2.2 Numerical classification and characterization of the regional woodland types

Transcription

1 Supporting Information Supporting Information 1: Species distribution model Supporting Information 2: Fine-scale Ecological niche analysis 2.1 Phytosociological table 2.2 Numerical classification and characterization of the regional woodland types 2.3 Regional woodland types, tree species compositions and ecological site classification (ESC) by plant indicator species 2.4 Correlation of tree to woodland types and correlation of tree species to substrate type and water soil regime 2.5 Ordination (DCA) Supporting Information 3: Tree ring analysis

2 Supporting Information 1: Species distribution model Table 5 Species name, number of plots and prevalence of data (proportion of presence in the entire data set) used for the species distribution model. Quality measures: percent correctly classified [PCC], sensitivity, specificity, Kappa value, and area under the receiver operating curve [AUC] derived from 100 times 70:30 datasplitting. Weaker models with presence rates < 0.1 or Kappa < 0.15 or AUC < 0.7 are in grey. Sorted by decreasing favourability 2070 as in table 3. Species name No of plots Prevalence PCC Sensitivity Specificity Kappa AUC Acer campestre Ulmus minor Sorbus torminalis Sorbus aria Quercus petraea Carpinus betulus Tilia platyphyllos Prunus avium Quercus robur Fagus sylvatica Fraxinus excelsior Populus tremula Acer pseudoplatanus Tilia cordata Betula pendula Pinus sylvestris Acer platanoides Larix decidua

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4 Fig. 7 Maps of the model output

