Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jerzy Bloszyk, Tomasz Rutkowski, Agnieszka Napierala, Szymon Konwerski, Michal Zacharyasiewicz
Summary: The study aimed to test the impact of dead wood on the species diversity of Uropodina communities, and found that the presence of dead wood increases the species diversity of Uropodina by attracting rare and stenotopic species. Therefore, leaving dead trees in forests is crucial for the habitat protection of these species.
Article
Forestry
Emilia Janeczko, Ernest Bielinis, Ulfah Tiarasari, Malgorzata Woznicka, Wojciech Kedziora, Slawomir Przygodzki, Krzysztof Janeczko
Summary: The study investigated the psychological relaxation effects of forests with dead wood on humans. Results suggest that natural environments with dead wood have a more positive impact on relaxation and mood improvement compared to managed forests.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Michal Zacharyasiewicz, Agnieszka Napierala, Przemyslaw Kurek, Kamila Grossmann, Jerzy Bloszyk
Summary: This study continues to explore the importance of dead wood for the biodiversity of Uropodina mite communities, finding that different tree species may impact the species composition and abundance of these mites. The study revealed that a variety of Uropodina species were collected from broadleaved tree species, with beech, oak, pine, spruce, linden, and hornbeam hosting the richest communities. The research also showed that mite communities varied across regions in Poland due to differences in the range of occurrence of these species.
Article
Forestry
Markus Didion, Meinrad Abegg
Summary: This study demonstrates the significant contribution of stumps to the dead wood pool based on the detailed stump inventory in the Swiss National Forest Inventory.
ANNALS OF FOREST SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Agnieszka Napierala, Jerzy Bloszyku
Summary: This study examined the suitability of using a maturity index based on the distribution of species in Uropodina populations to evaluate soil quality. It found that the majority of Uropodina species analyzed in Poland are K-strategists, with the highest maturity index values found in legally protected areas in Poland.
EXPERIMENTAL AND APPLIED ACAROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
C. W. Woodall, S. Fraver, S. N. Oswalt, S. A. Goeking, G. M. Domke, M. B. Russell
Summary: The study found that total biomass stocks of downed dead wood, standing dead, and live trees all increased, with large live trees contributing to biomass accumulation and smaller sized down dead wood also increasing. There was a significant positive skew of biomass change across all components and size classes, indicating the impact of severe but episodic disturbance events in providing substantial biomass inputs to standing dead and downed dead wood pools with long-lasting effects. Overall, the incorporation of dead wood-focused analytics into broader forest carbon and biomass monitoring efforts is essential in light of future global change and the importance of maintaining the terrestrial forest carbon pool.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Ryan C. Burner, Tone Birkemoe, Jorg G. Stephan, Lukas Drag, Joerg Muller, Otso Ovaskainen, Maria Potterf, Olav Skarpaas, Tord Snall, Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson
Summary: Wood-living beetles play a significant role in forest biodiversity and ecosystem services, with oak trees showing the highest association with beetle species. Most beetle species are more likely to be captured in near-natural forests. The study highlights the importance of prioritizing conservation of near-natural forests and oak trees to protect the habitat of red-listed species.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Estefania P. Fernandez Barrancos, Robert J. Marquis, J. Leighton Reid
Summary: In this study, the recovery pattern of dead wood volumes in secondary tropical forests and the efficiency of two restoration strategies were evaluated. The results showed that dead wood volumes increase with forest age following a logistic shape, and restoration plantations recover dead wood volumes more quickly compared to naturally regenerated forests.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Alana J. Clason, Ingrid Farnell, Erica B. Lilles
Summary: Wildfires are a natural disturbance in forested ecosystems, affecting carbon loss and forest regeneration. The impact of tree planting on accelerating carbon storage is still a subject of debate.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Jolanta Behnke-Borowczyk, Hanna Kwasna, Natalia Kartawik, Bartlomiej Sijka, Marta Belka, Piotr Lakomy
Summary: The study found that management practices influence the density and diversity of fungal communities in decayed wood. Fungal communities in unmanaged forests are dominated by Ascomycota, while managed forests have more abundant and diverse fungal species, particularly in the initial stages of wood decay.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Julia Baumann
Summary: Highly mobile species lack geographic population structures, whereas less mobile species show genetically strongly subdivided populations; Geometric morphometric methods used to analyze morphological differences between different mobility species; Non-phoretic mite species exhibited phenotypic population structure, while phoretic species displayed homogeneity.
EXPERIMENTAL AND APPLIED ACAROLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jerzy Bloszyk, Agnieszka Napierala, Marta Kulczak, Michal Zacharyasiewicz
Summary: Dead wood is a crucial habitat for Uropodina mites. Previous research has shown that dead wood in Poland is home to about one-third of the Uropodina species discovered so far and increases forest biodiversity by 40%. This study aims to assess the geographical diversity of Uropodina species inhabiting dead wood in Poland and other European countries. The research collected 1180 samples from dead wood in seven provinces in Poland and eight other countries. The results indicate variations in species diversity among different regions and highlight the need for further research across the entire continent.
Article
Forestry
Serban Chivulescu, Diana Pitar, Bogdan Apostol, Stefan Leca, Ovidiu Badea
Summary: Dead wood is an important component of sustainable forest management and climate change mitigation. Research conducted in virgin forests in the Southern Carpathians shows that the volume and carbon stock of dead wood have certain distribution patterns and the capability to store carbon for a long period of time.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Michaela Eder, Wolfgang Schaeffner, Ingo Burgert, Peter Fratzl
Summary: Wood is a prototypical biological material that adapts to mechanical requirements, with its mechanical and actuation properties being determined by the microarchitecture of cellulose fibrils. The orientation of cellulose fibers can be seen as an analog code that influences wood's response to humidity as an active material. Examples of wood activity harvesting and bioinspiration are provided.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Adam R. Martin, Grant M. Domke, Mahendra Doraisami, Sean C. Thomas
Summary: The study highlights the uncertainty in quantifying dead wood carbon pools globally due to a lack of accurate dead wood carbon fractions. By analyzing a global database, the study found that dead wood carbon fractions in trees average 48.5%, which deviates from the commonly used default value of 50%. Utilizing data-driven dead wood carbon fractions may help correct systematic overestimates in dead wood carbon stocks and provide more accurate global forest carbon estimation.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
