Dead wood in forests are essential habitat for a wide range of fungal, insects, lichens and bryophyte species. The main threat to dead wood dependent species is lack of substrate, which aggravates their ability to reach and colonize a new substrate. Inventories of woodland key habitats (WKHs) is a method to map forests with high biological value in Sweden, and these areas may benefit dead wood dependent species. The aim of this study was to compare spruce dominated WKHs with adjacent production spruce forests (APFs), regarding (1) log diversity, (2) log characteristics and (3) abundance of selected species on logs. The study was conducted in Östergötland County in Sweden, seven spruce WKHs (≥ 60% spruce) and seven APFs of three different types (two clear-cuts, two dominated by trees < 20 cm and three dominated by trees > 20 cm) were investigated. Data of eight wood dependent species (three bryophytes and five bracket fungi), log diversity, six log characteristics and two environmental factors were collected. In a total area of 4.27 ha, 210 logs (105 logs in WKH and APF each) were studied and the results show that there were significantly higher amount of coarse logs, distribution area of species, number of logs/ha, diameter, decay class and humidity inside WKHs compared with APFs. The total distribution area of species was approximately 85% larger in WKHs. Bark cover was slightly less in WKHs and sun exposure was significantly higher and humidity was lower in clear-cuts. According to the current study, WKHs are important for conservation of wood depending species due to the higher amount and diversity of coarse dead wood. Furthermore, it is necessary to put aside larger amount of coarse dead wood inside production forests, together with changed logging techniques to increase the suitable substrate for dead wood dependent species.

<p>A tool for management and conservation of valuable forests in Sweden are WKH:s. In this study WKH:s different in size, connectivity, amount of dead wood and quality of logs were investigated for species richness of bryophytes and brackets on coniferous logs. The aim was to clarify which scales and features that was important for the diversity of species as well as for individual species. The results showed that the amount of dead wood was most important on the site scale, and some species were affected at the landscape scale, a positive effect of valuable tracts. On the scale of individual logs, factors such as diameter, sun exposure, succession stage, contact with ground and ground bryophytes cover was most important. Red-listed species preferred logs with large diameter and late successional stages. The conclusion was that the quality of the substrate and the amount of dead wood was most important, but the amount of WKH:s on the landscape scale was also important for some species.</p>

<p>In 1994 a new Forestry Act was accepted in Sweden. One of the aims of the law is to raise consideration forpreservation of biodiversity. Since the new law got accepted and some time has passed, there now lie someinterest in examining whether the law has been effective towards its purpose. Methods suitable for analysishave been examined during this study. The content of this pilot study is based around five parameters whichcan be used to validate the effects of the new law. The field study were executed in Orsa, Dalarna, Sweden ina managed forest where last clearcut was performed after 1994. The work consisted of measuring theparameters specified and comparing the results to reference data from before 1994. The parameters benefit tothe preservation of biodiversity is discussed in the report aswell as the differences between the Forestry Actfrom 1994 and the previous one. The parameters examined in this study were standing dead wood, treespecies, thick big trees, trees with cavities/cavernous trees and smaller areas saved for preservation. All ofthese plus a few other variables are being considered in the 30 § of the Forestry Act of 1994. The reportimplied that the variables had a positive effect on the preservation of biodiversity, and possible to beinvestigated within the restrictions of this study, seemed to have increased. Due to the size of the forest beingsmall and reference data for some parameters missing or covering larger areas, one must be careful wheninterpreting the results.In 1994 a new Forestry Act was accepted in Sweden. One of the aims of the law is to raise consideration forpreservation of biodiversity. Since the new law got accepted and some time has passed, there now lie someinterest in examining whether the law has been effective towards its purpose. Methods suitable for analysishave been examined during this study. The content of this pilot study is based around five parameters whichcan be used to validate the effects of the new law. The field study were executed in Orsa, Dalarna, Sweden ina managed forest where last clearcut was performed after 1994. The work consisted of measuring theparameters specified and comparing the results to reference data from before 1994. The parameters benefit tothe preservation of biodiversity is discussed in the report aswell as the differences between the Forestry Actfrom 1994 and the previous one. The parameters examined in this study were standing dead wood, treespecies, thick big trees, trees with cavities/cavernous trees and smaller areas saved for preservation. All ofthese plus a few other variables are being considered in the 30 § of the Forestry Act of 1994. The reportimplied that the variables had a positive effect on the preservation of biodiversity, and possible to beinvestigated within the restrictions of this study, seemed to have increased. Due to the size of the forest beingsmall and reference data for some parameters missing or covering larger areas, one must be careful wheninterpreting the results.</p>

