Natural forest dynamics following bark beetle outbreaks in the Berchtesgaden National Park - Forest structure and biodiversity during disturbance and succession
Maria-Barbara Winter, FVA - Forest Research Institute of Baden-Württemberg, Freiburg (DE)
Forest succession following bark beetle outbreaks was studied in the Berchtesgaden National Park applying a chronosequence of 140 study plots of undisturbed secondary spruce stands, stands affected by bark beetles within the last five years and stands infested in the 1990s in montane to subalpine zones. The disturbance and the scattered patterns of the post-disturbance regeneration initiated an increase of structural heterogeneity on stand and landscape level. Especially the light, nutrient and dead wood dependent plant, animal and fungi species did profit from the temporary gap conditions.