Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Davide Frigo, Olafur Eggertsson, Angela Luisa Prendin, Raffaella Dibona, Lucrezia Unterholzner, Marco Carrer
Summary: Current global change is causing heterogeneous warming trends worldwide, with faster rates in the Northern Hemisphere at higher latitudes. This is leading to an increase in growth rate and uneven distribution of tundra vegetation. However, the drivers of this heterogeneity in woody species responses are still unclear.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jinjian Li, Braeuning Achim, Zeyu Zheng, Liya Jin, Shanlei Sun, Xiaofei Wu, Kaiqing Yang
Summary: In this study, the relationships between tree-ring width, climate, and runoff in the Moqu River Basin were analyzed. Significant positive correlations between tree-ring width and runoff were found, with the highest correlation coefficient occurring from July to June (r = 0.617, 1981-2013). The reconstructed runoff showed unusual prolonged and frequent low flow periods in recent decades due to continuous low precipitation and high temperature in the context of global warming. We propose that the weakening of the Indian summer monsoon circulation system may be a key factor causing the prolonged low flow. This reconstruction improves the understanding of regional runoff variability and provides a scientific basis for water resource protection and development in the face of ongoing global warming.
Article
Forestry
Jiachuan Wang, Shuheng Li, Yili Guo, Qi Yang, Rui Ren, Yijie Han
Summary: This study investigates the relationships between the radial growth of Larix principis-rupprechtii at different elevations and climatic factors. The results show that temperature and precipitation have a significant impact on the radial growth of L. principis-rupprechtii at different elevations. There is a lag effect in the response of L. principis-rupprechtii at mid-elevation to climate factors. Spring temperatures and winter precipitation are the main climatic factors that restrict the growth of L. principis-rupprechtii under warming and drying climate trends. The growth of L. principis-rupprechtii is somewhat restricted by drought. These findings provide valuable information for the management and sustainable development of L. principis-rupprechtii under changing climate conditions.
Article
Forestry
Wenyan Zhang, Yang Wang, Jianyu Xiao, Lixin Lyu
Summary: Tree growth processes including foliar growth, stem growth, and reproductive growth, with only stem growth capable of storing carbon in forests long term. Different components of tree growth exhibit species-specific coupling characteristics, with leaf biomass having a significant impact on tree-ring width. Understanding these relationships is crucial for improving forest ecosystem tree growth models.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Anastasia Christopoulou, Nikolaos M. Fyllas, Barbara Gminska-Nowak, Yasemin Ozarslan, Margarita Arianoutsou, Robert Brandes, Tomasz Wazny
Summary: Long Bosnian pine chronologies are influenced by different climatic parameters and can help identify past drought events. The growth of Pinus heldreichii is mainly correlated with growing degree days and temperature, while annual precipitation has a weaker impact on tree growth. The newly developed chronology can capture severe drought events and correlate well with chronologies developed from neighboring mountains.
TREES-STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Giuseppe D'Andrea, Vaclav Simunek, Osvaldo Pericolo, Zdenek Vacek, Stanislav Vacek, Roberto Corleto, Lukas Olejar, Francesco Ripullone
Summary: Norway spruce, an important conifer species in Europe, is highly sensitive to climate change. This study shows that precipitation is the main factor affecting the growth of Norway spruce, while temperature has a smaller impact. This has important implications for the growth of Norway spruce at lower altitudes in the Czech Republic.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mae Sexauer Gustin, Benjamin Ingle, Sarrah M. Dunham-Cheatham
Summary: Limited locations for atmospheric mercury measurements necessitate the development of a method to characterize air concentrations at different scales. Tree growth rings have been found to serve as archives of gaseous elemental mercury concentrations, but uncertainties remain regarding appropriate sampling methods, tree species selection, and physiological factors affecting mercury uptake and translocation. This study collected tree cores from different species in California to address these questions and found correlations between ring concentrations of deciduous and coniferous trees and local climate factors.
