The conservation of vulnerable epiphytic lichens in managed boreal forests

This project aims to generate new scientific knowledge necessary for sustainable resource utilization in managed boreal forests. A fundamental challenge is to develop timber harvest regimes without adversely affecting biodiversity. Improving the condition s for vulnerable species in managed forests is an important tool in maintaining species diversity. Increased knowledge on how forestry influences essential processes during the lichen life cycle is a prerequisite for a sustainable management. Such knowled ge is still scarce. Therefore this project focuses on 1) dispersal processes. The knowledge whether the local distribution of a vulnerable species is limited by poor dispersal capacity or by habitat requirements does have conservation implications. Mo reover, the influence of light level on 2) establishment and 3) generation time of vulnerable lichens will be tested. If low light limits success of establishment or/and extends the generation time, an open forest structure will be beneficial for lichen s urvival. In sub-project 4) the distribution of vulnerable species along the vertical canopy gradient will be studied in old natural forests, as well as in spruce plantations. Such data is a prerequisite for making good estimations of population sizes nece ssary for developing appropriate logging strategies. The scientific knowledge generated by this project should be used to suggest improvements in the standards for sustainable forest management designed by Living Forest. An international, as well as a national network, between experienced scientists in ecology, physiology, molecular biology and forest management secures a high scientific quality of the project. The Norwgian Forest owners federation will contribute as a financial partner. The forest ma nagement will be consultants and discussion partners regarding forestry. They represent the knowledge base on forest practise and which methods are realistic to apply to forestry.