Forest Ecology and Management最新文献

{"title":"Drought resilience of coastal Douglas-fir is influenced by competition but not genetic selection","authors":"Fleur Damen ,&nbsp;Sally Aitken ,&nbsp;Jonathan Degner ,&nbsp;David Montwé","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122488","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122488","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coastal temperate forests in western North America are projected to experience more frequent episodes of extreme heat and drought resulting from anthropogenic climate change. The impact of these episodes on tree growth is uncertain and is of great economic and ecological importance. Coastal Douglas-fir (<em>Pseudotsuga menziesii</em> var. <em>menziesii</em>) is a widespread and economically valuable tree species in western North America, and tree breeding programs have produced fast-growing seed for reforestation through genetic selection for stem volume. However, it is important to know if this selection process has affected Douglas-fir’s susceptibility to extreme heat and drought, and how such effects are modulated by competition. This study uses tree-ring data from five replicated realized gain trials in coastal British Columbia (BC), Canada, each consisting of four planting densities and three levels of genetic gain for stem volume. By comparing tree-ring widths of 1190 trees across all factorial combinations, we evaluated the effects of selection and competition on growth patterns following years with extreme drought (2015) or heat (2021). We found that a low planting density increased resistance (capacity to reduce impact of the extreme event) and resilience to drought, but had no effect on recovery (capacity to regain pre-event growth rates) after drought. In addition, we found no difference in resilience between operational planting densities and the lowest planting density, while operational planting densities produce higher-volume per hectare and higher-quality wood. Second, we found that genetic selection has not decreased the resilience of Douglas-fir to either heat or drought. With planting density as the primary management driver of Douglas-fir growth variability, the use of operational planting densities could ensure that future Douglas-fir forests are resilient to climatic extremes and can continue to provide their ecological, economic, and cultural functions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"578 ","pages":"Article 122488"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-12-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143132306","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}

{"title":"Effects of substrate on ecophysiology of young silver fir and Norway spruce growing on shallow calcareous soils","authors":"L. Leyerer,&nbsp;K. Katzensteiner","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122477","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122477","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Regeneration of mixed mountain forests after disturbances frequently fails due to causes like seed limitation, unfavorable microclimate, competition and ungulate browsing. Due to water and nutrient limitations, shallow soils on dolomite and limestone bedrock constitute a challenge for artificial regeneration. A thorough understanding of the interaction between substrate and tree ecophysiology and the suitability of various tree species for such unfavorable sites is of ultimate importance for post-disturbance regeneration management of protective forests, which have faced dramatically accelerated disturbance regimes during recent decades. Hence, this study compares the effect of soil substrate on the performance of young silver fir (<em>Abies alba</em> Mill.) and Norway spruce (<em>Picea abies</em> Karst.) by analyzing the interaction between tree ecophysiology and soil conditions at two windthrow sites on dolomite and limestone. On both sites, silver fir and Norway spruce suffered from foliar nutrient deficiencies. For both species, soil nutrient content as well as photosynthetic and growth rates were higher on limestone than on dolomite. Silver fir showed lower photosynthetic rates on both dolomite and limestone. While fir stayed smaller than spruce on limestone, it showed slightly better recent shoot growth on dolomite. Mycorrhization was higher on limestone. There was a tendency of higher fine root mass density and higher ectomycorrhizal root colonization of silver fir in the mineral soil developed from dolomite, compared to Norway spruce. These results reflect the central role of substrate and nutrition for tree growth and development and indicate better ecophysiological performance for both species on limestone than on dolomite. Our findings suggest better adaption of silver fir to unfavorable soil conditions due to different root characteristics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"578 ","pages":"Article 122477"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143131974","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}

