Ecological quality and structural diversity of Western Taiga habitat (*9010) in Estonia’s Natura 2000 network

Western Taiga habitat (*9010) plays the key role in the Natura 2000 network in Estonia. Natura 2000 is a European Union nature conservation area network aimed to safeguard the long-term survival of Europe's unique flora and fauna. This study examines the Western Taiga habitat within mixed oligo-mesotrophic and mesotrophic forests on mineral soils with a minimum age of 70 years, providing a comprehensive assessment of the habitat's current condition. The assessment includes ecological quality variables such as species composition, dead trees, lying deadwood, large trees, gaps, and characteristic species groups (mosses, vascular plants, lichens, fungi, beetles), as well as overall forest stand structural heterogeneity. The findings characterize the habitat's ecological quality at a specific point in time, offer practical guidelines for potential habitat quality improvements, and support conservation efforts within Estonia's Natura 2000 network.