Forests, Volume 8, Issue 9 (September 2017) – 52 articles

Background: In order to maximize the resiliency of Pinus halepensis in semiarid forests, we analyzed direct seeding methods to recover burned stands by simulating post-fire soil treatments. Methods: Seeding was done by installing spot seeding (100 seeds in a 50 × 50 cm plot), using five methods: (1) covering seeding with wood chips; (2) seeding in branch piles; (3) seeding along trunks on contour-felled logs (on the shaded side); (4) seeding next to grass (Stipa tenacissima); and (5) seeding on the bare ground (control). The experiment was replicated according to aspect (northern and southern aspects). The response variables were seed germination (%), and seedling survival after the summer (measured in autumn 2015 and 2016). Direct seeding was carried out in 32 plots with 160-spot seeding, and data were analyzed using general linear models, including nested random effects. Results: Wood chips as a surface-covering material represented the only treatment that significantly improved seed germination and seedling survival (by 12.4%, and 17.4 seedlings m⁻² in year 2, respectively) compared with the control in the two topographic aspects. Conclusions: Covering seeding with wood chips, and thus chipping wood within the burned stand, form a recommended post-fire treatment to improve regeneration in Pinus halepensis semiarid stands. Full article

Global demand for renewable energy has increased drastically over the last decade due to new climate change policies implemented in many jurisdictions. Wood pellets made from primary wood processing mill residues represent an attractive source of renewable energy that can be used in the environmental global challenge. However, the environmental impacts involved in their manufacture must be considered to measure the real benefits they can provide to the atmosphere. The general aim of this study was to evaluate the environmental impacts of wood pellet production at two Quebec plants using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology and considering a gate-to-gate approach. The paper focuses on the different stages involved in wood pellet production; from the recovery of mill residues, through the pelletization process, to pellet bagging. The paper further expands to a cradle-to-grave analysis comparing the environmental footprints of producing and combusting 1 GJ of energy from wood pellets, natural gas and fossil fuel oil. The analysis suggested that the drying and the pelletizing stages were the largest negative factors affecting the environmental performance of wood pellet production. The comparison demonstrated the environmental advantage of using renewable rather than fossil sources of energy. Considering the growing interest in renewable energy, biomass in particular, and the lack of environmental information on wood pellets, this study could be useful not only for forest sector-related industries but also for the energy sector and policymakers. Full article

Wildland fires are a function of properties of the fuels that sustain them. These fuels are themselves a function of vegetation, and share the complexity and dynamics of natural systems. Worldwide, the requirement for solutions to the threat of fire to human values has resulted in the development of systems for predicting fire behaviour. To date, regional differences in vegetation and independent fire model development has resulted a variety of approaches being used to describe, measure and map fuels. As a result, widely different systems have been adopted, resulting in incompatibilities that pose challenges to applying research findings and fire models outside their development domains. As combustion is a fundamental process, the same relationships between fuel and fire behaviour occur universally. Consequently, there is potential for developing novel fuel assessment methods that are more broadly applicable and allow fire research to be leveraged worldwide. Such a movement would require broad cooperation between researchers and would most likely necessitate a focus on universal properties of fuel. However, to truly understand fuel dynamics, the complex biotic nature of fuel would also need to remain a consideration—particularly when looking to understand the effects of altered fire regimes or changing climate. Full article

Transpiration is a significant component of the hydrologic cycle and its accurate quantification is critical for modelling, industry, and policy decisions. Sap flow sensors provide a low cost and practical method to measure transpiration. Various methods to measure sap flow are available and a popular family of methods is known as heat pulse velocity (HPV). Theory on thermal conductance and convection, that underpins HPV methods, suggests transpiration can be directly estimated from sensor measurements without the need for laborious calibrations. To test this accuracy, transpiration estimated from HPV sensors is compared with an independent measure of plant water use such as a weighing lysimeter. A meta-analysis of the literature that explicitly tested the accuracy of a HPV sensors against an independent measure of transpiration was conducted. Data from linear regression analysis was collated where an R² of 1 indicates perfect precision and a slope of 1 of the linear regression curve indicates perfect accuracy. The average R² and slope from all studies was 0.822 and 0.860, respectively. However, the overall error, or deviation from real transpiration values, was 34.706%. The results indicate that HPV sensors are precise in correlating heat velocity with rates of transpiration, but poor in quantifying transpiration. Various sources of error in converting heat velocity into sap velocity and sap flow are discussed including probe misalignment, wound corrections, thermal diffusivity, stem water content, placement of sensors in sapwood, and scaling of point measurements to whole plants. Where whole plant water use or transpiration is required in a study, it is recommended that all sap flow sensors are calibrated against an independent measure of transpiration. Full article

