Article
Forestry
Valentina Vitali, Stefan Klesse, Rosemarie Weigt, Kerstin Treydte, David Frank, Matthias Saurer, Rolf T. W. Siegwolf
Summary: The study investigated tree-ring width and stable isotope chronologies of Picea abies and Fagus sylvatica along a climate gradient in Central Europe, finding high sensitivity of stable isotopes to summer VPD and consistent responses across sites. There were no significant differences in isotopic responses to climate variability between dominant and suppressed trees, with high spatial coherence of δ¹⁸O variations observed over long distances. Applied dual-isotope approach indicated a general climate-driven decrease in stomatal conductance for these tree species.
Article
Forestry
Meisam Nazari, Johanna Pausch, Samuel Bickel, Nataliya Bilyera, Mehdi Rashtbari, Bahar S. Razavi, Kazem Zamanian, Amin Sharififar, Lingling Shi, Michaela A. Dippold, Mohsen Zarebanadkouki
Summary: This study investigated the impact of thinning-derived deadwood logs on soil chemical and microbial properties in a managed spruce forest in Bavaria, Germany. The results showed that deadwood increased soil organic carbon content and modified soil biochemical processes, indicating its potential for soil and forest sustainability as well as carbon sequestration.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Vaclav Simunek, Jan Stejskal, Jaroslav Cepl, Jiri Korecky, Zdenek Vacek, Stanislav Vacek, Lukas Bilek, Michal Svanda
Summary: As a result of climate change, Norway spruce is dying across Europe due to the cultivation of unsuitable ecotypes. This study found that the medium-elevation ecotype has the highest carbon sequestration potential, while the high-elevation ecotype has the lowest radial growth. All ecotypes showed a significant negative correlation with seasonal temperature and precipitation. Selecting the appropriate ecotypes is crucial for the stability and productivity of future stands.
Article
Forestry
Toomas Tarmu, Andres Kiviste, Ain Nakk, Allan Sims, Diana Laarmann
Summary: Tree mortality is crucial for accurate growth and yield calculations. Decay assessment using sonic tomography is more reliable than visual assessment and stump assessment for evaluating the extent of decay damage in Norway spruce stems.
Article
Forestry
Giorgi Kozhoridze, Nataliya Korolyova, Rastislav Jakus
Summary: Forest pest infestation is a significant cause of tree mortality and woodland loss. This study used remotely sensed climate and ecological data to analyze the susceptibility of Norway spruce forests to bark beetle outbreak. The research found that the surface temperature of stands subsequently attacked by beetles was higher than intact stands in the year prior. Furthermore, the study linked above-average tree mortality to summer warming, winter temperature declines, and windstorms. The use of remotely sensed temperature data can help predict landscape-scale susceptibility to bark beetle outbreak and improve forest disturbance management.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Christian Kuehne, Aaron R. Weiskittel, Aksel Granhus
Summary: The study analyzed periodic measurements from Norway spruce stands and found that alternative methods without complex response functions can reliably predict individual tree growth after thinning, indicating that such functions may not be necessary in certain conditions or species.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gerhard Schmied, Torben Hilmers, Karl-Heinz Mellert, Enno Uhl, Vincent Buness, Dominik Ambs, Mathias Steckel, Peter Biber, Muhidin Seho, Yves -Daniel Hoffmann, Hans Pretzsch
Summary: Against the backdrop of global change, droughts are projected to increase and threaten forest ecosystems worldwide. This study examined the drought response patterns of three major temperate tree species in Germany. The results showed that nutrient regime, drought frequency, and hydraulic conditions were the main determinants of drought responses, with pronounced differences among species. The study emphasized the relevance of water availability and nutrient supply for tree resilience under extreme drought stress, and highlighted the impacts of persistent climatic changes on tree species.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kyohsuke Hikino, Jasmin Danzberger, Vincent P. Riedel, Benjamin D. Hesse, Benjamin D. Hafner, Timo Gebhardt, Romy Rehschuh, Nadine K. Ruehr, Melanie Brunn, Taryn L. Bauerle, Simon M. Landhaeusser, Marco M. Lehmann, Thomas Roetzer, Hans Pretzsch, Franz Buegger, Fabian Weikl, Karin Pritsch, Thorsten E. E. Grams
Summary: During the recovery process after drought release, the allocation of recent photoassimilates (C-new) and stored carbon (C) plays a crucial role in the regeneration of the fine-root system and the associated water uptake capacity.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Mikko Tikkinen, Johanna Riikonen, Jaana Luoranen
Summary: Field storage of container seedlings is necessary after transportation from nurseries, but suboptimal conditions can lead to reduced growth or mortality. This study examined the effects of using a reflective shading cloth on Norway spruce seedlings during field storage. Results showed that covering the seedlings increased the risk of grey mould and had negative effects on post-planting development.
