A Dead Wood Survey of Glen Affric
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A research project in 1997 by Jennifer Davidson, a student at Edinburgh University, focussed on the dead wood, or coarse woody debris, in the native pinewoods of Glen Affric.
Dead wood plays a vital role in the forest ecosystem, as it forms a habitat for insects and other invertebrates, and it provides a nutrient source for fungi. Jennifer's research showed that there is less dead wood in Glen Affric than expected, and less than in other similar native pinewood remnants in the Highlands. The lower than expected volumes recorded during the research project are possibly due to a history of exploitation in the glen, which resulted in the removal of the dead wood.
Here is Jennifer's summary of her work, from her thesis document:
Summary
Coarse woody debris (CWD) features in forest systems as habitat for plants and animals and is an important part of nutrient cycling. It is a vital component in animal and plant communities and also of woodlands. The structure and management of commercial forests have decreased CWD volume, which could have a negative effect on biodiversity.
The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationships between volume of CWD and timber volume, CWD and stand age, number of standing dead trees (snags) and between age of stand and decay and successional stage of logs. This study was carried out in Glen Affric, Inverness-shire and the findings were compared to other dead wood studies carried out in Scotland.
Four sample areas of each of three stand types (mid-rotation = about 30 years, mature = about 60 + years and ancient semi natural = up to about 400 years) were located and a line intersect method was used to estimate the volume of CWD in the stands. Five transects 4 x 50 metres were laid out within a 1 hectare block and the volume of trees, number of snags and the decay/successional stages of the logs were measured.
Stand age and standing volume of timber has no significant affect on CWD volume in Glen Affric. The largest proportion of the dead wood was in the early stages of succession and decay. The number of snags was significantly higher in the mid-rotation stand than in the other stand types.
The areas sampled in this study contain smaller amounts of CWD that other, similar studies carried out in Scotland. This may be negatively affecting the biodiversity in the area and it is recommended that a policy of non intervention is adopted so CWD volume can recover.
Back to Scientific Research in the Caledonian Forest
Pages about Dead Wood Ecosystems on this site
- Dead Wood, from Ecological Features of the Caledonian Forest
- A Dead Wood Survey of Glen Affric
- Aspen, a vital resource for saproxylic flies, from The Biodiversity and Management of Aspen woodlands
- Aspen Saproxylic Insect Survey in our target area
Last updated: Tuesday, 26-Jan-2010 14:07:34 GMT