The Importance of Forest Islands for Invertebrate Biodiversity: a Case Study in Western Poland
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Travaux du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle © 30 Juin Vol. LIV (1) pp. 263–281 «Grigore Antipa» 2011 DOI: 10.2478/v10191-011-0016-0 THE IMPORTANCE OF FOREST ISLANDS FOR INVERTEBRATE BIODIVERSITY: A CASE STUDY IN WESTERN POLAND TRAIAN MANOLE, JÓZEF BANASZAK, HALINA RATYÑSKA, IRINA IONESCU-MÃLÃNCUª, EUGENIA PETRESCU, GABRIELA MÃRGÃRIT Abstract. Ecological landscape studies are carried out concerning the ecosystem biocenosis restore and conservation and to define the ecological terms like “ecosystem services” which have increasingly caught the interest of both environmental researchers and policy makers. Ecosystems, if properly protected and maintained, provide a wide array of valuable services to humans, ranging from the air purification by carbon sequestration to preserve biodiversity of natural capital. The agricultural landscape predominating in Western and Central Europe occupies a significant place in Poland deciding, to a large extent, about the quality of the whole natural environment. Forest island studies were carried out in the agricultural landscape of Western Poland, 15 km north-east of Poznañ town. Ten forest islands of varying size (from 0.5 ha to 1.5 ha) were investigated. Flora and plant communities of small forests were examined and 58 plant associations were found. Small areas of forest islands became the refuges of forest plant species and invertebrate fauna in an agricultural landscape. Differentiation, number and domination structure of invertebrate fauna (Acari, Araneae, Apoidea and Curculionidae) were studied. The studied forest islands provide suitable conditions for survival and reproduction of many animal species, and for other accidental species which use these areas for feeding or as a temporary shelter. Résumé. Les études d’écologie entreprises regardant l’architecture du paysage agricole ainsi que les connexions entre différentes formations structurelles (écosystèmes naturels, anthropiques, semi- naturels etc.) ont eu pour but la protection, la restauration et la conservation des biocénoses visées, par l’identification et la définition de certaines unités écologiques multi- ou bien surécosystémiques, des aires régionales ainsi que la mise en évidence du caractère d’unités fournisseures de services économiques ou de ressources. Les recherches écologiques regardant la notion de «landscape» sont déroulées avec une intensité particulière par un grand nombre de chercheurs travaillant dans beaucoup d’institutions scientifiques de la mappemonde tout entière. Le paysage agricole prédominant dans l’Ouest et le centre de l’Europe occupe une place significative en ce qui concerne sa distribution sur le territoire de la Pologne, en constituant presque 60% du territoire du pays, ayant une grande influence sur la qualité du milieu naturel tout entier. Les études sur les associations végétales arboricoles ou arborescentes («îles forestières») se sont déroulées au cours de la période 2004-2005 dans une aire représentative de la zone d’Ouest de la Pologne, à 15 km Nord-Est de la ville de Poznañ. On a identifié et sélecté pour cette étude 10 de ces formations ayant des superficies variables (depuis 0,5 ha jusqu’à 1,5 ha). La flore et les communautés de plantes étudiées à l’intérieur de ces petits forets ont permis l’identification et l’examinassions d’un nombre de 58 associations végétales. Les aires représentatives, ayant de superficies différentes occupées par une végétation arboricole ou bien arborescente, constituent des refuges pour une riche diversité de la faune d’invertébrés dans le cadre du paysage agricole. La structure de la faune, la densité numérique et la dominance de certains groupes d’invertébrés (Acari, Araneae, Apoidea et Curculionidae) sont présentées dans ce travail. Les aires étudiées assurent des conditions propices pour la survie et la reproduction d’un bon nombre d’espèces animales, ainsi que pour les espèces qui ne sont pas caractéristiques, mais accidentelles dans l’aire, utilisant ces zones en tant que refuges et sources de nourriture temporaires. Key words: Landscape ecology, biodiversity, forest islands. INTRODUCTION Landscape studies carried out from ecological point of view and concerning its restitution and conservation were initiated by the professor of Poznañ Adam Mickiewicz University, Adam Wodziczko, before the Second World War 264 TRAIAN MANOLE and col. (Wodziczko, 1932, 1945, 1946). The term “physiocenosis” introduced by him to define an ecological unit of multi or over-ecosystem character still deserves our attention and popularization. Wodziczko precisely differentiates ecological and architectural aspects of a landscape. Therefore Wodziczko’s physiocenosis and present understanding of a