Dry mixed-conifer forests in the Southwest occupy an important ecological and hydrological role in upper watersheds. In the absence of reoccurring fire and silvicultural treatments over the last 50 years, we quantified forest structure and composition on prevailing north and south aspects of a dry mixed-conifer forest in southcentral New Mexico using mixed models and ordination analysis in preparation for an experiment in ecological restoration. Results indicated overstory and midstory were dominated by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and shade tolerant/fire intolerant white fir (Abies concolor) with interspersed mature aspen on north aspects, and Douglas-fir and Southwestern white pine (Pinus strobiformis) on south aspects. Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa), which was historically co-dominant with Douglas-fir on north and south aspects, was subdominant on south aspects and almost entirely absent on north aspects. Regeneration was dominated by white fir saplings and seedlings on north aspects while ponderosa pine was completely absent. South aspect saplings and seedlings were characterized by Douglas-fir and Southwestern white pine, but almost no ponderosa pine. Ordination analysis characterized the effect of aspect on species composition. Understanding contemporary forest structure and composition is important when planning for desired future conditions that are to be achieved through ecological restoration using silvicultural techniques designed to foster resilience. Full article

Paulownia witches’ broom (PaWB) disease caused by phytoplasmas is a fatal disease that leads to considerable economic losses. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to play critical regulatory roles in posttranscriptional and transcriptional regulation. However, lncRNAs and their functional roles remain poorly characterized in Paulownia. To identify lncRNAs and investigate their roles in the response to PaWB phytoplasmas, RNA sequencing was performed for healthy Paulownia tomentosa, PaWB-infected P. tomentosa, and for healthy and PaWB-infected P. tomentosa treated with 100 mg L−1 rifampicin. A total of 28,614 unique mRNAs and 3693 potential lncRNAs were identified. Comparisons between lncRNAs and coding genes indicated that lncRNAs tended to have shorter transcripts and fewer exon numbers, and displayed significant expression specificity. Based on our comparison scheme, 1063 PaWB-related mRNAs and 110 PaWB-related lncRNAs were identified; among them, 12 PaWB-related candidate target genes that were regulated by nine PaWB-related lncRNAs were characterized. This study provides the first catalog of lncRNAs expressed in Paulownia and gives a revealing insight into the molecular mechanism responsible for PaWB. Full article

While past research has studied forest succession on decadal timescales, ecosystem responses to rapid shifts in nutrient dynamics within the first months to years of succession after fire (e.g., carbon (C) burn-off, a pulse in inorganic nitrogen (N), accumulation of organic matter, etc.) have been less well documented. This work reveals how rapid shifts in nutrient availability associated with fire disturbance may drive changes in soil enzyme activity on short timescales in forest secondary succession. In this study, we evaluate soil chemistry and decomposition extracellular enzyme activity (EEA) across time to determine whether rapid shifts in nutrient availability (1–29 months after fire) might control microbial enzyme activity. We found that, with advancing succession, soil nutrients correlate with C-targeting β-1,4-glucosidase (BG) EEA four months after the fire, and with N-targeting β-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) EEA at 29 months after the fire, indicating shifting nutrient limitation and decomposition dynamics. We also observed increases in BG:NAG ratios over 29 months in these recently burned soils, suggesting relative increases in microbial activity around C-cycling and C-acquisition. These successional dynamics were unique from seasonal changes we observed in unburned, forested reference soils. Our work demonstrates how EEA may shift even within the first months to years of ecosystem succession alongside common patterns of post-fire nutrient availability. Thus, this work emphasizes that nutrient dynamics in the earliest stages of forest secondary succession are important for understanding rates of C and N cycling and ecosystem development. Full article