5 Supporting Information 2.1: The regional woodland types of the strict forest reserves of the Franconian plateau (9 Eschenschlag, 131 Dianensruhe, 132 Dachsbau, 134 Deutschholz, 135 Wildacker, 152 Zwerchstück, 159 Waldkugel) I Moderate xerophilous type 1 (1-9): Galio-Carpinetum primuletosum veris (GCp) I-II semi-mesophilous to II Mesophilous tpyes 2a (10-28): Galio-Carpinetum asaretosum (GCa 10-22; variant of Tanacetum corymbosum ; variant of Polytrichum formosum ), subcontinental Galio sylvatici-carpinenion betuli Galio-Carpinetum luzuletosum (GCl 23-28) 2b (29-36): Hordelymo-Fagetum lathyretosum (HF 29-32) and Galio odorati-fagetum polytrichetosum (GF 33-36) Fagion sylvaticae 2c (37-44): Stellario-Carpinetum typicum (SCt 37-41), and stachyetosum (SCs 42-44) subatlantic Pulmonario-Carpinenion betuli II-III Hygro-mesophilous type 3a (45-51): Adoxo-Aceretum (AA 45) ravine forest (Lunario-Acerenion pseudoplatani) III Hygrophilous type 3b (46-51): Pruno-Fraxinetum allietosum (PF 46-51) freshwater swamp forest (Alno-Ulmion) Type 1 2a 2b 2c 3a 3b S/N (serial number) plot ID (reserve number_relevé number) 131_2 131_8 131_4 131_9 131_5 131_7 131_6 131_3 131_1 131_11 131_10 131_12 131_13 131_14 131_15 131_A _16 132_7 132_3 132_5 132_2 Relevé area (m 2 ) date of investigation Altitude a.s.l. (m) Cover tree layer 1 (%) Cover tree layer 2 (%) Cover shrub layer (%) Cover field layer (%) Cover moss layer (%) species number Ellenberg light value 4,6 4,4 4,7 4,6 5,2 4,6 5,0 4,7 5,0 4,5 4,4 4,4 4,5 4,4 4,5 4,4 4,5 4,8 4,8 4,4 4,6 4,7 4,8 4,9 4,7 4,6 5,0 4,3 4,5 4,2 4,3 4,2 4,3 4,4 4,1 4,0 4,8 4,4 4,4 4,4 4,3 4,5 4,3 4,4 4,4 4,8 4,9 4,8 4,6 4,6 4,7 Ellenberg temperature value 5,7 5,9 5,6 5,7 5,7 5,8 5,5 5,6 5,8 5,7 5,7 5,7 5,3 5,5 5,5 5,1 5,4 5,3 5,1 5,0 5,2 4,9 5,2 4,7 5,3 5,0 5,1 5,3 5,4 5,5 5,5 5,5 5,6 5,2 4,9 5,1 5,5 5,7 5,5 5,4 5,6 5,6 5,2 5,3 5,2 5,0 5,4 5,3 5,3 5,3 5,3 Ellenberg contentality value 3,7 3,5 3,5 3,5 3,7 3,4 3,6 3,5 3,8 3,5 3,4 3,6 3,7 3,5 3,4 3,8 3,4 4,0 3,8 3,7 3,9 3,7 3,9 3,9 3,3 3,5 3,8 3,3 3,5 3,4 3,8 3,4 3,4 3,5 3,3 3,3 3,7 3,5 3,5 3,2 3,3 3,6 3,5 3,4 3,8 3,7 3,8 3,9 3,7 3,9 3,9 Ellenberg soil moisture value 4,7 4,7 4,8 4,8 4,5 4,8 4,7 4,7 4,5 4,7 4,8 4,8 4,9 4,9 5,0 5,0 5,1 5,0 5,0 5,2 5,1 5,3 4,8 4,8 4,9 4,9 5,0 4,9 5,1 5,0 5,0 5,1 5,0 5,2 5,3 5,3 5,0 5,0 5,0 5,0 5,0 5,1 5,1 5,1 5,5 5,9 5,9 5,4 5,6 5,6 5,7 Ellenberg soil reaction value 6,6 6,8 6,8 6,5 6,9 6,8 6,5 6,5 6,9 6,6 6,3 5,7 6,0 6,0 6,0 5,7 5,2 6,5 6,1 5,9 5,9 5,8 5,0 4,1 4,8 4,7 5,2 4,5 6,1 6,2 6,4 6,0 6,5 5,9 4,9 5,1 6,4 6,7 6,3 5,0 5,5 6,7 6,4 6,1 6,8 6,0 6,1 6,1 6,4 6,5 6,4 Ellenberg nutrient value 4,9 5,0 5,1 5,1 4,4 5,1 4,8 4,7 4,5 4,7 5,0 4,5 4,9 4,7 5,2 4,8 4,5 5,3 5,4 5,5 5,1 5,4 4,1 4,3 3,9 4,3 4,9 4,3 5,4 5,3 5,1 5,0 5,6 5,8 5,3 5,7 5,8 5,4 5,4 5,5 5,0 5,8 6,2 5,9 6,4 5,5 5,9 5,8 6,0 5,8 6,1 site diagnosis trees Carpinus betulus T b. 2b b 2a Carpinus betulus T b a a 2a 3 2a b... Carpinus betulus H,S 2, , r.. 1,1 1, Quercus petraea T1, T , b 2b. 2a a 1. 2a. +. 2b 5 5 2a a 2a Quercus petraea F, S m 2m +. 2b m 1 2m 1,+ 1 2a 2, Acer campestre T r. 2b Acer campestre T a Acer campestre F, S , ,+. +, , a 1 +,+. Fagus sylvatica T r a 2b 2b.. + 2a Fagus sylvatica T a 1 3 2a 1 2a 2a.. 2a Fagus sylvatica F m 1 1 2m Fagus sylvatica S a 1 2m 2a a Tilia cordata T r... 2a a. 2a 2a a a 2b 4 2b 4 Tilia cordata T b. 3b... Tilia cordata F Tilia cordata S a m +. 2a. + 2a 2b. Tilia platyphyllos T1, T , ,1 2,2. 2, Tilia platyphyllos F, S , , Acer platanoides T1, T , Acer platanoides F, S r ,+ +, Sorbus torminalis T1, T Sorbus torminalis F, S Acer pseudoplatanus T1, T b a Acer pseudoplatanus F m 2b m 2m Acer pseudoplatanus S a b 2b _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

