Search Results (222)

Despite the growing recognition of sustainability in forest management, comprehensive multi-criteria evaluations of silvicultural practices remain scarce, particularly in Patagonia. In this study, we applied a multi-criteria decision analysis to evaluate the sustainability of different strip-cutting intensities in secondary Nothofagus antarctica forests in Northern Patagonia, Argentina. The performance of four management alternatives was assessed: no cutting, low cutting intensity, medium cutting intensity, and high cutting intensity. These alternatives were evaluated across 11 indicators of nature’s contributions to people. Indicator values were estimated from previous research across three contrasting sites, complemented by expert surveys to estimate weights and target values for each indicator. The results indicate that the key indicators included those associated with firewood harvesting, fire and invasions prevention, and timber species plantation performance. Medium cutting intensity consistently emerged as the most sustainable option across all sites, models, and scenarios. In contrast, no cutting performed poorly across most sites, models, and scenarios. These findings underscore the importance of integrating diverse ecological and socioeconomic indicators into forest management planning. The promotion of medium cutting intensity has the potential to enhance sustainability in N. antarctica forests, thereby contributing to the development of resilient and multifunctional landscapes in Northern Patagonia. Full article

Human-caused habitat conversion, degradation, and climate change threaten global biodiversity, particularly in tropical forests where vascular epiphytes—non-parasitic plants growing on other plants—may be especially vulnerable. Epiphytes play vital ecological roles, in nutrient cycling and by providing habitat, but are disproportionately affected by land-use changes due to their reliance on host trees and specific microclimatic conditions. While tree species in secondary forests recover relatively quickly, epiphyte recolonization is slower, especially in humid montane regions, where species richness may decline by up to 96% compared to primary or old-growth forests. A review of nearly 300 pertinent studies has revealed a geographic bias toward the Neotropics, with limited research from tropical Asia, Africa, and temperate regions. The studies can be grouped into four main areas: 1. trade, use and conservation, 2. ecological effects of climate and land-use change, 3. diversity in human-modified habitats, and 4. responses to disturbance. In agricultural and timber plantations, particularly those using exotic species like pine and eucalyptus, epiphyte diversity is significantly reduced. In contrast, most native tree species and shade-grown agroforestry systems support higher species richness. Traditional polycultures with dense canopy cover maintain up to 88% of epiphyte diversity, while intensive management practices, such as epiphyte removal in coffee and cacao plantations, cause substantial biodiversity losses. Conservation strategies should prioritize preserving old-growth forests, maintaining forest fragments, and minimizing intensive land management. Active restoration, including the translocation of fallen epiphytes and planting vegetation nuclei, is more effective than passive approaches. Future research should include long-term monitoring to understand epiphyte dynamics and assess the broader impacts of epiphyte loss on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of the mean individual volume per tree (MIV) on the productivity of forwarder machines and the production cost in eucalyptus plantations located in southern Bahia, Brazil. MIV positively influenced the productivity and production costs, promoting a more attractive cost in the latter when the individual volume per tree increased. The machine’s productivity for MIV of 0.13 m³ was 42.06 cubic meters per effective working hour (m³Ewh⁻¹), while the productivity for the MIV of 0.58 m³ reached 60.97 m³Ewh⁻¹, corresponding to an increase of 42.59% between the minimum and maximum MIV classes. The extracted cost (m³) decreased by 30.12% from USD 2.49 to 1.74, respectively, when comparing the minimum and maximum MIV classes. The coefficient of determination obtained in the forwarder productivity modeling was significant (R² = 92%), indicating the machine’s productivity can be explained by the mean individual volume per tree. The highest forwarder yields in the highest average volume per tree (MIV) classes provided better energy efficiency indices for the machine; that is to say, when the forwarder became more productive, the ratio between fuel consumption per cubic meter of timber harvested decreased, providing better performance for the respective index. There was a difference in extraction costs of USD 147.83 per hectare between the lowest and highest productivity forests (MIV varying from 0.15 to 0.58). The mechanical availability and mean operational efficiency of all forwarders evaluated were above 80%, which contributed to effective machine productivity performance. Maintenance and repairs represented the largest portion of operational costs (33.59%), followed by labor (22.49%), depreciation (14.33%), and fuel (10.11%). Full article

