Polish Pony Changes Lower Layer Biodiversity in Old Growth Scots Pine Stands

The study examines the influence of Polish primitive horse grazing on vegetation in deciduous and coniferous old forest stands in north-east Poland. It was conducted in both forest sites in two complexes located in: (i) the fenced area of the Popielno Research Station of the Polish Academy of Sciences, with free-living Polish pony [Polish primitive horse (Equus ferus caballus Linnaeus, 1758)] in 130-year-old stands, and (ii) in the open 116-year-old managed (harvested) Maskuliskie Forest District, without horses. In both areas the stands are inhabited by free-living red and roe deer. The impact of forest animals on ground cover layer as well as on understory shrub layer and undergrowth was compared. Very significant differences in the structure of the understory and undergrowth (above 0.5 m) layer vegetation communities between both areas and type of stands were found. The results suggest that the presence of the Polish horse substantially changed the species composition and increased the species diversity of the ground layer and shrub layer both in the coniferous forest and deciduous forest habitats. The height of the shrub layer trees was lower by 30% in the area with the Polish horse. The level of biodiversity of forest plants was dependent on the presence of the Polish horse, which in the past was one of the natural inhabitants of forests in the area of research.