We studied the dynamics of stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes in litter from Norway spruce (NSL) (Picea abies) and Scots pine (SPL) (Pinus silvestris) during in situ decomposition over a period of more than 4 years. Relative to initial values, δ13CNSL showed a weak enrichment (0.33‰), whereas δ13CSPL was depleted (−0.74‰) at the end of decomposition. Both litter types experienced a depletion in δ15N during decomposition; δ15NNSL decreased by −1.74‰ and δ15NSPL decreased by −1.99‰. The effect of the selective preservation of acid-unhydrolyzable residue (AUR) in lowering δ13C of the residual litter was evident only in SPL. In the NSL, only in the initial stage did C/N have a large effect on the δ13C values. In the later stages, there was a non-linear decrease in δ13CNSL with a simultaneous increase in AUR concentrations, but the effect size was large, suggesting the role of lignin in driving δ13C of residues in later stages. Depletion in 15N in the residual litters concomitant with the increase in N concentration suggests bacterial transformation of the litter over fungal components. A consistent decline in δ15N values further implies that bacterial dominance prompted this by immobilizing nitrate depleted in 15N in the residual litter.
{"title":"Carbon (δ13C) and Nitrogen (δ15N) Isotope Dynamics during Decomposition of Norway Spruce and Scots Pine Litter","authors":"Mukesh K. Gautam, Björn Berg, Kwang-Sik Lee","doi":"10.3390/f15081294","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081294","url":null,"abstract":"We studied the dynamics of stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes in litter from Norway spruce (NSL) (Picea abies) and Scots pine (SPL) (Pinus silvestris) during in situ decomposition over a period of more than 4 years. Relative to initial values, δ13CNSL showed a weak enrichment (0.33‰), whereas δ13CSPL was depleted (−0.74‰) at the end of decomposition. Both litter types experienced a depletion in δ15N during decomposition; δ15NNSL decreased by −1.74‰ and δ15NSPL decreased by −1.99‰. The effect of the selective preservation of acid-unhydrolyzable residue (AUR) in lowering δ13C of the residual litter was evident only in SPL. In the NSL, only in the initial stage did C/N have a large effect on the δ13C values. In the later stages, there was a non-linear decrease in δ13CNSL with a simultaneous increase in AUR concentrations, but the effect size was large, suggesting the role of lignin in driving δ13C of residues in later stages. Depletion in 15N in the residual litters concomitant with the increase in N concentration suggests bacterial transformation of the litter over fungal components. A consistent decline in δ15N values further implies that bacterial dominance prompted this by immobilizing nitrate depleted in 15N in the residual litter.","PeriodicalId":505742,"journal":{"name":"Forests","volume":"22 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141808780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Forest age is one of most important biological factors that determines the magnitude of vegetation carbon sequestration. A spatially explicit forest age dataset is crucial for forest carbon dynamics modeling at the regional scale. However, owing to the high spatial heterogeneity in forest age, accurate high-resolution forest age data are still lacking, which causes uncertainty in carbon sink potential prediction. In this study, we obtained a 1 km resolution forest map based on the fusion of multiscale age information, i.e., the ninth (2014–2018) forest inventory statistics of China, with high accuracy at the province scale, and a field-observed dataset covering 6779 sites, with high accuracy at the site scale. Specifically, we first constructed a random forest (RF) model based on field-observed data. Utilizing this model, we then generated a spatially explicit forest age map with a 1 km resolution (random forest age map, RF map) using remotely sensed data such as tree height, elevation, meteorology, and forest distribution. This was then used as the basis for downscaling the provincial-scale forest inventory statistics of the forest ages and retrieving constrained maps of forest age (forest inventory constrained age maps, FIC map), which exhibit high statistical accuracy at both the province scale and site scale. The main results included the following: (1) RF can be used to estimate the site-scale forest age accurately (R2 = 0.89) and has the potential to predict the spatial pattern of forest age. However, (2) owing to the impacts of sampling error (e.g., field-observed sites are usually located in areas exhibiting relatively favorable environmental conditions) and the spatial mismatch among different datasets, the regional-scale forest age predicted by the RF model could be overestimated by 71.6%. (3) The results of the downscaling of the inventory statistics indicate that the average age of forests in China is 35.1 years (standard deviation of 21.9 years), with high spatial heterogeneity. Specifically, forests are older in mountainous and hilly areas, such as northeast, southwest, and northwest China, than in southern China. The spatially explicit dataset of the forest age retrieved in this study encompasses synthesized multiscale forest age information and is valuable for the research community in assessing the carbon sink potential and modeling carbon dynamics.