Article
Plant Sciences
Beixi Fan, Bao Yang, Gang Li
Summary: This study used dendrochronological approaches to investigate the response of radial growth of Qinghai spruce to climate factors. The findings suggest that Qinghai spruce in different locations in the Hexi area have different sensitivities to climate change, and drought conditions limit the growth of Qinghai spruce.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Xuan Wu, Liang Jiao, Xiaoping Liu, Ruhong Xue, Changliang Qi, Dashi Du
Summary: With global warming, it is expected that the frequency, intensity, and period of extreme climates will increase in many areas. However, the impact of climate extremes on forest vulnerability and the mechanisms of forest adaptation to extreme climates are not well understood. In this study, the response of two tree species, Picea schrenkiana and Larix sibirica, to climate fluctuations and their adaptability were analyzed based on long-term climate data. The results showed that extreme climate changes significantly affected the growth of the two tree species, with Schrenk spruce being more sensitive and Siberian larch having higher resistance to extreme climate events.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Xin Huang, Dong Dai, Yang Xiang, Zhaogui Yan, Mingjun Teng, Pengcheng Wang, Zhixiang Zhou, Lixiong Zeng, Wenfa Xiao
Summary: The study revealed that temperature and precipitation have varying effects on the radial growth of Pinus massoniana trees, showing differences across different regions; the latitude and climate conditions of different sites also play a role in the growth-climate relationship for this species.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Yulia A. Kholdaenko, Liliana V. Belokopytova, Dina F. Zhirnova, Keshav K. Upadhyay, Shri Kant Tripathi, Nataly N. Koshurnikova, Roman S. Sobachkin, Elena A. Babushkina, Eugene A. Vaganov
Summary: Stand density critically affects the growth and productivity of trees, and understanding the interrelationships between tree growth and forest stand structure is important for sustainable forest management. This study on Siberian spruce in Central Siberia found that stand density dynamics are mainly determined by tree age, and tree diameter and height are negatively affected by stand density. Tree-level productivity is negatively affected by stand density, while stand productivity is positively linked with it. Tree-ring width and latewood width decrease with rising stand density, and their responses to temperature and precipitation shift to earlier calendar dates.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Rao-Qiong Yang, Pei-Li Fu, Ze-Xin Fan, Shankar Panthi, Jie Gao, Ying Niu, Zong-Shan Li, Achim Brauning
Summary: A better understanding of the growth-climate sensitivity of trees can reduce uncertainties in simulating forest carbon budgets. This study examined the spatial heterogeneity of Pinus yunnanensis and Pinus kesiya's growth-climate sensitivity in Southwest China. Results show that the growth of both pine species is positively correlated with precipitation and evaporative demand during the early growing season, while high precipitation and evaporative demand during the late growing season reduce tree growth. Additionally, the sensitivity of tree growth to temperature and moisture varied among the two species.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Fang Wu, Yuan Jiang, Shoudong Zhao, Yan Wen, Wenqing Li, Muyi Kang
Summary: Under climate change circumstances, the temporal instability of tree growth responses to climate poses a major challenge to projecting past and future growth dynamics. Space-for-time substitution (SFTS) is a widely used solution to this problem in dendrochronology. However, the projected accuracy of SFTS in climate effects on tree growth remains uncertain.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Jin Qin, Hongying Bai, Pei Zhao, Shu Fang, Yuanlin Xiang, Xiaoyue Huang
Summary: In this study, the authors used dendrochronological methods to investigate the relationship between tree-ring widths and climate factors in Larix chinensis at Mount Taibai. They reconstructed the 146-year annual maximum vegetation density and found that it was mainly controlled by hydrothermal variations. They also identified several cycles that may reflect the connection between local vegetation evolution and larger-scale circulations such as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation and solar activity.
