Wildfire-induced soil organic C (SOC) loss threatens global C sequestration. However, the mechanisms underlying SOC recovery during reforestation, particularly the roles of tree diversity and microbial-mediated pathways, remain poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to quantify SOC accumulation patterns across restoration methods and identify microbial mechanisms underlying SOC storage. To this end, we compared monoculture, two-species mixture, and five-species mixture plantations in a subtropical forest 14 years post-fire by integrating SOC fractionation (particulate organic C and mineral-associated organic C [MAOC]), microbial physiological traits (C use efficiency [CUE] and turnover), necromass biomarkers (amino sugars), and soil physicochemical properties. Adjacent undisturbed secondary forests with analogous edaphic and topographic conditions served as reference ecosystems. The five-species mixture restored 77.97 % of the reference SOC levels, significantly outperforming the monoculture (48.76 %) and two-species mixture (65.23 %), primarily through MAOC accumulation (76.55 % of the reference). Microbial necromass C (bacteria + fungi) was the dominant predictor of MAOC (36.1 % of explained variance), whereas CUE showed no significant relationship with SOC. Rapidly available N promoted necromass–MAOC coupling by alleviating microbial stoichiometric constraints. These results demonstrate that reforestation enhances post-fire SOC stabilization by diversifying microbial necromass inputs and optimizing organo–mineral interactions, rather than through metabolic efficiency. Our findings challenge the universal role of CUE in SOC models and advocate for biodiversity-driven strategies to restore fire-affected landscapes.
{"title":"The role of mixed-species forests in post-fire soil organic carbon restoration: Mechanisms and microbial-mediated pathways","authors":"Yaowen Xu , Jiejie Jiao , Yanjie Fang , Liangjin Yao , Chuping Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123429","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123429","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wildfire-induced soil organic C (SOC) loss threatens global C sequestration. However, the mechanisms underlying SOC recovery during reforestation, particularly the roles of tree diversity and microbial-mediated pathways, remain poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to quantify SOC accumulation patterns across restoration methods and identify microbial mechanisms underlying SOC storage. To this end, we compared monoculture, two-species mixture, and five-species mixture plantations in a subtropical forest 14 years post-fire by integrating SOC fractionation (particulate organic C and mineral-associated organic C [MAOC]), microbial physiological traits (C use efficiency [CUE] and turnover), necromass biomarkers (amino sugars), and soil physicochemical properties. Adjacent undisturbed secondary forests with analogous edaphic and topographic conditions served as reference ecosystems. The five-species mixture restored 77.97 % of the reference SOC levels, significantly outperforming the monoculture (48.76 %) and two-species mixture (65.23 %), primarily through MAOC accumulation (76.55 % of the reference). Microbial necromass C (bacteria + fungi) was the dominant predictor of MAOC (36.1 % of explained variance), whereas CUE showed no significant relationship with SOC. Rapidly available N promoted necromass–MAOC coupling by alleviating microbial stoichiometric constraints. These results demonstrate that reforestation enhances post-fire SOC stabilization by diversifying microbial necromass inputs and optimizing organo–mineral interactions, rather than through metabolic efficiency. Our findings challenge the universal role of CUE in SOC models and advocate for biodiversity-driven strategies to restore fire-affected landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"603 ","pages":"Article 123429"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798901","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 : 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123424
Hugh D. Safford, Saba Saberi
We investigated the effectiveness of forest fuel reduction treatments in mitigating fire severity and reducing tree mortality in wildland urban interface environments during the Caldor Fire (2021) in the Lake Tahoe Basin, California. We found that: (1) Across all treatment types, trees were 3x more likely to survive fire in treated areas, and three of five forest stand-level fire severity measures (crown scorch percent, crown torch percent, torch height) as well as the remotely sensed RdNBR fire severity measure were significantly lower in treated versus untreated areas; (2) The presence of unburned fuel piles in multiple areas led to higher than expected fire severity and tree mortality in those areas and resulted in higher mean scorch height and bole char height than in neighboring untreated forest; and (3) The most effective fuel treatment – which did not include prescribed fire or pile burning – was multiple entry (pre-2005 and 2019) mechanical and hand thinning followed by mastication with a 15-cm maximum fuel depth restriction. Hand thinning and fuel piling followed by pile burning was also an effective treatment. Overall, our results add the Caldor Fire to the growing list of fuel treatment success stories in the western US, but at the same time highlight the growing urgency of proactive forest and fuel management and the importance of resolving long-standing capacity constraints in the US federal resource management agencies.