{"title":"Modelling salvage cuts in Austrian Forests – I: Wind and snow induced tree breakage","authors":"Tammam Suliman,&nbsp;Thomas Ledermann","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122479","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122479","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wind and snow significantly impact Austrian forests, affecting structure, community composition, and ecosystem services. From 2002–2023, salvage cuts due to wind and snow ranged from 0.5 to 10.3 million m³ , with bark beetle infestations adding 0.6–5.0 million m³ of damage. Accurate estimation of damaged wood is crucial, making disturbance models essential for effective forest management in Austria. This paper aims to develop predictive models for estimating salvage cuts in coniferous, broad-leaved, and mixed species stands. It focuses on predicting the probability of wind/snow breakage at both the plot and individual-tree levels, as well as the survival chances of damaged trees. Using a dataset of 343,722 trees from 9532 plots in the Austrian National Forest Inventory (1981–2021), we categorized disturbance-related damages as \"events.\" Sixteen logistic mixed-effect models were employed to analyze climate, site, stand, and individual-tree data to assess event probabilities. Findings show strong correlations between wind speed, drought index, snow, and random event occurrences. The probability of tree breakage increases with stand height and snow's interaction with tree height. The height-diameter ratio is a crucial variable affecting breakage risks. Topographic exposure indices from digital terrain models also influence event occurrences. Forest edge structure increases random event occurrence and tree breakage probability. Thinning can temporarily increase wind and snow damage risk but enhances long-term stability and forest resistance. Larger trees with larger crowns have higher survival rates when damaged. These models assist forest managers in developing adaptive strategies to enhance forest resilience under changing conditions, including appropriate timing and severity of thinning operations to foster tree stability against snow breakage.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"578 ","pages":"Article 122479"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143132123","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}

{"title":"Naturally formed canopy gaps increase tree species diversity in the tropical Moist Afromontane Forest of Gerba Dima, southwest Ethiopia","authors":"Bedilu Tafesse ,&nbsp;Erik Kusch ,&nbsp;Tamrat Bekele ,&nbsp;Sebesbe Demissew ,&nbsp;Bikila Warkineh ,&nbsp;Desalegn Chala","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122475","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122475","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Canopy gaps play a pivotal role in tropical forest ecosystems, influencing succession, carbon dynamics, ecosystem function, and biodiversity. Here we investigated canopy gap dynamics, tree species regeneration, and associated factors in one of the Moist Afromontane tropical forests, the Gerba Dima forest of southwest Ethiopia. Located within a precipitation-rich region with rain all year round, the Gerba Dima forest contains broad-leaved evergreen trees and is characterized by a diverse canopy structure with plenty of canopy gaps whose effect on the forest is not yet investigated. Through systematic line transects, we identified 120 canopy gaps exceeding 25 m² within Gerba Dima forest. These were created by fallen trees, fallen branches, or standing dead trees resulting from the mortality of one or more trees. For each gap, we estimated gap age, characterized gap-creating tree species (measured their diameter at breast height (DBH), identified modes of death and recorded the abundance of gap-filling seedlings and saplings. Subsequently, we computed the diversity of successional species and employed Bayesian regression models to analyze the effects of canopy gaps on the forest ecosystem. We recorded 29 tree species from 19 families as gap creators, with five species contributing to over half of the canopy formation. The mortality of individual trees accounted for over 50 % of gap formation, predominantly through uprooting with contributions from stand dead and branch snip off. We recorded 3830 seedlings and saplings belonging to 49 species from 19 families as gap fillers. We show that canopy gap size is influenced by both the number and size of gap-making trees and gap-filling tree species richness correlates more strongly with canopy size. Moreover, gap-filling species exhibit greater diversity compared to gap creators, with consistent survival rates across canopy ages, suggesting enhanced forest diversity. In conclusion, spontaneously formed canopy gaps contribute to increased tree diversity without adversely affecting the diversity of canopy gap-forming trees, showing the importance of natural canopy gaps to the diversity of tropical forests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"578 ","pages":"Article 122475"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143131975","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}