Stand density is a primary limiting factor affecting the accumulation of timber volume, growth, and development of trees in plantations. However, the impact of stand density on the spatial structure and developmental strategies of male and female plants in dioecious tree species remains unclear. In this study, we focused on female, male, and unknown-sex plants of Fraxinus mandshurica across four initial densities (1 m × 1 m, 1.5 m × 1.5 m, 2 m × 2 m, 3 m × 1.5 m). From 2018 to 2022, continuous observations were conducted to determine sex and growth traits (tree height, diameter at breast height, and crown width) with measurements taken annually during the peak growing season. In 2022, in the same season, we measured the morphology and nutrient contents of vegetative organs (shoots, leaves, and absorptive roots) in plants of different genders and assessed the soil properties of their rhizosphere soil. The competition intensity among female plants at high density (D₄) increased significantly by 46.32% compared to low density. The gender mingling between female and male plants remained relatively stable across all densities and was greater than 0.7, and the plants occupied a sub-dominant position within their spatial structure. As density increases, the annual growth in height and crown width of female, male, and unknown-sex plants significantly decreases (p ≤ 0.05), while the annual timber volume growth of males and unknown-sex plants also experiences a significant reduction (p ≤ 0.05). Density was a primary factor affecting the ratio of the leaf area, branch thickness, diameter of the absorbing roots, and root tissue density in female and male plants. It also significantly influenced the changes in nitrogen (negatively) and phosphorus (positively) levels within the vegetative organs (p ≤ 0.05). Collectively, these changes were related to the moisture content, ammonium nitrogen, and total phosphorus levels in the rhizosphere soil. These findings emphasize the important of density and spatial structure in shaping the interactions between male and female plants, with the density influencing their growth and reproductive strategies. Research findings provide important insights into the cultivation strategies for dioecious tree species in plantations. Full article

One important element influencing the efficiency of automated timber harvesting is harvester maintenance. However, the understanding of this effect is limited, which can lead to more frequent harvest interruptions and consequently higher production costs. Data modeling can be used to evaluate how mechanical aspects affect harvester maintenance in plantation forests, which can help with forest planning. This study aimed to ascertain if mechanical harvester characteristics may be utilized to develop a high-performance model capable of properly forecasting harvester maintenance using machine learning. A free web application to help forest managers implement the approach was also developed as part of the study. For the modeling, we considered eight mechanical features and the mechanical status as the target feature. In default mode, we ran 25 popular algorithms through the database and compared them based on accuracy and error metrics. Although the combination models performed well, the Random Forest model performed better in the default mode with an accuracy of 0.933. In addition, the generated model makes it possible to create a harvester maintenance prediction tool that provides a quick visualization of the mechanical status feature and can help forest managers make informed decisions. Along with the data from the experimental research, we will make available the complete file containing the predictive model, as well as the software, both developed in the Python language. Full article

Integrating different ecosystem services (ES) to determine when to harvest a forest stand is still challenging. This is due to the difficulty of obtaining information, models, and methods to quantify those ES and achieving an adequate valuation of these services. In this study, we propose a methodology comprising two different models that could allow for different ES integration with the optimal silviculture to calculate the optimal economic rotation. We have applied both models to eucalyptus plantations in Brazil considering two ES: wood with four different assortments and carbon sequestration. For both models, we calculated a ranking with previously defined management alternatives, with decreasing trees-per-hectare compared to traditional plantations. For the first model, when the ES are measured in monetary units, the optimal rotation corresponds to fewer trees per hectare than the traditional plantations and greater associated profitability. The second model incorporates the ES in physical units through a multi-criteria decision-making model and results in a longer rotation with again fewer trees per hectare. This study suggests that optimum forest rotation analysis should consider ES other than timber production integrated with silvicultural alternatives, such as spacing. Full article

Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is gaining popularity as a sustainable alternative to traditional building materials. However, the decline of natural vegetation and the growth of plantation hardwoods has led the researchers to consider alternatives. This study presents a comparative analysis of bending and rolling shear performance of homogenous poplar (Populus nigra L.) CLT and hybrid CLT, with maple (Acer platanoides L.), in the outer layer and poplar in the core, compared to spruce (Picea abies (L.), H. Karst.) CLT. The CLT panels were prepared using one-component polyurethane (1C-PUR) and melamine adhesive (ME). Poplar CLT exhibited equal or better properties than spruce CLT. The outer maple layer in the hybrid CLT enhanced the global bending modulus (E_mg) and bending strength (f_m) by 74% and 37%, respectively, due to its higher modulus of elasticity better shear resistance by reducing the cross-layer stress concentrations and rolling shear failure. Additionally, both the adhesive types and wood species significantly influenced the f_m, E_mg, and rolling shear strength (f_r) independently, while their interaction effect was found to be non-significant. The experimental bending stiffness was higher than the theoretical values. The shear analogy method provided the most accurate results for bending and shear strengths, while bending stiffness was best predicted by the modified gamma method, with minor variations. The finite-element models (FEMs) also produced results with a deviation of only 10%. Full article

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) is an important fast-growing tree species for timber production and ecological protection in China. Yet, its tissue culture for seedling propagation is hampered by low proliferation and poor quality. Light quality is vital for seedling proliferation and growth, but the regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, a transcriptome and metabolome were integrated to explore light quality’s effects on adventitious shoot proliferation of tissue-cultured Chinese fir seedlings. The seedlings were grown under red, green, blue, and composite light-emitting diode conditions, with white light as the control. Results showed that blue and blue-dominant composite light enhanced proliferation by promoting auxin and cytokinin and increased biomass. Red light promoted shoot height, leaf area, and carotenoid content due to elevated gibberellin and reduced auxins and cytokinin levels but inhibited proliferation due to hormonal imbalances. Green light increased abscisic acid levels and suppressed growth. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses identified key pathways including plant hormone signal transduction, photosynthesis, and flavonoid and carotenoid biosynthesis. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified four key genes regulated by light quality that further modulated hormone biosynthesis and signaling transduction. This research provided insights for optimizing Chinese fir seedling proliferation and growth, contributing to sustainable plantation management. Full article

The increase in demand for timber and global eucalyptus cultivation has generated controversy regarding its potential impact on water resources, especially in regions with limited water availability, with the myth that “eucalyptus dries out the soil” being spread. In this regard, this review study addresses the factors that influence water consumption by eucalyptus, providing solutions to reduce, mitigate, or even avoid any impact on water resources at a given site. In this manuscript, the authors reviewed 200 works published from 1977 to 2024 to survey all information to confirm if the factual background allows someone to state if eucalyptus can deplete soil water. With a solid scientific basis, many research studies show that eucalyptus’ water demand is comparable to that of native forest species and crops worldwide and that species, age, edaphoclimatic conditions, and forest management practices mainly influence water consumption. On the other hand, it is a hasty conclusion that some eucalyptus species can contribute to reduced soil water. Effectively, without proper management, the environmental impacts of a eucalyptus plantation are the same as those of poorly managed crops. Indeed, if cultivated with proper agroclimatic zoning and correct management practices, the growth of eucalyptus culture is an environmentally correct activity. By adopting measures such as maintaining sufficient native forest cover to ensure ecosystem services, cultivation based on zoning maps, and considering local specificities (e.g., deeper, sandier soils are preferable), selection of species appropriate to the carrying capacity of each region, adoption of lower planting densities, and reduced rotation, eucalyptus cultivation will not negatively affect water resources. Sustainable eucalyptus cultivation has several economic and environmental benefits, in addition to positive social impacts on surrounding communities in terms of employment and family income, and its sustainable management can guarantee its viability, demystifying the idea that eucalyptus trees cause water scarcity. The works reviewed herein demonstrated no solid ground to sustain the eucalyptus’ water depletion myth. Full article