{"title":"Fuel treatment effects on fire severity during the Caldor Fire (2021), Lake Tahoe, California, USA","authors":"Hugh D. Safford, Saba Saberi","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123424","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123424","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We investigated the effectiveness of forest fuel reduction treatments in mitigating fire severity and reducing tree mortality in wildland urban interface environments during the Caldor Fire (2021) in the Lake Tahoe Basin, California. We found that: (1) Across all treatment types, trees were 3x more likely to survive fire in treated areas, and three of five forest stand-level fire severity measures (crown scorch percent, crown torch percent, torch height) as well as the remotely sensed RdNBR fire severity measure were significantly lower in treated versus untreated areas; (2) The presence of unburned fuel piles in multiple areas led to higher than expected fire severity and tree mortality in those areas and resulted in higher mean scorch height and bole char height than in neighboring untreated forest; and (3) The most effective fuel treatment – which did not include prescribed fire or pile burning – was multiple entry (pre-2005 and 2019) mechanical and hand thinning followed by mastication with a 15-cm maximum fuel depth restriction. Hand thinning and fuel piling followed by pile burning was also an effective treatment. Overall, our results add the Caldor Fire to the growing list of fuel treatment success stories in the western US, but at the same time highlight the growing urgency of proactive forest and fuel management and the importance of resolving long-standing capacity constraints in the US federal resource management agencies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"603 ","pages":"Article 123424"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145750214","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 : 2025-12-13DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123423
Xin Shi , Chensong Zhao , Xiaokun Yang , Lele Qi , Yihang Ding , Jie Yuan
Canopy gap disturbance significantly alters forest microenvironments. However, its impact on soil microbial functional divergence and its ecological contributions remain inadequately characterized, thus limiting accurate predictions of microbe-mediated nutrient cycling processes. In this study, four typical forest ecosystems in the Qinling Mountains (Betula albosinensis, Larix principis-rupprechtii, Quercus aliena var. acuteserrata, and Pinus tabuliformis) were selected, and metagenomic sequencing of soil microbial communities from both gap and understory plots was conducted to reveal the relationships among microbial community structures, functional traits, and environmental factors. The results demonstrated that: (1) gap formation in the coniferous forests (L. principis-rupprechtii and P. tabuliformis) and the Q. aliena var. acuteserrata forest was associated with significantly increased microbial abundance and α-diversity, whereas microbial community structures were highly similar between the two habitats in the B. albosinensis forest; (2) Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional analysis indicated that the genetic potential for fundamental metabolic pathways (purine/pyrimidine metabolism and amino acid biosynthesis) and genetic information processing (ribosome synthesis) were significantly more abundant at gap sites, whereas understory communities were significantly enriched in defense-related tyrosine metabolism pathways; and (3) after the occurrence of gap disturbance, ammonium nitrogen replaced available phosphorus as the dominant factor shaping soil microbial communities, while the interaction mode among the volumetric water content, total organic matter content, and available phosphorus content, shifted from positive synergy to negative antagonism, thus indication that the microbe-environment interaction network was reconstructed. In summary, canopy gap disturbance was associated with significant changes in soil microbial communities in terms of their structure and functional potential, with the magnitude and direction of effects differing across forest types. This study revealed the putative adaptive strategies of soil microbes under the influence of gap disturbance from a community–function–environment multidimensional perspective. These findings suggested that in coniferous forests, soil microbial function could be optimized through moderate gap creation, whereas broadleaf forests (e.g., B. albosinensis) require the regulation of litter input to maintain microbial community stability. These insights could provide a systematic basis for differentiated management and sustainable practices across forest types.
