Ground vegetation diversity and geobotanical analysis in dune pine forests in southwest Estonia

To investigate the ecosystems on dunes, five typical dunes were selected in the coastal area of the Baltic Sea in southwest Estonia. To study ground vegetation species richness, species composition and horizontal structure, 251 quadrats of 1 m² in size were established and descriptions of vascular plants, bryophytes and lichen species were provided. Topographical factors, soil horizons, soil pH and electrical conductivity, soil nutrients, soil moisture conditions and light conditions were determined. In total, 42 vascular plant, 43 bryophyte and 48 lichen species were recorded on five dunes. Vascular plant species richness and composition on forested dunes was dependent on the absolute dune height, zone and aspect of the slope, soil nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus content, soil pH and moisture, the cover of the bryophyte-lichen layer and light conditions. Regarding bryophyte and lichen layer species composition, important factors were the aspect of the dune, vascular plant species cover, light conditions, the thickness of the moderately decomposed organic soil horizon, soil pH, electrical conductivity and volumetric water content. Lichen species richness was highest on the slopes of the dunes, while bryophyte species richness was higher at the bottoms and decreased towards the tops of the dunes. Ground vegetation species richness and species’ horizontal and vertical structure on forested dunes were highly dependent on topography-induced differences, aspect, height and zone of the dunes. The most important factors controlling the complex of ground vegetation were light conditions, soil water content, thickness of the moderately decomposed litter layer and soil potassium and calcium content.