Reconversion de populicultures et biodiversité | Conversion of poplar plantations and biodiversity

The effects of poplar plantations on biodiversity are still unclear. In the current context of converting these plantations into more natural forests, it might be even more important to predict the effects of different conversion strategies on biological richness. Our study evaluated the impacts of the two conversion strategies clear-cutting and non-intervention on three aspects of biodiversity: floristic richness and composition, presence of invasive plants, and presence of woodpeckers. The floristic species richness in clear-cut sites was not significantly higher than in non-intervention sites. In the study, the non-intervention appears more adequate because of its higher resistance to invasive plant species, and by the fact that the non-intervention allows the maintenance of higher loads of dead wood (either standing or on the ground), thus allowing saproxylophagous as well as holedwelling species to find food and shelter at the same location.