Pub Date : 2025-03-02DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122586
Pablo Salazar Zarzosa , Aurelio D. Herraiz , Manuel Olmo , Paloma Ruiz-Benito , Vidal Barrón , Cristina C. Bastias , Enrique G. de la Riva , Jose Luis Quero , Rafael Villar
Understory vegetation represents a large part of forest biodiversity and plays an important role in forest structure and functioning. However, little is known about how it is shaped by environmental gradients and overstory biomass. In this study, we analyse the changes in the taxonomic and functional composition of the understory communities in Quercus ilex L. forests underlined by changes in forest biomass, soil and climate. To do so, we used ordination techniques and a hierarchical model of species composition (HMSC) across a large aridity gradient in the Iberian Peninsula. Aridity and soil clay content were the main factors responsible for the differences in taxonomic composition, with a lowest importance but significant role of soil fertility. Increasing aridity led to higher leaf mass per area at species level for the present shrubs. However, increased leaf mass per area had no effect at community level because highly sensitive species to aridity were relatively rare. We evidence a turnover in Quercus ilex forests along the studied aridity gradient, both taxonomic and functional, reflecting shrub species selection and adaptation to environmental conditions which agree with the potential compositional changes required to deal with a warmer and drier climate.
{"title":"Mediterranean shrub assemblage of holm oak forests (Quercus ilex L.) is driven by aridity and soil texture rather than forest biomass","authors":"Pablo Salazar Zarzosa , Aurelio D. Herraiz , Manuel Olmo , Paloma Ruiz-Benito , Vidal Barrón , Cristina C. Bastias , Enrique G. de la Riva , Jose Luis Quero , Rafael Villar","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122586","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122586","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understory vegetation represents a large part of forest biodiversity and plays an important role in forest structure and functioning. However, little is known about how it is shaped by environmental gradients and overstory biomass. In this study, we analyse the changes in the taxonomic and functional composition of the understory communities in <em>Quercus ilex</em> L. forests underlined by changes in forest biomass, soil and climate. To do so, we used ordination techniques and a hierarchical model of species composition (HMSC) across a large aridity gradient in the Iberian Peninsula. Aridity and soil clay content were the main factors responsible for the differences in taxonomic composition, with a lowest importance but significant role of soil fertility. Increasing aridity led to higher leaf mass per area at species level for the present shrubs. However, increased leaf mass per area had no effect at community level because highly sensitive species to aridity were relatively rare. We evidence a turnover in <em>Quercus ilex</em> forests along the studied aridity gradient, both taxonomic and functional, reflecting shrub species selection and adaptation to environmental conditions which agree with the potential compositional changes required to deal with a warmer and drier climate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"584 ","pages":"Article 122586"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143527049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-02DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122606
Zhenhui Jiang , Tony Vancov , Yunying Fang , Caixian Tang , Wenyi Zhang , Mouliang Xiao , Xinzhang Song , Jiashu Zhou , Tida Ge , Yanjiang Cai , Bing Yu , Jason C. White , Yongfu Li
Straw and biochar are commonly used to enhance soil organic carbon pools and improve soil quality in subtropical Moso bamboo forests. However, their effects on soil biological-phosphorus (P) remain unclear, even though P limitation is common in these forests. This study investigates the impact of these amendments on soil biological-P through a two-year trial with three treatments: control, straw, and biochar addition in a Moso bamboo forest. We measured soil biological-P fractions, including enzyme-, citrate-, CaCl2-, and HCl-extractable P, along with the activities of alkaline phosphatase, and the abundance and community structures of phoD-harboring bacteria at 3, 12, and 24 months post-treatment. Results showed that both straw and biochar increased the four biological-P fractions by 7.0–134.6 % and 14.4–157.7 %, respectively. Straw addition resulted in a rapid increase in the first principal component of the four biological-P fractions (biological-PPC1, which represented a composite index of all fractions), with a 291.8 % enhancement initially. However, this effect declined over time, showing a decrease of 113.3 % at 12 months and 25.0 % at 24 months. In contrast, biochar led to a sustained improvement in the biological-PPC1, with increases ranging from 157.3 % to 184.6 % over the two-year period. Positive correlations were found between the abundance of phoD-harboring bacteria and biological-PPC1, as well as between phoD abundance and alkaline phosphatase activity, indicating that these bacteria are key in regulating biological-P. Furthermore, dominant phoD-harboring bacterial genera (e.g., Bradyrhizobium, Cupriavidus, and Pseudomonas) primarily governed the regulation of biological-P, rather than rare genera. Overall, this study highlights the potential of straw and biochar as organic amendments for enhancing soil biological-P dynamics. Biochar shows promise for long-term improvements in soil biological-P. These findings contribute to our understanding of soil nutrient dynamics and inform sustainable management practices in Moso bamboo forests.