Field observations using chronosequences are helpful to study vegetation succession. This method allows to establish comparisons based on soil composition, stand structure, micro- and macrofossil remains from sites of different ages but on similar edaphic and topographic conditions. In the boreal forest, post-fire succession through time is triggered by climate, disturbance history (insect epidemics, fire and logging), latitude and altitude. The main objective of this research is to identify the main patterns of early post-fire succession, including similarities and differences in vegetation composition and attributes, of three contrasted ecosystems distributed along an altitudinal gradient. To do so, we have monitored the successional development of the alpine, subalpine and boreal lichen-woodland sites during the first 21 years (1991 to 2011) of post-fire sequence in eastern Canada 1991 to 2011. Each site was characterized by a different functional group that became established following fire. A rapid resurgence of ericaceous shrubs and lichens was observed in the lichen woodland and subalpine sites. Bryophyte and lichen species were not an important component of vegetation communities during the earlier stages of post-fire succession. For all three sites monitored, lichens were the last functional group to establish in the chronosequences. Herbs and mosses characterized the post-fire succession in alpine areas, the latter functional group established late in the chronosequence to cover >25% of the site after 15 years. Post-fire chronosequences in the three contrasted environments indicate that plant succession is a repetitive process often involving similar resilient plant assemblages. Full article

Academic research on smallholders’ forestland-use decisions is regularly addressed in different streams of literature using different theoretical constructs that are independently incomplete. In this article, we propose a theoretical construct for modelling smallholders’ forestland-use decisions intended to serve in the guidance and operationalization of future models for quantitative analysis. Our construct is inspired by the sub-disciplines of forestry and agricultural economics with a crosscutting theme of how transaction costs drive separability between consumption and production decisions. Our results help explain why exogenous variables proposed in the existing literature are insufficient at explaining smallholders’ forestland-use decisions, and provide theoretical context for endogenizing characteristics of the household, farm and landscape. Smallholders’ forestland-use decisions are best understood in an agricultural context of competing uses for household assets and interdependent consumption and production decisions. Forest production strategies range from natural regeneration to intensive management of the forest resource to co-jointly produce market and non-market values. Due to transaction costs, decision prices are best represented by their shadow as opposed to market prices. Shadow prices are shaped by endogenous smallholder-specific preferences for leisure, non-market values, time, risk, and uncertainty. Our proposed construct is intended to provide a theoretical basis to assist modellers in the selection of variables for quantitative analysis. Full article

The objective of this research was to study the relation between species richness and topography in the middle sub-tropical area of Eastern China. A species richness survey was conducted along altitude in Kaihua County, Zhejiang Province, Eastern China. Topographic variables, such as altitude, slope, aspect, terrain roughness, relief degree and the topographical wetness index, were extracted from the digital elevation model. The Generalized Additive Model (GAM), the linear model and the quadratic model were used to fit response curves of species richness to topographic variables. The results indicated that altitude and the topographical wetness index have a significant relation to species richness. Species richness has a unimodal response to altitude and a linear response to the topographical wetness index. However, no significant correlations were observed between slope, aspect and species richness. The predicted species richness by GAM is significantly correlated with the observed species richness, whereas the prediction error tends to increase with the increment of species richness. This study furthered insights into the relationship between topography and plants’ diversity in the middle sub-tropical area of Eastern China. Full article

Here, we investigated the capabilities of a lightweight unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetric point cloud for estimating forest biophysical properties in managed temperate coniferous forests in Japan, and the importance of spectral information for the estimation. We estimated four biophysical properties: stand volume (V), Lorey’s mean height (H_L), mean height (H_A), and max height (H_M). We developed three independent variable sets, which included a height variable, a spectral variable, and a combined height and spectral variable. The addition of a dominant tree type to the above data sets was also tested. The model including a height variable and dominant tree type was the best for all biophysical property estimations. The root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) for the best model for V, H_L, H_A, and H_M, were 118.30, 1.13, 1.24, and 1.24, respectively. The model including a height variable alone yielded the second highest accuracy. The respective RMSEs were 131.74, 1.21, 1.31, and 1.32. The model including a spectral variable alone yielded much lower estimation accuracy than that including a height variable. Thus, a lightweight UAV photogrammetric point cloud could accurately estimate forest biophysical properties, and a spectral variable was not necessarily required for the estimation. The dominant tree type improved estimation accuracy. Full article

