Miriam Diez, Alexander Peringer, Andreas Schweiger
ABSTRACT Aims Centuries of human activity have shaped Central European landscapes, interacting with natural ecosystems and influencing biodiversity. This study aims to investigate how historical land‐use practices over the past five centuries continue to affect plant community composition and biodiversity in forested areas. Location The study was conducted in the forest areas surrounding five historic castles in Baden‐Württemberg, southern Germany, selected for their diverse historical land‐use records. Methods Deforestation histories were reconstructed using archival sources, including historical maps, paintings and documents. A total of 100 vegetation surveys were conducted, recording all vascular plant species. Species composition was analysed using non‐metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), generalised dissimilarity modelling (GDM) and cluster analysis, with a focus on historical deforestation scenarios and environmental variables. Results Areas with a history of frequent deforestation exhibited higher plant species diversity and greater compositional dissimilarity compared to less frequently disturbed forests. Frequent deforestation was associated with a mosaic of habitat conditions, promoting species diversity and variability in species composition. Conclusions Historical land‐use practices have left a lasting legacy on contemporary biodiversity patterns in the investigated forests. These findings emphasise the need to include historical land‐use scenarios in current ecological assessments to better understand long‐term biodiversity dynamics to inform nature conservation and restoration activities.