Conceptual problems of Ecological Continuity and its bioindicators

Very old, undisturbed forest stands may be important for biodiversity throu gh their content of microhabitats or for the long periods available for col onisation, or for both. The term Ecological Continuity (EC) has been used t o ascribe value to old forest stands. The relative importance of microhabit at and time for colonisation are usually not kept apart when EC is used as a conservation criterium. EC is broadly applied but poorly defined. Use of EC may lead to underestimation of the importance of forest dynamics and dis persal, and to overestimation of the importance of local land use history. If bioindicators of long-term habitat persistence are to be used, species w ith low dispersal capacity should be chosen. However, many lichens and othe r fungi, bryophytes and insects cited as indicators of EC, seem to have a p atch-tracking lifestyle. They are 'colonists' according to life history str ategy classification, and rather seem to indicate specific microhabitats. T errestrial molluscs, some vascular forest plants, and those bryophytes and lichenized fungi classified as 'perennial stayers' in life history strategy classification, might be used to indicate long-term habitat persistence in forests, but more research is needed to evaluate such indicators.