Land change modeling has become increasingly important in evaluating the unique driving factors and proximate causes that underlie a particular geographical location. In this article, a binary logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the factors influencing deforestation and simultaneous plantation driven reforestation in Bannerghatta National Park, located at the periphery of one of the fastest growing cities in India, i.e., Bangalore. Methodologically, this study explores the inclusion of different sub-regions and statistical population to address spatial autocorrelation in land change modeling. The results show negative relationship between deforestation and protected area status and edge of previous forest clearing. In addition, the deforestation models found differences in the processes that are affecting forest clearing in our two sub-periods of 1973–1992 and 1992–2007. The plantation driven reforestation in the region were attributed to distance to major towns, Bangalore city, rural centers and major and minor roads suggesting the importance of accessibility to market for heavy cash crops such as coconut palm and eucalyptus. Finally, the inclusion of different sub-regions and statistical population facilitated a better understanding of varying driving factors in different zones within the overall landscape. Full article

Novel forests are naturally regenerating forests that have established on degraded lands and have a species composition strongly influenced by introduced species. We studied ecophysiological traits of an introduced species (Castilla elastica Sessé) and several native species growing side by side in novel forests dominated by C. elastica in Puerto Rico. We hypothesized that C. elastica has higher photosynthetic capacity and makes more efficient use of resources than co-occurring native species. Using light response curves, we found that the photosynthetic capacity of C. elastica is similar to that of native species, and that different parameters of the curves reflected mostly sun light variation across the forest strata. However, photosynthetic nitrogen use-efficiency as well as leaf area/mass ratios were higher for C. elastica, and both the amount of C and N per unit area were lower, highlighting the different ecological strategies of the introduced and native plants. Presumably, those traits support C. elastica’s dominance over native plants in the study area. We provide empirical data on the ecophysiology of co-occurring plants in a novel forest, and show evidence that different resource-investment strategies co-occur in this type of ecosystem. Full article

Litter accumulation can strongly influence plants’ natural regeneration via both physical and chemical mechanisms, but the relative influence of each mechanism on seedling establishment remains to be elucidated. Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) is one of the most important commercial plantations in southern China, but its natural regeneration is poor, possibly due to its thick leaf litter accumulation. We used natural and plastic litter to study the effects of Chinese fir litter on its own seedling emergence and early growth, as well as to assess whether the effect is physical or chemical in nature. Results showed that high litter amount (800 g·m⁻²) significantly reduced seedling emergence and the survival rate for both natural and plastic litter. Low litter amount (200 g·m⁻²) exerted a slightly positive effect on root mass, leaf mass, and total mass, while high litter amount significantly inhibited root mass, leaf mass, and total mass for both natural and plastic litter. Root-mass ratio was significantly lower, and leaf-mass ratio was significantly greater under high litter cover than under control for both natural and plastic litter. Although the root/shoot ratio decreased with increasing litter amount, such effect was only significant for high litter treatment for both natural and plastic litter. Seedling robustness (aboveground biomass divided by seedling height) decreased with increasing litter amount, with high litter treatment generating the least robust seedlings. Because plastic and natural litter did not differ in their effects on seedling emergence and growth, the litter layer’s short-term influence is primarily physical. These data indicated that as litter cover increased, the initial slightly positive effects on seedling emergence and early growth could shift to inhibitory effects. Furthermore, to penetrate the thick litter layer, Chinese fir seedlings allocated more resources towards stems and aboveground growth at the expense of their roots. This study provided experimental evidence of litter amount as a key ecological factor affecting seedling development and subsequent natural regeneration of Chinese fir. Full article

