Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Forest Habitats in the Biosphere Reserve Vessertal-Thuringian Forest in Germany

Climate change considerably influences forest ecosystems through the potential alteration of temperature and precipitation regimes as well as the intensity and frequency of disturbances. This chapter focuses on the analysis of the climatic requirements of spatially delimited forest habitat types following the definitions of the EU Habitat Directive and the potential alteration of these habitat types under a changing climate. Moreover, general recommendations for the establishment of near-natural forests in the Biosphere Reserve Vessertal-Thuringian Forest were developed to promote pro-active climate-driven forest adaptation. Azonal and spruce-dominated forest habitat types are likely subject to particularly drastic changes associated with climate change. Options for adaptation by management outside of the strictly protected Biosphere Reserve core zone mainly involve the restoration and water deregulation of bog areas and along streams in favour of the forest habitat types 91D0 and 91E0. The ecological gradient of the mixed mountain forest of the montane zone can be ensured by the anticipatory establishment or promotion of site-adapted tree species and structures. Vast areas of poorly structured spruce monocultures still need to be converted into diverse, highly structured mixed stands. In this context, structured forest edges, spatial diversity and small patches of different forest development phases also have to be created and promoted.