{"title":"Sustained superiority of biochar over straw for enhancing soil biological-phosphorus via the mediation of phoD-harboring bacteria in subtropical Moso bamboo forests","authors":"Zhenhui Jiang , Tony Vancov , Yunying Fang , Caixian Tang , Wenyi Zhang , Mouliang Xiao , Xinzhang Song , Jiashu Zhou , Tida Ge , Yanjiang Cai , Bing Yu , Jason C. White , Yongfu Li","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122606","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122606","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Straw and biochar are commonly used to enhance soil organic carbon pools and improve soil quality in subtropical Moso bamboo forests. However, their effects on soil biological-phosphorus (P) remain unclear, even though P limitation is common in these forests. This study investigates the impact of these amendments on soil biological-P through a two-year trial with three treatments: control, straw, and biochar addition in a Moso bamboo forest. We measured soil biological-P fractions, including enzyme-, citrate-, CaCl<sub>2</sub>-, and HCl-extractable P, along with the activities of alkaline phosphatase, and the abundance and community structures of <em>pho</em>D-harboring bacteria at 3, 12, and 24 months post-treatment. Results showed that both straw and biochar increased the four biological-P fractions by 7.0–134.6 % and 14.4–157.7 %, respectively. Straw addition resulted in a rapid increase in the first principal component of the four biological-P fractions (biological-P<sub>PC1</sub>, which represented a composite index of all fractions), with a 291.8 % enhancement initially. However, this effect declined over time, showing a decrease of 113.3 % at 12 months and 25.0 % at 24 months. In contrast, biochar led to a sustained improvement in the biological-P<sub>PC1</sub>, with increases ranging from 157.3 % to 184.6 % over the two-year period. Positive correlations were found between the abundance of <em>pho</em>D-harboring bacteria and biological-P<sub>PC1</sub>, as well as between <em>pho</em>D abundance and alkaline phosphatase activity, indicating that these bacteria are key in regulating biological-P. Furthermore, dominant <em>pho</em>D-harboring bacterial genera (e.g., <em>Bradyrhizobium</em>, <em>Cupriavidus</em>, and <em>Pseudomonas</em>) primarily governed the regulation of biological-P, rather than rare genera. Overall, this study highlights the potential of straw and biochar as organic amendments for enhancing soil biological-P dynamics. Biochar shows promise for long-term improvements in soil biological-P. These findings contribute to our understanding of soil nutrient dynamics and inform sustainable management practices in Moso bamboo forests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"584 ","pages":"Article 122606"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143527048","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-02DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122607
Zhangting Chen , Muhammad Arif
Leaf litter decomposition determines nutrient cycling and soil formation in forests, driven largely by bacterial community composition and diversity. However, the roles of leaf types and altitude in shaping bacterial communities and leaf decomposition remain unclear in riparian forest buffers within karst river systems. This study investigated bacterial community composition across various leaf types (broad-leaved: Salix matsudana Koidz; pine-leaved: Taxodium distichum (Linn.) Rich., Taxodium ascendens Brongn.) and altitudes to clarify their roles in decomposition. Leaf samples, including single-species and mixed-species types, were collected at altitudes of 60 m, 110 m, and 800 m. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to identify bacterial communities at the phylum and genus levels. Bacterial richness and diversity were assessed using alpha diversity indices (Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson). Leaf chemical properties were analyzed to determine their relationships with bacterial community structure and decomposition rates. Results showed significant differences in bacterial richness, diversity, and phylogenetic diversity across leaf types and altitudes. Mixed-species samples exhibited greater bacterial diversity than single-species samples, suggesting that substrate heterogeneity enhances bacterial abundance and functionality. Bacteroidetes were the dominant decomposers due to their ability to degrade complex polymers like lignin. Redundancy analysis revealed that leaf chemical characteristics strongly influence bacterial community structure and decomposition. Environmental factors in conjunction with altitude also shape bacterial composition. This study emphasizes the complex interactions between bacterial diversity, substrate quality, and environmental factors during decomposition. Understanding these dynamics provides the basis for predicting nutrient cycling and forest ecosystem functioning.