{"title":"Spatial Pattern of Forest Age in China Estimated by the Fusion of Multiscale Information","authors":"Yixin Xu, Tao Zhou, Jingyu Zeng, Hui Luo, Yajie Zhang, Xia Liu, Qiaoyu Lin, Jing-Zhen Zhang","doi":"10.3390/f15081290","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081290","url":null,"abstract":"Forest age is one of most important biological factors that determines the magnitude of vegetation carbon sequestration. A spatially explicit forest age dataset is crucial for forest carbon dynamics modeling at the regional scale. However, owing to the high spatial heterogeneity in forest age, accurate high-resolution forest age data are still lacking, which causes uncertainty in carbon sink potential prediction. In this study, we obtained a 1 km resolution forest map based on the fusion of multiscale age information, i.e., the ninth (2014–2018) forest inventory statistics of China, with high accuracy at the province scale, and a field-observed dataset covering 6779 sites, with high accuracy at the site scale. Specifically, we first constructed a random forest (RF) model based on field-observed data. Utilizing this model, we then generated a spatially explicit forest age map with a 1 km resolution (random forest age map, RF map) using remotely sensed data such as tree height, elevation, meteorology, and forest distribution. This was then used as the basis for downscaling the provincial-scale forest inventory statistics of the forest ages and retrieving constrained maps of forest age (forest inventory constrained age maps, FIC map), which exhibit high statistical accuracy at both the province scale and site scale. The main results included the following: (1) RF can be used to estimate the site-scale forest age accurately (R2 = 0.89) and has the potential to predict the spatial pattern of forest age. However, (2) owing to the impacts of sampling error (e.g., field-observed sites are usually located in areas exhibiting relatively favorable environmental conditions) and the spatial mismatch among different datasets, the regional-scale forest age predicted by the RF model could be overestimated by 71.6%. (3) The results of the downscaling of the inventory statistics indicate that the average age of forests in China is 35.1 years (standard deviation of 21.9 years), with high spatial heterogeneity. Specifically, forests are older in mountainous and hilly areas, such as northeast, southwest, and northwest China, than in southern China. The spatially explicit dataset of the forest age retrieved in this study encompasses synthesized multiscale forest age information and is valuable for the research community in assessing the carbon sink potential and modeling carbon dynamics.","PeriodicalId":505742,"journal":{"name":"Forests","volume":"64 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141806740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Climate change has been regarded as a primary threat to biodiversity at local, regional, and global scales. Populus euphratica Oliv. is one of the main constructive species in dryland regions and has a key role in regulating ecosystem processes and services. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the spatial distribution of habitat suitability of P. euphratica and how it will be affected by future climate change. Based on the distribution records collected from an online database and specialized literature, we applied an optimized MaxEnt model to predict the distribution range of P. euphratica in China under four climate change scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, SSP370, and SSP585) for both current and future (2090s) conditions. We found that (1) future climate change would reduce the adaptability of P. euphratica, resulting in a significant decrease in its distribution area; (2) water availability had the most important effect on P. euphratica distribution; (3) the habitat for P. euphratica would shift northwestward and contract towards lower elevations closer to rivers in the future. These findings can provide a reference for developing long-term biodiversity conservation and management strategies in arid regions.