{"title":"Forest carbon storage in China from 2003 to 2021: Estimation based on the volume-derived carbon storage model with scale-compatible and tree species-merged","authors":"Cong Zhang ,&nbsp;Haikui Li ,&nbsp;Xiaohui Wang ,&nbsp;Pengju Liu ,&nbsp;Qi Liu ,&nbsp;Siying Zhan","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122483","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122483","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurately estimating and assessing the forest carbon storage in China is crucial to achieving the carbon peak and neutrality targets. In this paper, utilizing data from 173,031 plots obtained during China's 6–9th national forest inventory, we established a volume-derived forest carbon model based on scale-compatible and tree species-merged method. Utilizing the statistical data of forest area and volume from 2003 to 2021, we estimated and evaluated the national forest carbon storage, and analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution of forest carbon. We also analyzed the uncertainty of national forest carbon storage and recommended a more suitable forest carbon storage estimation model. Our study indicated that: (1) Determination coefficients (<em>R</em>²), standard error of estimate (<em>SEE</em>) and mean prediction error (<em>MPE</em>) for the population average model were 0.964, 5.85 t/ha, and 0.60 %, respectively. The model we have established was better and can be applied to estimate and evaluate the national forest carbon storage. (2) When all plots were used as modeling units, the <em>R</em>², <em>SEE</em> and <em>MPE</em> of the scale-compatible model were 0.914, 10.69 t/ha and 0.13 %, respectively, while the tree species-merged method had a better fit, with the <em>R</em>², <em>SEE</em> and <em>MPE</em> of 0.960, 7.26 Mg ha⁻¹ and 0.09 %, respectively. (3) From 2003–2021, the forest carbon storage in China increased rapidly, from 4.96 ± 0.25 Pg C in 2003–7.95 ± 0.40 Pg C in 2021, with an average annual carbon sink of 0.166 Pg C/yr. Forest carbon storage was mainly distributed in the southwest and northeast, and was also mainly stored in Pinaceae. It is worth noting that from 2003 to 2013, hard broadleaved forest played a role as a carbon source due to the sharp decrease in area. (4) The average uncertainty of national forest carbon storage estimated by the tree species-merged method was 5.05 %, and the minimum was only 5.03 %. Compared with the most detailed model (a provincial-scale model with distinguishing dominant tree species group and stand characteristics), the estimation error of forest carbon storage in the simplest model (a national-scale model without distinguishing forest level and stand characteristics) was less than 5 %. Therefore, we recommended that the simplest model can be used to estimate the national forest carbon storage. The forest carbon storage model proposed in this paper can provide support for accurately estimating and evaluating forest carbon storage in China.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"578 ","pages":"Article 122483"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-12-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143132069","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}

{"title":"Fire season differentially affects resprouting vigor of pyrophytic and mesophytic hardwoods in a southeastern U.S. pine savanna","authors":"Emma F. Zeitler ,&nbsp;Kevin M. Robertson ,&nbsp;Cinnamon M. Dixon ,&nbsp;Marcus A. Lashley","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122478","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122478","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Like many savannas worldwide, pine savannas of the southeastern U.S. contain pyrophytic (fire-adapted) broadleaf woody plants (hardwoods), as well as mesophytic (fire-sensitive) hardwoods that persist through cycles of top-killing and resprouting. The persistence of mesophytes may be facilitated by anthropogenic fire regimes that top-kill hardwoods when they have higher carbohydrate reserves in roots, and the effects of fire timing may interact with herbivory. We investigated the resprouting response of pyrophytic and mesophytic hardwoods to fire in the four seasons by measuring the change in above-ground woody biomass between two fire-free intervals as a relative growth rate (RGR), with half of the plants protected from browsing by white-tailed deer (<em>Odocoileus virginianus</em>) to assess potential interactions with herbivores. Spring fires similarly reduced RGR of both pyrophytes and mesophytes (difference between functional groups [Δ] = 0.02, p = 0.86), the summer (Δ = 0.66, p &lt; 0.0001) and fall (Δ = 0.51, p &lt; 0.0001) fires disproportionately disadvantaged mesophytes, and winter fires resulted in relatively high resprouting vigor for both groups (Δ = 0.31, p = 0.06). Similar patterns were shown by the biomass to which plants were predicted to equilibrate under a given fire regime (the persistence equilibrium). Herbivore access did not influence resprouting. Our results indicate that growing season fires, which correspond to historic fire regimes, inhibit the relative growth of mesophytes more effectively than dormant season fires. We recommend that fire season be considered in the restoration and maintenance of historic woody plant composition and structure in pine savanna ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"578 ","pages":"Article 122478"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-12-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143132307","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}