{"title":"The dynamics of bacterial communities during leaf decomposition of various species combinations in riparian forest buffers in China","authors":"Zhangting Chen , Muhammad Arif","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122607","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122607","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Leaf litter decomposition determines nutrient cycling and soil formation in forests, driven largely by bacterial community composition and diversity. However, the roles of leaf types and altitude in shaping bacterial communities and leaf decomposition remain unclear in riparian forest buffers within karst river systems. This study investigated bacterial community composition across various leaf types (broad-leaved: <em>Salix matsudana</em> Koidz; pine-leaved: <em>Taxodium distichum</em> (Linn.) Rich., <em>Taxodium ascendens</em> Brongn.) and altitudes to clarify their roles in decomposition. Leaf samples, including single-species and mixed-species types, were collected at altitudes of 60 m, 110 m, and 800 m. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to identify bacterial communities at the phylum and genus levels. Bacterial richness and diversity were assessed using alpha diversity indices (Chao1, Shannon, and Simpson). Leaf chemical properties were analyzed to determine their relationships with bacterial community structure and decomposition rates. Results showed significant differences in bacterial richness, diversity, and phylogenetic diversity across leaf types and altitudes. Mixed-species samples exhibited greater bacterial diversity than single-species samples, suggesting that substrate heterogeneity enhances bacterial abundance and functionality. <em>Bacteroidetes</em> were the dominant decomposers due to their ability to degrade complex polymers like lignin. Redundancy analysis revealed that leaf chemical characteristics strongly influence bacterial community structure and decomposition. Environmental factors in conjunction with altitude also shape bacterial composition. This study emphasizes the complex interactions between bacterial diversity, substrate quality, and environmental factors during decomposition. Understanding these dynamics provides the basis for predicting nutrient cycling and forest ecosystem functioning.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"584 ","pages":"Article 122607"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143527062","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-02DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122603
Jiaming Lu , Chengquan Huang , Karen Schleeweis , Zhenhua Zou , Weishu Gong
Tree age information is crucial for a range of environmental, scientific, and conservation-related purposes. It helps in understanding and managing forest resources effectively and sustainably. This study presents an approach to estimate tree age across diverse U.S. forested ecosystems using field inventory and climate datasets. The age-size relationship modeling framework incorporates species-specific and environmental variables, enabling its application across various regions. Model R² values range from 0.51 to 0.87 and relative RMSEs (using the mean as the denominator) ranging from 0.14 to 0.49. These models have higher accuracies and are applicable over larger areas than existing studies. The developed tree age dataset reveals marked differences in tree age distribution between Eastern and Western U.S. forests, attributed to historical land use, disturbance, climatic variations, and forest management practices. In the East, forests exhibit a younger age structure due to historical deforestation and subsequent reforestation, while Western forests show an older age structure, influenced by diverse environmental conditions and less human disturbance. By deriving individual tree ages for all the trees surveyed in the United States Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, the approach increases by more than 20 times the number of tally trees in the FIA database that have age data over what is currently. The curated dataset emerges as a crucial resource for forest management and conservation, enhancing our ability to estimate forest carbon sequestration accurately. The tree age dataset is available at https://zenodo.org/records/14775738.
{"title":"Tree age estimation across the U.S. using forest inventory and analysis database","authors":"Jiaming Lu , Chengquan Huang , Karen Schleeweis , Zhenhua Zou , Weishu Gong","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122603","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122603","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tree age information is crucial for a range of environmental, scientific, and conservation-related purposes. It helps in understanding and managing forest resources effectively and sustainably. This study presents an approach to estimate tree age across diverse U.S. forested ecosystems using field inventory and climate datasets. The age-size relationship modeling framework incorporates species-specific and environmental variables, enabling its application across various regions. Model R² values range from 0.51 to 0.87 and relative RMSEs (using the mean as the denominator) ranging from 0.14 to 0.49. These models have higher accuracies and are applicable over larger areas than existing studies. The developed tree age dataset reveals marked differences in tree age distribution between Eastern and Western U.S. forests, attributed to historical land use, disturbance, climatic variations, and forest management practices. In the East, forests exhibit a younger age structure due to historical deforestation and subsequent reforestation, while Western forests show an older age structure, influenced by diverse environmental conditions and less human disturbance. By deriving individual tree ages for all the trees surveyed in the United States Forest Inventory and Analysis Program, the approach increases by more than 20 times the number of tally trees in the FIA database that have age data over what is currently. The curated dataset emerges as a crucial resource for forest management and conservation, enhancing our ability to estimate forest carbon sequestration accurately. The tree age dataset is available at https://zenodo.org/records/14775738.