6 Type 1 2a 2b 2c 3a 3b S/N (serial number) Fraxinus excelsior T a b 2a 4 3b. Fraxinus excelsior T a + 2a. + 2a. Fraxinus excelsior F a 2b 1 2m b Fraxinus excelsior S m a 2b... 2b. Quercus robur T a 3a 1 2b 4 Quercus robur F Quercus robur x petraea T a Populus tremula T a Populus tremula F, S , Prunus avium T Prunus avium F, S , Larix decidua T b Pinus sylvestris T Prunus padus F Sorbus aucuparia F Ulmus minor T D ass (GC): Galium sylvaticum Carex montana m Calamagrostis arundinacea a 2b 1 2b b Hieracium sylvaticum Avenella flexuosa Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus M a 2m Poa nemoralis m Crataegus monogyna agg. F Crataegus monogyna agg. S Phyteuma spicatum Corylus avellana T a Corylus avellana F, S a... +, a d moderate xerophilous (GCp) Sorbus aria T1 + +, Sorbus aria F, S Primula veris Buglossoides purpurocaerulea Arabis brassica Viola mirabilis Vincetoxicum hirundinaria r Rosa arvensis F, S Pimpinella major agg Thalictrum minus Euphorbia cyparissias Anthericum ramosum Muscari botryoides d subass (GCp) + variant Tanacetum corymbosum Mercurialis perennis Anemone ranunculoides Festuca heterophylla Fragaria viridis

7 Type 1 2a 2b 2c 3a 3b S/N (serial number) calcareous/very base rich Lathyrus vernus r Lamiastrum galeobdolon b 1 2a 2b 2a 2b 2b a. 2b a +.. 2m 2b 2b 2b 1.. 2b Ranunculus auricomus agg r Asarum europaeum a +. 2m b 2a a 25 Hepatica nobilis m.. 2m Polygonatum multiflorum r Carex digitata Bromus ramosus Hedera helix m Daphne mezereum F, S decalcified silt loam surface Polytrichum formosum M r 2m 2m Atrichum undulatum M m + 2m Luzula luzuloides m 2m Luzula pilosa r Carex umbrosa a Plagiochila asplenioides M Lathyrus linifolius Betula pendula T1, T b 2a 2a.... 2a Cirriphyllum piliferum M m Melampyrum pratense agg Plagiomnium affine M m D 4-5 (SC, AA, PF) Geranium robertianum a Sambucus nigra F, S a Primula elatior Oxalis acetosella a a Impatiens noli-tangere r.... 2m moist and fertile Circaea lutetiana m. 1 2b a 9 Geum urbanum Stachys sylvatica Euonymus europaea F, S Plagiomnium undulatum M a b.. 5 Urtica dioica m Arum maculatum Galium aparine agg D 5 (PF) Ranunculus lanuginosus r a + + 3a + 8 Allium ursinum a 5 5 Paris quadrifolia Carex brizoides a + 2a 5 Cardamine flexuosa Crepis paludosa Valeriana officinalis Rubus caesius F a.. 3a. 2 Filipendula ulmaria a

8 Type 1 2a 2b 2c 3a 3b S/N (serial number) alliance Dactylis polygama a Stellaria holostea m m Vinca minor b a 4.. 2a Potentilla sterilis a... 1 order, class Anemone nemorosa r r Convallaria majalis m 2m 2m m 3 1 2m 1 2a m Milium effusum m m 2m Melica uniflora b a 2m m Viola reichenbachiana b Brachypodium sylvaticum a Crataegus laevigata agg. T Crataegus laevigata agg. F r Crataegus laevigata agg. S r. 2a Carex sylvatica a m Melica nutans a Neottia nidus-avis r Galium odoratum Epipactis helleborine r Dryopteris filix-mas Lilium martagon Lonicera xylosteum F, S Campanula persicifolia Viola riviniana Campanula trachelium Carex remota Prunus spinosa F Scrophularia nodosa Cornus sanguinea F, S Rosa sp. F, S Sanicula europaea Aconitum vulparia b 1 Actaea spicata Aruncus dioicus Epipactis purpurata Euphorbia amygdaloides Rhamnus catharticus F Viburnum lantana S companion species Vicia sepium Maianthemum bifolium m Dryopteris carthusiana Ajuga reptans r 2m Fragaria vesca Athyrium filix-femina r r Alliaria petiolata b Festuca ovina agg Aegopodium podagraria m a Galeopsis sp Galeopsis tetrahit Deschampsia cespitosa Rubus idaeus F Hypericum hirsutum

