subjects and scaling: matter of resolution

Scaling: ecology and history Szabó – Hédl, 2011, Cons. Biol.

Written and map archival resources perambulations glebe terriers estate maps estate conscriptions urbaria account books woodland surveys forestry maps forestry management plans management instructions cadastres tax conscriptions charters Orig. P. Szabó Historical sources about the nature’s past

“historical” resources -Not readily usable -Often qualitative For example: Urbaria Perambulations Estate conscriptions Account books Normative directives “ecological” resources -Readily usable -Mostly quantitative For example: Forestry documents Cadastres Estate maps ca AD History: “ecological” vs. “historical” resources The 1800-barrier older younger

Coppicing cycles – how often were forests cut Mikulov estate (S Moravia) Urbarium from 1384: “Das holcz, das do get niderhalb des wegs durich die Chlausen, das haist der Lelasch, und ist deselb zeit 2 jar alt gevesen; wann er zw 7 jarn chumpt, so schaczt mann für 36 lb. und 2 lb. ze leitchauff.” Forest description from 1692:

Price of wood sold from the Karlštejn estate, account book from Orig. P. Szabó

Kozáková et al., 2011, The Holocene Combining of resources and generalization One must be very cautious… Proportion of Abies alba in the Czech Republic ? historical documents PNV

Forest in the Czech Republic currently 34% cover (and increasing)

Altitude: the most obvious large-scale factor < 400 m n.m m n.m. > 800 m n.m.

Lowlands mostly deforested since the Neolithic (7ka BP) long-term stability

Moravian cadastres The first record

Coppicing, our favorite topic

Lowland forests relatively best knowledge up to 400 (500) m of altitude European phenomenon warmer, usually drier climate long-term human inhabitation intensively managed stable in extent (ancient woodland) specific (and threatened) biodiversity

coppice high forest wood pasture Three basic management forms in the lowland forest most common in the past most common in the present information scarce

Historical database (built since 2012)

Historical database (built since 2012)

Length of coppicing cycle Hayley Wood E England Děvín S Moravia P. Szabó, 2010, ForEcolManag

Relative importance of coppicing in local economy (% of all incomes) sources: urbaria and account books Orig. P. Szabó

Increasing forest age in the past two centuries forestry maps, Koda, Bohemian Karst, ca. 400 ha Orig. J. Müllerová

Increasing forest age in the past two centuries forestry maps, Koda, Bohemian Karst, ca. 400 ha

Logging intensity in the past three centuries Forestry maps and management plans, Koda, Bohemian Karst Orig. J. Müllerová Strong decrease since late 19th century

Czech Republic Pálava PLA Coppicing history on a small scale Dendrochronology of standards in Děvín J. Altman et al., PLoS ONE, na revizi

J. Altman et al., PLoS ONE, 2013 Coppicing history on a small scale: Děvín Evidence 1: Release detection in tree-rings

Management plan 1925 Coppicing history on a small scale: Děvín Evidence 2: years with the coppicing

J. Altman et al., PLoS ONE, 2013 Coppicing history on a small scale: Děvín Consequences: recruitment of oak Almost no recruitment after the abandonment of coppicing

Aerial photograph from km Stability and change in an oak forest Vegetation history of Dúbrava

Stability and change in an oak forest: Dúbrava Evidence 1: pollen & macrofossil profiles The forest hollows approach

E. Jamrichová et al., 2013, The Holocene Stability and change in an oak forest: Dúbrava Evidence 1: pollen & macrofossil profiles Major change in around 1350 Corylus -> Quercus

The founding charter of the Augustinian monastery in Brno, 1370 (an early modern copy) Stability and change in an oak forest: Dúbrava Evidence 2: archival written documents Ban on oak felling in around 1350

1350: Klečka („shrubs“) 1370: Dúbrava dicta Klečka 1509: Dúbrava Hodonská 1531: Dúbrava Hodonská + Klečka (naposledy) od 1609: Dúbrava („oak forest“) Stability and change in an oak forest: Dúbrava How it was reflected in the name of the forest? Change from Klečka to Dúbrava

Samek, V. (1964): Lesní společenstva Českého krasu. Rozpr. ČSAV 74, sešit 7. Orig. A. Veverková Vegetation change in since the 1950s Bohemian Karst, central Bohemia Resurvey of vegetation plots, case 1 Beech wood Oak wood Oak-hornbeam wood

Orig. A. Veverková light – canopy nutrients - nitrogen acidity moisture Vegetation change in since the 1950s: Bohemian Karst Environmental change through Ellenberg indicator values

Fraxinus excelsior keř52.2 Elymus caninus49.6 Fagus sylvatica juv.49.1 Fraxinus excelsior keř45.4 Cornus mas juv.43 Galium odoratum43 Acer pseudoplatanus juv.41.8 Carpinus betulus juv.41.8 Cornus mas keř41.8 Prunus avium juv.41.1 Alliaria petiolata41 Acer platanoides juv.37.7 Tilia cordata+plat. juv.37 Impatiens parviflora36.7 Chaerophyllum temulum36.4 Sanicula europaea35.7 Galium aparine34.8 Mercurialis perennis34.8 Viola hirta40.6 Trifolium alpestre38.4 Myosotis sylvatica36.7 Phyteuma spicatum34.3 Avenella flexuosa31.5 Silene nutans31.4 Veronica chamaedrys agg.30.8 Increased species: Tree saplings Nitrophytes Decreased species: not many Vegetation change in since the 1950s: Bohemian Karst Species composition

Vegetation change in since the 1950s Resurvey of vegetation plots, case 2 Děvín, southern Moravia

Vegetation change in since the 1950s Děvín, southern Moravia Species diversity impoverishment Species per plot Share of plots

Verheyen et al., 2012, J Ecol Diversity changes: nitrogen or light? 23 resurvey studies from Europe Species richness change (per plot) Gradient of N-deposition

Verheyen et al., 2012, J Ecol Ellenberg N Ellenberg L

Verheyen et al., 2012, J Ecol Canopy cover Tree shading

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/ ) / ERC Grant agreement no Acknowledgments