Present conditions may mediate the legacy effect of past land‐use changes on species richness and composition of above‐ and below‐ground assemblages

In forest ecosystems, the influence of landscape history on contemporary biodiversity patterns has been shown to provide a convenient framework to explain shifts in plant assemblages. However, very few studies have controlled for present human‐induced activities when analysing the effect of forest continuity on community structures. By cutting and removing trees, foresters substantially change stand ecological conditions, with consequences on...