Article
Forestry
Petter Ohrn, Mats Berlin, Malin Elfstrand, Paal Krokene, Anna Maria Jonsson
Summary: In 2018, a significant number of Norway spruce trees were killed by the spruce bark beetle in Sweden, due to severe drought stress rather than the availability of defenseless storm-felled trees. The outbreak continued in 2019 and 2020, with twice as many trees killed each year as in 2018. The study aimed to quantify the seasonal variation and potential lag-effects in tree defense capacity following severe drought stress. Inoculation with a bark beetle-associated bluestain fungus showed that tree defense capacity correlated positively with cumulative precipitation levels two months before inoculation.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
S. Karvemo, L. Huo, P. Ohrn, E. Lindberg, H. J. Persson
Summary: In recent decades, Norway spruce forests in Europe have suffered from large-scale tree mortality caused by the spruce bark beetle, which is influenced by storm-felling events and periods of drought due to climate change. This study compared the infestation patterns and configuration of the bark beetles after a storm and a drought in southern Sweden, finding differences in infestation occurrence and size related to forest structures and climate. The study highlights the importance of understanding the drivers behind bark beetle infestations triggered by different factors to develop more accurate outbreak predictions.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Review
Entomology
Sigrid Netherer, Dineshkumar Kandasamy, Anna Jirosova, Blanka Kalinova, Martin Schebeck, Fredrik Schlyter
Summary: European Norway spruce forests face threats from massive outbreaks of the bark beetle Ips typographus, exacerbated by stressors such as drought. Interactions between Norway spruce, bark beetles and symbiotic fungi are complex and multi-layered, with the fungi playing various roles in the beetle's life history.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Charlotte C. Reed, Sharon M. Hood
Summary: This study provides an in-depth exploration of tree mortality caused by drought and bark beetle outbreaks, showing that different tree species have different risk factors for mortality. It is difficult to find generalizable patterns of mortality when bark beetle outbreaks and long, hot droughts occur simultaneously. While physiological differences and beetle-related selection and variability in defenses may influence mortality susceptibility for ponderosa pine, beetle dynamics may play a more prominent role in mortality patterns for white fir and pinyon pine. In contrast, incense cedar mortality appears to be attributable to long-term effects of growth suppression.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Agnieszka Kaminska, Maciej Lisiewicz, Bartlomiej Kraszewski, Krzysztof Sterenczak
Summary: The spruce bark beetle infestation in the Polish part of the Bialowieza Forest is considered the largest in history, nearly eliminating Norway spruce as a major forest tree species. Host and environmental factors influenced the timing of spruce mortality, with the dynamics varying across the study area under the unprecedented outbreak of I. typographus.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Jiri Korecky, Jaroslav Cepl, Nataliya Korolyova, Jan Stejskal, Marek Turcani, Rastislav Jakus
Summary: This study identified genetic markers associated with higher resistance to bark beetle infestation in Norway Spruce. The researchers found that a small proportion of mature trees were able to survive severe bark beetle outbreaks, suggesting a genetic basis for resilience. By analyzing genomic data, they identified 12 markers significantly associated with tree survival. These findings may aid in identifying trees with higher resistance to bark beetle infestation.
