Plant species dynamics in chestnut ecosystem along a successional gradient from grove to coppice. The case of chestnut in the Cevennes - Southern France [Castanea sativa Mill.]
2003
Gondard, H. | Romane, F. | Grandjanny, M. | Renaux, A. (Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), Montpellier (France))
Over the last few decades, marked land use changes have taken place in many Mediterranean ecosystems. For example, many chestnut groves in the Cevennes mountains, in Southern France, are now abandoned and have turned into "natural" coppice stands. Species composition of the plant communities have changed markedly in abandoned groves. What are the consequences of these changes on plant species diversity at local and regional scale and what are the implications for new forestry management intended to conserve biodiversity at the same time, as it optimizes productivity and profitability? To answer to these questions, we studied plant species diversity in the understorey strata along a successional gradient, including cultivated groves, abandoned groves, young coppice stands (15 years old), medium coppice stands (40 years) and old coppice stands (55 years). The results showed that species richness decreased quickly, but not steadily along this gradient. These results have been used to suggest some possible ways to manage the plant species diversity in these ecosystems
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