Forest plantations represent an alternative to reduce timber extraction pressure in the Amazonian forests. In order to tolerate the hostile field conditions of deforested areas, high-quality seedlings are required. This study aimed to find the optimal dose of a native microbial consortium (NMC), which enhances seedling quality indicators, in three forest species at nursery phase. A completely randomized design (3 × 5) was used. Factor 1: Bolaina blanca (Guazuma crinita Mart.), Capirona (Calycophyllum spruceanum Benth. Hook. f.), and Marupa (Simarouba amara Aubl.). Factor 2: Incremental doses of 0, 160, 320, 480, and 640 mL NMC per plant. The nursery survival (%), robustness index, root height/length ratio, shoot–root index, Dickson Quality Index (DQI), Nitrogen (%), Phosphorus (%), and Potassium (%) content in tissues were analyzed. Statistical analyses consisted of two-way ANOVA per variable and correlation analysis. The results indicated that increasing doses of NMC did not improve nursery survival for any species; did not decrease the robustness index, plant height/root length ratio, or the shoot–root index for any species; and did not increase the DQI, P%, or K% for any species; however, they did increase the N% for all species. In conclusion, the incremental dose of 160 mL was chosen for increasing the N% without affecting nursery survival. Full article

Global construction activity remains the least responsive large economic sector to the exigencies of global climate change. The focus has centered on operating emissions of buildings, while upfront embodied emissions in building materials remain unabated. Softwood timber, a commonly used building material, can remove and store atmospheric carbon in buildings for decades. However, the upfront climate benefits of using softwoods in building frames are limited due to the multi-decadal growth and harvest cycles of forest plantations. The objective of this study was to demonstrate that fast-growing Eucalyptus is a superior carbon sequestration feedstock for building materials compared to slow-growing softwoods. We quantified the relative carbon benefits of Eucalyptus to a group of commonly used North American softwoods in an all-carbon-pools, risk-adjusted model that compares the net present value of carbon flows over a 100-year period. Using a novel carbon benefit multiple metric, the analysis shows that short-rotation, high-yield Eucalyptus plantations are 2.7× to 4.6× better at sequestering atmospheric carbon than softwoods, depending on the various risk perception scenarios. The results indicate that building decarbonization can be enhanced by using fast-growing and high-yielding Eucalyptus species plantations. Full article

Wood dyeing plays a crucial role in enhancing the value of plantation wood and addressing the imbalance between supply and demand in the wood industry. However, challenges such as low dye uptake and inaccurate color matching persist. This study introduces a novel Separable Attention Feature Fusion-Gated Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (SAT Fusion-Gated BiLSTM) model to more accurately predict dye concentration and ultrasonic pretreatment power to address these issues. The model integrates multispectral data and uses ultrasonic treatment to open fiber gaps and decompose wood components, thereby improving dye uptake. Unlike traditional models, SAT Fusion-Gated BiLSTM combines a Maximum Information Coefficient (MIC)-based feature selection module, gated linear units for enhanced feature extraction, and an improved cross-attention mechanism for efficient data fusion. Compared to traditional deep learning models, the model’s performance is significantly improved, including an R² of 0.9274, an RMSE of 0.0470, an RPIQ of 5.5825, an RPD of 5.0400, and a MAE of 0.0229. RPIQ and RPD improve by over 100.8% compared to traditional deep learning models, and the runtime is reduced by 83.94% when compared to Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNS). The Shapley Additive Explanation (SHAP) reveals the key spectral features that drive these predictions. These advancements in accuracy, efficiency, and interpretability make the model particularly promising for industrial applications, offering both improved operational efficiency and more precise resource management in the sustainable use of timber. Full article