{"title":"The Distribution Range of Populus euphratica Oliv. (Salicaceae) Will Decrease Under Future Climate Change in Northwestern China","authors":"Xun Lei, Mengjun Qu, Jianming Wang, Jihua Hou, Yin Wang, Guanjun Li, Meiwen Luo, Zhijun Li, Jingwen Li","doi":"10.3390/f15081288","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081288","url":null,"abstract":"Climate change has been regarded as a primary threat to biodiversity at local, regional, and global scales. Populus euphratica Oliv. is one of the main constructive species in dryland regions and has a key role in regulating ecosystem processes and services. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the spatial distribution of habitat suitability of P. euphratica and how it will be affected by future climate change. Based on the distribution records collected from an online database and specialized literature, we applied an optimized MaxEnt model to predict the distribution range of P. euphratica in China under four climate change scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, SSP370, and SSP585) for both current and future (2090s) conditions. We found that (1) future climate change would reduce the adaptability of P. euphratica, resulting in a significant decrease in its distribution area; (2) water availability had the most important effect on P. euphratica distribution; (3) the habitat for P. euphratica would shift northwestward and contract towards lower elevations closer to rivers in the future. These findings can provide a reference for developing long-term biodiversity conservation and management strategies in arid regions.","PeriodicalId":505742,"journal":{"name":"Forests","volume":"49 11","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141807223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Urbanization and industrialization have escalated air pollution into a critical global issue, particularly in urban areas. Urban green infrastructures (GIs), such as parks and street trees, play a vital role in mitigating air pollution through dry deposition, the process by which air pollutants are removed by deposition onto plant surfaces or through plant uptake. However, existing studies on the dry-deposition capacity of urban green spaces are limited in their ability to reflect variations at the tree-species level, hindering comprehensive evaluations and effective management strategies. This study aims to quantitatively assess the dry-deposition capacity of the urban green spaces of Beijing and Shanghai for six major air pollutants in using an improved dry-deposition model and tree-species-specific data. Results showed that Shanghai’s urban green spaces had a monthly average dry-deposition rate of 5.5 × 10−6 s m−1, slightly higher than Beijing’s rate of 5.3 × 10−6 s m−1. Significant seasonal variations were observed, with summer showing the highest deposition rates due to favorable meteorological conditions. Broad-leaved species such as Zelkova serrata in Beijing and Photinia serratifolia in Shanghai exhibited superior dry-deposition capacities compared to coniferous species. Temperature significantly influenced dry-deposition rates for gaseous pollutants, while particulate-matter deposition was primarily affected by pollutant concentrations. This study provides critical insights into the air = purification functions of urban green spaces and underscores the importance of species selection and strategic green-space planning in urban air-quality management, informing the development of optimized urban-greening strategies for improved air quality and public health.
城市化和工业化已使空气污染升级为一个严重的全球性问题，尤其是在城市地区。公园和行道树等城市绿色基础设施（GIs）通过干沉降（空气污染物通过沉降到植物表面或被植物吸收而被清除的过程）在缓解空气污染方面发挥着重要作用。然而，现有关于城市绿地干沉降能力的研究在反映树种层面的变化方面能力有限，阻碍了全面评估和有效管理策略的制定。本研究旨在利用改进的干沉降模型和树种特异性数据，定量评估北京和上海城市绿地对六种主要空气污染物的干沉降能力。结果表明，上海城市绿地的月平均干沉降速率为 5.5 × 10-6 s m-1，略高于北京的 5.3 × 10-6 s m-1。季节性变化明显，夏季由于有利的气象条件，沉积率最高。与针叶树种相比，阔叶树种（如北京的榉树和上海的银合欢）的干沉积能力更强。温度对气态污染物的干沉降率影响很大，而颗粒物沉降主要受污染物浓度的影响。这项研究为城市绿地的空气净化功能提供了重要见解，并强调了物种选择和绿地战略规划在城市空气质量管理中的重要性，为制定优化的城市绿化战略以改善空气质量和公众健康提供了信息。
{"title":"Dry Deposition in Urban Green Spaces: Insights from Beijing and Shanghai","authors":"Hao Peng, Siqi Shao, Feifei Xu, Wen Dong, Yingying Qiu, Man Qin, Danping Ma, Yan Shi, Jian Chen, Tianhuan Zhou, Yuan Ren","doi":"10.3390/f15081286","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081286","url":null,"abstract":"Urbanization and industrialization have escalated air pollution into a critical global issue, particularly in urban areas. Urban green infrastructures (GIs), such as parks and street trees, play a vital role in mitigating air pollution through dry deposition, the process by which air pollutants are removed by deposition onto plant surfaces or through plant uptake. However, existing studies on the dry-deposition capacity of urban green spaces are limited in their ability to reflect variations at the tree-species level, hindering comprehensive evaluations and effective management strategies. This study aims to quantitatively assess the dry-deposition capacity of the urban green spaces of Beijing and Shanghai for six major air pollutants in using an improved dry-deposition model and tree-species-specific data. Results showed that Shanghai’s urban green spaces had a monthly average dry-deposition rate of 5.5 × 10−6 s m−1, slightly higher than Beijing’s rate of 5.3 × 10−6 s m−1. Significant seasonal variations were observed, with summer