{"title":"Metagenomics reveals a microbial metabolic potential shift from defense to growth in canopy gap","authors":"Xin Shi , Chensong Zhao , Xiaokun Yang , Lele Qi , Yihang Ding , Jie Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123423","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123423","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Canopy gap disturbance significantly alters forest microenvironments. However, its impact on soil microbial functional divergence and its ecological contributions remain inadequately characterized, thus limiting accurate predictions of microbe-mediated nutrient cycling processes. In this study, four typical forest ecosystems in the Qinling Mountains (<em>Betula albosinensis</em>, <em>Larix principis-rupprechtii</em>, <em>Quercus aliena</em> var. <em>acuteserrata</em>, and <em>Pinus tabuliformis</em>) were selected, and metagenomic sequencing of soil microbial communities from both gap and understory plots was conducted to reveal the relationships among microbial community structures, functional traits, and environmental factors. The results demonstrated that: (1) gap formation in the coniferous forests (<em>L. principis-rupprechtii</em> and <em>P. tabuliformis</em>) and the <em>Q. aliena</em> var. <em>acuteserrata</em> forest was associated with significantly increased microbial abundance and α-diversity, whereas microbial community structures were highly similar between the two habitats in the <em>B. albosinensis</em> forest; (2) Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional analysis indicated that the genetic potential for fundamental metabolic pathways (purine/pyrimidine metabolism and amino acid biosynthesis) and genetic information processing (ribosome synthesis) were significantly more abundant at gap sites, whereas understory communities were significantly enriched in defense-related tyrosine metabolism pathways; and (3) after the occurrence of gap disturbance, ammonium nitrogen replaced available phosphorus as the dominant factor shaping soil microbial communities, while the interaction mode among the volumetric water content, total organic matter content, and available phosphorus content, shifted from positive synergy to negative antagonism, thus indication that the microbe-environment interaction network was reconstructed. In summary, canopy gap disturbance was associated with significant changes in soil microbial communities in terms of their structure and functional potential, with the magnitude and direction of effects differing across forest types. This study revealed the putative adaptive strategies of soil microbes under the influence of gap disturbance from a community–function–environment multidimensional perspective. These findings suggested that in coniferous forests, soil microbial function could be optimized through moderate gap creation, whereas broadleaf forests (e.g., <em>B. albosinensis</em>) require the regulation of litter input to maintain microbial community stability. These insights could provide a systematic basis for differentiated management and sustainable practices across forest types.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"603 ","pages":"Article 123423"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145750012","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 : 2025-12-12DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123414
Asako Miyamoto , Gakuto Takamura
Effective forest resource management is required not only to sustain harvests but also to promote ecosystem conservation. However, the final decision-making authority for forest management lies with the landowner, and policies promoting resource management must also consider the characteristics of forest conditions under each ownership type. In this study, we used National Forest Inventory (NFI) data to determine the current structures of Japanese cedar plantations, as well as differences among ownership types. The basal area of cedar trees and tree species diversity were calculated, and cluster analysis identified four distinct clusters: high-mixed, low-mixed, intensively managed, and dense plantation forests (PF). Notable relationships emerged between ownership and cluster types. Canopy stratification, the number of standing dead trees, and number of naturally regenerated trees differed significantly among the clusters. Furthermore, national forests had considerably more high-mixed PF (characterized by high species diversity and a mix of planted and naturally regenerated trees), consistent with the implementation of successful diversification. Community forests exhibited more intensively managed PFs, signifying effective management resulting from communal efforts and economies of scale. Individually owned forests were predominantly dense PFs, often reflecting under-managed conditions with high tree density, potentially owing to factors such as aging owners and low timber prices. Stand structure appears to be influenced by long-term forest management practices and site-environmental factors. Stand structure evaluation using NFI data could help monitor and evaluate progress in achieving the policy goal of converting monospecific PF into more diversified planted forests.
