Article
Parasitology
Sara Gandy, Elizabeth Kilbride, Roman Biek, Caroline Millins, Lucy Gilbert
Summary: Through a long-term deer exclosure experiment, it was found that high deer density can impact the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. in ticks, with higher deer density leading to higher tick density but lower prevalence, possibly due to the dilution effect and ecological cascade mechanisms.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Maria Kazimirova, Lenka Mahrikova, Zuzana Hamsikova, Michal Stanko, Maryna Golovchenko, Natalie Rudenko
Summary: Lyme borreliosis is a prevalent tick-borne infection in Europe, particularly in Slovakia. A study in Slovakia found spatial and temporal variations in the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) species in ticks collected from different ecological habitats. The findings highlight the epidemiological risk of Lyme borreliosis in various areas of Slovakia.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Patrycja Opalinska, Anna Wierzbicka, Marek Asman, Grzegorz Raczka, Marcin K. Dyderski, Magdalena Nowak-Chmura
Summary: The European roe deer is the most common deer species in Europe, acting as a reservoir and amplifier host for tick-borne diseases. Research in West-Central Poland found that forest roe deer had a significantly higher tick load and occurrence probability compared to field roe deer.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Jacques Sevestre, Antoine Benichou, Vanessa Rio, Pascal Delaunay, Geraldine Gonfrier, Cecile Martaresche, Virginie Carlo, Sarah Nakam, Veronique Mondain, Michel Carles, Pierre Yves Jeandel, Jacques Durant
Summary: The study shows a high prevalence of Lyme borreliosis in the French Riviera region, but many patients with presumed Lyme borreliosis are actually diagnosed with other conditions. These findings are important for accurate diagnosis and treatment of Lyme borreliosis.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Beata Wodecka, Valentyna Kolomiiets
Summary: In Europe, the Ixodes ricinus tick is the primary vector for Lyme disease spirochetes and their relatives. However, a newly described tick called I. inopinatus, with similar biological features to I. ricinus, may also act as a vector for different Borrelia species. This study found 14 different Borreliaceae species in northern Poland, including three newly detected species in the natural ixodid tick population in Europe.
Article
Parasitology
Zsuzsa Kalmar, Violeta Briciu, Mircea Coroian, Mirela Flonta, Amanda-Lelia Radulescu, Adriana Topan, Andrei Daniel Mihalca, Mihaela Lupse
Summary: The study in Romania found specific IgG and IgM antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. among healthy blood donors. Higher seroprevalence was observed in men, older individuals, and those engaged in outdoor work.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Kayleigh M. Hansford, Benedict W. Wheeler, Barbara Tshirren, Jolyon M. Medlock
Summary: This study investigates tick presence, nymph density, and Borrelia infection in urban green spaces in Bath, England, revealing the potential risk of Lyme borreliosis to the public. The findings emphasize the importance of considering tick bites as a public health concern in urban green space planning and management.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Valentina Virginia Ebani, Lisa Guardone, Guido Rocchigiani, Alice Bascherini, Giulia Cagnoli, Fabrizio Bertelloni, Paolo Bongi, Claudia Russo, Francesco Riccioli, Francesca Mancianti
Summary: A molecular survey was conducted to estimate the prevalence of zoonotic tick-borne pathogens in roe deer and ticks living in high-risk areas of Central Italy. The results showed the presence of several pathogens, including Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Babesia capreoli. These findings are important for understanding the epidemiology, prevention, and control of these diseases.
Article
Microbiology
Alzbeta Sujanova, Zuzana Cuziova, Radovan Vaclav
Summary: This study found that the infestation rates of ticks and the infection rates of Borrelia in bird-feeding ticks are related to the haemosporidian infection status of the birds. More than half of the bird-feeding ticks were infected with Borrelia. There is a negative correlation between the haemosporidian infection status of the birds and the Borrelia infection rate in bird-feeding ticks, but it is dependent on the age of the birds.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pantelis Georgiades, Ekaterina Ezhova, Meri Raty, Dmitry Orlov, Markku Kulmala, Jos Lelieveld, Svetlana Malkhazova, Kamil Erguler, Tuukka Petaja
Summary: Tick-borne diseases are a challenge associated with warming climate, as the expansion of tick habitats and the acceleration of tick development are influenced by climatic parameters. This study focuses on European Russia and explores the link between climatic parameters and tick-related hospital visits as well as borreliosis incidence rates. The findings suggest that regions in the southern forested areas of European Russia are expected to experience a longer tick season and an increase in borreliosis incidence rates, while the northern areas with established tick populations may not see a prolongation of the tick season.