In 1994 a new Forestry Act was accepted in Sweden. One of the aims of the law is to raise consideration forpreservation of biodiversity. Since the new law got accepted and some time has passed, there now lie someinterest in examining whether the law has been effective towards its purpose. Methods suitable for analysishave been examined during this study. The content of this pilot study is based around five parameters whichcan be used to validate the effects of the new law. The field study were executed in Orsa, Dalarna, Sweden ina managed forest where last clearcut was performed after 1994. The work consisted of measuring theparameters specified and comparing the results to reference data from before 1994. The parameters benefit tothe preservation of biodiversity is discussed in the report aswell as the differences between the Forestry Actfrom 1994 and the previous one. The parameters examined in this study were standing dead wood, treespecies, thick big trees, trees with cavities/cavernous trees and smaller areas saved for preservation. All ofthese plus a few other variables are being considered in the 30 § of the Forestry Act of 1994. The reportimplied that the variables had a positive effect on the preservation of biodiversity, and possible to beinvestigated within the restrictions of this study, seemed to have increased. Due to the size of the forest beingsmall and reference data for some parameters missing or covering larger areas, one must be careful wheninterpreting the results.In 1994 a new Forestry Act was accepted in Sweden. One of the aims of the law is to raise consideration forpreservation of biodiversity. Since the new law got accepted and some time has passed, there now lie someinterest in examining whether the law has been effective towards its purpose. Methods suitable for analysishave been examined during this study. The content of this pilot study is based around five parameters whichcan be used to validate the effects of the new law. The field study were executed in Orsa, Dalarna, Sweden ina managed forest where last clearcut was performed after 1994. The work consisted of measuring theparameters specified and comparing the results to reference data from before 1994. The parameters benefit tothe preservation of biodiversity is discussed in the report aswell as the differences between the Forestry Actfrom 1994 and the previous one. The parameters examined in this study were standing dead wood, treespecies, thick big trees, trees with cavities/cavernous trees and smaller areas saved for preservation. All ofthese plus a few other variables are being considered in the 30 § of the Forestry Act of 1994. The reportimplied that the variables had a positive effect on the preservation of biodiversity, and possible to beinvestigated within the restrictions of this study, seemed to have increased. Due to the size of the forest beingsmall and reference data for some parameters missing or covering larger areas, one must be careful wheninterpreting the results.

I dag råder det brist på död ved i Sveriges skogar. Detta på grund av det intensiva skogsbruket där man kalhugger och plockar bort all liggande ved. Dock är det viktigt med många döda träd i olika nedbrytningsstadier för många skogslevande arter. Svenska skogar har få urskogar där naturliga avdödningsprocesser av träd får ske och därför minskar den biologiska mångfalden i skogen. Tre arter som endast trivs i naturskog är tickorna ullticka, Phellinus ferrugineofuscus, gränsticka, Phellinus nigrolimitatus och vedticka, Phellinus viticola. Dessa arter är användbara som indikatorarter då de nästan endast växer i skog med höga naturvärden eftersom de växer på lågor i olika nedbrytningsstadier. I denna studie undersöktes dessa arter i syfte att påvisa vilka faktorer som krävs för att de ska trivas, och på så sätt kunna förutse på vilka lågor de kan påträffas. Som en jämförande art undersöktes klibbtickan, Fomitopsis pinicola¸ då den inte är lika krävande och kan växa i många skogar på nyfallna träd. Genom att undersöka dessa arter och vad de kräver kan man bedöma en skog utifrån deras faktorer och på så sätt se om skogen har höga naturvärden, och vad som krävs i form av död ved. Resultatet visar att ju större låga, i både bredd och längd (större area), och ju mer nedbruten den var, desto större utbredning av arten P. nigrolimitatus kan man hitta. P. viticola kräver högre nerbrytningsklass och tjockare diameter på lågan. Undersökningen visar även att hos F. pinicola var nästan alla faktorer lika viktiga, och att den kan växa nästan var som helst, fast minskar i förekomst på mer nedbrutna träd. Tyvärr fanns inte tillräckligt med P. ferrugineofuscus för att kunna göra statistiska undersökningar, vilket i sig indikerar att den är ovanlig och har höga krav vad gäller dess habitat. / Because of the conditions in Swedish forests, where forestry predominate, biodiversity is degrading when the important wood-debris is removed. The purpose of this study was to determine the conditions under which the polypore species Phellinus ferrugineofuscus, Phellinus nigrolimitatus, Phellinus viticola and Fomitopsis pinicola occur on logs of downed dead wood in and around a virgin forest. P ferrugineofuscus, P. nigrolimitatus and P. viticola are known indicator species that indicates forests with high natural values. F. pinicola is not an indicator species. The results indicate that the size of the log and its state of decomposition are the major factors for P. nigrolimitatus and P. viticola. F. pinicola grows on wood-debris with smaller degree of decomposition and also grows in managed forests. P. ferrugineofuscus was too rare in the data to allow statistical analysis. The study indicates the importance of untouched forest in which species who demands continuous conditions and availability of dead wood in different stages of decay can thrive.