{"title":"Evaluating forest management status across ownership types based on stand structure typology for sustainable use in conifer plantations","authors":"Asako Miyamoto , Gakuto Takamura","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123414","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123414","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Effective forest resource management is required not only to sustain harvests but also to promote ecosystem conservation. However, the final decision-making authority for forest management lies with the landowner, and policies promoting resource management must also consider the characteristics of forest conditions under each ownership type. In this study, we used National Forest Inventory (NFI) data to determine the current structures of Japanese cedar plantations, as well as differences among ownership types. The basal area of cedar trees and tree species diversity were calculated, and cluster analysis identified four distinct clusters: high-mixed, low-mixed, intensively managed, and dense plantation forests (PF). Notable relationships emerged between ownership and cluster types. Canopy stratification, the number of standing dead trees, and number of naturally regenerated trees differed significantly among the clusters. Furthermore, national forests had considerably more high-mixed PF (characterized by high species diversity and a mix of planted and naturally regenerated trees), consistent with the implementation of successful diversification. Community forests exhibited more intensively managed PFs, signifying effective management resulting from communal efforts and economies of scale. Individually owned forests were predominantly dense PFs, often reflecting under-managed conditions with high tree density, potentially owing to factors such as aging owners and low timber prices. Stand structure appears to be influenced by long-term forest management practices and site-environmental factors. Stand structure evaluation using NFI data could help monitor and evaluate progress in achieving the policy goal of converting monospecific PF into more diversified planted forests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"602 ","pages":"Article 123414"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733739","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 : 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123395
Graham S. Frank , James R. LaBonte , Matthew G. Betts , Andrew J. Kroll , James W. Rivers , Jake Verschuyl , Mark E. Swanson , Meg A. Krawchuk
Forest harvests are a significant part of disturbance regimes in many temperate forest landscapes. However, variability in biodiversity between early seral stands originating from harvest versus natural disturbances like wildfire is not well understood. We used a chronosequence sampling design to compare diversity, composition, and traits of ground and tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Geadephaga, hereafter “ground beetles”) between early seral stands regenerating within 20 years after clearcut harvest or stand-replacing wildfire in southwest Oregon, USA. Clearcut stands were managed with planting and herbicides whereas fire-origin stands received minimal post-fire management. We also compared ground beetle communities 6–9 years after post-fire salvage logging. Compared to young clearcut stands (2–5 yr), ground beetle communities in young fire-origin stands had 30 % higher species richness (90 % CI: 0, 60 %), distinct composition, and disturbance-adaptive traits, including small body size (90 % CI for trait-environment interaction: −1.72, −0.63) and flight ability (90 % CI: 0.39, 1.47). Communities converged in the oldest age class (16–20 yr). Salvage logging favored flight-capable species to a greater degree than unlogged fire-origin stands (90 % CI: 0.12, 1.02) up to 9 years after disturbance, suggesting prolonged early seral conditions. Ground beetle composition varied with vegetation and deadwood structure but was also likely influenced by unobserved processes, such as fire-induced beetle mortality exceeding that of timber harvest. Our results indicate an ephemeral ground beetle community inhabiting post-fire stands that differs from post-harvest environments, suggesting that fire effects on the forest floor have a distinctive role in shaping early seral forest biodiversity.