Article
Entomology
Nina Sramel, Andreja Kavcic, Marija Kolsek, Maarten de Groot
Summary: The study tested five commercially available pheromone lures for monitoring Ips typographus outbreaks in Europe, with IT Ecolure Extra (R), Ipsowit (R), and Pheroprax (R) showing the best effectiveness. The cost of pheromones is relatively low compared to personnel costs. An index was created to assess the cost-efficiency of the pheromones, providing guidelines for future research in selecting the right pheromone for monitoring bark beetle populations.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Aleksei Trubin, Giorgi Kozhoridze, Khodabakhsh Zabihi, Roman Modlinger, Vivek Vikram Singh, Peter Surovy, Rastislav Jakus
Summary: Climate change-induced drought stress weakens forest ecosystems and leads to bark beetle infestations, particularly in Norway spruce-dominated forests in central Europe. Early identification and removal of infected trees are crucial for effective forest pest management, but it can be challenging since stressed trees may not show visible signs of infestation. This study explores the use of spectral vegetation indices and individual spectral bandwidths to differentiate healthy trees from susceptible trees. The results suggest that the Enhanced Vegetation Index and Visible Atmospherically Resistant Index can effectively distinguish between healthy and susceptible spruce forests.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Michal Choma, Radek Bace, Petr Capek, Jiri Kana, Eva Kastovska, Karolina Tahovska, Jiri Kopacek
Summary: Bark beetle disturbances have an important impact on the life cycle of Norway spruce forests, particularly on ectomycorrhizal fungi. However, our understanding of their effects is still limited, especially in disturbed natural stands. In this study, conducted in an unmanaged spruce forest in the Czech Republic, it was found that the surviving trees play a key role in determining the fate of the ectomycorrhizal community.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Alexis A. Bernal, Jeffrey M. Kane, Eric E. Knapp, Harold S. J. Zald
Summary: Long-term trends indicate that increased tree mortality is related to above-average temperatures, high climatic water deficits, and bark beetle outbreaks. The recent unprecedented drought in California highlights the potential of thinning and prescribed fire in improving tree drought resistance and reducing bark beetle-associated mortality. Research conducted in the central Sierra Nevada suggests that thinning can promote tree growth during severe drought conditions, while prescribed fire can stimulate defense systems in certain tree species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
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
Agata Zakrzewska, Dominik Kopec
Summary: This study develops an automatic workflow for detecting dead trees and trees in poor condition of Picea abies using Middle Wave Infrared spectral range obtained from the aircraft. By analyzing temperature data, different health conditions of trees can be accurately distinguished. The results confirm the effectiveness of fusing thermal and laser scanning data.
Article
Forestry
Sigrid Netherer, Martin Schebeck, Giuseppe Morgante, Verena Rentsch, Thomas Kirisits
Summary: The study found that drought stress and fungal infection affected the attractiveness and preference of male I. typographus. Stressed trees were more attractive to males, with their bark samples being more appealing and resulting in stronger hypersensitive wound reactions.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ferreol Berendt, Felipe de Miguel-Diez, Evelyn Wallor, Lubomir Blasko, Tobias Cremer
Summary: This study compares the estimation of bark volume from scaling formulae with the real bark volume obtained by xylometric technique. While the results showed good performances for the total volume estimation (including bark), the performances were much lower for the bark volume estimations only.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Tao Wen, Yixuan Qu, Kanglong Lu, Chao Guan, Changming Zhao
Summary: Carbon allocation in tree stems affects tree response to climate variability and extreme weather. This study used basal area increment (BAI) and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) as proxies for nonstructural carbohydrates to investigate carbon allocation. Results showed that BAI and iWUEres could provide information about early growing season climate conditions and that wet and drought years had different effects on tree growth. Drought had a longer-term impact on growth, and trees prioritized using newer carbon sources for growth in adjacent years.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Thomas Asbeck, Daniel Kozak, Andreea P. Spinu, Martin Mikolas, Veronika Zemlerova, Miroslav Svoboda
Summary: The study found that trees in primary forests hosted a greater richness of all and specific types of TreMs, with DBH and altitude being the main drivers of TreMs. It is recommended for forest managers to focus on conserving primary forests and selecting high-quality habitat trees in managed forests that already provide a high number of TreMs based on comparison with primary forests.
