Ecosystem management promotes the integration of knowledge of natural ecosystem dynamics into forest-management planning and practices, and provides a useful framework for understanding and mitigating the impacts of timber harvesting on biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Understory vegetation and deadwood are involved in many ecosystem functions including nutrient and carbon, and tree-regeneration dynamics. The study objective was to compare the 12-year post-treatment effects on forest floor attributes of two intensities of partial harvesting (gap harvesting [62 percent basal area retention; BAR] and diameter-limit harvesting [35 percent BAR]) to clearcutting (10 percent BAR). We quantified the standing and downed deadwood abundance and the understory plant community composition in mixed, northern temperate forests, in western Québec, Canada. Our results suggest that moderate-intensity gap harvesting can best preserve a standing deadwood stem density and a diameter structure comparable to unmanaged stands. Downed deadwood abundance of all diameter classes was not altered, 12 years following the gap harvesting. Finally, understory plant communities in the gap treatment were more similar to those of unmanaged stands than those in diameter-limit and clearcutting treatments. These results illustrate the importance of tree retention levels for the maintenance of deadwood and understory plant species associated with closed-canopy or old-growth forests.

中文翻译：

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在加拿大魁北克西部的混木林分部分采伐和伐木后的12年里，枯木和林下植被的变化

生态系统管理促进将自然生态系统动态知识整合到森林管理计划和实践中，并为理解和减轻木材采伐对生物多样性和生态系统功能的影响提供有用的框架。林下植被和枯木参与了许多生态系统功能，包括养分和碳以及树木的更新动态。研究目的是比较两种强度的部分采伐（间隙采伐[62％的基础面积保留； BAR]和限径采伐[35％的BAR]）与采伐（12年后处理）对林地属性的影响。 10％BAR）。我们对加拿大魁北克西部混合温带北部森林中站立和倒下的枯木丰度以及林下植物群落组成进行了量化。我们的研究结果表明，中等强度的采伐间隙可以最好地保持直立的枯木茎密度和直径结构，与未管理的林分相当。缺口采伐后12年，所有直径类别的倒下的沉木丰度均未改变。最后，在间隙处理中，林下植物群落与未管理林分中的植物群落相比，在直径限制和明确处理中更为相似。这些结果说明树木保留水平对于维护与封闭林冠层或老龄林有关的枯木和林下植物物种的重要性。缺口收获后的12年。最后，在间隙处理中，林下植物群落与未管理林分中的植物群落相比，在直径限制和明确处理中更为相似。这些结果说明树木保留水平对于维护与封闭林冠层或老龄林有关的枯木和林下植物物种的重要性。缺口收获后的12年。最后，缺口处理中的林下植物群落与非管理林分中的植物群落相比，直径限制和清除林中的植物群落更相似。这些结果说明树木保留水平对于维持与封闭林冠层或老龄林有关的枯木和林下植物物种的重要性。