{"title":"Disturbance type shapes initial community assembly patterns of early seral forest ground beetles in southwest Oregon","authors":"Graham S. Frank , James R. LaBonte , Matthew G. Betts , Andrew J. Kroll , James W. Rivers , Jake Verschuyl , Mark E. Swanson , Meg A. Krawchuk","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123395","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123395","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forest harvests are a significant part of disturbance regimes in many temperate forest landscapes. However, variability in biodiversity between early seral stands originating from harvest versus natural disturbances like wildfire is not well understood. We used a chronosequence sampling design to compare diversity, composition, and traits of ground and tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Geadephaga, hereafter “ground beetles”) between early seral stands regenerating within 20 years after clearcut harvest or stand-replacing wildfire in southwest Oregon, USA. Clearcut stands were managed with planting and herbicides whereas fire-origin stands received minimal post-fire management. We also compared ground beetle communities 6–9 years after post-fire salvage logging. Compared to young clearcut stands (2–5 yr), ground beetle communities in young fire-origin stands had 30 % higher species richness (90 % CI: 0, 60 %), distinct composition, and disturbance-adaptive traits, including small body size (90 % CI for trait-environment interaction: −1.72, −0.63) and flight ability (90 % CI: 0.39, 1.47). Communities converged in the oldest age class (16–20 yr). Salvage logging favored flight-capable species to a greater degree than unlogged fire-origin stands (90 % CI: 0.12, 1.02) up to 9 years after disturbance, suggesting prolonged early seral conditions. Ground beetle composition varied with vegetation and deadwood structure but was also likely influenced by unobserved processes, such as fire-induced beetle mortality exceeding that of timber harvest. Our results indicate an ephemeral ground beetle community inhabiting post-fire stands that differs from post-harvest environments, suggesting that fire effects on the forest floor have a distinctive role in shaping early seral forest biodiversity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"602 ","pages":"Article 123395"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733737","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 : 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123377
Yibo Zhang , Liangna Guo , Jiangrong Li , Ganggang Chen , Zheng Shi , Rongguang Gao
Heartwood decay in stems of old trees is a widespread phenomenon in forest ecosystems. It does not only reduce existing carbon storage in forests but may also limit forest carbon sequestration capacity by affecting tree growth. However there is currently few data supporting the latter. This study investigated heartwood decay in two stands of Smith fir (Abies georgei var. smithii) and Nyingchi spruce (Picea likiangensis var. linzhiensis) in the Baksum Lake Scenic Area, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. A total number of 149 increment cores were collected from 40 decayed and 38 undecayed fir trees, and 48 decayed and 31 undecayed spruce trees. Tree-ring data were used to analyze the extent of heartwood decay and its impact on radial growth of trees. The results showed that 15 firs and 16 spruces had a decay proportion exceeding 60 %. Radial growth rate of decayed spruces was significantly lower than that of undecayed spruces, but no significant difference was observed in radial growth between decayed and undecayed firs. Heartwood decay reduced growth sensitivity to climate in both spruces and firs and weakened the resilience of trees to climatic extremes. Our findings demonstrated that heartwood decay generates species-specific tradeoffs between growth and defense. Thus, when predicting future capacity of carbon storage in forests, the heartwood decay and growth-defense tradeoffs in tree growth should be considered.