A tool for management and conservation of valuable forests in Sweden are WKH:s. In this study WKH:s different in size, connectivity, amount of dead wood and quality of logs were investigated for species richness of bryophytes and brackets on coniferous logs. The aim was to clarify which scales and features that was important for the diversity of species as well as for individual species. The results showed that the amount of dead wood was most important on the site scale, and some species were affected at the landscape scale, a positive effect of valuable tracts. On the scale of individual logs, factors such as diameter, sun exposure, succession stage, contact with ground and ground bryophytes cover was most important. Red-listed species preferred logs with large diameter and late successional stages. The conclusion was that the quality of the substrate and the amount of dead wood was most important, but the amount of WKH:s on the landscape scale was also important for some species.

Urban green space has been proven by the field of environmental psychology to have high value for human well-being. Green space is also important for biodiversity. However, the management of urban green space is commonly focused on present aesthetic values and not on the level of naturalness and its consequences for humans and biodiversity. This study compares the green space situation in relation to human well-being and biodiversity in Lviv, Ukraine and Stockholm, Sweden. By sampling urban green space gradients, from unnatural to natural, as well as collecting data about visiting people and bird taxa in those areas, comparisons between these two response variables and the level of naturalness were made. The results show correlations between the level of naturalness and the social structure of human visitors as well as to the bird taxa present. The results thus indicate that both human well-being and biodiversity is positively related to the level of naturalness of green space. Since more and more people live in urban areas decision-makers should leave sufficient amounts of green space, for the inhabitants’ well-being, both people and other species, in physical planning. Given generally low levels of green space in urban settings, areas for recreation and rehabilitation should be enhanced further.

The thesis concerns the community structure of saproxylic insects with a heavy focus on beetles. It presents a review on change of insect assemblages along small-to-large scale gradients and the importance of saproxylic organisms in forest ecosystems. The fine-scale vertical stratification of saproxylic beetles assemblages and their differences between forests habitats of different latitude and altitude are investigated. Further, the importance of open-grown trees for saproxylic diversity is assessed.

Todays landscape is exposed to continually increasing human activities stress. The original biotopes are disturbed and fragmented from small to smaller segments. This fact can negatively influence the biodiversity. The railway line construction is a kind of such model, in this case its planed modernisation. This study deals with a railway embankment segment nr. 190 from Hluboká n. Vlt. to Zbudov. The aim of the work was to prove the railway line as an important and valuable biotope, which needs an enhanced attention. The vegetation biodiversity on four segments was studied. Totally 182 plant species were found with no rare species. The insect (beetles) species living in the wood of old trees were studied near the railway line. There were found 21 families with 52 beetle species where 3 species were rare. These important tree old stands were mapped too. The railway line history of this segment was processed too. The railway line creates a typical biotope with high vegetation biodiversity in this segment. The presence of the rare beetles living in the wood of old trees is more important.

Studien har använt ny metod för att klassificera vitryggig hackspetts skogarförutsättningar för häckande revir. 287 hektar skog värdeklassades med minstav värdeklass 1 (42 ha) och mest av värdeklass 2 (195 ha). Död ved måste ökaför att populationen av vitryggig hackspett ska öka. De åtgärder som behövergöras är ringbarkning och att minska granvolymen för att värdeklasserna ska nånästa värdeklass. Resultatet tyder på att förutsättningarna för häckningsrevir ärgoda, dock måste vissa restaureringar göras för att vitryggig hackspett skaetablera sig i området.