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"584 ","pages":"Article 122603"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143527147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pollen and seed dispersal affects both gene flow and the spatial distribution of tree species and, consequently, their population. Forest management operations, in their different intensities and selectivities, cause alterations in the species population density and can negatively affect these dispersal processes. In the present study, we evaluated in four Amazonian forest areas the percentage of trees at distances less than the mean pollen dispersal distance (PDD) and the volume of wood harvested after simulating five cutting criteria for the species Manilkara elata, Hymenaea courbaril and Handroanthus serratifolius. We simulated the cutting criteria of the Brazilian law of 1980 (minimum cutting diameter, MCD >45 cm) and 2006 (MCD >50 cm). We also propose three additional criteria using distance (CD) that consider an MCD of 45 cm and the minimum distance between pairs of the same species that we call minimum cutting distance (MCDistance). In CD1, the harmonic mean of the PDD of the three studied species was considered MCDistance. In CD2, MCDistance was the mean PDD for each species across all areas. In CD3, MCDistance was the mean of the PDD of the first quartile of distances in the no-cut situation for each species in each area. Results indicate that both MCD and MCDistance can be used as criteria to increase the percentage of trees with adequate distances for pollination, promoting genetic diversity and forest regeneration. It was also observed that as the distance between plants decreased in the simulations, the collected volume was reduced, indicating that more restrictive harvesting criteria — allowing fewer trees to be cut — resulted in more trees remaining at a distance smaller than the pollen dispersal distance. However, MCD does not approach the problem directly; it is influenced by the distribution of diameter at breast height (DBH) in an area and affects the reproductive and genetic characteristics of the population. In contrast, the species-specific MCDistance criterion is more effective since it directly addresses the issue of trees being too sparsely spaced to exchange pollen. The general MCD allows only smaller, thinner individuals — often younger and not yet in the reproductive age — to persist, disrupting population dynamics by preventing larger, older trees from exchanging pollen. To determine the best MCDistance values for each species, new studies are necessary to characterize the pollen dispersion for different Amazon species. Also, it would be helpful to create a unified platform where this information could be archived and accessed and to improve communication between scientific studies, legislation, and logging in practice.
{"title":"Maintaining genetic diversity in the Amazon: Species-specific strategies are more effective for managed forests than generalist criteria in Brazilian legislation","authors":"Vanessa Erler Sontag , Beatriz Dadio , Guilherme Bovi Ambrosano , Samira Rodrigues Miguel , Daigard Ricardo Ortega Rodriguez , Cláudia Fontana , Gabriel Assis-Pereira , Edson Vidal","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122568","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122568","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pollen and seed dispersal affects both gene flow and the spatial distribution of tree species and, consequently, their population. Forest management operations, in their different intensities and selectivities, cause alterations in the species population density and can negatively affect these dispersal processes. In the present study, we evaluated in four Amazonian forest areas the percentage of trees at distances less than the mean pollen dispersal distance (PDD) and the volume of wood harvested after simulating five cutting criteria for the species <em>Manilkara elata</em>, <em>Hymenaea courbaril</em> and <em>Handroanthus serratifolius</em>. We simulated the cutting criteria of the Brazilian law of 1980 (minimum cutting diameter, MCD >45 cm) and 2006 (MCD >50 cm). We also propose three additional criteria using distance (CD) that consider an MCD of 45 cm and the minimum distance between pairs of the same species that we call minimum cutting distance (MCDistance). In CD1, the harmonic mean of the PDD of the three studied species was considered MCDistance. In CD2, MCDistance was the mean PDD for each species across all areas. In CD3, MCDistance was the mean of the PDD of the first quartile of distances in the no-cut situation for each species in each area. Results indicate that both MCD and MCDistance can be used as criteria to increase the percentage of trees with adequate distances for pollination, promoting genetic diversity and forest regeneration. It was also observed that as the distance between plants decreased in the simulations, the collected volume was reduced, indicating that more restrictive harvesting criteria — allowing fewer trees to be cut — resulted in more trees remaining at a distance smaller than the pollen dispersal distance. However, MCD does not approach the problem directly; it is influenced by the distribution of diameter at breast height (DBH) in an area and affects the reproductive and genetic characteristics of the population. In contrast, the species-specific MCDistance criterion is more effective since it directly addresses the issue of trees being too sparsely spaced to exchange pollen. The general MCD allows only smaller, thinner individuals — often younger and not yet in the reproductive age — to persist, disrupting population dynamics by preventing larger, older trees from exchanging pollen. To determine the best MCDistance values for each species, new studies are necessary to characterize the pollen dispersion for different Amazon species. Also, it would be helpful to create a unified platform where this information could be archived and accessed and to improve communication between scientific studies, legislation, and logging in practice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"584 ","pages":"Article 122568"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143526563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122602
Zhengxue Zhu , Stefano Chelli , James L. Tsakalos , Alessandro Bricca , Roberto Canullo , Marco Cervellini , Riccardo Pennesi , Luciano L.M. De Benedictis , Vanessa Cesaroni , Alessandro Bottacci , Giandiego Campetella