Article
Biology
Svenja Dobbert, Eike Corina Albrecht, Roland Pape, Joerg Loeffler
Summary: Under climate change, the alpine ecosystems are becoming hotspots of warming. This study investigates the growth mechanisms of alpine shrubs and reveals the differences in growth patterns between different biomes. It finds that temperature and moisture play crucial roles in shaping shrub growth, with unexpected consequences. In a warmer world, the Mediterranean alpine may experience significant vegetation shifts and greening, while the alpine tundra may see minor changes and browning.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado, Hans Pretzsch, Magnus Lof, Michael Heym, Kamil Bielak, Jorge Aldea, Ignacio Barbeito, Gediminas Brazaitis, Lars Drossler, Ksistof Godvod, Aksel Granhus, Stig-Olof Holm, Aris Jansons, Ekaterina Makrickiene, Marek Metslaid, Sandra Metslaid, Arne Nothdurft, Ditlev Otto Juel Reventlow, Roman Sitko, Gintare Stankeviciene, Miren del Rio
Summary: Mixed-species stands are more productive than monocultures due to facilitation and complementarity between species. Scots pine in mixed stands show better growth, while Norway spruce tend to have lower values in mixtures. Stand structure in mixed stands differ with greater stratification, and morphological traits are more varied in mixed stands compared to monospecific stands.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
M. Pardos, M. del Rio, H. Pretzsch, H. Jactel, K. Bielak, F. Bravo, G. Brazaitis, E. Defossez, M. Engel, K. Godvod, K. Jacobs, L. Jansone, A. Jansons, X. Morin, A. Nothdurft, L. Oreti, Q. Ponette, M. Pach, J. Riofrio, R. Ruiz-Peinado, A. Tomao, E. Uhl, R. Calama
Summary: The study found that mixed stands generally exhibited higher resistance, resilience, and relative resilience to drought events than monospecific stands. However, the beneficial effect of mixtures varied depending on the type of admixture and tree species identity, and was influenced by site water supply and stand characteristics.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Richard Osei, Hugues Titeux, Kamil Bielak, Felipe Bravo, Catherine Collet, Corentin Cools, Jean-Thomas Cornelis, Michael Heym, Nathalie Korboulewsky, Magnus Lof, Bart Muys, Yasmina Najib, Arne Nothdurft, Maciej Pach, Hans Pretzsch, Miren del Rio, Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado, Quentin Ponette
Summary: This study found that tree species identity had a significant impact on SOC storage in mixed forests in Europe, while the effect of species mixing was not significant. The identity of different tree species significantly influenced SOC storage in the topsoil layers, while the mixing of species had a greater impact on SOC stocks in the deeper soil layers.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Christoph Gollob, Tim Ritter, Ralf Krassnitzer, Andreas Tockner, Arne Nothdurft
Summary: This study tested the use of an iPad Pro for forest inventory, showing higher detection rate and DBH measurement accuracy compared to traditional methods, despite longer data acquisition time. Consumer-level handheld devices with integrated laser scanners are expected to be developed as cost-efficient alternatives for forest inventory practice.
Article
Forestry
Tim Ritter, Christoph Gollob, Ralf Krassnitzer, Karl Stampfer, Arne Nothdurft
Summary: Increased frequencies and windspeeds of storms can cause disproportionately high increases in windthrow damage. Fallen trees from storms provide breeding material for bark beetles, leading to calamities in subsequent years. Thus, timely removal of fallen trees is considered a good practice, which requires strategic planning. Remote sensing techniques can be a cost-efficient alternative in obtaining precise information about the number, location, and orientation of fallen trees. This research introduces a methodology using aerial RGB images for automatic detection of fallen stems, which has shown high accuracy in detecting various parameters while underestimating stem lengths systematically. It can be used for optimized planning of salvage harvesting to reduce bark beetle calamities.
Article
Forestry
Martin Kuehmaier, Christoph Gollob, Arne Nothdurft, Maximilian Lackner, Karl Stampfer
Summary: Digitization can enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impact in the forest industry. This study focuses on windthrow processing and uses models to plan timber harvesting capacity. The time required for each harvesting system in specific areas was calculated, with the most productive system being cable yarder and harvester-forwarder.