showing the highest deposition rates due to favorable meteorological conditions. Broad-leaved species such as Zelkova serrata in Beijing and Photinia serratifolia in Shanghai exhibited superior dry-deposition capacities compared to coniferous species. Temperature significantly influenced dry-deposition rates for gaseous pollutants, while particulate-matter deposition was primarily affected by pollutant concentrations. This study provides critical insights into the air = purification functions of urban green spaces and underscores the importance of species selection and strategic green-space planning in urban air-quality management, informing the development of optimized urban-greening strategies for improved air quality and public health.","PeriodicalId":505742,"journal":{"name":"Forests","volume":"128 30","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141811329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Simulator training helps provide safe and cost-effective training for operators of modern forestry machines that require high motor skills, constant concentration, and proper planning. The aim of the study was to analyze the learning curves of the trainees in order to determine the period during which most development takes place. In this study, 11 trainees were trained on a John Deere harvester simulator for approximately 15 h each. In each case, a clear learning curve could be identified, despite high inter- and intra-person variability. Effective time showed a steady decrease during training, with a group minimum at the end of training (1.25 min). Crane tip distance per tree dropped rapidly in the first 3–4 h, followed by a more gradual decrease to reach a minimum of 23.8 m. Crane control showed a significant increase from an initial 0.63 to a maximum of 0.8 by the 9th hour of training. A number of crane functions used simultaneously increased more rapidly to almost a maximum value (1.8) already in the 5th hour. The individual curves for each trainee were highly variable, showing a wide range of values and shapes. In conclusion, most personal development occurs during the first phase of simulator training, which typically takes approximately 9–10 h. It is important to consider significant inter-personal variability and tailor the duration of simulator training to individual needs.
{"title":"Learning Curves of Harvester Operators in a Simulator Environment","authors":"K. Polowy, Dariusz Rutkowski","doi":"10.3390/f15081277","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081277","url":null,"abstract":"Simulator training helps provide safe and cost-effective training for operators of modern forestry machines that require high motor skills, constant concentration, and proper planning. The aim of the study was to analyze the learning curves of the trainees in order to determine the period during which most development takes place. In this study, 11 trainees were trained on a John Deere harvester simulator for approximately 15 h each. In each case, a clear learning curve could be identified, despite high inter- and intra-person variability. Effective time showed a steady decrease during training, with a group minimum at the end of training (1.25 min). Crane tip distance per tree dropped rapidly in the first 3–4 h, followed by a more gradual decrease to reach a minimum of 23.8 m. Crane control showed a significant increase from an initial 0.63 to a maximum of 0.8 by the 9th hour of training. A number of crane functions used simultaneously increased more rapidly to almost a maximum value (1.8) already in the 5th hour. The individual curves for each trainee were highly variable, showing a wide range of values and shapes. In conclusion, most personal development occurs during the first phase of simulator training, which typically takes approximately 9–10 h. It is important to consider significant inter-personal variability and tailor the duration of simulator training to individual needs.","PeriodicalId":505742,"journal":{"name":"Forests","volume":"29 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141813805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jingtian Yang, Yi Huang, Miaomiao Su, Mei Liu, Jingxuan Yang, Qinggui Wu
Cupressus funebris Endl. (C. funebris) is an evergreen tree endemic to China that is classified as a national second-class endangered plant. This species plays critical roles in soil and humidity conservation, climate regulation, and ecological restoration. It is also important in silvicultural production, which is crucial for maintaining the stability of the ecosystem in Southwest China. In this study, an integrated modeling approach was used to integrate 10 species distribution models to simulate the potential distribution of C. funebris and predict the impact of future climate change on its distribution and ecological niche. Field surveys were conducted to compare the forest stands of C. funebris under different habitat suitability levels. The results showed that the most suitable areas for C. funebris were mainly located in Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guizhou, covering an area of approximately 15.651 × 104 km2. The productivity of the C. funebris forest stands in these highly suitable areas and was significantly higher than that in low and moderately suitable areas, although understory plant diversity did not show a competitive advantage. Under future climate scenarios, the