Advances in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology and data processing capabilities have made it feasible to obtain high-resolution imagery and three dimensional (3D) data which can be used for forest monitoring and assessing tree attributes. This study evaluates the applicability of low consumer grade cameras attached to UAVs and structure-from-motion (SfM) algorithm for automatic individual tree detection (ITD) using a local-maxima based algorithm on UAV-derived Canopy Height Models (CHMs). This study was conducted in a private forest at Cache Creek located east of Jackson city, Wyoming. Based on the UAV-imagery, we allocated 30 field plots of 20 m × 20 m. For each plot, the number of trees was counted manually using the UAV-derived orthomosaic for reference. A total of 367 reference trees were counted as part of this study and the algorithm detected 312 trees resulting in an accuracy higher than 85% (F-score of 0.86). Overall, the algorithm missed 55 trees (omission errors), and falsely detected 46 trees (commission errors) resulting in a total count of 358 trees. We further determined the impact of fixed tree window sizes (FWS) and fixed smoothing window sizes (SWS) on the ITD accuracy, and detected an inverse relationship between tree density and FWS. From our results, it can be concluded that ITD can be performed with an acceptable accuracy (F > 0.80) from UAV-derived CHMs in an open canopy forest, and has the potential to supplement future research directed towards estimation of above ground biomass and stem volume from UAV-imagery. Full article

Sustainable management of tropical forests is essential for conserving the ecosystem services they provide and protecting the livelihoods of the millions of people who depend on these forests. Community-based forest management in Quintana Roo, Mexico, has shown that conserving forests while generating economic benefits is achievable in the tropics. However, this management is carried out with technical gaps that jeopardize sustainable use of these resources. Crucial among these gaps is a lack of equations for precise calculations of logged timber volumes. Current equations employ a proportion of bark volume (PBV) of 0.14 for mahogany and a flat 0.10 for species with dense woods, despite their wide variation in bark thickness. Here, using Meyer’s method, we calculated species-specific PBVs for the most commercially-important species in the Felipe Carrillo Puerto community-based logging operation. For most species, the new PBVs were smaller, indicating that wood volumes are currently underestimated. However, for two species, PBVs were higher. New values could influence the profits of the local enterprise and on the management of some of the most commercially-important species of Mexico’s tropical forests through changes in the numbers of individuals felled. Full article

Betulin, betulinic acid and lupeol are naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoids with significant medicinal values. Great amounts of triterpenoids are found in the bark of white birch (Betula platyphylla Suk.) trees, which can be affected by climatic factors along the geographical gradients. In this study, site-based data of triterpenoids’ (betulin, betulinic acid and lupeol) concentrations were determined in barks of white birch trees from 48 sites in Northeast China. Triterpenoid concentration in white birch tree barks did not change in response to any geographical gradients along latitudes, longitudes or elevations. Instead, concentrations of betulin and lupeol in birch tree barks increased with the increase of temperature and precipitation but declined with the increase of relative humidity. As a result, betulin concentration was higher in birch trees in the northeastern and southwestern parts of the study area, and lower in the central part of the study area in Northeast China. Although betulinic acid concentration did not change with climatic factors, its distribution pattern was similar to betulin concentration. Lupeol concentration was highest in the north-eastern part and along the southern and eastern boundaries in the study area. Our results can supply information for precondition of triterpenoids’ extraction for industrial production, which can be an available approach to solve the issue of bark waste processing of white birch. Full article

The estimation of the ozone (O₃) stomatal dose absorbed by a forest is a crucial step for O₃ risk assessment. For this purpose, data on O₃ concentrations at the forest top-canopy are needed. However, O₃ is barely measured at that height, while more often it is measured at a lower height above a different surface, typically a grassland near to the forest edge. The DO3SE model for O₃ stomatal flux calculation estimates the top-canopy O₃ concentration in near neutral stability conditions. However, near-neutrality is quite rare in the field, particularly in southern Europe. In this work, we present a modification of the DO3SE gradient calculation scheme to include the atmospheric stability. The performance of the new calculation scheme was tested against the direct measurements above a mature forest. Different gradient estimation options were also tested and evaluated. These options include simplified gradient calculation schemes and the techniques of the tabulated gradients described in the UN/ECE Mapping Manual for O₃ risk assessment. The results highlight that the inclusion of the atmospheric stability in the DO3SE model greatly improves the accuracy of the stomatal dose estimation. However, the simpler technique of the tabulated gradients had the best performance on a whole-season time frame. Full article

