Article
Forestry
Erick O. Osewe, Ioan Dutca
Summary: By investigating European beech biomass datasets, it was found that combining variables in allometric models resulted in biased estimates of mean AGB per hectare for European beech trees. For Q values greater than 2.0, the estimation was overestimated by 6.3%, while for Q values less than 2.0, the estimation was underestimated by 3.9%.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peter Petrik, Ina Zavadilova, Ladislav Sigut, Natalia Kowalska, Anja Petek-Petrik, Justyna Szatniewska, Georg Jocher, Marian Pavelka
Summary: This study investigates the partitioning of ET in a pure European beech forest and finds that the T/ET ratio is relatively low and varies significantly across different seasons. Temperature, vapor pressure deficit, and photosynthetically active radiation are found to affect the daily dynamics of T, ET, and T/ET, while soil water content has no significant effect. Mature European beech trees exhibit more anisohydric behavior.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Johannes Oberpriller, Christine Herschlein, Peter Anthoni, Almut Arneth, Andreas Krause, Anja Rammig, Mats Lindeskog, Stefan Olin, Florian Hartig
Summary: Understanding uncertainties and sensitivities of projected ecosystem dynamics under environmental change is crucial for research and climate change policy. This study analyzes the sensitivities and uncertainties of vegetation dynamics under climate change in European forests using a dynamic vegetation model, and finds that forest carbon fluxes are most sensitive to photosynthesis, water, and mortality-related parameters. Environmental drivers and parameters related to water and mortality also contribute to the predictive uncertainties. The study highlights the importance of environmental drivers in contributing to both predictive uncertainty and modifying sensitivities in other ecosystem processes.
GEOSCIENTIFIC MODEL DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Tyas Mutiara Basuki, Budi Leksono, Himlal Baral, Sarah Andini, Novi Sari Wahyuni, Yustina Artati, Eunho Choi, Seongmin Shin, Raehyun Kim, A-Ram Yang, Yusuf B. Samsudin, Eritrina Windyarini
Summary: This study presents allometric equations for predicting aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, and total above- and belowground biomass of Calophyllum inophyllum L. The models using natural logarithm of diameter at breast height and height showed good fit and accuracy, with the model using lnDBH being more precise. These equations can help improve accurate biomass quantification for carbon-trading schemes involving C. inophyllum L.
Article
Plant Sciences
Benjamin D. Hesse, Henrik Hartmann, Thomas Roetzer, Simon M. Landhausser, Michael Goisser, Fabian Weikl, Karin Pritsch, Thorsten E. E. Grams
Summary: Research showed that mature beech and spruce trees responded differently in terms of carbon dynamics under drought, with no significant impact on NSC concentrations. However, whole-tree NSC pool size significantly decreased under drought, leading to a significant decline in overall growth compared to control trees.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Gilles Le Moguedec, Sidonie Artru, Axel Albrecht, Francois Ningre
Summary: The Fagacees growth model, originally designed for the Northern half of France, shows potential applicability to a larger area. By adding new data from North-Western France to South-Western Germany, the model's equations were found to be suitable for application in other regions with a recalibration needed to reflect local conditions.
ANNALS OF FOREST SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Tomasz Jelonek, Karol Tomczak, Bartlomiej Naskrent, Katarzyna Klimek, Arkadiusz Tomczak, Karol Lewandowski
Summary: The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of browsing by deer on infection rate development in beech trees. The results showed that the infection only affects the rings formed before the tree was injured. The average size of stem decay was 7.75% of its area, spreading at a rate of 2.52% per year. Furthermore, the study found a significant correlation between the size of the wound and the time elapsed since the tree was damaged.