potential distribution of C. funebris in China will expand and the geographical range of the niche will shift to higher latitudes in northern China as temperatures increase. The extent of this change in the niche’s geographical range intensified as warming increased. Specifically, under the 2090s-SSP585 climate scenario, the highly suitable area for C. funebris is projected to double, suggesting a significant expansion of the geographical range of the niche under this climate model, with more than half of the niche experiencing separation. In summary, the potential distribution of C. funebris may continue to expand and shift to higher latitudes in the context of global warming and its ecological niche’s geographical range will be adjusted accordingly. These findings provide a theoretical basis and practical guidance for in situ conservation, ex situ conservation, and rational utilization of C. funebris genetic resources by conducting niche modeling and climate suitability assessments.
{"title":"Spatial Distribution Patterns of the Key Afforestation Species Cupressus funebris: Insights from an Ensemble Model under Climate Change Scenarios","authors":"Jingtian Yang, Yi Huang, Miaomiao Su, Mei Liu, Jingxuan Yang, Qinggui Wu","doi":"10.3390/f15081280","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081280","url":null,"abstract":"Cupressus funebris Endl. (C. funebris) is an evergreen tree endemic to China that is classified as a national second-class endangered plant. This species plays critical roles in soil and humidity conservation, climate regulation, and ecological restoration. It is also important in silvicultural production, which is crucial for maintaining the stability of the ecosystem in Southwest China. In this study, an integrated modeling approach was used to integrate 10 species distribution models to simulate the potential distribution of C. funebris and predict the impact of future climate change on its distribution and ecological niche. Field surveys were conducted to compare the forest stands of C. funebris under different habitat suitability levels. The results showed that the most suitable areas for C. funebris were mainly located in Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guizhou, covering an area of approximately 15.651 × 104 km2. The productivity of the C. funebris forest stands in these highly suitable areas and was significantly higher than that in low and moderately suitable areas, although understory plant diversity did not show a competitive advantage. Under future climate scenarios, the potential distribution of C. funebris in China will expand and the geographical range of the niche will shift to higher latitudes in northern China as temperatures increase. The extent of this change in the niche’s geographical range intensified as warming increased. Specifically, under the 2090s-SSP585 climate scenario, the highly suitable area for C. funebris is projected to double, suggesting a significant expansion of the geographical range of the niche under this climate model, with more than half of the niche experiencing separation. In summary, the potential distribution of C. funebris may continue to expand and shift to higher latitudes in the context of global warming and its ecological niche’s geographical range will be adjusted accordingly. These findings provide a theoretical basis and practical guidance for in situ conservation, ex situ conservation, and rational utilization of C. funebris genetic resources by conducting niche modeling and climate suitability assessments.","PeriodicalId":505742,"journal":{"name":"Forests","volume":"139 31","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141810867","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
As global biodiversity hotspots, wild fruit forests play key ecological functions, providing essential ecosystem services such as carbon storage, soil retention, and water conservation, and support food chains and biodiversity conservation through key species. Climate change, with rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns, threatens wild fruit forests by reducing the habitats and numbers of key species, potentially turning these ecosystems from carbon sinks to sources and diminishing overall biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, research on how these changes affect important species’ habitats and carbon dynamics remains insufficient. To address this, we analysed habitat suitability for three important species (Prunus armeniaca L., Malus sieversii, and Prunus ledebouriana (Schltdl.) Y.Y.Yao with the aim of informing conservation strategies. We used biomod2 to integrate environmental and species data using six methods, encompassing 12 models. We predicted overlapping geographical distributions of three species, analysing their ecological niches and environmental interactions using global datasets to understand their adaptations. This analysis revealed ecological niche shifts and reductions in resource utilisation in both current and future scenarios. Their distribution centres will move poleward under the influence of bioclimatic factors and human activities. In conclusion, protecting P. armeniaca, M. sieversii, and P. ledebouriana is essential for the conservation and overall health of wild fruit forest ecosystems. This study provides new insights into climate change, habitat loss, informing conservation and resilience strategies.