Article
Microbiology
Alejandra Wu-Chuang, Lourdes Mateos-Hernandez, Apolline Maitre, Ryan O. M. Rego, Radek Sima, Stefania Porcelli, Sabine Rakotobe, Angelique Foucault-Simonin, Sara Moutailler, Vaidas Palinauskas, Juste Azelyte, Ladislav Simo, Dasiel Obregon, Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
Summary: Research has found that infection with Borrelia afzelii causes changes to the microbiota composition, diversity, and structure in ticks. Anti-microbiota vaccines can alter the tick microbiota's ability to be infected by Borrelia and decrease the pathogen's load. Network analysis is a suitable tool for identifying properties of the vector microbiota associated with infection-refractory states.
Article
Parasitology
Dagmara Dyczko, Dorota Kiewra, Aleksandra Kolanek, Pawel Blazej
Summary: Ticks play an important role in transmitting pathogens that cause diseases in humans and animals. This study assesses the usefulness of detailed forest habitat-type maps in estimating the risk of tick-borne diseases at a local scale in Lower Silesia, Poland. The results show that forest habitat type, air temperature, and relative humidity significantly affect tick density. The study also identifies various tick-borne pathogens.
PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Johana Hrnkova, Marina Golovchenko, Abubakar Sadiq Musa, Tersia Needham, Jignesh Italiya, Francisco Ceacero, Radim Kotrba, Libor Grubhoffer, Natalie Rudenko, Jiri Cerny
Summary: Exotic farm animals can serve as hosts for hard ticks and be infected by Borrelia spirochetes, potentially maintaining the spirochetes in nature.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Marko Vucelja, Stjepan Krcmar, Josipa Habus, Vesna Mojcec Perko, Marko Boljfetic, Linda Bjedov, Josip Margaletic
Summary: This study investigated the altitudinal distributions, population structures, and seasonal dynamics of tick fauna in three localities in Continental Croatia (Medvednica and Papuk) and an alpine biogeographic region (Gorski Kotar). Questing ticks were sampled twice a year (spring and autumn, from 2019 to 2021) at different altitudes using the flagging method. The majority of the ticks were identified as Ixodes ricinus, with the highest tick abundance observed at higher altitudes in mixed forests of European beech and European silver fir. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection was detected in a small percentage of ticks, with the presence of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto genotype.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Heidi K. Goethert, Thomas N. Mather, Alanna O'Callahan, Sam R. Telford III
Summary: In the northeastern U.S., Lyme disease is mainly transmitted between vertebrate hosts and subadult deer ticks. The force of transmission is influenced by the host utilization of infected nymphal and uninfected larval ticks. The findings of this study provide insights into the host utilization differences of larval and nymphal deer ticks and their implications for Lyme disease transmission.
TICKS AND TICK-BORNE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Els Dhiedt, Lander Baeten, Pallieter De Smedt, Kris Verheyen
Summary: The choice of tree species and species combinations impacts the chemical properties of the soil in which they grow, but the effect of tree species richness was found to be little in the study, potentially due to factors such as young forest age, agricultural land-use history, and soil texture.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Maria Mercedes Caron, Florian Zellweger, Kris Verheyen, Lander Baeten, Radim Hedl, Markus Bernhardt-Roemermann, Imre Berki, Jorg Brunet, Guillaume Decocq, Sandra Diaz, Thomas Dirnboeck, Tomasz Durak, Thilo Heinken, Bogdan Jaroszewicz, Martin Kopecky, Jonathan Lenoir, Martin Macek, Marek Malicki, Frantisek Malis, Thomas A. Nagel, Michael P. Perring, Petr Petrik, Kamila Reczynska, Remigiusz Pielech, Wolfgang Schmidt, Krzysztof Swierkosz, Balazs Teleki, Monika Wulf, Pieter De Frenne
Summary: The study revealed that climate change has led to an increased difference in temperature experienced by adults and juveniles of trees, with some species showing more pronounced effects. The specific temperature differences varied between different tree species and were found to be related to key functional traits such as leaf area.
JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Soil Science
Pallieter De Smedt, Pepijn Boeraeve, Lander Baeten
Summary: The study found that terrestrial isopod activity in forests is more stable compared to open landscape habitats, indicating that climate stability in forests leads to more stable levels of terrestrial isopod activity. Activity patterns in anthropogenic habitats are more tempered compared to open landscape habitats, but highly variable, suggesting that more research is needed to unravel the underlying mechanisms.