Article
Forestry
Per Angelstam, Brita Asplund, Olaf Bastian, Ola Engelmark, Mariia Fedoriak, Karsten Grunewald, Pierre L. Ibisch, Per Lindvall, Michael Manton, Magnus Nilsson, Sten B. Nilsson, Peter Roberntz, Anton Shkaruba, Per Skoog, Ihor Soloviy, Miroslav Svoboda, Victor Teplyakov, Anders Tivell, Erik Westholm, Alina Zhuk, Leif Oster
Summary: Expectations of what forests and woodlands should provide vary among locations, stakeholder groups, and over time. Developing multifunctional forests requires understanding of the dynamic roles of traditions and cultural legacies in social-ecological systems at multiple levels and scales. Implementing policies about multifunctional forests requires a landscape and social-ecological perspective, and recognition of both spatial and temporal features at multiple scales.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Isabel Dorado-Linan, Blanca Ayarzaguena, Flurin Babst, Guobao Xu, Luis Gil, Giovanna Battipaglia, Allan Buras, Vojtech Cada, J. Julio Camarero, Liam Cavin, Hugues Claessens, Igor Drobyshev, Balazs Garamszegi, Michael Grabner, Andrew Hacket-Pain, Claudia Hartl, Andrea Hevia, Pavel Janda, Alistair S. Jump, Marko Kazimirovic, Srdjan Keren, Juergen Kreyling, Alexander Land, Nicolas Latte, Tom Levanic, Ernst van der Maaten, Marieke Van der Maaten-Theunissen, Elisabet Martinez-Sancho, Annette Menzel, Martin Mikolas, Renzo Motta, Lena Muffler, Paola Nola, Momchil Panayotov, Any Mary Petritan, Ion Catalin Petritan, Ionel Popa, Peter Prislan, Catalin-Constantin Roibu, Milos Rydval, Raul Sanchez-Salguero, Tobias Scharnweber, Branko Stajic, Miroslav Svoboda, Willy Tegel, Marius Teodosiu, Elvin Toromani, Volodymyr Trotsiuk, Daniel-Ond Turcu, Robert Weigel, Martin Wilmking, Christian Zang, Tzvetan Zlatanov, Valerie Trouet
Summary: The study reveals that extreme changes in the summer jet stream position in Europe create a dipole in beech forest productivity between northwestern and southeastern Europe, resulting in regional anomalies in forest carbon uptake and growth.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biology
Edurne Martinez del Castillo, Christian S. Zang, Allan Buras, Andrew Hacket-Pain, Jan Esper, Roberto Serrano-Notivoli, Claudia Hartl, Robert Weigel, Stefan Klesse, Victor Resco de Dios, Tobias Scharnweber, Isabel Dorado-Linan, Marieke Van der Maaten-Theunissen, Ernst van der Maaten, Alistair Jump, Sjepan Mikac, Bat-Enerel Banzragch, Wolfgang Beck, Liam Cavin, Hugues Claessens, Vojtech Cada, Katarina Cufar, Choimaa Dulamsuren, Jozica Gricar, Eustaquio Gil-Pelegrin, Pavel Janda, Marko Kazimirovic, Juergen Kreyling, Nicolas Latte, Christoph Leuschner, Luis Alberto Longares, Annette Menzel, Maks Merela, Renzo Motta, Lena Muffler, Paola Nola, Any Mary Petritan, Ion Catalin Petritan, Peter Prislan, Alvaro Rubio-Cuadrado, Milos Rydval, Branko Stajic, Miroslav Svoboda, Elvin Toromani, Volodymyr Trotsiuk, Martin Wilmking, Tzvetan Zlatanov, Martin de Luis
Summary: The growth of past, present, and future forests is affected by climate variability. While regional studies have assessed this relationship, large-scale analyses are lacking. This study estimates recent changes in growth of beech trees and predicts severe future growth declines across Europe. The findings indicate serious ecological and economic consequences that require immediate forest adaptation.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Petr Kjucukov, Jenyk Hofmeister, Radek Bace, Lucie Vitkova, Miroslav Svoboda
Summary: Europe has been dominated by cultural landscape and heavily managed forests, leading to the apparent consequences of the ongoing global biodiversity crisis and climate change. In recent years, forestry in Central Europe, particularly in the Czech Republic, has faced a crisis caused by extensive disturbances in commercial monocultures. It is crucial to review and optimize the current forest management practices in order to protect biodiversity.