9 Type 1 2a 2b 2c 3a 3b S/N (serial number) Polygonatum odoratum Mycelis muralis Impatiens parviflora Centaurea montana Valeriana wallrothii Agrostis stolonifera Arctium nemorosum Betonica officinalis Cardamine impatiens Carex acutiformis b Carex flacca Carex muricata divulsa Carex pendula b Dactylorhiza mac. fuchsii r Dryopteris dilatata Heracleum sphondylium Lysimachia nummularia Moehringia trinervia Monotropa hypopitys r Myosotis sylvatica Poa chaixii Ranunculus nemorosus Rubus fruticosus agg. F Rumex crispus Scrophularia umbrosa Senecio fuchsii Solidago virgaurea Taraxacum officinale agg Trifolium montanum Vicia cracca Vicia sylvatica mosses Eurhynchium striatum M m 3 2b 4 2b a 2a... 2a 23 Brachythecium rutabulum M m b Fissidens taxifolius M Hypnum cupressiforme M Thuidium tamariscinum M a b.. 15 Scleropodium purum M Isothecium alopecuroides M Brachythecium velutinum M Hylocomium splendens M Eurhynchium swartzii M b Dicranum scoparium M Pleurozium schreberi M Dicranum montanum M Eurhynchium praelongum M Fissidens bryoides M Leucob. glaucum+ juniperoid. M Plagiochila porelloides M Plagiomnium rostratum M Plagiomnium sp. M Plagiothecium curvifolium M r

10 Supporting Information 2.2 Numerical classification and characterization of the regional woodland types Fig. 8 Dendrogram showing hierarchical clustering (superordinate groups to subunits) of the 51 vegetation plots of deciduous woodland of central Europe (Fagetalia sylvaticae) according to Ward's method with Euclidean distance

11 Table 6 Verification of the classification system by Indicator Species Analysis (ISA; Dufrêne & Legendre 1997). Only ISA indicator species with high fidelity and significance (p< 0.05) were considered. Fidelity measure: Difference between the observed indicator value (IV o ) and the indicator value from randomized groups (IV r ) according to IV o - IV r >2 * IV r IV from Observed randomized Indicator groups species Maxgrp Value (IV) Mean S.Dev p* I Moderate xerophilous and I-II Semi-mesophilous (calcareous) Sorbus aria Primula veris Buglossoides purp Tanacetum corymbosum Anemone ranunculoi Arabis brassica Vincetoxicum hirund Tilia platyphyllos Mercurialis perennis Rosa arvensis Viola mirabilis Festuca heterophylla Piminella major Thalictrum minus Euphorbia cyparr Muscari botryoides Anthericum ramosum II Mesophilous types (loamy, decalcified) Galio-Carpinetum asaretosum and luzuletosum Calamagrostis arund. 2a Luzula luzuloides 2a Polytrichum formosum 2a Lathyrus linifolius 2a Plagiochlia asplen. 2a Galio odorati- and Hordelymo-Fagetum Carex umbrosa 2b Stellario-Carpinetum Oxalis acetosella 2c II-III Hygro-mesophilous and III Hygrophilous types Adoxo-Aceretum and Pruno-Fraxinetum Ranunculus lanugin Allium ursinum Paris quadrifolia Carex brizoides Cardamine flexuosa Fraxinus excelsior Quercus robur Circaea lutetiana Valeriana officinalis Crepis paludosa Stachys sylvatica Geranium robertian Galium aparine Plagiothecium undul Urtica dioica *proportion of randomized trials with indicator value equal to or exceeding the observed indicator value. p = (1 + number of runs >= observed)/(1 + number of randomized runs), Maxgrp = Group identifier for group with maximum observed IV Randomization test for sum of IVmax = observed sum of IVmax across all species 0 = number of randomization runs with sum of IVmax >= observed value 9999 = number of randomization runs = p

