Analysis of forest structure for the interpretation of the relationships between biodiversity and humus forms

Abstract

The study area was located in the Adamello-Brenta Natural Park (Trento Province, North Italy). 48 plots were distributed according to a systematic sampling design and were located in two valleys, both on calcareous soils. The climate varied from submediterranean to subcontinental. The submontane belts were dominated by dry Beech woods and by Manna ashg Hop hornbeam woods, sometime planted with Scots pine or mixed with Spruce and Silver Fir coming from higher altitudes. In the montane level were widespread mull Beech woods. In the middle and upper montane belt, they give way to Silver Fir and, in the higher altitudes, to Spruce woods. Finally, mixed woods dominated by Maple and Ash are to be found in the shady slopes and ravines. After the surveys, we provided many indicators of naturalness and biodiversity, which are not usually measured during the planning process. They included number of «great» and habitat trees, the amount of fallen and standing dead wood, the cover of the different vegetation strata. The study of the other most important biometric parameters and of the naturalness and biodiversity indicators, together with the detection of the humus forms in a range of woodlands, gives way to the understanding of the relationships between them.