IFOREST-BIOGEOSCIENCES AND FORESTRY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Jingjing Liang, Javier G. P. Gamarra, Nicolas Picard, Mo Zhou, Bryan Pijanowski, Douglass F. Jacobs, Peter B. Reich, Thomas W. Crowther, Gert-Jan Nabuurs, Sergio De-Miguel, Jingyun Fang, Christopher W. Woodall, Jens-Christian Svenning, Tommaso Jucker, Jean-Francois Bastin, Susan K. Wiser, Ferry Slik, Bruno Herault, Giorgio Alberti, Gunnar Keppel, Geerten M. Hengeveld, Pierre L. Ibisch, Carlos A. Silva, Hans Ter Steege, Pablo L. Peri, David A. Coomes, Eric B. Searle, Klaus Von Gadow, Bogdan Jaroszewicz, Akane O. Abbasi, Meinrad Abegg, Yves C. Adou Yao, Jesus Aguirre-Gutierrez, Angelica M. Almeyda Zambrano, Jan Altman, Esteban Alvarez-Davila, Juan Gabriel Alvarez-Gonzalez, Luciana F. Alves, Bienvenu H. K. Amani, Christian A. Amani, Christian Ammer, Bhely Angoboy Ilondea, Clara Anton-Fernandez, Valerio Avitabile, Gerardo A. Aymard, Akomian F. Azihou, Johan A. Baard, Timothy R. Baker, Radomir Balazy, Meredith L. Bastian, Rodrigue Batumike, Marijn Bauters, Hans Beeckman, Nithanel Mikael Hendrik Benu, Robert Bitariho, Pascal Boeckx, Jan Bogaert, Frans Bongers, Olivier Bouriaud, Pedro H. S. Brancalion, Susanne Brandl, Francis Q. Brearley, Jaime Briseno-Reyes, Eben N. Broadbent, Helge Bruelheide, Erwin Bulte, Ann Christine Catlin, Roberto Cazzolla Gatti, Ricardo G. Cesar, Han Y. H. Chen, Chelsea Chisholm, Emil Cienciala, Gabriel D. Colletta, Jose Javier Corral-Rivas, Anibal Cuchietti, Aida Cuni-Sanchez, Javid A. Dar, Selvadurai Dayanandan, Thales De Haulleville, Mathieu Decuyper, Sylvain Delabye, Geraldine Derroire, Ben Devries, John Diisi, Tran Van Do, Jiri Dolezal, Aurelie Dourdain, Graham P. Durrheim, Nestor Laurier Engone Obiang, Corneille E. N. Ewango, Teresa J. Eyre, Tom M. Fayle, Lethicia Flavine N. Feunang, Leena Finer, Markus Fischer, Jonas Fridman, Lorenzo Frizzera, Andre L. De Gasper, Damiano Gianelle, Henry B. Glick, Maria Socorro Gonzalez-Elizondo, Lev Gorenstein, Richard Habonayo, Olivier J. Hardy, David J. Harris, Andrew Hector, Andreas Hemp, Martin Herold, Annika Hillers, Wannes Hubau, Thomas Ibanez, Nobuo Imai, Gerard Imani, Andrzej M. Jagodzinski, Stepan Janecek, Vivian Kvist Johannsen, Carlos A. Joly, Blaise Jumbam, Banoho L. P. R. Kabelong, Goytom Abraha Kahsay, Viktor Karminov, Kuswata Kartawinata, Justin N. Kassi, Elizabeth Kearsley, Deborah K. Kennard, Sebastian Kepfer-Rojas, Mohammed Latif Khan, John N. Kigomo, Hyun Seok Kim, Carine Klauberg, Yannick Klomberg, Henn Korjus, Subashree Kothandaraman, Florian Kraxner, Amit Kumar, Relawan Kuswandi, Mait Lang, Michael J. Lawes, Rodrigo Leite, Geoffrey Lentner, Simon L. Lewis, Moses B. Libalah, Janvier Lisingo, Pablito Marcelo Lopez-Serrano, Huicui Lu, Natalia Lukina, Anne Mette Lykke, Vincent Maicher, Brian S. Maitner, Eric Marcon, Andrew R. Marshall, Emanuel H. Martin, Olga Martynenko, Faustin M. Mbayu, Musingo T. E. Mbuvi, Jorge A. Meave, Cory Merow, Stanislaw Miscicki, Vanessa S. Moreno, Albert Morera, Sharif A. Mukul, Jorg C. Muller, Agustinus Murdjoko, Maria Guadalupe Nava-Miranda, Litonga Elias Ndive, Victor J. Neldner, Radovan Nevenic, Louis N. Nforbelie, Michael L. Ngoh, Anny E. N'Guessan, Michael R. Ngugi, Alain S. K. Ngute, Emile Narcisse N. Njila, Melanie C. Nyako, Thomas O. Ochuodho, Jacek Oleksyn, Alain Paquette, Elena Parfenova, Minjee Park, Marc Parren, Narayanaswamy Parthasarathy, Sebastian Pfautsch, Oliver L. Phillips, Maria T. F. Piedade, Daniel Piotto, Martina Pollastrini, Lourens Poorter, John R. Poulsen, Axel Dalberg Poulsen, Hans Pretzsch, Mirco Rodeghiero, Samir G. Rolim, Francesco Rovero, Ervan Rutishauser, Khosro Sagheb-Talebi, Purabi Saikia, Moses Nsanyi Sainge, Christian Salas-Eljatib, Antonello Salis, Peter Schall, Dmitry Schepaschenko, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Bernhard Schmid, Vladimir Seben, Jochen Schongart, Giacomo