We’re sorry, but GBIF doesn’t work properly without JavaScript enabled.
Our website has detected that you are using an outdated insecure browser that will prevent you from using the site. We suggest you upgrade to a modern browser.
{{nav.loginGreeting}}
  • Get data
      • Occurrences
      • GBIF API
      • Species
      • Datasets
      • Trends
  • How-to
    • Share data

      • Quick-start guide
      • Dataset classes
      • Data hosting
      • Standards
      • Become a publisher
      • Data quality
      • Data papers
    • Use data

      • Featured data use
      • Citation guidelines
      • GBIF citations
      • Citation widget
  • Tools
    • Publishing

      • IPT
      • Data validator
      • Scientific Collections
      • Suggest a dataset
    • Data access and use

      • Hosted portals
      • Data processing
      • Derived datasets
      • rgbif
      • pygbif
      • MAXENT
      • Tools catalogue
    • GBIF labs

      • Species matching
      • Name parser
      • Sequence ID
      • Relative observation trends
      • GBIF data blog
  • Community
    • Network

      • Participant network
      • Nodes
      • Publishers
      • Network contacts
      • Community forum
      • alliance for biodiversity knowledge
    • Volunteers

      • Mentors
      • Ambassadors
      • Translators
      • Citizen scientists
    • Activities

      • Capacity enhancement
      • Programmes & projects
      • Training and learning resources
      • Data Use Club
      • Living Atlases
  • About
    • Inside GBIF

      • What is GBIF?
      • Become a member
      • Governance
      • Funders
      • Partnerships
      • Release notes
      • Implementation plan
      • Contacts
    • News & outreach

      • News
      • Newsletters and lists
      • Events
      • Ebbe Nielsen Challenge
      • Young Researchers Award
      • Science Review
  • User profile

Vascular plants in power line clearings and the nearby forest, southeast Norway

Citation

Eldegard K, Moe S, Steinert M (2019). Vascular plants in power line clearings and the nearby forest, southeast Norway. Version 1.8. Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). Sampling event dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/zyqy5s accessed via GBIF.org on 2022-07-05.

Description

Power line clearings are edge-creating disturbances in landscapes world-wide, but there have been few studies on their bordering vegetation. Our aim was to quantify edge effects on plant communities along such clearings in Norway and to identify factors that influence these edge effects.

We surveyed understorey plant communities on either side of the power line clearing–forest edge at 51 sites, along four parallel transects at each site. Each transect had four plots located, respectively, in the clearing centre, clearing edge, forest edge and forest. We quantified the magnitude of edge effects (MEE) on either side by comparing edges with their corresponding ‘non-edge’ reference habitats. We also measured differences in species composition across the edge (clearing edge vs. forest edge). Habitat characteristics were sampled at plot and site level and from digital maps. % cover of vascular plants were registered (see Eldegard et al 2015 for description of study design and methods).

Differences in species composition were greater between clearing centres and clearing edges than between forests and forest edges. Differences in species composition across the edge increased with edge contrast and forest productivity. Edge effects on species composition into the forest were smallest along north-facing edges, whereas those in the clearings increased with power line age.

Species richness increased slightly towards the edge in forests but decreased considerably towards the edge in clearings. The direction and MEE on either side differed among functional groups. Edge contrast and edge aspect were the prime factors influencing the MEE into forests, whereas in clearings, these were influenced principally by tree regrowth in the clearings and by forest productivity.

Synthesis and applications. Edge effects on plant communities bordering power line clearings were determined by factors that can be influenced by planners and managers. For existing power lines, management plans should differentiate between the following: (i) clearings through high conservation value forests, where edge effects into the adjacent forest should be limited; (ii) clearings that can act as replacement habitat for cultural landscape species, where maintaining open-canopy habitats should be prioritized; and (iii) ‘business-as-usual’ clearings, where continuing the current practice of cutting every 5–10 years is recommended.

Taxonomic Coverages

Geographic Coverages

Bibliographic Citations

  1. Eldegard, K., Totland, Ø. and Moe, S. R. (2015), Edge effects on plant communities along power line clearings. J Appl Ecol, 52: 871–880. -

Contacts

Katrine Eldegard
originator
Ås
NO
email: katrine.eldegard@nmbu.no
homepage: https://www.nmbu.no/
Stein Moe
originator
NO
email: stein.moe@nmbu.no
homepage: http://www.nmbu.no
Mari Steinert
metadata author
Ås
NO
email: mari.steinert@nmbu.no
homepage: https://www.nmbu.no/
Katrine Eldegard
author
NMBU
Ås
NO
email: katrine.eldegard@nmbu.no
homepage: https://www.nmbu.no/
Stein R. Moe
author
NMBU
Ås
NO
email: stein.moe@nmbu.no
homepage: https://www.nmbu.no/
Ørjan Totland
author
UiB
Bergen
NO
email: Orjan.Totland@uib.no
homepage: https://www.uib.no/
Katrine Eldegard
administrative point of contact
Ås
NO
email: katrine.eldegard@nmbu.no
homepage: https://www.nmbu.no/
What is GBIF? API FAQ Newsletter Privacy Terms and agreements Citation Code of Conduct Acknowledgements
Contact GBIF Secretariat Universitetsparken 15 DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø Denmark