{"title":"Impact of oleoresin harvesting on the reproductive phenology of Copaifera pubiflora Benth. (Leguminosae) in a precipitation gradient in northern brazilian Amazon","authors":"Patricia da Costa ,&nbsp;Carolina Volkmer de Castilho ,&nbsp;Artur Camurça Citó ,&nbsp;Reinaldo Imbrozio Barbosa ,&nbsp;Paulo Emílio Kaminski ,&nbsp;Karina Martins ,&nbsp;Lúcia Helena de Oliveira Wadt","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122462","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122462","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Few studies have addressed the sustainability of harvesting of secondary compounds from non-timber forest products (NTFP). Most of them suggest that reproductive aspects can be compromised due to competition for resource allocation. These impacts may depend on the harvest history and may be more pronounced in environments with lower resource availability. This study assessed the impact of different oleoresin harvesting intervals on the reproductive phenology of <em>Copaifera pubiflora</em> Benth. (Leguminosae) in two tree populations with different harvesting time spans (mid- x short-term) and resource constraints in Roraima, northern Brazilian Amazon. We evaluated the impact of different intervals of consecutive oleoresin harvest compared to a control group without harvesting. Tree populations are found in forests with different precipitation ranges: (i) an ecotonal forest at the savanna-tropical rainforest boundary (intervals: 18 months, six months; mid-term; less constrained forest), and (ii) a gallery forest within the savanna ecosystem (12 months, six months; short-term; greater constrained forest). Data on the number of trees in different phenophases and fruit abortion were obtained fortnightly for two years and ten months. The occurrence, duration, and activity (number of trees) of the phenophases were examined through circular analyses. Our results indicate that oleoresin harvest did not affect the timing and duration of reproductive events, and the interval between successive collections should be considered when designing more sustainable management practices. Long-term studies should be conducted to assess whether observed patterns are maintained and to determine the optimal oleoresin harvest interval so trees can allocate resources for defense without competing with other functions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"578 ","pages":"Article 122462"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143132122","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}

{"title":"Influence of stand structure on tree height: A comparative study across 46 species","authors":"Yuuki Tsunoda,&nbsp;Takaaki Tsuda,&nbsp;Yasuyuki Ohno","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122474","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122474","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growth patterns of trees, influenced by competition for light and space among neighboring trees, vary significantly depending on species and environmental conditions. Effective forest management practices such as thinning require a comprehensive understanding of the competitive effects of tree height across diverse species. In this study, we focused on two indices that can easily identify competitive status in forest management: stand volume (<em>Y</em>_<em>B</em>) and stand density (<em>N</em>_<em>B</em>), defined as the degree of packing by constituent individuals. Based on height and diameter at breast height (<em>DBH</em>) data from 16311 individual trees across 327 plots, a hierarchical Bayesian model was employed to determine the effects of <em>Y</em>_<em>B</em> and <em>N</em>_<em>B</em> on the height of 46 tree species. The difference in the magnitude of these effects was further explained in terms of the successional status and leaf longevity. The results indicated that <em>Y</em>_<em>B</em> or <em>N</em>_<em>B</em> had a significant positive effect on tree height in 44 of the 46 species, demonstrating that stand structure influenced tree height. Interspecific differences in the extent of this effect could not be explained by successional status; however, the effect of <em>Y</em>_<em>B</em> was negatively correlated with leaf longevity. Tree height relative to <em>DBH</em> was significantly lower in coniferous species compared to other species, while it was notably higher in species classified as large-gap-dependent. This study revealed the interspecific characteristics of stand structure effects on tree height and highlighted the potential for tree height control through forest management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"578 ","pages":"Article 122474"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143132121","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}

