Fungi and bryophytes of grazed forests

Grazed forests compose important part of Finnish forest biodiversity. Traditionally, majority of forests in southern Finland were grazed by cattle, sheep and horses. Currently these habitats are extremely threatened: in the latest assessment all grazed forests and pastures were included in the Red List of habitat types and categorized as endangered or critically endangered. Many species inhabiting these traditional biotopes are deficiently known.

Grazed forest habitat types are classified as endangered, as well as many of the species inhabiting them. Photo: Kaisa Mustola

In this project we will study fungi and bryophytes in three threatened grazed forest types. For instance, we study if the length of grazing history or the current grazing intensity affects the communities of these species groups. On one hand, we aim to identify those species that are the most vulnerable to diminishing grazing pressure. On the other hand, we will find out which is the most important grazed forest type for threatened species within the studied species groups. The results will enable more efficient targeting of the limited conservation and management efforts.

The project will stretch from 2010 to 2014, and the funding from the Ministry of the Environment will cover years 2012–2014. The research group is led by Panu Halme from the University of Jyväskylä. Other members of the research group are Minna-Maarit Kytöviita, Anna Mäkelä and Kaisa Mustola from the University of Jyväskylä and Kaisa Raatikainen from the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment in Central Finland.

Further information

Panu Halme, University of Jyväskylä, tel. +358 40 820 4799, panu.halme(at)jyu.fi