In 2023 we surveyed the dynamics of understory vegetation in the old-growth forest reserve Bukov vrh on 14 plots established in 1985. We resurveyed vegetation using the Braun-Blanquet standard method and compared it with the original survey based on the Piskernik's method. We found that different development phases in the old-growth forest influence changes in the dynamic processes in the understory vegetation. In the herbaceous layer we documented shade-tolerant species and plants that need more light to thrive. As a result of small-scale disturbances, the analysis showed slightly increased species diversity. The light gaps have led to an increase in the shrub layer, while the cover of the other layers has remained relatively similar over the period. Despite the higher number of species recorded, the coverage of individual species was significantly reduced compared to the original estimates. Higher species richness could be attributed to the larger plot size, but the decrease in cover is more likely due to the recruitment of understory beech in the past 10 years. A major reflection of climate change over the 40 year period in vegetation has not yet been detected as shown by the comparison of the mean Ellenberg values, where no major deviations have occurred. The exception is the increase in light conditions, which is reflected as a consequence of local conditions in the old-growth forest. Despite the current global changes, the data analysis does not show any thermophilization of species.
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