Tree growth rings are signs of the seasonality of tree growth and indicate how tree productivity relates to environmental factors. We studied the periodicity of tree growth ring formation in seasonally inundated peatlands of Central Kalimantan (southern Borneo), Indonesia. We collected samples from 47 individuals encompassing 27 tree species. About 40% of these species form distinct growth zones, 30% form indistinct ones, and the others were classified as in between. Radiocarbon age datings of single distinct growth zones (or “rings”) of two species showing very distinct rings, Horsfieldia crassifolia and Diospyros evena, confirm annual growth periodicity for the former; the latter forms rings in intervals of more than one year. The differences can be explained with species-specific sensitivity to the variable intensity of dry periods. The anatomical feature behind annual rings in Horsfieldia is the formation of marginal parenchyma bands. Tree ring curves of other investigated species with the same anatomical feature from the site show a good congruence with the curves from H. crassifolia. They can therefore be used as indicator species for growth rate estimations in environments with weak seasonality. The investigated peatland species show low annual growth increments compared to other tropical forests. Full article

The paper shows how the aspects of uncertainty in spatial harvest scheduling can be embedded into a harvest optimization model. We introduce an approach based on robust optimization that secures better scheduling schematics of the decision maker while eliminating a significant portion of uncertainty in the decisions. The robust programming approach presented in this paper was applied in a real management area of Central Europe. The basic harvest scheduling model with harvest-flow constraints was created. The uncertainty that is assessed here is due to forest inventory errors and growth prediction errors of stand volume. The modelled results were compared with randomly simulated errors of stand volume. The effects of different levels of robustness and uncertainty on harvest-flow were analyzed. The analysis confirmed that using the robust approach for harvest decisions always ensures significantly better solutions in terms of the harvested volume than the worst-case scenarios created under the same constraints. The construction of a mathematical model as well as the methodology of simulations are described in detail. The observed results confirmed obvious advantages of robust optimization. However, many problems with its application in forest management must still be solved. This study helps to address the need to develop and explore methods for decision-making under different kinds of uncertainty in forest management. Full article

Wildfires and agricultural activities are relevant factors affecting soil quality, hydrological cycle and sedimentary dynamics. Land abandonment leads to afforestation, which increases fire risk and land degradation. However, no studies have yet evaluated the effect of combining the two factors, which occur frequently in Mediterranean ecosystems. This study assessed the changes in soil quality caused by the abandonment of terraces in two microcatchments (<2.5 ha) affected distinctly by wildfires (once and twice burned) and in an unburned control microcatchment by analyzing soil quality parameters, biochemical indices and spatial patterns of hydrological and sediment connectivity. Soil samples were collected in thirty-six plots (25 m²) representing terraced and non-terraced areas within these microcatchments. Unburned non-terraced plots had higher organic matter content and higher microbiological and enzymatic activities than other plots. Plots in abandoned terraces had lower soil quality indices, regardless of the fire effect. Land abandonment induced changes in the spatial patterns of hydrological connectivity, leading to concentrated runoff, enhanced erosion and soil degradation. Fire also negatively affected soil quality in both terraced and non-terraced plots. However, microbiological communities had different positive post-fire recovery strategies (growth and activity), depending on the previous soil conditions and land uses, which is indicative of the resilience of Mediterranean soil ecosystems. Full article

Exploring how drought influences growth, performance, and survival in different species is crucial to understanding the impacts of climate change on forest ecosystems. Here, we investigate the responses of two co-occurring pines (Pinus nigra and Pinus sylvestris) to interannual drought in east-central Spain by dendrochronological and wood anatomical features integrated with isotopic ratios of carbon (δ¹³C) and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) in tree rings. Our results showed that drought induces both species to allocate less carbon to build tracheid cell-walls but increases tracheid lumen diameters, particularly in the transition wood between early and latewood, potentially maximizing hydraulic conductivity but reducing resistance to embolism at a critical phase during the growing season. The thicker cell-wall-to-lumen ratio in P. nigra could imply that its xylem may be more resistant to bending stress and drought-induced cavitation than P. sylvestris. In contrast, the higher intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) in P. sylvestris suggests that it relies more on a water-saving strategy. Our results suggest that narrower cell-walls and reduced growth under drought are not necessarily linked to increased iWUE. At our site P. nigra showed a higher growth plasticity, grew faster and was more competitive than P. sylvestris. In the long term, these sustained differences in iWUE and anatomical characters could affect forest species performance and composition, particularly under increased drought stress. Full article