SOIL BIOLOGY & BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Christian Messier, Juergen Bauhus, Rita Sousa-Silva, Harald Auge, Lander Baeten, Nadia Barsoum, Helge Bruelheide, Benjamin Caldwell, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, Els Dhiedt, Nico Eisenhauer, Gislene Ganade, Dominique Gravel, Joannes Guillemot, Jefferson S. Hall, Andrew Hector, Bruno Herault, Herve Jactel, Julia Koricheva, Holger Kreft, Simone Mereu, Bart Muys, Charles A. Nock, Alain Paquette, John D. Parker, Michael P. Perring, Quentin Ponette, Catherine Potvin, Peter B. Reich, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Florian Schnabel, Kris Verheyen, Martin Weih, Meike Wollni, Delphine Clara Zemp
Summary: As of 2020, the world has around 290 million hectares of planted forests, with 131 million hectares being monoculture forests. Monoculture forests provide timber but lack biodiversity and are more vulnerable to disturbances compared to diverse planted forests. Scientific evidence shows that functionally and species diverse planted forests are more resilient and provide greater ecosystem services. Promoting diverse planted forests requires raising awareness, incentivizing diversity in afforestation programs, developing new wood-based products, investing in research, and expanding the evidence base in under-represented regions.
CONSERVATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Sanne Van den Berge, Pieter Vangansbeke, Lander Baeten, Margot Vanhellemont, Thomas Vanneste, Tom De Mil, Jan Van den Bulcke, Kris Verheyen
Summary: Trees play an important role in climate change mitigation by absorbing atmospheric carbon and contributing to the bio-based economy. Trees growing in hedgerow systems have high density, continuous growth, and significant carbon sequestration capacity, which should be included in biomass and carbon budgets.
Article
Ecology
Ingmar R. Staude, Henrique M. Pereira, Gergana N. Daskalova, Markus Bernhardt-Roemermann, Martin Diekmann, Harald Pauli, Hans Van Calster, Mark Vellend, Anne D. Bjorkman, Jorg Brunet, Pieter De Frenne, Radim Hedl, Ute Jandt, Jonathan Lenoir, Isla H. Myers-Smith, Kris Verheyen, Sonja Wipf, Monika Wulf, Christopher Andrews, Peter Barancok, Elena Barni, Jose-Luis Benito-Alonso, Jonathan Bennie, Imre Berki, Volker Blueml, Marketa Chudomelova, Guillaume Decocq, Jan Dick, Thomas Dirnboeck, Tomasz Durak, Ove Eriksson, Brigitta Erschbamer, Bente Jessen Graae, Thilo Heinken, Fride Hoistad Schei, Bogdan Jaroszewicz, Martin Kopecky, Thomas Kudernatsch, Martin Macek, Marek Malicki, Frantisek Malis, Ottar Michelsen, Tobias Naaf, Thomas A. Nagel, Adrian C. Newton, Lena Nicklas, Ludovica Oddi, Adrienne Ortmann-Ajkai, Andrej Palaj, Alessandro Petraglia, Petr Petrik, Remigiusz Pielech, Francesco Porro, Mihai Puscas, Kamila Reczynska, Christian Rixen, Wolfgang Schmidt, Tibor Standovar, Klaus Steinbauer, Krzysztof Swierkosz, Balazs Teleki, Jean-Paul Theurillat, Pavel Dan Turtureanu, Tudor-Mihai Ursu, Thomas Vanneste, Philippine Vergeer, Ondrej Vild, Luis Villar, Pascal Vittoz, Manuela Winkler, Lander Baeten
Summary: The study reveals a pattern of species turnover across different habitats, with smaller-ranged species being replaced by larger-ranged species, and communities shifting towards more nutrient-demanding species. Species from nutrient-rich habitats tend to have larger ranges.
Article
Ecology
Eva DeCock, Iris Moeneclaey, Stephanie Schelfhout, Margot Vanhellemont, An De Schrijver, Lander Baeteni
Summary: Biodiversity is declining rapidly, leading to a decrease in ecosystem functions. Ecosystem restoration is necessary to counter this decline. While the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning has been extensively studied, the relationship between ecosystem restoration and functioning is less studied. In this observational study, ecosystem functions were measured in grasslands undergoing restoration management. The results showed that as grasslands became more restored, plant richness increased and ecosystem functioning improved. However, when studying ecosystem functioning, value judgments must be considered, as high functioning does not necessarily mean well functioning from all stakeholder perspectives.