Sellan, Federico Selvi, Josep M. Serra-Diaz, Douglas Sheil, Anatoly Z. Shvidenko, Plinio Sist, Alexandre F. Souza, Martin J. P. Sullivan, Somaiah Sundarapandian, Miroslav Svoboda, Mike D. Swaine, Natalia Targhetta, Nadja Tchebakova, Liam A. Trethowan, Robert Tropek, John Tshibamba Mukendi, Peter Mbanda Umunay, Vladimir A. Usoltsev, Gaia Vaglio Laurin, Riccardo Valentini, Fernando Valladares, Fons Van der Plas, Daniel Jose Vega-Nieva, Hans Verbeeck, Helder Viana, Alexander C. Vibrans, Simone A. Vieira, Jason Vleminckx, Catherine E. Waite, Hua-Feng Wang, Eric Katembo Wasingya, Chemuku Wekesa, Bertil Westerlund, Florian Wittmann, Verginia Wortel, Tomasz Zawila-Niedziwiecki, Chunyu Zhang, Xiuhai Zhao, Jun Zhu, Xiao Zhu, Zhi-Xin Zhu, Irie C. Zo-Bi, Cang Hui
Summary: The latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) is a recognized global pattern of species richness. This study used high-resolution mapping and global forest inventory data to quantify the drivers of local tree species richness patterns across latitudes. The results showed that annual mean temperature was the dominant predictor of tree species richness, but in the tropics, high species richness was also influenced by local factors such as topography, soil, and human activity.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jan Tumajer, Kresimir Begovic, Vojtech Cada, Michal Jenicek, Jelena Lange, Jiri Masek, Ryszard J. Kaczka, Milos Rydval, Miroslav Svoboda, Lukas Vlcek, Vaclav Treml
Summary: The growth of trees is sensitive to environmental conditions, and studying the growth increments can provide valuable information on the effects of climate change on forest growth. However, unprecedented climate variability may lead to non-stationarity, causing the relationship between tree growth and climate to decouple over time and potentially bias climate reconstructions and forest growth projections. The factors influencing the occurrence and magnitude of non-stationarity, such as environmental conditions, tree species, and model type and resolution, are not well understood.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kresimir Begovic, Jonathan S. Schurman, Marek Svitok, Jakob Pavlin, Thomas Langbehn, Kristyna Svobodova, Martin Mikolas, Pavel Janda, Michal Synek, William Marchand, Lucie Vitkova, Daniel Kozak, Ondrej Vostarek, Vojtech Cada, Radek Bace, Miroslav Svoboda
Summary: In a changing environment, the tradeoff between tree growth rate and longevity may lead to a decrease in the abundance of large old trees, which has negative implications for biodiversity and carbon storage. The influence of these tradeoffs on forest structure depends on disturbances and the potential benefits of climate warming for large old trees. This study analyzed the growth patterns of Norway spruce trees in the Western Carpathian forest to understand the importance of growth histories and stand dynamics on tree lifespan. The findings suggest that slow juvenile growth and a longer period of suppressed growth contribute to longer tree lifespan, while disturbances and shorter time since the last disturbance decrease it. The study also highlights the increasing growth rates of the oldest trees in response to climate warming.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
W. Marchand, A. Buechling, M. Rydval, V Cada, A. Stegehuis, A. Fruleux, M. Polacek, J. Hofmeister, J. Pavlin, D. Ralhan, M. Dusatko, P. Janda, M. Mikolas, O. Vostarek, R. Bace, M. Frankovic, D. Kozak, C-C Roibu, O. Chaskovskyy, S. Mikac, T. Zlatanov, M. Panayotov, A. Diku, E. Toromani, M. Svoboda