古树树干心材腐烂是森林生态系统中普遍存在的现象。它不仅减少森林中现有的碳储量，而且还可能通过影响树木生长来限制森林的固碳能力。然而，目前很少有数据支持后者。研究了杉木（Abies georgei var. smithii）和林芝云杉（Picea likiangensis var） 2个林分林的心材腐烂情况，共采集到40棵凋萎杉木和38棵未凋萎杉木、48棵凋萎云杉和31棵未凋萎云杉的149个增材芯。利用树木年轮数据分析了心材的腐烂程度及其对树木径向生长的影响。结果表明，15棵冷杉和16棵云杉的腐烂率超过60% %。腐云杉的径向生长率显著低于未腐云杉，而腐云杉与未腐云杉的径向生长率无显著差异。心材腐烂降低了云杉和冷杉的生长对气候的敏感性，削弱了树木对极端气候的适应能力。我们的研究结果表明，心材腐烂会在生长和防御之间产生特定物种的权衡。因此，在预测森林未来的碳储量时，应考虑树木生长过程中心材的腐烂和生长防御的权衡。
{"title":"Growth-defense tradeoffs following heartwood decay of two conifers: Insights from tree rings","authors":"Yibo Zhang , Liangna Guo , Jiangrong Li , Ganggang Chen , Zheng Shi , Rongguang Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123377","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123377","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heartwood decay in stems of old trees is a widespread phenomenon in forest ecosystems. It does not only reduce existing carbon storage in forests but may also limit forest carbon sequestration capacity by affecting tree growth. However there is currently few data supporting the latter. This study investigated heartwood decay in two stands of Smith fir (<em>Abies georgei</em> var. <em>smithii</em>) and Nyingchi spruce (<em>Picea likiangensis</em> var. <em>linzhiensis</em>) in the Baksum Lake Scenic Area, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. A total number of 149 increment cores were collected from 40 decayed and 38 undecayed fir trees, and 48 decayed and 31 undecayed spruce trees. Tree-ring data were used to analyze the extent of heartwood decay and its impact on radial growth of trees. The results showed that 15 firs and 16 spruces had a decay proportion exceeding 60 %. Radial growth rate of decayed spruces was significantly lower than that of undecayed spruces, but no significant difference was observed in radial growth between decayed and undecayed firs. Heartwood decay reduced growth sensitivity to climate in both spruces and firs and weakened the resilience of trees to climatic extremes. Our findings demonstrated that heartwood decay generates species-specific tradeoffs between growth and defense. Thus, when predicting future capacity of carbon storage in forests, the heartwood decay and growth-defense tradeoffs in tree growth should be considered.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"602 ","pages":"Article 123377"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733740","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 : 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123425
Dan Binkley
Long-term changes in forests by definition require long periods of time to document. A chronosequence approach could provide immediate insights about long-term trends, but only if forests of different ages in different locations provide reliable information about changes that would occur within each forest. In many cases the trends expected from chronosequences have not matched what occurred later within sites. Three key challenges may limit the usefulness of forest chronosequences: statistical issues, positive feedback in ecological processes, and contingent events. A chronosequence approach may be most useful with robust replication in situations that are not strongly dependent on positive feedbacks or contingent events. An expectation that chronosequences “ought” to work might reinforce misconceptions that the future of a forest is largely deterministic, without realization of the central role of positive feedbacks and contingent events. Chronosequences should be used only with a clear focus on evidence and factors that often confound the approach.
{"title":"Perspectives: Why chronosequences often don’t work","authors":"Dan Binkley","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123425","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123425","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Long-term changes in forests by definition require long periods of time to document. A chronosequence approach could provide immediate insights about long-term trends, but only if forests of different ages in different locations provide reliable information about changes that would occur within each forest. In many cases the trends expected from chronosequences have not matched what occurred later within sites. Three key challenges may limit the usefulness of forest chronosequences: statistical issues, positive feedback in ecological processes, and contingent events. A chronosequence approach may be most useful with robust replication in situations that are not strongly dependent on positive feedbacks or contingent events. An expectation that chronosequences “ought” to work might reinforce misconceptions that the future of a forest is largely deterministic, without realization of the central role of positive feedbacks and contingent events. Chronosequences should be used only with a clear focus on evidence and factors that often confound the approach.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"602 ","pages":"Article 123425"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733812","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 : 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123415
Yujie Hu , Li Wang
Global climate change is exacerbating the degradation of plantations in China’s Northern Shelterbelt regions. While replanting seedlings is essential for stand regeneration and ecosystem recovery, the mechanisms governing seedling survival remain poorly understood, hindering effective restoration efforts. This study investigates the survival strategies of three critical species—P. tabuliformis (Pt), P. orientalis (Po), and P. simonii (Ps)—in the water-wind erosion region of the Loess Plateau, based on two years of field observations and multi-model analyses. Key findings include: (1) Pt achieved a 93.7 % survival rate under drought conditions, significantly exceeding the survival rates of Ps and Po, which trailed by 16.5 % and 16.9 %, respectively. This success is attributed to its deep root system, with 68.6 % of fine roots located at depths of 40–60 cm, and stable leaf stoichiometry, evidenced by minimal variation in C:N ratios (less than 2 %). (2) Soil water content emerged as the primary influence on survival (path coefficient = 0.945), while neighboring vegetation intensified resource competition and limited seedling establishment. (3) Leaf economics spectrum analysis indicated that Pt adopts a conservative strategies, Ps exhibited acquisitive traits, and Po optimizes metabolism within the acquisitive framework, enhancing resource utilization under stress through efficient nutrient allocation. These insights support afforestation strategies: utilizing Pt as a pioneer in arid regions, interplanting Ps with shrubs for improved shading and moisture retention, and prioritizing Po in phosphorus-rich areas. This research lays a scientific foundation for species selection and functional restoration in arid regions, emphasizing the critical role of seedling replanting in plantation regeneration.