12 Supporting Information 2.3 Regional woodland types, tree species compositions and ecological site classification (ESC) by plant indicator species Most of the 51 reléves were assigned to oak-hornbeam forests (n = 36, i.e. 71 % of all relevés), while beech forests were rare (n = 8, i.e. 16 % of all relevés). Within the oakhornbeam forests (Carpinion betuli) we found two basic types, mainly the Galio-Carpinetum (GC, n = 28 relevés), secondarily the Stellario-Carpinetum (SC, n = 8 relevés). The ecological profile of the G.-C. was warmer and drier as well as lighter and more subcontinental. The infrequent occurrences of the Stellario-Carpinetum on slightly moist to moist silt loam soils indicated towards shadier and more subatlantic conditions. Highly nutrient rich (EIV-mN = 5.9) silt loam and clay soils in hollows and valleys were identified as mixed ash-dominated woodland including the Adoxo-Aceretum on moist colluvia at the foot of slope (EIV-F 5.5) and the Pruno-Fraxinetum on periodically wet Gley-soils (EIV-mF = 5.7). Concerning beech forests (with at least 50 % beech cover in tree layer 1 and 2) we identified two mesophilous types, namely the Hordelymo-Fagetum lathyretosum on calcareous loam over Muschelkalk (EIV-mF 5.0; EIV-mR 6.2), and the Galio-Fagetum polytrichetosum on slightly moist to moist sites with a thicker decalcified loamy top layer (EIV-mF 5.2; EIV-mR 5.6). Type 1 Galio-Carpinetum primuletosum veris (GCp) The tree layer of this semi-thermophilous and moderately xerophilous oak-hornbeam forest was co-dominated by Carpinus betulus, Acer campestre, Quercus petraea and Tilia platyphyllos, further broadleaved tree species like Sorbus torminalis, S. aria and Tilia cordata were admixed. It was limited to dry Calcaric Skeletic Cambisol (Rendzina-Terra fusca) on limestone plateaus of Lower Muschelkalk. The most important plant indicator species according to Ewald (2007) belong to moderately thermophilous plant indicator groups mainly found on very dry (I) and dry sites (II) with F-Mull (4; on slightly acid soils) to L-Mull (5; on base-rich soils [5a] to calcareous [5b] soils). These include Anthericum ramosum (I.4-5), Arabis brassica (I.4-5), Euphorbia cyparissias (I.4-5), Lithospermum purpurocaeruleum (I.5), Primula veris (II.5b), Tanacetum corymbosum (I.5), Vincetoxicum hirundinaria (I.5) and Viola mirabilis (II.5a). Phytosociologically speaking, some of these species are transgressive helio-thermophilous taxa of tall-herb fringe communities (Trifolio-Geranietea) and therefore indicated a certain tendency to xerothermophilous submediterranean-subcontinental Quercetalia pubescentis woodlands (Härdtle et al. 2004).