Summary: The demography of juvenile trees has a strong influence on the outcomes of global change for forests. Our study in Europe reveals the relationships between climate factors and growth rates in sapling trees of two dominant species, Norway spruce and European beech. We found that spruce has higher growth potential and is more sensitive to water availability, while beech is more tolerant of moisture limitation. Long-term warming may have positively affected juvenile tree growth, but future warming and drought may inhibit growth due to thermal thresholds and differential water stress tolerance.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Jiri Lehejcek, Frantisek Trkal, Jiri Dolezal, Vojtech Cada
Summary: This study investigates the ontogenetic growth trends in primary and secondary growth of black crowberry plants in Arctic and alpine populations. The findings reveal that despite different environmental conditions, primary and secondary stem base growth decreases over time while secondary stem top growth and basal area increment increase. This suggests that black crowberry plants adapt to different environments by altering their absolute growth rate.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Daniel Kozak, Marek Svitok, Veronika Zemlerova, Martin Mikolas, Thibault Lachat, Laurent Larrieu, Yoan Paillet, Arne Buechling, Radek Bace, William S. Keeton, Lucie Vitkova, Kresimir Begovic, Vojtech Cada, Martin Dusatko, Matej Ferencik, Michal Frankovic, Rhiannon Gloor, Jenyk Hofmeister, Pavel Janda, Ondrej Kameniar, Tomas Knir, Linda Majdanova, Marek Mejstrik, Jakob Pavlin, Dheeraj Ralhan, Ruffy Rodrigo, Catalin-Constantin Roibu, Michal Synek, Ondrej Vostarek, Miroslav Svoboda
Summary: Protecting tree-related microhabitats (TreMs) is crucial for biodiversity conservation in forested landscapes. This study examined the effects of tree age and diameter on TreM profile in primary temperate forests in Europe. The results showed that TreM richness increased with tree age and diameter, highlighting the importance of conserving large, old trees to maintain TreM resources and associated biodiversity. However, this approach may face challenges due to intensification of forest management and climate change.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Radek Bace, Jenyk Hofmeister, Lucie Vitkova, Marek Brabec, Kresimir Begovic, Vojtech Cada, Pavel Janda, Daniel Kozak, Martin Mikolas, Thomas A. Nagel, Jakob Pavlin, Ruffy Rodrigo, Ondrej Vostarek, Miroslav Svoboda
Summary: Natural disturbances can change forest habitat quality, but it is uncertain how this change will be affected by increasing extent and intensity of disturbances under climate change. To understand this, we studied habitat quality in European primary Norway spruce forests using a space-for-time substitution approach. We found that post-disturbance habitat succession has a U-shaped response on plot-scale habitat quality, with greater decline in quality as disturbance severity increases.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Sadadi Ojoatre, Jos Barlow, Suzanne R. Jacobs, Mariana C. Rufino
Summary: This study evaluates the changes in a forest complex in Kenya and finds that within 20 years of disturbance, there is rapid recovery of aboveground biomass and carbon accumulation, and the species diversity remains high in these previously disturbed fragments.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Astor Torano Caicoya, Peter Biber, Miren del Rio, Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado, Catia Arcangeli, Robert Matthews, Hans Pretzsch
Summary: This study analyzed the effects of site and climate on the self-thinning line in Scots pine forests in Europe. The results showed that species tolerance, temperature, and precipitation influenced the slope of the self-thinning line. In terms of the intercept, latitude and radiation had compensating effects. Time did not show significant trends in the self-thinning line. The study highlights the need to adapt management strategies and models based on self-thinning to different latitudes. Climate change has not yet significantly impacted the self-thinning trajectory, but a continuous rise in temperature and high precipitation may accelerate the self-thinning process and result in increased biomass accumulation.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Haonan Zhang, Jianing Xu, Weiqi Meng, Zhonglin Li, Yanyan Ni, Weijie Li, Hao Chen, Xingshuo Zhang, Huanhuan Yuan, Zhi Wang