Forestry best management practices (BMPs) were developed to minimize water pollution from forestry operations by primarily addressing sediment and sediment transport, which is the leading source of pollution from silviculture. Implementation of water quality BMPs may also benefit riparian and aquatic wildlife, although wildlife benefits were not driving forces for BMP development. Therefore, we reviewed literature regarding potential contributions of sediment-reducing BMPs to conservation of riparian and aquatic wildlife, while realizing that BMPs also minimize thermal, nutrient, and chemical pollution. We reached five important conclusions: (1) a significant body of research confirms that forestry BMPs contribute to the protection of water quality and riparian forest structure; (2) data-specific relationships between forestry BMPs and reviewed species are limited; (3) forestry BMPs for forest road construction and maintenance, skid trails, stream crossings, and streamside management zones (SMZs) are important particularly for protection of water quality and aquatic species; (4) stream crossings should be carefully selected and installed to minimize sediment inputs and stream channel alterations; and (5) SMZs promote retention of older-age riparian habitat with benefits extending from water bodies to surrounding uplands. Overall, BMPs developed for protection of water quality should benefit a variety of riparian and aquatic species that are sensitive to changes in water quality or forest structure. Full article

Black locust is a drought-resistant tree species with high biomass productivity during juvenility; it is able to thrive on wastelands, such as former brown coal fields and dry agricultural areas. However, research conducted on this species in such areas is limited. This paper aims to provide a basis for predicting tree woody biomass for black locust based on tree, competition, and site variables at 14 sites in northeast Germany that were previously utilized for mining or agriculture. The study areas, which are located in an area covering 320 km × 280 km, are characterized by a variety of climatic and soil conditions. Influential variables, including tree parameters, competition, and climatic parameters were considered. Allometric biomass models were employed. The findings show that the most important parameters are tree and competition variables. Different former land utilizations, such as mining or agriculture, as well as growth by cores or stumps, significantly influenced aboveground woody biomass production. The new biomass models developed as part of this study can be applied to calculate woody biomass production and carbon sequestration of Robinia pseudoacacia L. in short rotation coppices in previous mining and agricultural areas. Full article

The main purpose of this work is to show the influence of vegetation in the storage and stabilisation of organic carbon in semi-arid Juniperus thurifera (J. thurifera) forest soil in central Spain. The variability of the organic matter storage with factors such as sex, trunk diameter and the protection of the canopy of the tree has been analysed. The distribution of the soil organic carbon (SOC) into different fractions has also been determined, in order to estimate the stability of the organic matter. The results show that the SOC concentration has no dependence on the sex of the tree, but it increases with the diameter of the trunk and under the protection of the tree canopy. This study found that the organic matter of the J. thurifera forest soil has a high proportion of recalcitrant organic fraction, humin, which suggests that, given its organic matter stability, J. thurifera forest soils could be a real carbon sink. Consequently, the conservation of this type of old forest ecosystem is important for promoting carbon sequestration. Full article

The landscape in the lowlands of south-central Chile is dominated by agricultural lands and forestry plantations of exotic species. Natural forests are restricted to successional forests, while old-growth forests are nearly absent. The lack of old-growth forests may deprive society from some ecosystem services. Both successional and old forests differ in their ecological functions and in the ecosystem services they can provide. To promote old-growth characteristics in successional forests, it becomes necessary to know which compositional and structural attributes differentiate forests along succession. We aim at identifying the differential attributes among successional and old-growth forests in the lowlands in the northern portion of the Valdivian Rainforests. We analyzed 19 variables in seven different forests and found statistically significant differences in 13 of them. A subset of these variables illustrated major patterns that differentiate successional stages, of which a few could be more easily controlled through management. The latter include lowering tree densities (from >3000 to <1500 trees per hectare), increasing volume of large trees, especially of shade-tolerant species, and structural heterogeneity (a Gini coefficient >0.7 represents older forests). While successional forest show a rapid recovery, forest managers would need to focus in controlling these attributes to increase their old-growth characteristics. Full article