{"title":"Climate Change Impact on Three Important Species of Wild Fruit Forest Ecosystems: Assessing Habitat Loss and Climatic Niche Shift","authors":"Facheng Guo, Yaru Yang, Guizhen Gao","doi":"10.3390/f15081281","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081281","url":null,"abstract":"As global biodiversity hotspots, wild fruit forests play key ecological functions, providing essential ecosystem services such as carbon storage, soil retention, and water conservation, and support food chains and biodiversity conservation through key species. Climate change, with rising temperatures and altered precipitation patterns, threatens wild fruit forests by reducing the habitats and numbers of key species, potentially turning these ecosystems from carbon sinks to sources and diminishing overall biodiversity and ecosystem services. However, research on how these changes affect important species’ habitats and carbon dynamics remains insufficient. To address this, we analysed habitat suitability for three important species (Prunus armeniaca L., Malus sieversii, and Prunus ledebouriana (Schltdl.) Y.Y.Yao with the aim of informing conservation strategies. We used biomod2 to integrate environmental and species data using six methods, encompassing 12 models. We predicted overlapping geographical distributions of three species, analysing their ecological niches and environmental interactions using global datasets to understand their adaptations. This analysis revealed ecological niche shifts and reductions in resource utilisation in both current and future scenarios. Their distribution centres will move poleward under the influence of bioclimatic factors and human activities. In conclusion, protecting P. armeniaca, M. sieversii, and P. ledebouriana is essential for the conservation and overall health of wild fruit forest ecosystems. This study provides new insights into climate change, habitat loss, informing conservation and resilience strategies.","PeriodicalId":505742,"journal":{"name":"Forests","volume":"133 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141811392","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The tensile strength of roots and the friction characteristics of the root–soil interface of tree species are the indicators that play a crucial role in understanding the mechanism of soil reinforcement by roots. To calculate the effectiveness of the reinforcement of soil by tree roots based on essential influencing parameters, typical trees in the coastal region of southeastern China selected for this study were subjected to tests of the tensile mechanical properties of their roots, as well as studies on the friction characteristics of the root–soil interface and the microscopic interfaces. The results indicated that in the 1–7 diameter classes, the root tensile strength of both Pinus massoniana and Cunninghamia lanceolata was negatively correlated with the root diameter in accordance with the power function. The root tensile strength of these two trees, however, was positively correlated with the lignin content but negatively correlated with cellulose and hemicellulose contents. The shear strength at the root–soil interface and the vertical load exhibited a constitutive relationship, which followed the Mohr–Coulomb criterion. As the root diameter increased, both the cohesion and the friction coefficients at the root–soil interface gradually increased, but the growth rate stood at around 15%. The cohesion value of the root–soil interface of the two trees decreased linearly with the increase in soil moisture content within the range of 25 to 45%. At the microinterface, the root surface of C. lanceolata exhibited concave grooves and convex ridges that extended along the axial direction of roots, with their height differences increasing with the enlargement of the root diameter. The rough surface of P. massoniana roots had areas composed of polygonal meshes, with an increase observed in the mesh density with increasing root diameter.