Summary: Secondary forests play a crucial role in ecosystem dynamics and biodiversity recovery. This study investigated the mechanisms underlying secondary succession in a restored secondary forest and found that deciduous tree species transition from diversity accumulators to repellents as they progress through different life history stages, while evergreen tree species can act as accumulators or remain neutral. The study also revealed the effects of density dependence on the mortality and regeneration of different tree species, and highlighted the importance of early-arriving tree species in facilitating the establishment and diversity of late-arriving counterparts.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Yierxiati Abulaiti, Zijian Huang, Guojiao Xie, Xiaojuan Zou, Qin Luo, Minhuang Wang, Qiong Yang, Ping Hu, Shixiao Yu
Summary: In this study, the resistance to pest infestation of native and exotic mangrove species was compared based on their traits and spectral reflectance. The results showed that exotic species exhibited higher resistance to pest infestation compared to native species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Thomas Feiss, Vincent Robin, Delphine Aran, Joseph Levillain, Thierry Paul, Jean-Luc Dupouey
Summary: Fagus sylvatica L. is a competitive tree in European temperate deciduous forests, but often sporadic or absent in present-day stands where Quercus spp. are dominant. Through soil charcoal analysis in the Lorraine Plateau in France, the presence of Fagus and Quercus in mature Quercus stands was confirmed. Radiocarbon dating results indicated that historical forest management caused the replacement of Fagus by Quercus, starting from the Bronze Age.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Paula Halbig, Anne-Sophie Stelzer, Peter Baier, Josef Pennerstorfer, Horst Delb, Axel Schopf
Summary: The incidence of oak processionary moth in Central Europe has been increasing, posing severe threats to oak trees, humans, and animals. To address this issue, researchers have developed an online early warning system that provides phenological forecasts and decision support for the protection of oak trees and human health.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Jean-Baptiste Ndamiyehe Ncutirakiza, Sylvie Gourlet-Fleury, Philippe Lejeune, Xavier Bry, Catherine Trottier, Frederic Mortier, Adeline Fayolle, Francois Muhashy Habiyaremye, Leopold Ndjele Mianda-Bungi, Gauthier Ligot
Summary: This study examines the influence of canopy structure on tropical tree growth using data collected through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and field measurements. The results show that combining UAV and field data can improve the prediction of tree diameter increment. Diameter at breast height and crown area are complementary predictors, and crown-based competition indices significantly enhance prediction models. The calibrated model at one site can accurately predict growth at another site.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Abebe Damtew, Emiru Birhane, Christian Messier, Alain Paquette, Bart Muys
Summary: Restoring degraded dryland requires a diverse mixture of trees and shrubs. Shading and species diversity can improve seedling survival and vitality. Shaded conditions led to higher seedling survival, vitality, and chlorophyll content, while increasing species richness improved seedling vitality in non-shaded conditions.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Francois Hebert, Isabelle Delisle, Marc Tremblay, Pascal Tremblay, Jean- Francois Boucher, Yan Boucher, Daniel Lord