Article
Forestry
Richard Osei, Miren del Rio, Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado, Hugues Titeux, Kamil Bielak, Felipe Bravo, Catherine Collet, Corentin Cools, Jean-Thomas Cornelis, Lars Drossler, Michael Heym, Nathalie Korboulewsky, Magnus Lof, Bart Muys, Yasmina Najib, Arne Nothdurft, Hans Pretzsch, Jerzy Skrzyszewski, Quentin Ponette
Summary: This study assessed the impact of species composition and stand density on carbon storage in different components of forest ecosystems. The results showed that broadleaved species stored more carbon in aboveground woody biomass, while pine had an equal distribution between aboveground biomass and soil. Stand density strongly affected carbon storage in tree woody biomass, but not in the soil. Mixed forests had similar total carbon stocks to monocultures when considering stand basal area. However, a large part of soil carbon storage variability was unrelated to stand characteristics.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sarah Witzmann, Laura Matitz, Christoph Gollob, Tim Ritter, Ralf Krassnitzer, Andreas Tockner, Karl Stampfer, Arne Nothdurft
Summary: This study compared the performance of circle, ellipse, and spline fits in modeling cross-section areas using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) data. The results showed that the spline model fit achieved the most precise and accurate estimates of cross-section area. The study also questioned the customary utilization of manually calipered diameters as reference data when evaluating the accuracy of TLS data.
Article
Forestry
Gernot Erber, Christoph Gollob, Ralf Krassnitzer, Arne Nothdurft, Karl Stampfer
Summary: This study investigates the use of terrestrial laser scanning data (TLS) to fit taper curves and its impact on bucking pattern optimization. The results show that TLS provides highly accurate and precise estimations of taper curves, leading to improved volume and value recovery compared to traditional methods. This approach offers increased accuracy, precision, and efficiency in chainsaw bucking.
CROATIAN JOURNAL OF FOREST ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Miren del Rio, Hans Pretzsch, Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado, Herve Jactel, Lluis Coll, Magnus Lof, Jorge Aldea, Christian Ammer, Admir Avdagi, Ignacio Barbeito, Kamil Bielak, Felipe Bravo, Gediminas Brazaitis, Jakub Cerny, Catherine Collet, Sonia Condes, Lars Drossler, Marek Fabrika, Michael Heym, Stig-Olof Holm, Gro Hylen, Aris Jansons, Viktor Kurylyak, Fabio Lombardi, Bratislav Matovi, Marek Metslaid, Renzo Motta, Thomas Nord-Larsen, Arne Nothdurft, Jan den Ouden, Maciej Pach, Marta Pardos, Charlotte Poeydebat, Quentin Ponette, Tomas Perot, Ditlev Otto Juel Reventlow, Roman Sitko, Vit Sramek, Mathias Steckel, Miroslav Svoboda, Kris Verheyen, Sonja Vospernik, Barbara Wolff, Tzvetan Zlatanov, Andres Bravo-Oviedo
Summary: The increasing disturbances in monocultures around the world have led to a growing demand for species mixing. This study analyzed forest data from a wide range of climate conditions in Europe and found that mixing species can significantly increase both the level and stability of stand growth. Temperature was identified as a key factor destabilizing stand growth, which can be mitigated by species mixing. Asynchrony between species was confirmed as the main driver of temporal stability in mixed stands.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jorge Aldea, Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado, Miren del Rio, Hans Pretzsch, Michael Heym, Gediminas Brazaitis, Aris Jansons, Marek Metslaid, Ignacio Barbeito, Kamil Bielak, Gro Hylen, Stig-Olof Holm, Arne Nothdurft, Roman Sitko, Magnus Lof