Article
Forestry
Qin Shi, Jianfeng Hua, David Creech, Yunlong Yin
Summary: This study assessed the aboveground biomass and carbon storage of Taxodium hybrid Zhongshanshan in different stages of stand development. The results showed that the biomass and carbon storage varied across different age stands, and Taxodium hybrid Zhongshanshan had continuous potential for carbon storage during its growth.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Richard Hrivnak, Michal Bosel'a, Michal Slezak, Martin Lukac, Ivana Svitkova, Jaroslav Gizela, Katarina Hegedusova, Matus Hrivnak, Jan Kliment, Vlastimil Knopp, Dusan Senko, Mariana Ujhazyova, Milan Valachovic, Maros Wiezik, Frantisek Malis
Summary: Traditionally, forest management focused on productivity, but now it needs to consider other functions such as biodiversity conservation. Research has found a reverse relationship between beech forests and understorey plant species richness, mainly influenced by competition and soil resource competition.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Vasilije Trifkovic, Andrej Boncina, Andrej Ficko
Summary: In this study, the influences of various stand, site, and climatic factors on tree recruitment in uneven-aged forests were explored. It was found that stand structure, including stand basal area and the proportion of tree species, was the most important factor affecting recruitment. Soil pH and rockiness were important for fir recruitment, while decadal precipitation and temperature played significant roles in beech and spruce recruitment. Furthermore, the optimal and critical ranges of these factors differed among the species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Agnes Foerster, Heike Culmsee, Christoph Leuschner
Summary: This study compared aboveground biomass carbon pools and net primary productivity of broadleaf forests with natural development to nearby pine forests in northern Germany, finding that pine forests had lower biomass carbon storage and ANPP compared to broadleaf forests due to differences in tree species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Christoph Leuschner, Eike Feldmann, Viliam Pichler, Jonas Glatthorn, Dietrich Hertel
Summary: Forest soils are important reservoirs of carbon in the biosphere and play a key role in the global carbon cycle. This study compared primeval and managed forests in the western Carpathians and found that primeval forests have significantly higher soil organic carbon stocks, particularly in the subsoil. Availability of certain nutrients in the soil was found to have a negative effect on soil organic carbon stocks. This study highlights the importance of primeval forest as a reference for assessing forest management effects on carbon storage.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Xueling Yao, Guojing Yang, Bo Wu, Lina Jiang, Feng Wang
Summary: The study tested various predictors for estimating shrub biomass and found that single measurements performed poorly, while predictors including crown-related volumes performed much better and were considered ideal for common shrub biomass estimation. The improved cone frustum volume model had flexible geometric for shrubs of different shapes and sizes, with high fitting accuracy and stability, and was recommended as an excellent predictor for shrub biomass estimation.
Article
Forestry
Hazandy Abdul-Hamid, Fatin-Norliyana Mohamad-Ismail, Johar Mohamed, Zaiton Samdin, Rambod Abiri, Tuan-Marina Tuan-Ibrahim, Lydia-Suzieana Mohammad, Abdul-Majid Jalil, Hamid-Reza Naji
Summary: This study aimed to develop a site-specific allometric equation for biomass estimation of a mix-mature mangrove forest. Results showed that the single variable (D) equation provided an accurate estimation, which was slightly improved when incorporated with the H variable. However, including the rho variable achieved the best fit for both small-scale and large-scale data, as well as for imbalanced sample species. Therefore, excluding the H variable while including the rho variable should be considered as an important determinant in mixed mangrove species and uneven-aged stand for aboveground biomass estimation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Siraj, Nasrullah Khan, Mohammad Okla, Saud Al-amri, Wahidah Al-Qahtani, Mostafa Abdel-Maksoud, Hamada AbdElgawad
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the influence of environmental variables on the morphological traits and biomass variability of Calotropis procera in a semi-arid environment. The results showed that altitude and slope were the most important factors affecting biomass variation and soil moisture content. Soil moisture and Phosphorus were also found to play an important role in enhancing the productivity of the plant species.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Kristin H. Braziunas, Rupert Seidl, Werner Rammer, Monica G. Turner
Summary: In forested wildland urban interface (WUI) landscapes in the western United States, fire incidents are on the rise. The effectiveness of fuel treatments and fire risk under future climate conditions remain uncertain. The study showed that under warm and dry climates, annual area burned increased, but the area burned at high fire intensity peaked in the 2060s and then declined sharply, with fire risk following similar trends. The most effective strategy for reducing fire risk depends on the scale at which risk is assessed, with clustering WUI developments and treating between 10 and 30% of the landscape every 10 years showing promise in reducing fire risk at multiple scales.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Julius Sebald, Timothy Thrippleton, Werner Rammer, Harald Bugmann, Rupert Seidl
Summary: Increasing tree species diversity, especially between stands, can effectively buffer forest ecosystems against disturbances. Different levels and configurations of diversity have varying effects on forest structure and temporal stability.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Catalina Munteanu, Cornelius Senf, Mihai D. Nita, Francesco Maria Sabatini, Julian Oeser, Rupert Seidl, Tobias Kuemmerle
Summary: HCVFs are crucial for biodiversity and ecosystem services, but are under threat. A novel approach using historical satellite images and remote sensing data successfully identified 738,000 ha of HCVF in the Romanian Carpathians, where more than half of the area is susceptible to current anthropogenic pressures and lacks formal protection.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Maksym Matsala, Cornelius Senf, Andrii Bilous, Petro Diachuk, Roman Zadorozhniuk, Maksym Burianchuk, Rupert Seidl
Summary: This study investigates the effects of ionizing radiation on tree regeneration and forest development after the Chernobyl nuclear accident. The results suggest that high levels of radiation may reduce tree regeneration and negatively impact the individual health of Scots pine trees. However, overall forest structural development was found to be largely unaffected by radiation. These findings have implications for assessing long-term risks at nuclear accident sites and highlight the need for further research and monitoring.
APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Mareike Kortmann, Nicolas Roth, Joern Buse, Jacek Hilszczanski, Tomasz Jaworski, Jerome Moriniere, Rupert Seidl, Simon Thorn, Joerg C. Mueller
Summary: Natural disturbances are increasing globally and affecting protected areas. Previous studies have mainly focused on a few taxonomic groups, leading to uncertainty about the overall impact of natural disturbances on biodiversity. This study used Malaise traps and meta-barcoding to investigate the response of a wide range of arthropods to bark beetle disturbances in European national parks. The results show that different arthropod taxa have varying responses to disturbance severity, with dark and cryptic taxa being more sensitive to negative disturbance indicators.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Monica G. Turner, Kristin H. Braziunas, Winslow D. Hansen, Tyler J. Hoecker, Werner Rammer, Zak Ratajczak, A. Leroy Westerling, Rupert Seidl
Summary: The study suggests that future forest landscapes will undergo significant changes as temperatures rise and fire activity increases, particularly in environments of prolonged aridity and high fire risk, leading to rapid forest structure and composition degradation. However, controlling greenhouse gas concentrations may help slow this process and protect the forests.
ECOLOGICAL MONOGRAPHS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dominik Thom, Werner Rammer, Patrick Laux, Gerhard Smiatek, Harald Kunstmann, Sebastian Seibold, Rupert Seidl
Summary: Observational evidence suggests that forests in the Northern Alps are changing at an increasing rate due to climate change. This study used a process-based forest landscape model to simulate future forest dynamics and found that the acceleration of forest dynamics will continue in the coming decades. However, forest structure changes are expected to level off in the second half of the 21st century, while tree species changes diverge under different climate scenarios.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Yuta Kobayashi, Rupert Seidl, Werner Rammer, Kureha F. Suzuki, Akira S. Mori
Summary: This study investigates the potential of tree planting for ecosystem restoration in a cool-temperate forest in northern Japan. The research shows that species-rich, high-density planting scenarios perform best in restoration areas close to natural forests. However, biodiversity restoration is delayed when planted species richness is low or restoration areas are far from a seed source.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rupert Seidl, Monica G. Turner
Summary: Forest ecosystems are strongly affected by climate change and disturbance activities. The short time window after a disturbance event plays a crucial role in shaping future forest development. Understanding and predicting forest reorganization through analyzing forest structure and composition is essential for anticipating forest change.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Harald Bugmann, Rupert Seidl
Summary: To assess the impacts of climate change on vegetation, models that include tree demography are needed. A meta-analysis of 28 models reveals that model complexity has evolved considerably over the past 50 years, with the largest increases seen in growth processes. Model diversity is lowest at the global scale and highest at the landscape scale. Most models in use today are not balanced in the level of complexity with which they represent different processes. Therefore, balanced further developments of forest models are strongly recommended.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
William R. L. Anderegg, Chao Wu, Nezha Acil, Nuno Carvalhais, Thomas A. M. Pugh, Jon P. Sadler, Rupert Seidl
Summary: Forests on Earth are crucial for mitigating climate change and supporting biodiversity, but they are also at risk from climate change. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of climate risks for forests worldwide, using multiple approaches to model carbon, biodiversity, and disturbance risks. The findings highlight higher risks for certain forests, including southern boreal forests and those in western North America and parts of the Amazon.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Marc Gruenig, Rupert Seidl, Cornelius Senf
Summary: Area burned in Europe has decreased but may reverse due to climate change, especially in temperate and boreal forests. A study using remote sensing data of 64,448 fire events between 1986 and 2020 shows a power-law relationship between maximum fire size and area burned, and a positive correlation between vapor pressure deficit and fire severity. Climate change could double the probability of extreme fires by the end of the century, posing challenges to fire management and forest ecosystem services.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Laura Nikinmaa, Marcus Lindner, Elena Cantarello, Barry Gardiner, Jette Bredahl Jacobsen, Alistair S. Jump, Constanza Parra, Tobias Plieninger, Andreas Schuck, Rupert Seidl, Thomas Timberlake, Kristen Waring, Georg Winkel, Bart Muys
Summary: Against the backdrop of increasing climate-induced disturbances, there is an urgent need to enhance the resilience of forests and forest management. However, current methods for assessing resilience lack considerations for trade-offs. This study proposes a hierarchical framework that considers trade-offs between mechanisms, social-ecological system components, ecosystem services, and spatial and temporal scales to assess resilience.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Rudolf Reiner, Rupert Seidl, Sebastian Seibold, Cornelius Senf
Summary: As climate change intensifies, forest disturbances caused by increased demand for timber are on the rise. These disturbances create transient edges within forests, which can have significant effects on the habitat quality of forest-dwelling species.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Christina Dollinger, Werner Rammer, Rupert Seidl
Summary: Restoring degraded forest ecosystems is crucial for the sustainability of the biosphere. Climate change can potentially accelerate forest restoration in Central European mountain forests, but restoration goals have not been fully achieved.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)