Protected areas are supposed to mitigate the loss of diversity caused by human activities in forests. However, different management strategies applied across protected areas affect diversity in various ways. This study compares the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity, and the species composition of understory plants, between sustainably managed forests and strictly protected forests. From temperate beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forests within the Foreste Casentinesi National Park (Northern Apennine, Italy), we selected 28 quadrats in strictly protected and managed zones. In each quadrat, we recorded the cover abundance of vascular plant species and measured two functional traits (specific leaf area and clonal lateral spread) on the most abundant understory species. We used generalized linear models to test for differences in taxonomic (species richness and the percentage of forest specialist species), functional (functional richness for single and multiple traits), and phylogenetic diversity (mean pairwise distance) between protection zones. Lastly, we evaluated differences in species composition between protection zones using non-metric multidimensional scaling, supported by PERMANOVA and indicator species analyses. Species richness and phylogenetic diversity did not differ between strictly protected and managed zones. Strictly protected forests had a significantly higher percentage of forest specialist species and functional richness of clonal lateral spread than forests allowing sustainable logging. Species composition was significantly different between strictly protected and managed forests; the most important indicator species detected within managed zones were Sanicula europaea and Aremonia agrimonoides, while Veronica montana, Oxalis acetosella, and Salvia glutinosa were indicator species within strictly protected forests. The difference between strictly protected forests and forests managed with sustainable logging is reflected in the proportion of forest specialist species and the diversity of belowground space occupation and resource acquisition strategies. Instead, species richness and phylogenetic diversity do not discriminate between the two protection zones. We suggest incorporating specialist species, functional and compositional diversity metrics into the evaluation framework to guide future conservation and management practices.
{"title":"How effective are different protection strategies in promoting the plant diversity of temperate forests in national parks?","authors":"Zhengxue Zhu , Stefano Chelli , James L. Tsakalos , Alessandro Bricca , Roberto Canullo , Marco Cervellini , Riccardo Pennesi , Luciano L.M. De Benedictis , Vanessa Cesaroni , Alessandro Bottacci , Giandiego Campetella","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122602","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122602","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Protected areas are supposed to mitigate the loss of diversity caused by human activities in forests. However, different management strategies applied across protected areas affect diversity in various ways. This study compares the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity, and the species composition of understory plants, between sustainably managed forests and strictly protected forests. From temperate beech (<em>Fagus sylvatica</em> L.) forests within the Foreste Casentinesi National Park (Northern Apennine, Italy), we selected 28 quadrats in strictly protected and managed zones. In each quadrat, we recorded the cover abundance of vascular plant species and measured two functional traits (specific leaf area and clonal lateral spread) on the most abundant understory species. We used generalized linear models to test for differences in taxonomic (species richness and the percentage of forest specialist species), functional (functional richness for single and multiple traits), and phylogenetic diversity (mean pairwise distance) between protection zones. Lastly, we evaluated differences in species composition between protection zones using non-metric multidimensional scaling, supported by PERMANOVA and indicator species analyses. Species richness and phylogenetic diversity did not differ between strictly protected and managed zones. Strictly protected forests had a significantly higher percentage of forest specialist species and functional richness of clonal lateral spread than forests allowing sustainable logging. Species composition was significantly different between strictly protected and managed forests; the most important indicator species detected within managed zones were <em>Sanicula europaea</em> and <em>Aremonia agrimonoides,</em> while <em>Veronica montana</em>, <em>Oxalis acetosella</em>, and <em>Salvia glutinosa</em> were indicator species within strictly protected forests. The difference between strictly protected forests and forests managed with sustainable logging is reflected in the proportion of forest specialist species and the diversity of belowground space occupation and resource acquisition strategies. Instead, species richness and phylogenetic diversity do not discriminate between the two protection zones. We suggest incorporating specialist species, functional and compositional diversity metrics into the evaluation framework to guide future conservation and management practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"584 ","pages":"Article 122602"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143519642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122564
Wei He , Päivi Mäkiranta , Paavo Ojanen , Aino Korrensalo , Raija Laiho