{"title":"Study on the Mechanical Properties of Roots and Friction Characteristics of the Root–Soil Interface of Two Tree Species in the Coastal Region of Southeastern China","authors":"Yunzhao Lin, Wenbin Jian, Zuteng Zhu, Yilong Wu, Hao Wang, Xiufeng Fan","doi":"10.3390/f15081285","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081285","url":null,"abstract":"The tensile strength of roots and the friction characteristics of the root–soil interface of tree species are the indicators that play a crucial role in understanding the mechanism of soil reinforcement by roots. To calculate the effectiveness of the reinforcement of soil by tree roots based on essential influencing parameters, typical trees in the coastal region of southeastern China selected for this study were subjected to tests of the tensile mechanical properties of their roots, as well as studies on the friction characteristics of the root–soil interface and the microscopic interfaces. The results indicated that in the 1–7 diameter classes, the root tensile strength of both Pinus massoniana and Cunninghamia lanceolata was negatively correlated with the root diameter in accordance with the power function. The root tensile strength of these two trees, however, was positively correlated with the lignin content but negatively correlated with cellulose and hemicellulose contents. The shear strength at the root–soil interface and the vertical load exhibited a constitutive relationship, which followed the Mohr–Coulomb criterion. As the root diameter increased, both the cohesion and the friction coefficients at the root–soil interface gradually increased, but the growth rate stood at around 15%. The cohesion value of the root–soil interface of the two trees decreased linearly with the increase in soil moisture content within the range of 25 to 45%. At the microinterface, the root surface of C. lanceolata exhibited concave grooves and convex ridges that extended along the axial direction of roots, with their height differences increasing with the enlargement of the root diameter. The rough surface of P. massoniana roots had areas composed of polygonal meshes, with an increase observed in the mesh density with increasing root diameter.","PeriodicalId":505742,"journal":{"name":"Forests","volume":"119 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141811997","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katalin Bereczki, A. Benke, Endre György Tóth, Melinda Megyes, Kristóf Korponai, T. Szili-Kovács, Gábor Illés, B. B. Lados, K. Márialigeti
Clear-cutting is the most robust intervention in a forest ecosystem, causing marked changes in ecosystem processes. Although the effects of forest harvesting have been widely investigated, comparative studies can provide vital supplementary information concerning specific fields, including changes in soil microbiota structure and functioning. Our study examined the soil bacterial community composition, diversity, and activity of a mixed pedunculate oak stand over three years after clear-cutting based on 16S rRNA sequencing and substrate-induced respiration data. In addition, we conducted a yearly comparison with a control oak stand already in the regeneration phase. According to our results, the forest harvest caused only limited changes in the diversity, structure, and activity of the soil bacterial community of the oak stand, suggesting that soil parameters influence the soil bacterial community structure and functioning more significantly than the cessation of forest cover.