13 Type 2a Mesophilous subtypes of Galio-Carpinetum (GC) The tree layer was co-dominated by Carpinus betulus and Quercus petraea. A lot of secondary tree species like Fagus sylvatica, Acer campestre, A. pseudoplatanus, Tilia platyphyllos, T. cordata and pioneer tree species like Betula pendula were also present. Species like Galium sylvaticum, Calamagrostis arundinacea, Avenella flexuosa, Poa nemoralis, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus and shrubs like Crataegus monogyna indicate relatively high light availability at the forest floor as compared to the other two mesophilous types (2b, 2c). Perfectly smooth transitions to beech forests (Hordelymo-Fagetum lathyretosum, variant of Convallaria majalis), caused by increasing proportion of beech versus decreasing proportion of sessile oak in tree layer suggest that at least some appearances were of anthropogenic origin, caused by former utilization (coppices with standards), and progressing towards beech forests after abandonment (Michiels 1996, Hofmann 1964/65). The ground vegetation was characterized by the dominance of plant indicator species of slightly moist sites (water balance digit code II), preferring loamy soils with a balanced water regime, and normally only low abundances of plant indicator species for very dry sites (I) and for moist (III). The somewhat drier (calcareous) sites were indicated by the variant of Tanacetum corymbosum, transitioning to type 1. Depending on the thickness of a decalcified silt loam surface and the depth to free carbonates the semi-mesophilous to mesophilous subtypes comprised a broad range of different sub-units reaching from fully base-saturated soils (Lmull humus; indicated by Lamiastrum galeobdolon (II.4), Lathyrus vernus [II.5a], Hepatica nobilis [II.5b] and Ranuculus auricomus [III.4b]) to leached and decalcified soils (moder humus; indicated by Polytrichum formosum [II.2a], Luzula luzuloides [II.2b], L. pilosa [II.3a] and absence of lime-indicators). Type 2b Hordelymo Fagetum (HF) and Galio odorati-fagetum (GF) The species compositions of the mesophilous beech forests were very similar to those of the oak hornbeam forests. Besides beech as the dominant canopy species, only Carex umbrosa indicated some focus in this type (ISA indicator analysis, Supplementary Material 2.2 / Tab. 6). Carex umbrosa has to be interpreted as a mesophilous species of superficially decalcified forest soils with mullmoder (group II.3a), capable of tolerating shadow and relatively recalcitrant leaf litter of beech (Koojman and Cammeraat 2010). As a result it occured not only in mesophilous oak-hornbeam, but also in mesophilous beech forests (vegetation table in Supplementary Material 2.1). On the basis of the reléves we identified a basiphilic subtype (Hordelymo-Fagetum lathyretosum, variant of Convallaria majalis) on well-drained, slightly

14 moist silt loam over calcareous loam (carbonates within a depth of cm) and a mesotrophic subtype including acidophilic indicators (Galio-Fagetum polytrichetosum). Type 2c Stellario-Carpinetum (SC) The tree layer of the mesophilous Stellario-Carpinetum was dominated by Carpinus betulus and Quercus petraea, while Fagus sylvatica was admixed. The ground vegetation consisted of basiphilic indicator species of group II.4, II.5a,b, and III.4b. We distinguished a subtype which was very similar to the Hordelymo-Fagetum beech forest (HF) and a subtype of Stachys sylvatica (= SC stachyetosum sylvaticae) transitioning to the moist ash forests (AA and PF). Oxalis acetosella as a desiccation-sensitive and shade-adapted species of cool-humid montane forests (Schulze 1972) was obviously restricted to forest sites with balanced humidity level (north- to east-facing lower slopes and valley bottoms). In our regional data it was admittedly mainly found in the Stellario-Carpinetum (ISA indicator analysis, Supplementary Material 2.2, table 6), but it can be assumed that Oxalis as a fully shadeadapted indicator species for acidic moder humus forms (III.2) would rather be facilitated than displaced in case of increasing beech dominance over the coming decades of abandonment (cf. Blosat and Schmidt 1975 for the Lower Eichsfeld region). The subtype of Stachys sylvatica was differentiated by highly (0.1) and a little less nitrophilous plants (0.2), e.g. Geum urbanum (0.2), Urtica dioca (0.1) and Galium aparine (0.1) and by indicators of moist sites (III) with F-Mull (4a fertile slightly moist to moist soils; 4b fertile silt and clay soils, slightly moist to moist in early spring, periodically dry in summer) like Arum maculatum (III.4b), Circaea lutetiana (III.4a), and Stachys sylvatica (III.4a). Type 3a Adoxo-Aceretum (AA) and 3b Pruno-Fraxinetum (PF) The hygro-mesophilous Adoxo-Aceretum was separated by a deviating tree species composition (replacement of Quercus and Carpinus by co-dominant Acer pseudoplatanus and Fraxinus exelsior). It was found on moist and eutrophic, heavy clay soils of the lower slopes influenced by the lateral flow of calcareous groundwater. Periodically wet bottomland soil (Calcaric Gleysols) were occupied by the Pruno-Fraxinetum allietosum. The tree layer of this hygrophilous alluvial type was dominated by Fraxinus excelsior, Quercus robur, and Tilia cordata, further broadleaved tree species like Carpinus betulus and Acer campestre were admixed. Hence it is also reminiscent of the neighbouring Stellario-Carpinetum stachyetosum sylvaticae. The ground vegetation was characterized by distinctive co-occurrences of indicator plant species of moist (IV) to wet (V) sites like Carex brizoides (IV.2-3), Cardamine flexuosa