{"title":"Declining trends in canopy disturbance across reserve forest landscapes of the northeastern US","authors":"Madeleine L. Desrochers ,&nbsp;Elizabeth A. Clippard ,&nbsp;Lucas K. Johnson ,&nbsp;Colin M. Beier","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122463","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122463","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Remote change detection algorithms are emerging tools to observe and quantify patterns of vegetation and land use change at fine-grained spatiotemporal resolution across broad landscape scales. Here we applied the LandTrendr algorithm and Landsat time-series imagery to map canopy disturbance regimes across ∼1 M hectares of unmanaged reserve forests during the last 33 years in northeastern New York State (NYS), USA. Using 30 m LandTrendr map outputs, we calculated patch- and landscape-level metrics related to size, shape, and frequency of canopy disturbances at an annual resolution from 1990 to 2022. We analyzed this reconstructed history of canopy change for variability and trends in disturbance metrics over time, with attention to the sensitivity of results to algorithm parameters and approximate time since reserve acquisition (as a proxy for forest age structure). We found that disturbance regimes have clearly not intensified as expected; instead, canopy gaps have been occurring less frequently with no change in average patch size, resulting in less area disturbed in recent years. Observed trends were consistent across forest areas regardless of time since acquisition by NYS, representing a nearly century-long time span since management activities ceased and strict protections were enacted. Overall, this study points to signs of recent stability in forest disturbance regimes despite multiple converging drivers of change in the US Northeast region, discusses the likelihood that such stability will persist in the near future, and highlights both opportunities and challenges in using change detection tools for landscape scale research, monitoring, and stewardship purposes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"578 ","pages":"Article 122463"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143132117","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}

{"title":"Fine-scale interventions can reinforce the forest character of the understory vegetation – The effects of different artificial gaps in an oak-dominated forest","authors":"Flóra Tinya ,&nbsp;Péter Csépányi ,&nbsp;Csenge Veronika Horváth ,&nbsp;Bence Kovács ,&nbsp;Csaba Németh ,&nbsp;Péter Ódor","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122471","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2024.122471","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forest biodiversity is threatened by the use of conventional rotation forestry system, while fine-scale interventions of continuous cover forestry, such as gap-cutting, could protect forest habitats and enhance the stand structural heterogeneity. Consequently, their use could maintain biodiversity during the timber production process. It is unclear which gap sizes and shapes can trigger ample natural regeneration while simultaneously maintaining or improving the near-natural character of the understory. The Pilis Gap Experiment examined the five-year effects of four gap types comparing two gap sizes (150 and 300 m²) and two gap shapes (circular and elongated) on the light and soil moisture conditions and understory vegetation in an oak–hornbeam forest. The investigated understory variables included species richness, total cover, height, shrub cover and cover of five functional groups. Our results indicate an initially increased light in all gap types, but later it decreased in large circular gaps, while remaining more stable in other gap types. Soil moisture increased first, transiently in the circular gaps, and later in the elongated gaps. Species richness temporarily increased in large circular gaps, whereas total cover increased in all gap types. Understory height and shrub cover also increased in large circular gaps. Annual and perennial forb cover remained unchanged in all gap types, although graminoid cover showed transient growth in large elongated gaps. Small gaps had the highest cover of woody seedlings, whereas bramble (<em>Rubus fruticosus</em> agg.) cover increased the most in large circular gaps. Species composition exhibited the most significant changes in large circular gaps. From a conservation aspect, all gap types can be considered favorable, as they increase the heterogeneity of the openness and understory vegetation in homogeneous closed stands. Vegetation changes are the most prominent in large circular gaps w spread of bramble here multiple vegetation layers developed. However, the dense cover of bramble and shrubs hinders the effective regeneration of sessile oak (<em>Quercus petraea</em>). Smaller gaps slightly increase the heterogeneity of the forest understory and provide ample light and soil moisture to initiate regeneration. In larger gaps, oak regeneration may be supported by applying an elongated shape, mitigating the competition from bramble.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"578 ","pages":"Article 122471"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-12-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143132119","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}