Fine roots may contribute significantly to soil organic matter pool in forest ecosystems; however, their decomposition is often overlooked in studies on litter decomposition and carbon (C) and nutrient cycling. To address this gap, we conducted a five-year litterbag experiment encompassing three representative tree species (Pinus sylvestris, Picea abies, Betula pubescens), and one fern species (Dryopteris carthusiana) across various boreal peatland forest types, comparing them with corresponding rates in upland forests on mineral soils. Litterbags were recovered annually, and mass remaining was first characterized by three different model types with varying complexity. Based on this preliminary screening, we chose for the final analyses a double-exponential model, which examined parameters A, i.e. the proportion of material in the slow-decomposing pool, k1, the mass loss rate of the slow-decomposing pool, and k2, the rate of mass loss in the fast-decomposing pool. Fine-root decomposition exhibited significant variation with soil type and nutrient regime. In mineral soil, lower k1 values indicated slower decomposition in more nutrient-rich sites. Conversely, in peat soil, higher k1 values indicated faster decomposition in more nutrient-rich sites. Soil depth and root diameter emerged as influential factors, with deeper layers and larger diameter roots exhibiting slower decomposition rates. Species-specific effects were also significant, with D. carthusiana exhibiting the lowest A value, indicating faster initial decomposition compared to tree species. Among the tree species, differences in A value were minor, with variation observed primarily in k1 value, where P. abies had the lowest rate. No significant effects on k2 value were observed. These findings underscore the complex interplay between species characteristics, soil type, site nutrient regimes, and root morphology in determining fine-root decomposition dynamics in boreal forests. Importantly, our results show that soil type must be considered when modeling decomposition dynamics.
{"title":"Dynamics of fine-root decomposition and its response to site nutrient regimes in boreal drained-peatland and mineral-soil forests","authors":"Wei He , Päivi Mäkiranta , Paavo Ojanen , Aino Korrensalo , Raija Laiho","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122564","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122564","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fine roots may contribute significantly to soil organic matter pool in forest ecosystems; however, their decomposition is often overlooked in studies on litter decomposition and carbon (C) and nutrient cycling. To address this gap, we conducted a five-year litterbag experiment encompassing three representative tree species (<em>Pinus sylvestris</em>, <em>Picea abies</em>, <em>Betula pubescens</em>), and one fern species (<em>Dryopteris carthusiana</em>) across various boreal peatland forest types, comparing them with corresponding rates in upland forests on mineral soils. Litterbags were recovered annually, and mass remaining was first characterized by three different model types with varying complexity. Based on this preliminary screening, we chose for the final analyses a double-exponential model, which examined parameters <em>A</em>, i.e. the proportion of material in the slow-decomposing pool, <em>k</em><sub><em>1</em></sub>, the mass loss rate of the slow-decomposing pool, and <em>k</em><sub><em>2</em></sub>, the rate of mass loss in the fast-decomposing pool. Fine-root decomposition exhibited significant variation with soil type and nutrient regime. In mineral soil, lower <em>k</em><sub><em>1</em></sub> values indicated slower decomposition in more nutrient-rich sites. Conversely, in peat soil, higher <em>k</em><sub><em>1</em></sub> values indicated faster decomposition in more nutrient-rich sites. Soil depth and root diameter emerged as influential factors, with deeper layers and larger diameter roots exhibiting slower decomposition rates. Species-specific effects were also significant, with <em>D. carthusiana</em> exhibiting the lowest <em>A</em> value, indicating faster initial decomposition compared to tree species. Among the tree species, differences in <em>A</em> value were minor, with variation observed primarily in <em>k</em><sub><em>1</em></sub> value, where <em>P. abies</em> had the lowest rate. No significant effects on <em>k</em><sub><em>2</em></sub> value were observed. These findings underscore the complex interplay between species characteristics, soil type, site nutrient regimes, and root morphology in determining fine-root decomposition dynamics in boreal forests. Importantly, our results show that soil type must be considered when modeling decomposition dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"582 ","pages":"Article 122564"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143520300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-03-01DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122612
Shiqi Qing , Haijiao Yang , Zhaoquan Xu, Zhong Zhao, Zhibin Wang
Chinese pine (Pinus tabuliformis) is one of the predominant tree species on the Loess Plateau, which is an area characterized by severe soil erosion and ecological fragility. Chinese pine plantations play crucial ecological roles in soil and water conservation and vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau. However, most of these plantations currently face low species diversity and unstable stand structures. To promote rapid canopy recruitment in the mid- to long-term after gap formation, Chinese pine regeneration and related habitat factors were investigated in 94 14-year-old expanded gaps (hereafter referred to as gaps) in Chinese pine plantations in Huanglong County. The surveyed gaps were classified into 4 size levels, I (20, 40 m2], II (40, 80 m2], III (80, 200 m2] and IV (> 200 m2), to systematically study the responses of Chinese pine regeneration to gap size and microhabitats. Although gap size had no significant effect on the regeneration density, the height of the saplings exhibited a notable increasing trend with increasing gap size, reaching its maximum at level IV but showing no significant difference from that at level III. These findings suggest that the creation of gaps larger than 80 m2 in near-mature stands could maintain effective Chinese pine regeneration in the mid- and long term. Soil available nutrients had a strong effect on the regeneration density, while the key factors influencing sapling density gradually changed from soil P to soil N and K as the gap size increased. In terms of seedling and sapling heights, the key factor was intraspecific competition. The existing number of Chinese pine regeneration in gaps (0.39–0.69 stem·m−2) generally meets the requirements for successful natural regeneration; however, their rapid growth may be limited by intraspecific competition during the later stages of development. Gap expansion is recommended to sustain Chinese pine regeneration and preserve other tree species with canopy replacement potential, gradually forming heterogeneous gap patches of various sizes in the stand to transform pure plantations into mixed forests.