Article
Forestry
Jo Biehl, Hans Sanden, Boris Rewald
Summary: Adapted management methodologies are required to alleviate increasing and/or more frequent water stress under climate change, enabling successful tree seedling establishment after planting. Hydrogel amendments have been suggested to increase soil water holding capacity, tree seedling growth and survival. However, the effect of a non-uniform addition of hydrogels to tree planting pits as compared to homogenously admixed hydrogels in agricultural soils, as well as effects of hydrogels on woody root system establishment, have been poorly studied.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Ao Wang, Rolf T. W. Siegwolf, Jobin Joseph, Frank M. Thomas, Willy Werner, Arthur Gessler, Andreas Rigling, Marcus Schaub, Matthias Saurer, Mai-He Li, Marco M. Lehmann
Summary: The study demonstrates the influence of soil moisture on isotopic uptake and assimilation processes in plants, as well as differences in isotopic compositions between different plant species.
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
Plant Sciences
Jan Krejza, Matthias Haeni, Eva Darenova, Lenka Foltynovova, Marek Fajstavr, Jan Sve, Ondrej Nezval, Pavel Bednar, Ladislav Sigut, Petr Horacek, Roman Zweifel
Summary: This study compares gross primary productivity (GPP) and net ecosystem productivity (NEP) with stem carbon allocation (SCA) in a spruce forest, revealing important findings about the seasonal patterns of these variables and the sensitivity to drought. The study suggests that carbon uptake balance is less sensitive to dry periods than growth, and the timing of dry periods is more important for tree carbon dynamics than their intensity.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Carl Svensson, Martin Karl-Friedrich Bader, Benjamin Forsmark, Urban Nilsson, Tomas Lundmark, Annika Nordin, Johan Bergh
Summary: Research shows that repeated fertilisation in young Norway spruce plantations in northern Europe can significantly increase biomass production and carbon sequestration, helping meet the demand for renewable materials and mitigate climate change.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Olli-Pekka Tikkasalo, Kersti Leppa, Samuli Launiainen, Mikko Peltoniemi, Raisa Makipaa, Katja T. Rinne-Garmston, Elina Sahlstedt, Giles H. F. Young, Aleksandra Bokareva, Annalea Lohila, Mika Korkiakoski, Pauliina Schiestl-Aalto, Aleksi Lehtonen
Summary: This study investigated the physiological response of suppressed trees when larger trees are removed as part of continuous cover forestry (CCF) practices. The researchers collected tree-ring samples from Norway spruce trees and measured changes in stable carbon and oxygen isotopic ratios of the wood to quantify the harvest response. The study found that the model predicted a similar but lower harvest response compared to the measurements, and considering mesophyll conductance was important for capturing the variation in carbon discrimination. Sensitivity analysis on the model indicated that carbon discrimination was sensitive to parameters related to CO2 transport through stomata to the mesophyll.
