Riparian forests along small streams on managed forest land in Sweden

ABSTRACT

This study investigated characteristics of riparian forests on managed forest land in Sweden. Forest and site characteristics were inventoried at three sites, located along a south to north gradient, in 139 transects placed perpendicular to 38 stream reaches (<10 m wide), in forests representing the age classes 0–25, 26–75 and >75 years. Starting from the stream edge, the 30 m long transects were divided into three zones: 0–5, 5–15 and 15–30 m. The stem volumes of Pinus sylvestris L., Picea abies (L.) H. Karst, Betula spp. and broadleaved trees, the basal area share of Alnus spp., the stem density, and Sphagnum spp. coverage all showed an effect of zone (p < 0.05). The 0–5 m zone had the lowest volume of P. sylvestris and the highest volumes of P. abies, Betula spp. and broadleaved trees as well as the highest total stem density and basal area share of Alnus spp. Some characteristics of the northernmost site tended to differ from the two sites located in south-central Sweden. Knowledge of the characteristics of riparian forests as found in this study could aid long-term forestry planning and improve precision in the preservation and development of riparian forests with certain qualities.

KEYWORDS:

• Boreal
• buffer
• conifer
• forestry
• protection
• water

Acknowledgements

The field inventories were meticulously carried out by Hanna Nilsson and Michael Krook assisted by Sima Mohtashami for preparation of map data. The statistical analyses were carried out using SAS software. Copyright, SAS Institute Inc. SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

E. Ring http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8962-9811

G. Jansson http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3018-9161

L. Högbom http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6914-2897

J. Sonesson http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2018-7496

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Swedish Forest Society Foundation [grant 1314-125/165-9] and the contributions made by E. Ring and J. Sonesson were supported by the research programme Future Forests, a multi-disciplinary research programme supported by the Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, the Swedish Forestry, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå University and Skogforsk.