15 (IV.3-4), Valeriana officinalis (V.3-4), Filipendula ulmaria (V.3-4), Crepis paludosa (V.4-5) and indicators for very fertile soils with L-Mull, very rich in nitrate like Allium ursinum (III.5) and Ranunculus lanuginosus (III.5). Profiting from canopy openings (increased storm risk) or even from obliquely incoming light of adjacent forest fringes, several partial shade-tolerant nitrophytes like Galium aparine (0.2), Geranium robertianum (0.2), Geum urbanum (0.2), Rubus caesius (0.2) and Urtica dioica (0.1) appeared to be specifically abundant and frequent. These plant indicator species groups (phytosociologically classified as hygro-nitrophilous Galio-Urticenea-species, Oberdorfer 1983) represent a perfect contrast to the equally lightdemanding, but thermophilous and non-nitrophilous Trifolio-Geranietea indicator species of type 1. References Blosat P, Schmidt W (1975) Laubwaldgesellschaften im Unteren Eichsfeld. Mitt flor soz Arbeitsgem 18: Ewald J (2007) Beurteilung von Waldstandorten und Waldgesellschaften mit Zeigerarten- Ökogrammen. Tuexenia 27:7-18 Hofmann W (1964/65) Laubwaldgesellschaften der Fränkischen Platte. - Eine vegetationskundliche, pflanzengeografische und bodenkundliche Untersuchung. Abh. Naturwiss. Ver. Würzburg 5/6:1-195 Kooijman AM, Cammeraat E (2010) Biological control of beech and hornbeam affects species richness via changes in the organic layer, ph and soil moisture characteristics. Funct Ecol 24: Michiels HG (1996) Standort und Vegetation ausgewählter Eichen-Naturwaldreservate in Bayern. In: Kölbel M, Albrecht L (eds): Beiträge zu Eichen-Naturwaldreservaten in Bayern. Schriftenr Naturwaldreserv Bayern 3:19-54 Schulze ED (1972) Die Wirkung von Licht und Temperatur auf den CO2-Gaswechsel verschiedener Lebensformen aus der Krautschicht eines montanen Buchenwaldes. Oecologia 9:

16 2.4 Correlation of tree to woodland types and correlation of tree species to substrate type and water soil regime Table 7 Indicator Species Analysis (Dufrêne & Legendre 1997) concerning indicator values (% of perfect indication, based on combining the values for relative abundance and relative frequency) and significance of the tree species for the given forest groups (9999 permutations). GCp = Galio-Carpinetum primuletosum veris, GC = Galio-Carpinetum asaretosum + luzuletosum, SC = Stellario-Carpinetum, GF/HF = Galio odorati- /Hordelymo- Fagetum, AA/PF = Adoxo-Aceretum, PF = Pruno-Fraxinetum GCp GC SC GF/HF AA/PF (n =9) (n =19) (n =8) (n =8) (n =7) p Type I: Tilia platyphyllos *** Sorbus aria *** Acer campestre (+III) * Sorbus torminalis Type I-II: Carpinus betulus *** Quercus petraea ** Type II: Fagus sylvatica *** Acer pseudoplatanus ** Acer platanoides sub-type heliophilous: Betula pendula * Type III: Fraxinus excelsior *** Quercus robur *** Tilia cordata (+ II) *

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18 Fig. 9 Tree species abundance/dominance correlated to soil moisture regime according to the Bavarian forest site mapping classification (0 = very dry/xeric [trocken], 1 = dry/xeric to ustic [mäßig trocken], 2 = damp/ustic [mäßig frisch], 4 = moist/udic [sehr frisch], 7 = periodically wet/aquic [wechselfeucht bis ganzjährig feucht]). The determination of statistically significant differences between the groups was performed by the nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis H-test