{"title":"Mid- to long-term influence of gaps on natural regeneration in Pinus tabuliformis plantations on the Loess Plateau","authors":"Shiqi Qing , Haijiao Yang , Zhaoquan Xu, Zhong Zhao, Zhibin Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122612","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122612","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chinese pine (<em>Pinus tabuliformis</em>) is one of the predominant tree species on the Loess Plateau, which is an area characterized by severe soil erosion and ecological fragility. Chinese pine plantations play crucial ecological roles in soil and water conservation and vegetation restoration on the Loess Plateau. However, most of these plantations currently face low species diversity and unstable stand structures. To promote rapid canopy recruitment in the mid- to long-term after gap formation, Chinese pine regeneration and related habitat factors were investigated in 94 14-year-old expanded gaps (hereafter referred to as gaps) in Chinese pine plantations in Huanglong County. The surveyed gaps were classified into 4 size levels, I (20, 40 m<sup>2</sup>], II (40, 80 m<sup>2</sup>], III (80, 200 m<sup>2</sup>] and IV (> 200 m<sup>2</sup>), to systematically study the responses of Chinese pine regeneration to gap size and microhabitats. Although gap size had no significant effect on the regeneration density, the height of the saplings exhibited a notable increasing trend with increasing gap size, reaching its maximum at level IV but showing no significant difference from that at level III. These findings suggest that the creation of gaps larger than 80 m<sup>2</sup> in near-mature stands could maintain effective Chinese pine regeneration in the mid- and long term. Soil available nutrients had a strong effect on the regeneration density, while the key factors influencing sapling density gradually changed from soil P to soil N and K as the gap size increased. In terms of seedling and sapling heights, the key factor was intraspecific competition. The existing number of Chinese pine regeneration in gaps (0.39–0.69 stem·m<sup>−2</sup>) generally meets the requirements for successful natural regeneration; however, their rapid growth may be limited by intraspecific competition during the later stages of development. Gap expansion is recommended to sustain Chinese pine regeneration and preserve other tree species with canopy replacement potential, gradually forming heterogeneous gap patches of various sizes in the stand to transform pure plantations into mixed forests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"584 ","pages":"Article 122612"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143519641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-28DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122558
Karla Nascimento Sena , Kátia Luciene Maltoni , Mariana Cristina Barbosa , Elton Gean de Araujo
The forest areas, besides their importance in the economic sector, have an important role in soil conservation when sustainable silvicultural practices are adopted. The objective of this study was to assess the amount of nutrients released and their stock in two types of eucalyptus harvest residues (with bark and without bark) in eastern Mato Grosso do Sul. Litter bags were used to evaluate the decomposition of harvest residues and nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, and C) content of the remaining residues under two different harvesting systems during a 36-month period. The “cut-to-length” (CTL) system is an eucalyptus harvesting method in Brazil, returning the most tree residues to the soil as trees are delimbed in situ. The “tree-length” (TL) harvest system returns a moderate level of eucalyptus residues to the soil, as they cut the trees and semi-process on-site to remove the pointer and bark, leaving on the field leaves, branches, and litter. Both CTL and TL differ from the traditional harvesting system, in which all trees are removed from the site to be delimbed at processing facilities outside the growing area, leaving no residues on the soil surface, this system was not evaluate during this research. Harvesting in the CTL system provided greater phytomass and N, P, K, Ca, and C contents. The decomposition of harvest residues in the CTL system was greater during the six initial months. Removing the bark, from the residues, reduced the amount of N and increased the decomposition time, as observed in the TL system. The amount and composition of forest harvest residues affect their decomposition and nutrient release.