{"title":"Root depth and leaf stoichiometric homeostasis mediate drought survival of Loess Plateau shelterbelt seedlings","authors":"Yujie Hu , Li Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123415","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123415","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global climate change is exacerbating the degradation of plantations in China’s Northern Shelterbelt regions. While replanting seedlings is essential for stand regeneration and ecosystem recovery, the mechanisms governing seedling survival remain poorly understood, hindering effective restoration efforts. This study investigates the survival strategies of three critical species—<em>P. tabuliformis</em> (Pt), <em>P. orientalis</em> (Po), and <em>P. simonii</em> (Ps)—in the water-wind erosion region of the Loess Plateau, based on two years of field observations and multi-model analyses. Key findings include: (1) Pt achieved a 93.7 % survival rate under drought conditions, significantly exceeding the survival rates of Ps and Po, which trailed by 16.5 % and 16.9 %, respectively. This success is attributed to its deep root system, with 68.6 % of fine roots located at depths of 40–60 cm, and stable leaf stoichiometry, evidenced by minimal variation in C:N ratios (less than 2 %). (2) Soil water content emerged as the primary influence on survival (path coefficient = 0.945), while neighboring vegetation intensified resource competition and limited seedling establishment. (3) Leaf economics spectrum analysis indicated that Pt adopts a conservative strategies, Ps exhibited acquisitive traits, and Po optimizes metabolism within the acquisitive framework, enhancing resource utilization under stress through efficient nutrient allocation. These insights support afforestation strategies: utilizing Pt as a pioneer in arid regions, interplanting Ps with shrubs for improved shading and moisture retention, and prioritizing Po in phosphorus-rich areas. This research lays a scientific foundation for species selection and functional restoration in arid regions, emphasizing the critical role of seedling replanting in plantation regeneration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"602 ","pages":"Article 123415"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733743","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 : 2025-12-11DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123418
Sandra Jämtgård , Mats Öquist , Lars Högbom , Joachim Strengbom , Nils Henriksson , Karina E. Clemmensen , Hjalmar Laudon
Nitrogen fertilisation is a key strategy for enhancing tree growth and increasing carbon sequestration rates in boreal forests. In this review we evaluate the uncertainties of the effects of forest fertilisation for carbon sequestration and highlight important gaps in current knowledge about the efficiency and environmental consequences of nitrogen amendment. Uncertainties in the influence on carbon sequestration rates, along with variation in tree growth effects depending on soil type and climatic conditions, make scaling up of the benefits of increased fertilisation uncertain. Further, the potential benefits of increased forest fertilisation must be weighed against the risks of negative impacts on biodiversity, water quality, and tree physiology. Before expanding forest fertilisation, it is important to consider the balance of benefits, risks, and uncertainties.