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20 Fig. 10 Tree species abundance/dominance correlated to soil substrate type according to the Bavarian forest site mapping classification (0 = humus-carbonate soil, 3 = silt loam [Feinlehm], 4 = calcareous loam, mild clay loam [Kalkverwitterungslehm], 5 = heavy cracking clay, 8 = superficial silt loam stratum [Schichtlehm]. The determination of statistically significant differences between the groups was performed by the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis H-test

21 Fig. 11 Hygrotope, expressed by soil moisture regime based on the Bavarian forest site mapping classification (Walentowski et al. 2013) and assigned to international classification categories (USDA 1999, FAO 2006), and calculated unweighted mean Ellenberg Indicator values of soil moisture (mf) for the given forest types. References FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) (2006) Guidelines for soil description. 4th ed. Rome USDA (United States Department of Agriculture Soil Survey Staff) (1999) Soil taxonomy, a basic system of soil classification for making and interpreting soil surveys. 2nd ed. Agricultural Handbook 436, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington DC Walentowski H, Ewald J, Fischer A, Kölling C, Türk W (2013) Handbuch der natürlichen Waldgesellschaften Bayerns. 3rd ed. Geobotanica, Freising

22 2.5 Ordination (DCA) Table 8 Coefficient of determination (r 2 ) of the regression between relative Euclidean distance in the ordination space and relative Euclidean distance the original species frequency space (McCune and Grace 2002). DCA-axis r 2 cumulative r Different types of species responses (according to Dierschke 1994) based on DCA graphs of tree species related overlays from main matrix Type I: UNIMODAL Tilia platyphyllos type (moderately xerophilous) Fairly narrow realized niche breath: Ecological existence and ecological optimum distinctly shifted towards warm and dry sites Tilia platyphyllos

23 Sorbus aria Sorbus torminalis

24 Transition Type I II (semi-mesophilous) Moderately broad realized niche breath: Ecological existence and ecological optimum slightly shifted towards aridity (dry to slightly moist) Quercus petraea

25 Carpinus betulus

26 TYPE II: UNIMODAL Fagus sylvatica type (mesophilous) Broad realized niche breath / high competitive strength: ecological existence and ecological optimum largely conform with the physiological existence and physiological optimum Fagus sylvatica

27 Acer platanoides Acer pseudoplatanus

28 Type III: UNIMODAL Fraxinus excelsior type (hygrophilous) Fairly narrow realized niche breath: Ecological existence and ecological optimum shifted towards heavy, moist soils. Modification (I) / III: As proved for Quercus robur by HOFMANN (1964/65) these tree species may even have some marginal and small-scale occurrences at xero-thermophilous sites in brushwoods (Potentillo albae-quercetum petraeae Libbert 1933) Quercus robur

29 Fraxinus excelsior Tilia cordata

30 Type I / III: BIMODAL Acer campestre type (moderate xerophilous and hygrophilous) Moderately broad realized niche breath: bimodal distribution between dry sites (with its ecological optimum), and heavy, moist soils (with far lower growth capacity) Acer campestre

31 Type h: UNIMODAL Betula pendula type (heliophilous) Fairly narrow realized niche breath depending on high light availability (Axis 2) as a basic requirement for rapid growth of seed-bearing trees (at the age of years at open positions). Only thus in combination with effective mechanisms of longdistance seed-dispersal by wind and birds will ensure the essential high spreading rate. Betula pendula

32 Larix decidua

33 Supporting Information 3: Tree ring analysis Table 9 Significance levels of the Superposed Epoch Analysis. Values lower than 0.05 indicate a significant decline in growth within the investigated drought years 1947, 1976, and 2003 and are in bold print. species Q. petraea F. sylvatica A. campestre A. platanoides S. torminalis drought year Castell (Alter See) Castell (Schwanenberg) Gräfendorf (Brombusch) Gräfendorf (Kleinemass) Gräfendorf (Lindenfürst) Karlstadt Markt Zellingen Rimpar Sailershausen Schonungen Schweinfurt Waldbrunn