{"title":"Nutrient release and decomposition time of Eucalyptus urograndis harvest residues practices under Brazil tropical conditions","authors":"Karla Nascimento Sena , Kátia Luciene Maltoni , Mariana Cristina Barbosa , Elton Gean de Araujo","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122558","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122558","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The forest areas, besides their importance in the economic sector, have an important role in soil conservation when sustainable silvicultural practices are adopted. The objective of this study was to assess the amount of nutrients released and their stock in two types of eucalyptus harvest residues (with bark and without bark) in eastern Mato Grosso do Sul. Litter bags were used to evaluate the decomposition of harvest residues and nutrient (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, and C) content of the remaining residues under two different harvesting systems during a 36-month period. The “cut-to-length” (CTL) system is an eucalyptus harvesting method in Brazil, returning the most tree residues to the soil as trees are delimbed <em>in situ.</em> The “tree-length” (TL) harvest system returns a moderate level of eucalyptus residues to the soil, as they cut the trees and semi-process on-site to remove the pointer and bark, leaving on the field leaves, branches, and litter. Both CTL and TL differ from the traditional harvesting system, in which all trees are removed from the site to be delimbed at processing facilities outside the growing area, leaving no residues on the soil surface, this system was not evaluate during this research. Harvesting in the CTL system provided greater phytomass and N, P, K, Ca, and C contents. The decomposition of harvest residues in the CTL system was greater during the six initial months. Removing the bark, from the residues, reduced the amount of N and increased the decomposition time, as observed in the TL system. The amount and composition of forest harvest residues affect their decomposition and nutrient release.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"582 ","pages":"Article 122558"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143520299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-02-27DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122576
James Lamping , Melissa Lucash , David M. Bell , Daniel R. Irvine , Matt Gregory
The forests of coastal Alaska and British Columbia are globally significant for their high carbon storage capacity and complex forest structure, hosting some of the densest values of aboveground biomass in the world. These ecosystems support biodiversity, provide critical habitat, and serve as long-term carbon sinks, offering resilience to climate change. However, comprehensive, spatially continuous estimates of forest structure across this region have been limited, particularly across political boundaries. In this study, we used a Gradient Nearest Neighbor (GNN) modeling approach to integrate extensive forest inventory plot data with satellite-derived environmental variables. This approach enabled us to produce moderate-resolution (30-meter) maps of aboveground biomass, species biomass, forest age, basal area, and additional structural attributes. Our results indicated that climate and topography accounted for the majority of the explainable variation across all modeling regions. Predictions of aboveground live biomass were higher than previous estimates, particularly in Southeast Alaska, where estimates were 30–53 % greater than previous studies. Forest structure varied across the region, with older forests found in Southeast Alaska and higher tree densities in British Columbia. Collectively, the coastal forests of Alaska and British Columbia store approximately 3.58 petagrams of carbon. These spatially explicit maps offer critical insights for carbon monitoring, forest management, and biodiversity conservation across this ecologically diverse and politically fragmented landscape.
{"title":"Moderate-resolution mapping of aboveground biomass stocks, forest structure, and composition in coastal Alaska and British Columbia","authors":"James Lamping , Melissa Lucash , David M. Bell , Daniel R. Irvine , Matt Gregory","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122576","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.122576","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The forests of coastal Alaska and British Columbia are globally significant for their high carbon storage capacity and complex forest structure, hosting some of the densest values of aboveground biomass in the world. These ecosystems support biodiversity, provide critical habitat, and serve as long-term carbon sinks, offering resilience to climate change. However, comprehensive, spatially continuous estimates of forest structure across this region have been limited, particularly across political boundaries. In this study, we used a Gradient Nearest Neighbor (GNN) modeling approach to integrate extensive forest inventory plot data with satellite-derived environmental variables. This approach enabled us to produce moderate-resolution (30-meter) maps of aboveground biomass, species biomass, forest age, basal area, and additional structural attributes. Our results indicated that climate and topography accounted for the majority of the explainable variation across all modeling regions. Predictions of aboveground live biomass were higher than previous estimates, particularly in Southeast Alaska, where estimates were 30–53 % greater than previous studies. Forest structure varied across the region, with older forests found in Southeast Alaska and higher tree densities in British Columbia. Collectively, the coastal forests of Alaska and British Columbia store approximately 3.58 petagrams of carbon. These spatially explicit maps offer critical insights for carbon monitoring, forest management, and biodiversity conservation across this ecologically diverse and politically fragmented landscape.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"583 ","pages":"Article 122576"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143510500","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}