Loblolly pine plantations have long been cultivated primarily for timber production due to their rapid growth and economic value. However, these forests are now increasingly acknowledged for their important role in mitigating climate change. Their dense canopies and fast growth rates enable them to absorb and store substantial amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide. By integrating sustainable management practices, these plantations can maximize both timber yield and carbon sequestration, contributing to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Balancing timber production with vital ecosystem services, such as carbon storage, demands carefully tailored management strategies. This study examined how the timing of thinning—specifically early thinning at 17 years and late thinning at 32 years—impacts biomass accumulation, carbon storage capacity, and carbon sequestration rates in loblolly pine plantations located in northern Iran. Two thinning intensities were evaluated: normal thinning (removal of 15% basal area) and heavy thinning (removal of 35% basal area). The results demonstrated that thinning significantly improved biomass, sequestration rates and carbon storage compared to unthinned stands. Early thinning proved more effective than late thinning in enhancing these metrics. Additionally, heavy thinning had a greater impact than normal thinning on increasing biomass, carbon storage, and sequestration rates. In early heavy-thinned stands, carbon storage reached 95.8 Mg C/ha, which was 63.0% higher than the 58.8 Mg C/ha observed in unthinned 32-year-old stands. In comparison, early normal thinning increased carbon storage by 41.3%. In late heavy-thinned stands, carbon storage reached 199.4 Mg C/ha, which was 29.0% higher than in unthinned stands of the same age (154.6 Mg C/ha at 52 years). In contrast, late normal thinning increased carbon storage by 13.3%. Similarly, carbon sequestration rates in unthinned stands were 1.84 Mg C/ha/yr at 32 years and 2.97 Mg C/ha/yr at 52 years. In comparison, 32-year-old stands subjected to normal and heavy thinning had sequestration rates of 2.60 and 2.99 Mg C/ha/yr, respectively, while 54-year-old normally and heavily thinned stands reached 3.37 and 3.83 Mg C/ha/yr, respectively. The highest carbon storage was concentrated in the stems for 52–58% of the total. Greater thinning intensity increased the proportion of carbon stored in stems while decreasing the contribution from foliage. These results indicate that heavy early thinning is the most effective strategy for maximizing both timber production and carbon sequestration in loblolly pine plantations. Full article

This study addressed multi-product optimization in Cedrelinga cateniformis plantations in the Peruvian Amazon, aiming to maximize volumetric yields of logs and sawn lumber. Data from seven plantations of different ages and types, established on degraded land, were analyzed by using ten stem profile models to predict taper and optimize wood use. In addition, the structure of each plantation was evaluated using diameter distributions and height–diameter ratios; log and sawn timber production was optimized using SigmaE 2.0 software. The Garay model proved most effective, providing high predictive accuracy (adjusted R² values up to 0.963) and biological realism. Marked differences in volumetric yield were observed between plantations: older and more widely spaced plantations produced higher timber volumes. Logs of optimal length (1.83–3.05 m) and larger dimension wood (e.g., 25.40 × 5.08 cm) were identified as key contributors to maximizing volumetric yields. The highest yields were observed in mature plantations, in which the total log volume reached 508.1 m³ha⁻¹ and the sawn lumber volume 333.6 m³ha⁻¹. The findings demonstrate the power of data-driven decision-making in the timber industry. By combining precise modeling and optimization techniques, we developed a framework that enables sawmill operators to maximize log and lumber yields. The insights gained from this research can be used to improve operational efficiency and reduce waste, ultimately leading to increased profitability. These practices promote support for smallholders and the forestry industry while contributing to the long-term development of the Peruvian Amazon. Full article

Masson pine is a crucial species for afforestation and timber production in China; it plays an important role in mitigating global climate warming and increasing carbon sinks. Previous studies have primarily focused on the carbon sequestration potential and carbon storage of mature Masson pine plantations, while studies on the carbon footprint have received little attention. China produces hundreds of millions of seedlings annually, and estimating the carbon footprint of seedling production is crucial for assessing the carbon sink of forestry. By surveying existing Masson pine nursery operations for primary data in Guangxi, southern China, a new process-based life cycle inventory (LCI) dataset per 4 × 8 cm seedling was created, covering all stages from seed collection to the transportation of seedlings to retailers. Incorporating the new LCI data into the life cycle assessment (LCA) method, the total global warming (GW) impact of Masson pine seedlings was estimated to be 0.0232 kg CO₂eq, equivalent to 0.873 kg CO₂eq per gallon seeding. In this case, the total environmental impact of the Masson pine seedling was dominated by energy consumption (25.76%), chemical fertilizer production and N₂O emissions generated from its application (34.84%), and woven bag use in seedling dispatch (10.77%). Our results indicated that optimizing energy structures and implementing efficient water and nutrient management strategies could significantly reduce carbon emissions during seedling cultivation. This study highlights the potential for optimizing Masson pine production as a model for low-carbon forestry practices globally. Full article