landscape can be considered identical. Landscape ecology is today intensely developed in many world centres and by many researchers (e.g. Risser et al., 1984; Forman & Godron, 1986; Turner, 1987; Urban et al., 1987; Baker, 1989; Turner & Gardner, 1991; Ryszkowski & Ba³azy, 1992; Banaszak, 1993; Vos & Opdam, 1993). The agricultural landscape, predominating in the Western and Central Europe, occupies a significant place in these studies. In Poland, it constitutes about 60% of the country’s territory deciding, to a large extent, on the quality of the whole natural environment. In the agricultural landscape of many European countries forests were reduced to small fragments surrounded by arable fields under intensive farming. Hence, human activity leads to breaking of habitats of many plant and animal species into small, isolated islands. These islands together with tree shelter belts and swards constitute refugees for fauna and flora and their importance is greater for more intensive farming (e.g. Czarnecki, 1956; Banaszak, 1983; Opdam et al., 1985; D¹browska-Prot, 1987, 1992; Kozakiewicz & Szacki, 1987; Dzwonko & Loster, 1989). This work presents some results of research on flora and plant communities of forest islands on relation with density of some significant invertebrate groups like spiders, wild bees and coleopterans. MATERIAL AND METHODS General characteristics of the area The investigated area was located about 15 km north-east of Poznañ, on the edge of the Landscape Park “Zielonka Forest”. It is enclosed by a complex of “Dziewicza Góra” (Virgin Mountain) forests, the “Kobylnica Forests” and the G³ówna River. There are areas under intensive farming (about 1,200 ha) between the villages Wierzenica, Wierzonka, Milno and Kicin (Fig. 1). The morphological differentiation is also expressed in the vegetation cover. The discussed area is dominated by habitats of a poor series of oak-hornbeam forests – Galio sylvatici-Carpinetum (Wojterski et al., 1982). Rather small areas are occupied by the potential habitats of mixed forest (Querco roboris-Pinetum). Only in the valley of the river, along its tributaries and in local small depressions there are riverside forest habitats (Circaeo-Alnetum and Ficario-Ulmetum campestris) and habitats of fertile older forests (Ribo nigri-Alnetum). The investigated area, although covering but a small surface, is characterized by a rich network of different forest islands. They have been developed primarily in the form of woodlots with a circumference of 100-200 m. The widest forestations with a natural character extend in a small tunnel valley running down to the valley of the G³ówna River. The fields of the Plant Breeding Station of Wierzenica- Wierzonka are separated by balks where single trees and shrubs grow. One can also encounter 20-30 m wide and several hundred meter long compact hedges (Pruno- Crataegetum). The field roads and paved roads are accompanied by one-row or two- row tree belts, whereby the tree plantation on both sides between the villages Wierzonka and Milno is particularly noteworthy. The plantation consists of Norway maple (Acer platanoides), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) and oak (Quercus robur). THE IMPORTANCE OF FOREST ISLANDS FOR INVERTEBRATE BIODIVERSITY 265 Fig. 1 - The map of the investigated area (A - J, selected forest islands). Furthermore, several trees are recorded as natural monuments within the discussed area. They are magnificent white poplars (Populus alba), oaks (Quercus robur) and wild pear (Pyrus communis) (Banaszak & Ratyñska, 1993). Analysis of aerial photographs of the investigated area For the analysis of some elements of natural environment, slides spectral- zone aerial photographs and panchromatic photos taken in several time intervals were used. The most valuable source of information proved to be spectral-zone photographs taken in 1:10 000 scales. Analysis of field and roadside forest communities revealed that at generally preserved network of these structures, local changes of their state and size can be observed. The longest (over 1 km long) belt of field forest enclave stretching from Kliny village in the south-west direction has clearly developed two levels. Its present state, as compared to the forties, is more regular with smaller of breaks. Analysis of the roadside tree belts in the northern part reveals missing tree stretch about 360 m long, while in the southern part increase in the tree stretch on the 500 m long segment as well as forestation of the second row on the length of about 700 m. 266 TRAIAN MANOLE and col. Vegetation The field studies were carried out in the vegetation seasons 1991-1993. For the purpose of this paper 10 field forest communities (Fig. 1) (A-J) localized mainly within oak-hornbeam and carr forest habitats: A – “Du˜y w¹wóz”; B – “Maly w¹wóz”, C – “ Du˜e zadrzewienie”, D –