Article
Ecology
Sylvie Berthelot, Juergen Bauhus, Carsten F. Dormann, Dominique Gravel, Christian Messier, Charles A. Nock, Alain Paquette, Peter B. Reich, Jochen Fruend
Summary: This study aims to investigate the effect of plant diversity on the enemy release phenomenon in exotic plants. Through a cross-Atlantic tree-diversity experiment in Canada and Germany, researchers found that exotic tree species generally experience lower herbivory, possibly due to their escape from enemies brought by other plants. Overall, the study gives a rating of 9 out of 10 for its importance.
Article
Forestry
Josef Grossmann, Lena Carlson, Gerald Kaendler, Patrick Pyttel, Joerg R. G. Kleinschmit, Juergen Bauhus
Summary: Retaining habitat tree groups (HTGs) in managed forests has been found to effectively protect important structural attributes like large living trees (LLTs), tree-related microhabitats (TreMs), and dead wood. This study in Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany confirmed that HTGs have significantly higher abundance of LLTs and TreMs compared to reference plots. Tree diameter, species, vitality, and competition influenced TreM occurrence at the individual tree level, while stand age and snag quantity affected TreM occurrence at the stand level. Ten years after implementation, forest stands with HTGs had more important structural attributes compared to those without.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Philipp Schuler, Valentina Vitali, Matthias Saurer, Arthur Gessler, Nina Buchmann, Marco M. M. Lehmann
Summary: Recent methodological advancements have allowed us to determine the nonexchangeable hydrogen isotopic composition of plant carbohydrates, providing insights into the drivers of hydrogen isotope fractionation processes in plants. In our study, we examined the influence of phylogeny on the isotopic composition of various plant tissues, and found that phylogeny plays a role in hydrogen isotope fractionation in plant carbohydrates, particularly in leaf sugars. Our findings also suggest that the original phylogenetic signal of autotrophic processes is modified by species-specific metabolism. These results have important implications for dendrochronological and ecophysiological studies and can improve hydrogen isotope fractionation models for plant carbohydrates.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ao Wang, Arun K. Bose, Marco M. Lehmann, Andreas Rigling, Arthur Gessler, Longfei Yu, Maihe Li
Summary: The study found that there are strong relationships between European mistletoe and its host trees in terms of water and nutrient-related traits. However, there is no significant relationship in terms of carbon-related traits, indicating that the mistletoe can adjust its physiology to survive on different deciduous tree species hosts and under different site conditions.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Joan Diaz-Calafat, Jaime Uria-Diez, Jorg Brunet, Pieter De Frenne, Pieter Vangansbeke, Adam Felton, Erik Ockinger, Sara A. O. Cousins, Juergen Bauhus, Quentin Ponette, Per-Ola Hedwall
Summary: Forest canopies play a crucial role in buffering the macroclimate and mitigating climate-warming impacts on forest ecosystems. However, our knowledge about the effects of forest structure, composition, and their interactions with macroclimate is limited. This study found that forest density is the key determinant of understory temperatures, and the proportion of broadleaves and forest density have varying importance on different response variables. Climate factors outside forests also influence understory temperature buffering.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Jan U. H. Eitel, David Basler, Sabine Braun, Nina Buchmann, Petra D'Odorico, Sophia Etzold, Arthur Gessler, Kevin L. Griffin, Jan Krejza, Yunpeng Luo, Andrew J. Maguire, Mukund P. Rao, Yann Vitasse, Lorenz Walthert, Roman Zweifel
Summary: This study successfully monitored the onset and mid-stages of stem growth using high-resolution satellite imagery combined with observed data. However, the accuracy of monitoring the cessation stage was low. It was also emphasized that resolving individual tree crowns is important for mixed forests. In conclusion, the development of new spectral indices is needed to capture the relationship between stem growth and canopy properties for remote sensing of climate-induced changes in leaf phenology and stem growth.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Benjamin N. E. Plaga, Juergen Bauhus, Andrew R. Smith, Mario G. Pereira, David Forrester
Summary: Little is known about the impact of drought-related mortality on light absorption and tree species interactions. This study used a tree-level light model to examine the effects of mixing different tree species on light dynamics after a drought. The results showed that species mixing led to higher tree growth and light-use efficiency, although some monocultures still had higher productivity.