Rosewood (Aniba rosaeodora Ducke) is an endangered Amazonian tree species which produces one of the most valuable essential oils in the world. The species is used in silvicultural systems which are seen as a means to reducing the pressure of exploitation of natural rosewood populations. There are no specific equations for rosewood plantations, and therefore generalized equations are inappropriate for the species in commercial systems. This study presents allometric equations from 144 trees sampled in different rosewood plantations of Central Amazonia. The equations generated were compared with an equation used in forest management to estimate wood volume and another one recommended by law for rosewood biomass. The equation suggested by current legislation underestimates the actual values by more than 70% making the viable use of this equation impossible in commercial plantations. The equations generated to estimate the volume and biomass serve as an alternative to the need to develop specific equations for each area and age of the plant. The generic equation for the species is consistent for fresh mass management, with a generalized R² of 0.80 and an underestimation of 0.33%. The equation for crown fresh mass estimation presented a generalized R² of 0.32 and an underestimation of 0.24%. The underestimation of the mass production by rosewood plantations represents a serious impediment to this forest activity. The allometric equations developed are highly applicable under different conditions and management options and should be suggested by the legal provisions regulating rosewood-related activity in Central Amazonia. Full article

Regional surveys done over the last decades show a clear decline in abundance of Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) throughout its range. A lack of seed trees, difficulties in the establishment of natural regeneration and high browsing pressure caused by increasing deer populations have been identified as plausible causes. Current silvicultural strategies for cedar restoration recommend partial cutting to promote and release natural regeneration, but there is also a need to restore the species in areas where it became absent. Yet, little attention has been given to cedar plantations. This study provides a first characterisation of the effects of competition, silvicultural treatments and deer, moose and hare browsing on planted cedar growth, survival, and stem form. Pure and mixed cedar plantations aged 5–27 years located in Eastern Québec were sampled. Both inside and outside deer yards, planted cedars showed high survival rates and were generally subject to low browsing pressure, but 45% were forked. Cedars showed high growth rates and strong reaction to stand opening. Results suggest that at reduced competition levels, a 9-year browser exclusion could be sufficient to establish safe-from-browsing cedar stands of >3 m in height. Full article

The resilience of a National Forest Inventory and Monitoring sample design can sometimes depend upon the degree to which it can adapt to fluctuations in funding. If a budget reduction necessitates the observation of fewer plots per year, some practitioners weigh the problem as a tradeoff between reducing the total number of plots and measuring the original number of plots over a greater number of years. Here, we explore some of the effects of differing plot intensities and cycle lengths on variants of three general classes of estimators for annual cubic meter per hectare volume, using a simulated population and appropriately-graduated sampling simulations. The simulations showed that an increase in cycle length yielded quite dramatic effects while differences due to a simulated reduction in plot intensity had more subtle effects. Full article

Functional response traits influence the ability of species to colonize and thrive in a habitat and to persist under environmental challenges. Functional traits can be used to evaluate environment-related processes and phenomena. They also help to interpret distribution patterns, especially under limiting ecological conditions. In this study, we investigate landscape-scale functional distribution responses of beech forests in a climatic transitional zone in Europe. We construct empirical density distribution responses for beech forests by applying coping-resilience-failure climatic traits based on 27 bioclimatic variables, resulting in prevalence-decay-exclusion distribution response patterns. We also perform multivariate exploratory cluster analysis to reveal significant sets of response patterns from the resilience and adaptation aspects. Temperature-related distribution responses presented a prevalence-dominated functional pattern, with Annual mean temperature indicating the most favorable adaptation function. Precipitation indices showed climate-limited response patterns with the dominance of extinction function. Considering regional site-specific climate change projections, these continental beech forests could regress moderately due to temperature increase in the near future. Our results also suggest that both summer and winter precipitation could play a pivotal role in successful resilience. Functions and variables that indicate climate sensitivity can serve as a useful starting point to develop adaptation measures for regional forest management. Full article