Summary: Regeneration failures in the closed-crown boreal forest, resulting in the creation of open lichen woodlands, can be restored through clear-cutting, scarification, and natural seeding. Clear-cutting combined with scarification promotes seedling establishment, and scarification creates suitable microsites for germination. Seedling growth in lichen woodlands is higher when logging and scarification are combined, but lower compared to feather moss stands. Afforestation through natural seeding following scarification could be a cost-effective option for restoring lichen woodlands.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Bianca Wulansari Kassun, A. Maarit I. Kallio, Erik Tr Omborg, Meley Mekonen Rannestad
Summary: Mapping and analyzing forest ecosystem services in dry and mountain forests can provide valuable knowledge for sustainable forest management strategies.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Michael Premer, Eric Turnblom, Aaron Weiskittel
Summary: Managed forests serve as a natural climate change solution by sequestering carbon and storing it in harvested wood products, while also providing ecosystem services and wildlife habitat. This study focused on the stem sinuosity of juvenile coastal Douglas-fir and found that genetic improvement, silviculture practices, and local growing conditions can impact stem sinuosity. Factors such as tree spacing, vegetation control, and climate variables also affect the severity of stem sinuosity.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Bronwyn Lira Dyson, Rhea Herpel, Peter Karasch, Jorg Mueller, Dominik Thom, Claus Baessler
Summary: The study aimed to assess the effects of different forest management strategies, dead wood types, and microclimates on Fomes fomentarius. The results showed that the occupancy of Fomes fomentarius was lower in control stands, while the percent cover occupied on snags under a closed canopy was higher. Increasing the number of snags and maintaining dense forest canopies could enhance the presence of Fomes fomentarius as well as provide important microhabitats for various arthropods.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Di Liu, Chaofan Zhou, Xiao He, Xiangdong Lei, Huiru Zhang, Xianzhao Liu
Summary: Canopy structure plays a significant role in the distribution and growth of saplings. Traditional canopy metrics are inadequate in irregular stands. The innovative framework of canopy triangular units provides a comprehensive understanding of the canopy's three-dimensional attributes. Through this framework, we can analyze the differences in various triangular unit types and the spatial dispersion of saplings.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Amalia Valeria Ibanez Moro, Fabian Borghetti, Leonardo Galetto, Juan M. Cellini, Sandra J. Bravo
Summary: This study evaluated the size and persistence of soil seed banks (SSB) of six native woody species in dry subtropical forests of the western Argentine Chaco region. The results showed that SSB size was influenced by different sites and sampling years, and forest disturbances had varying effects on SSB.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Forestry
Stephanie Landry, Marc-Andre Villard, Gaetan Pelletier, Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
Summary: In many regions of the world, excessive browsing by ungulates has reached unsustainable levels, threatening biodiversity and forest regeneration. Moose, as ecological engineers, have severe impacts on forest structure and composition through overbrowsing. The distribution of forage and cover patches affects moose browsing pressure, and this relationship has been explored in conifer-dominated stands but not in hardwood-dominated landscapes.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)