Summary: Climate change is causing more severe and frequent droughts, leading to tree mortality and reduction in ecosystem services. Mixed stands are more resilient to drought compared to pure stands, and there is limited knowledge on the drought susceptibility of Norway spruce and Scots pine when coexisting. Norway spruce is more vulnerable to summer drought with lower resistance and longer recovery time than Scots pine. Mixed stands provide higher drought resistance for both species, but the advantage decreases with longer drought duration. Climate-sensitive and old trees in marginal sites are more affected by drought stress. Promoting Scots pine and mixed forests is a promising strategy for adapting to climate change.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Hans Pretzsch, Andres Bravo-Oviedo, Torben Hilmers, Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado, Lluis Coll, Magnus Lof, Shamim Ahmed, Jorge Aldea, Christian Ammer, Admir Avdagic, Ignacio Barbeito, Kamil Bielak, Felipe Bravo, Gediminas Brazaitis, Jakub Cerny, Catherine Collet, Lars Drossler, Marek Fabrika, Michael Heym, Stig-Olof Holm, Gro Hylen, Aris Jansons, Viktor Kurylyak, Fabio Lombardi, Bratislav Matovic, Marek Metslaid, Renzo Motta, Thomas Nord-Larsen, Arne Nothdurft, Cristobal Ordonez, Jan den Ouden, Maciej Pach, Marta Pardos, Quentin Ponette, Tomas Perot, Ditlev Otto Juel Reventlow, Roman Sitko, Vit Sramek, Mathias Steckel, Miroslav Svoboda, Enno Uhl, Kris Verheyen, Sonja Vospernik, Barbara Wolff, Tzvetan Zlatanov, Miren del Rio
Summary: The study found that the stand structure becomes more homogeneous with increasing site quality, with the asymmetry of competition and growth distribution increasing with higher site index. Mortality mainly eliminates small trees with increasing site index, reducing size variation and structural heterogeneity.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Sonja Vospernik, Michael Heym, Hans Pretzsch, Maciej Pach, Mathias Steckel, Jorge Aldea, Gediminas Brazaitis, Andres Bravo-Oviedo, Miren Del Rio, Magnus Lof, Marta Pardos, Kamil Bielak, Felipe Bravo, Lluis Coll, Jakub Cerny, Lars Droessler, Martin Ehbrecht, Aris Jansons, Nathalie Korboulewsky, Marion Jourdans, Thomas Nord-Larsen, Arne Nothdurft, Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado, Quentin Ponette, Roman Sitkov, Miroslav Svoboda, Barbara Wolff
Summary: Quercus robur/Quercus petraea and Pinus sylvestris are economically important tree species in Europe, and their growth can be affected by climate, competition, and mixture. This study investigated the diameter growth of these species in monospecific and mixed stands along an ecological gradient. The final model explained 87% of the total variation in diameter increment, with significant effects of age, climate variables, local competition, mixture, and stand structure. The results showed that tree growth declined with age and local density, but increased with social position and mixture.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Remote Sensing
Andreas Tockner, Christoph Gollob, Ralf Krassnitzer, Tim Ritter, Arne Nothdurft
Summary: Personal laser scanning (PLS) has the potential to monitor complex forests, and an automatic voxel-based region growing crown segmentation algorithm can accurately extract tree characteristics, providing an efficient and low-cost solution for digital forest inventory.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATION AND GEOINFORMATION
(2022)
Proceedings Paper
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Ferdinand Hoenigsberger, Anna Saranti, Alessa Angerschmid, Carl Orge Retzlaff, Christoph Gollob, Sarah Witzmann, Arne Nothdurft, Peter Kieseberg, Andreas Holzinger, Karl Stampfer
Summary: Forestry work is one of the most difficult and dangerous professions, and occupational safety is crucial for sustainable development. This study evaluates accident data of Austria's largest forestry company and explores the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in predicting absence hours and classifying accidents as fatal or non-fatal.
MACHINE LEARNING AND KNOWLEDGE EXTRACTION, CD-MAKE 2022
(2022)