{"title":"Uncertainties and knowledge gaps in the effects of nitrogen fertilisation on tree growth, carbon sequestration, and environmental risks in boreal forest landscapes","authors":"Sandra Jämtgård , Mats Öquist , Lars Högbom , Joachim Strengbom , Nils Henriksson , Karina E. Clemmensen , Hjalmar Laudon","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123418","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123418","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nitrogen fertilisation is a key strategy for enhancing tree growth and increasing carbon sequestration rates in boreal forests. In this review we evaluate the uncertainties of the effects of forest fertilisation for carbon sequestration and highlight important gaps in current knowledge about the efficiency and environmental consequences of nitrogen amendment. Uncertainties in the influence on carbon sequestration rates, along with variation in tree growth effects depending on soil type and climatic conditions, make scaling up of the benefits of increased fertilisation uncertain. Further, the potential benefits of increased forest fertilisation must be weighed against the risks of negative impacts on biodiversity, water quality, and tree physiology. Before expanding forest fertilisation, it is important to consider the balance of benefits, risks, and uncertainties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"602 ","pages":"Article 123418"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733745","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 : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123417
Dani Niziolek , Alan H. Taylor , Lucas B. Harris
Large wildland fires are becoming frequent in the western USA, and areas burned more than once (reburns) are increasingly common. Tree regeneration is a common metric used in post-fire forest management, yet investigations of regeneration fate through reburns are rare. Here, we examine factors that contribute to regeneration refugia, or locations in reburns that permit survival of tree regeneration through a reburn, and identify changes in biological legacies from earlier fires between 1984 and 2012 that could affect new post-reburn regeneration. We quantified post-fire tree regeneration and understory and fuel conditions in 2019 and 2021, and again in 2022 in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, following the 2021 Dixie fire reburn. Regeneration persisted in almost 1/3 of 100 m2 plots, with 19 % of all stems surviving the Dixie fire. Logistic regression models of regeneration refugia were developed considering both pre- and post-reburn conditions. A model of pre-reburn factors indicated the importance of landscape characteristics and legacies of previous fire, showing that regeneration persistence increased with slope, topographic wetness and pre-fire distance to forest, and decreased with previous fire severity. A full model including post-reburn factors indicated that fuel consumption was the most important determinant of regeneration refugia. However, legacy variables of distance to intact forest, fire severity, and pre-fire fuel load were also important, along with slope. Management action in reburn landscapes including fuel reduction at forest edges, in high severity burn areas, and on steep slopes may buffer regeneration refugia from fire effects in subsequent reburns.
{"title":"Factors contributing to regeneration refugia in reburns, Lassen Volcanic National Park California, USA.","authors":"Dani Niziolek , Alan H. Taylor , Lucas B. Harris","doi":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123417","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.foreco.2025.123417","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Large wildland fires are becoming frequent in the western USA, and areas burned more than once (reburns) are increasingly common. Tree regeneration is a common metric used in post-fire forest management, yet investigations of regeneration fate through reburns are rare. Here, we examine factors that contribute to regeneration refugia, or locations in reburns that permit survival of tree regeneration through a reburn, and identify changes in biological legacies from earlier fires between 1984 and 2012 that could affect new post-reburn regeneration. We quantified post-fire tree regeneration and understory and fuel conditions in 2019 and 2021, and again in 2022 in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, following the 2021 Dixie fire reburn. Regeneration persisted in almost 1/3 of 100 m<sup>2</sup> plots, with 19 % of all stems surviving the Dixie fire. Logistic regression models of regeneration refugia were developed considering both pre- and post-reburn conditions. A model of pre-reburn factors indicated the importance of landscape characteristics and legacies of previous fire, showing that regeneration persistence increased with slope, topographic wetness and pre-fire distance to forest, and decreased with previous fire severity. A full model including post-reburn factors indicated that fuel consumption was the most important determinant of regeneration refugia. However, legacy variables of distance to intact forest, fire severity, and pre-fire fuel load were also important, along with slope. Management action in reburn landscapes including fuel reduction at forest edges, in high severity burn areas, and on steep slopes may buffer regeneration refugia from fire effects in subsequent reburns.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12350,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecology and Management","volume":"602 ","pages":"Article 123417"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145733738","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}
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