K. Tybirk et B. Strandberg, Oak forest development as a result of historical land-use patterns and present nitrogen deposition, FOREST ECOL, 114(1), 1999, pp. 97-106
Historical sources of the use of the forests around the manor Hald during t
hree centuries are used to outline a typical development for many areas on
poor sandy soils in Denmark. The balance between forest, shrub, agricultura
l land, fallow and heathlands in the zone depended on the intensity of land
-use for agriculture, grazing and wooden products. The forests at Hald were
never totally deforested, and since the forest act of 1805 and first conse
rvation in the early 20th century, the,open and shrubby oak woods have deve
loped into oak forest. In a preliminary analysis, data on under-storey vege
tation and light conditions from 1916 are compared to data from 1995. Due t
o conservation of the forest, light penetration has been drastically reduce
d in the forest since early this century and the reduced light penetration
in combination with increased nitrogen deposition has changed the under-sto
rey vegetation significantly. Species diversity and abundance have declined
and the typical raw humus species are relatively better adapted to the pre
sent conditions. The relative importance of management and air pollution is
discussed in relation to succession and preservation of oak, forests at a
certain successive stage on oligotrophic sandy soils. (C) 1999 Elsevier Sci
ence B.V. All rights reserved.