RESTORATION ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emiel De Lombaerde, Pieter Vangansbeke, Jonathan Lenoir, Koenraad Van Meerbeek, Jonas Lembrechts, Francisco Rodriguez-Sanchez, Miska Luoto, Brett Scheffers, Stef Haesen, Juha Aalto, Ditte Marie Christiansen, Karen De Pauw, Leen Depauw, Sanne Govaert, Caroline Greiser, Arndt Hampe, Kristoffer Hylander, David Klinges, Irena Koelemeijer, Camille Meeussen, Jerome Ogee, Pieter Sanczuk, Thomas Vanneste, Florian Zellweger, Lander Baeten, Pieter De Frenne
Summary: This study investigates the capacity of forest canopies to buffer understorey temperature and predicts that the difference between temperatures inside and outside forests will increase with accelerating climate change.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xin Jing, Bart Muys, Lander Baeten, Helge Bruelheide, Hans De Wandeler, Ellen Desie, Stephan Hattenschwiler, Herve Jactel, Bogdan Jaroszewicz, Tommaso Jucker, Paul Kardol, Martina Pollastrini, Sophia Ratcliffe, Michael Scherer-Lorenzen, Federico Selvi, Karen Vancampenhout, Fons van der Plas, Kris Verheyen, Lars Vesterdal, Juan Zuo, Koenraad Van Meerbeek
Summary: Tree species diversity promotes multiple ecosystem functions and services. However, the effects on aboveground wood productivity and temporal stability differ between different regions, with leaf area index enhancing productivity but negatively affecting stability, and soil nutrient availability and fine root biomass having differing impacts. Positive effects of tree species richness on productivity are found in arid regions, while positive effects on stability are found in humid regions, indicating a possible disconnection between the two aspects.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Iris Moeneclaey, Stephanie Schelfhout, Margot Vanhellemont, Eva DeCock, Frieke Van Coillie, Kris Verheyen, Lander Baeten
Summary: Excess soil phosphorus often limits the ecological restoration of degraded semi-natural grasslands in Western Europe. Studying the responses of different plant species and communities to soil phosphorus availability can help us understand the restoration trajectories of grassland ecosystems.
BASIC AND APPLIED ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Iris Moeneclaey, Lander Baeten, Kris Verheyen, Frieke Van Coillie
Summary: Understanding the soil nutrient status is crucial for the successful restoration of species-rich semi-natural grasslands. Plants can indicate soil nutrient availability through their growth. Reflectance spectroscopy has the potential to estimate vegetation nutrient content quickly and efficiently, providing information about soil nutrient availability for plants.
APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Forestry
Els Dhiedt, Lander Baeten, Pallieter De Smedt, Bogdan Jaroszewicz, Kris Verheyen
Summary: Trees have a significant impact on the chemistry of topsoil, with the degree and direction of this impact depending on the tree species. Nutrient-poor trees have the potential to degrade soil fertility, while nutrient-rich trees can improve soil quality. In this study conducted in the Bialowieza Forest in Poland, the effects of tree species on topsoil chemistry were investigated on a small scale. The results showed that the concentration of total carbon, availability of phosphorus and base cations, and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio were higher near the trees. However, the pH was not affected by distance. Different tree species had varying effects on the proximity of trees, with nutrient-poor trees having a more negative impact on pH and base cations compared to nutrient-rich trees. The study suggests the importance of mixing nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor species and the choice of tree species in terms of topsoil chemical composition at a small scale within a forest stand.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF FOREST RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Naomi Terriere, Evelien Glazemaekers, Seline Bregman, Geertrui Rasschaert, Sjarlotte Willems, Filip Boyen, Luc Lens, Lander Baeten, Kris Verheyen, Frank Pasmans, Diederik Strubbe, An Martel
Summary: Hedgehog diphtheric disease (HDD) is a fatal ulcerative skin disease, and hedgehogs in Belgium serve as important reservoirs of multiple zoonotic bacteria, with Corynebacterium ulcerans and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato associated with hedgehog skin pathology and mortality.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Josiane Segar, Henrique M. Pereira, Lander Baeten, Markus Bernhardt-Roemermann, Pieter De Frenne, Nestor Fernandez, Frank S. Gilliam, Jonathan Lenoir, Adrienne Ortmann-Ajkai, Kris Verheyen, Donald Waller, Balazs Teleki, Jorg Brunet, Marketa Chudomelova, Guillaume Decocq, Thomas Dirnbock, Radim Hedl, Thilo Heinken, Bogdan Jaroszewicz, Martin Kopecky, Martin Macek, Frantisek Malis, Tobias Naaf, Anna Orczewska, Kamila Reczynska, Wolfgang Schmidt, Jan Sebesta, Alina Stachurska-Swakon, Tibor Standovar, Krzysztof Swierkosz, Ondrej Vild, Monika Wulf, Ingmar R. Staude
Summary: Ungulate populations are increasing in Europe, while atmospheric nitrogen deposition is eutrophying forests. The increase in herbivory is associated with elevated species turnover over time, but this turnover depends on nitrogen levels. Under low nitrogen deposition, herbivory benefits threatened and small-ranged species, but this trend is reversed under high nitrogen deposition. Herbivores also reduce shrub cover, increasing light levels and exacerbating nitrogen effects.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jan Plue, Lander Baeten
Summary: The study found that small remnant habitats can support diverse plant communities under high habitat quality conditions, including a subset of species specialized in specific habitats. However, plots with higher soil phosphorus availability had lower species richness, mainly due to the constraining of grassland specialist species. Therefore, small remnant grasslands with high habitat quality play a significant role in supporting landscape-scale biodiversity conservation.
APPLIED VEGETATION SCIENCE
(2021)
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)