Article
Ecology
Zishu Tang, Biying Zhai, Genxu Wang, Arthur Gessler, Shouqin Sun, Zhaoyong Hu
Summary: The changes in stem hydraulic characteristics of Abies fabri along an elevational gradient were studied in a subalpine ecosystem in southwest China. Xylem hydraulic efficiency decreased with increasing elevation, while hydraulic dysfunction and vulnerability to embolism increased at higher altitudes. The trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and safety was weak at higher elevations due to low temperature and excessive precipitation.
FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Iris Le Ronce, Elia Dardevet, Samuel Venner, Leonie Schonbeck, Arthur Gessler, Isabelle Chuine, Jean-Marc Limousin
Summary: Using a fruit removal experiment, the authors tested whether preventing fruit development would increase nutrient and carbohydrates storage and modify allocation to reproduction and vegetative growth the following year. The results showed that fruit removal prevented the depletion of nitrogen and zinc in leaves during fruit growth, and modified the seasonal dynamics in zinc, potassium and starch in twigs. Fruit removal increased the production of female flowers and leaves the following year, and decreased the production of male flowers.
Article
Ecology
Mauro Hermann, Matthias Rothlisberger, Arthur Gessler, Andreas Rigling, Cornelius Senf, Thomas Wohlgemuth, Heini Wernli
Summary: Forest dieback in Europe has intensified and expanded, influenced by meteorological variations of temperature and precipitation. This study quantitatively investigates the meteorological history preceding events of reduced forest greenness and identifies the impact of the hottest summer on record in 2022, negatively affecting 37% of temperate and Mediterranean forest regions. The findings highlight the importance of understanding the forest-meteorology interaction for forest dieback in a changing climate.
Article
Forestry
Felix Storch, Steffen Boch, Martin M. Gossner, Heike Feldhaar, Christian Ammer, Peter Schall, Andrea Polle, Franz Kroiher, Jorg Mueller, Jurgen Bauhus
Summary: The authors analyzed the correlation between forest structure measurements and species richness in Germany. They found that structural attributes can be used as a surrogate for species richness in most taxonomic and functional groups. This information can be applied to large-scale forest inventories for biodiversity monitoring.
ANNALS OF FOREST SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
P. Meyer, M. Lindner, J. Bauhus, J. Mueller, N. Farwig, F. Lang, M. Dieter, E. Endres, A. Hafner, R. Kaetzel, T. Knoke, B. Kleinschmit, U. Schraml, U. Seeling, G. Weber-Blaschke
BERICHTE UBER LANDWIRTSCHAFT
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Benjamin N. E. Plaga, Juergen Bauhus, Hans Pretzsch, Mario Gonzalez Pereira, David I. Forrester
Summary: Mixed-species forests have higher levels of ecosystem functions and services, making them more resistant and resilient to global change. However, the underlying processes of mixing need further research.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Klaus J. Puettmann, Juergen Bauhus
Summary: The increased speed of global change and societal expectations on forests highlight the importance of timely interventions to enhance the adaptive capacity of ecosystems and mitigate negative impacts on ecosystem services. Lag time, which includes detection, decision making, implementation, and provision of ecosystem services, plays a crucial role in forest management. The availability of information and the interaction between different components of lag time influence its duration. Addressing lag time in forestry operations can optimize adaptive capacity in times of global change. Passive or active management strategies need to be carefully considered to ensure the continued provision of ecosystem services.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
M. Dieter, U. Schraml, B. Mohring, J. Bauhus, E. Endres, F. Lang, U. Seeling, N. Farwig, A. Hafner, R. Kaetzel, B. Kleinschmit, M. Lindner, J. Mueller, M. Niekisch, K. Richter
BERICHTE UBER LANDWIRTSCHAFT
(2023)
