%0 Research article
%T Structure of old Pinus sylvestris dominated forest stands along a geographic and human impact gradient in mid-boreal Fennoscandia
%A Lilja, Saara
%A Kuuluvainen, Timo
%D 2005
%J Silva Fennica
%V 39
%N 3
%R doi:10.14214/sf.377
%U https://silvafennica.fi/article/377
%X Stand structural characteristics were examined in old Pinus sylvestris  dominated sites in three regions along a broad geographic and human  impact gradient in mid-boreal Fennoscandia. The study regions were: 1)  Häme in south-western Finland, with a long history of forest  utilization, 2) Kuhmo in north-eastern Finland, with a more recent  history of intensive forest utilization, and 3) Vienansalo in Russian  Karelia, still characterized by a large near-natural forest landscape.  Within each region the sampled sites were divided into three human  impact classes: 1) near-natural stands, 2) stands selectively logged in  the past, and 3) managed stands treated with thinnings. The near-natural  and selectively logged stands in Häme and Kuhmo had a significantly  higher Picea proportion compared to stands in Vienansalo. In comparison,  the proportions of deciduous tree volumes were higher in near-natural  stands in Vienansalo compared to near-natural stands in Häme. The pooled  tree diameter distributions, both in near-natural and selectively  logged stands, were descending whereas managed stands had a bimodal  diameter distribution. Structural diversity characteristics such as  broken trunks were most common in near-natural stands and in stands  selectively logged in the past. The results demonstrate the higher  structural complexity of near-natural stands and stands selectively  logged in the past compared to managed stands, and highlight that old  near-natural stands and stands selectively logged in the past vary  widely in their structures. This obviously reflects both their natural  variability but also various combinations of pre-industrial land use and  human impact on fire disturbance. These factors need to be acknowledged  when using “natural” forest structures as a reference in developing  strategies for forest management, restoration and nature conservation.