{"title":"Soil pH and Nutrient Content Sustain Variability of Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Activity after Forest Clear-Cutting","authors":"Katalin Bereczki, A. Benke, Endre György Tóth, Melinda Megyes, Kristóf Korponai, T. Szili-Kovács, Gábor Illés, B. B. Lados, K. Márialigeti","doi":"10.3390/f15081284","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081284","url":null,"abstract":"Clear-cutting is the most robust intervention in a forest ecosystem, causing marked changes in ecosystem processes. Although the effects of forest harvesting have been widely investigated, comparative studies can provide vital supplementary information concerning specific fields, including changes in soil microbiota structure and functioning. Our study examined the soil bacterial community composition, diversity, and activity of a mixed pedunculate oak stand over three years after clear-cutting based on 16S rRNA sequencing and substrate-induced respiration data. In addition, we conducted a yearly comparison with a control oak stand already in the regeneration phase. According to our results, the forest harvest caused only limited changes in the diversity, structure, and activity of the soil bacterial community of the oak stand, suggesting that soil parameters influence the soil bacterial community structure and functioning more significantly than the cessation of forest cover.","PeriodicalId":505742,"journal":{"name":"Forests","volume":"90 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141812933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mengli Zhou, Yuan Wang, Shanshan Jin, Decai Wang, Dongfeng Yan
Plantations are increasing in frequency and extent across the landscape, especially in China, and forest thinning can accelerate the development of late-successional attributes, thereby enhancing plantation stand structural heterogeneity. To quantify the effect of forest restoration thinning on the spatial heterogeneity and the structure of Quercus variabilis plantations, a restoration thinning experiment in a 40-year-old Quercus variabilis plantation by removing trees from the upper canopy level was conducted; two one-hectare sample plots with thinning and a control (i.e., unlogged) were sampled; and geostatistics methods were used to analyze the spatial distribution pattern of the DBH, height, and density of the stand. We found that restoration forest thinning in the Quercus variabilis plantation had a significant impact on the average DBH and tree height of the stand. Meanwhile, the coefficient of variation and structure ratio of the DBH, tree height, and stand density in the thinning plot were larger than those in the control plot. The range and spatial autocorrelation distance of the DBH and stand density in the thinning plot were smaller than those in the control plot, but the fractal dimension showed the opposite trend. The range and spatial autocorrelation distance of tree height in the thinning plot were higher than those in the control plot. These findings suggested that, compared with the control plot, the stereoscopic distribution of the DBH and stand density in the thinning plot fluctuated less and changed gentler, and its spatial continuity was not high but its variation was significant; meanwhile, the stereoscopic distribution of the tree height in the thinning plot was highly fluctuating and changed more significantly, with a strong spatial dependence and strip gradient distribution. Hence, forest restoration thinning could improve the distribution of the DBH and stand density and adjust the spatial heterogeneity of the DBH, tree height, and stand density of Quercus variabilis plantations.
{"title":"Spatial Distribution Pattern of Response of Quercus Variabilis Plantation to Forest Restoration Thinning in a Semi-Arid Area in China","authors":"Mengli Zhou, Yuan Wang, Shanshan Jin, Decai Wang, Dongfeng Yan","doi":"10.3390/f15081278","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081278","url":null,"abstract":"Plantations are increasing in frequency and extent across the landscape, especially in China, and forest thinning can accelerate the development of late-successional attributes, thereby enhancing plantation stand structural heterogeneity. To quantify the effect of forest restoration thinning on the spatial heterogeneity and the structure of Quercus variabilis plantations, a restoration thinning experiment in a 40-year-old Quercus variabilis plantation by removing trees from the upper canopy level was conducted; two one-hectare sample plots with thinning and a control (i.e., unlogged) were sampled; and geostatistics methods were used to analyze the spatial distribution pattern of the DBH, height, and density of the stand. We found that restoration forest thinning in the Quercus variabilis plantation had a significant impact on the average DBH and tree height of the stand. Meanwhile, the coefficient of variation and structure ratio of the DBH, tree height, and stand density in the thinning plot were larger than those in the control plot. The range and spatial autocorrelation distance of the DBH and stand density in the thinning plot were smaller than those in the control plot, but the fractal dimension showed the opposite trend. The range and spatial autocorrelation distance of tree height in the thinning plot were higher than those in the control plot. These findings suggested that, compared with the control plot, the stereoscopic distribution of the DBH and stand density in the thinning plot fluctuated less and changed gentler, and its spatial continuity was not high but its variation was significant; meanwhile, the stereoscopic distribution of the tree height in the thinning plot was highly fluctuating and changed more significantly, with a strong spatial dependence and strip gradient distribution. Hence, forest restoration thinning could improve the distribution of the DBH and stand density and adjust the spatial heterogeneity of the DBH, tree height, and stand density of Quercus variabilis plantations.","PeriodicalId":505742,"journal":{"name":"Forests","volume":"60 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141810439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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