Forest Ecosystems最新文献

{"title":"Disentangling drivers of organic layer and charcoal carbon stocks in boreal pine and spruce forests with different fire histories","authors":"Vilde L. Haukenes ,&nbsp;Johan Asplund ,&nbsp;Line Nybakken ,&nbsp;Jørund Rolstad ,&nbsp;Ken Olaf Storaunet ,&nbsp;Mikael Ohlson","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100334","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100334","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A key property of the boreal forest is that it stores huge amounts of carbon (C), especially belowground in the soil. Amounts of C stored in the uppermost organic layer of boreal forest soils vary greatly in space due to an interplay between several variables facilitating or preventing C accumulation. In this study, we split C stocks into the organic layer and charcoal C due to their difference in origin, stability, and ecological properties. We compared organic layer C and charcoal C stocks in two regions of south-central Norway (Trillemarka and Varaldskogen), characterized by Scots pine and Norway spruce forests with varying fire histories. We used structural equation modeling to investigate how vegetation composition, hydrotopography, and soil properties interplay to shape organic layer C and charcoal C stocks. Pine forests consistently contained larger organic layer C stocks than spruce forests. Charcoal stocks, in contrast, were less consistent across both forest types and study regions as pine forests had higher charcoal C stocks than spruce forests in Trillemarka, while the two forest types contained equal charcoal C stocks in Varaldskogen. Charcoal and soil organic layer C stocks increased with higher fire frequencies (number of fire events over the last 600 years), but not with a shorter time since last fire (TSF). Additionally, vegetation composition, terrain slope, and soil moisture were the most important drivers of the organic layer C stocks, while charcoal C stocks were mainly controlled by the depth of the organic layer. Also, microtopography was of importance for organic layer C and charcoal C, since depressions in the forest floor had more charcoal C than well-drained minor hills.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100334"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143923395","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes in climate–growth relationships in Larix decidua revealed by daily climatic data in the Tatra Mountains","authors":"Katarzyna Izworska ,&nbsp;Tomasz Zielonka ,&nbsp;Elżbieta Muter","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100363","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100363","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding climate–growth relationships is essential for adaptive forest management. By using a more detailed approach (daily climatic data), we sought to uncover finer-scale climatic effects on European larch (<em>Larix decidua</em>) growth in the Tatra Mountains (the Western Carpathians), providing a more nuanced understanding of the climate–growth response in the mountain ecosystem. We analyzed tree-ring width index (TRWI) chronology with daily mean temperature, insolation duration, and precipitation records from 1950 to 2019, and in two subperiods (1950–1984 and 1985–2019). Larch growth is strongly affected by temperature, insolation duration, and precipitation, but with different positive or negative influences and varied intensity across various subperiods. The climate–growth analysis indicates that larch benefited from warm, sunny, and dry late winters and springs, as well as warm summers during the entire analyzed period. However, in the last decades, the previously strong and significant influence of March–July temperature has mostly disappeared, becoming limited to only a few days (June). Notably, the formerly strong negative influence of summer and early autumn temperatures and insolation duration in the previous year disappeared. In the earlier subperiod, larch growth showed strong positive responses to late-summer/early autumn precipitation of the previous year and negative effects from spring to late-summer rainfall. In recent decades, these patterns have weakened but still limited the growth. Our results revealed significant changes in the larch growth response, highlighting its adaptability to fluctuating environmental conditions. In recent decades, the influence of temperature, insolation duration, and precipitation on radial growth has weakened, which suggests that climate change has had a positive impact on tree growth in the Tatra Mountains. These findings suggest that rising temperatures in European mountain regions may alter the climatic sensitivity of tree species. Understanding these changes is crucial to improving resilience-based management strategies in the face of climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100363"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144516023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Context-dependent effects of woody layer complexity on arthropod biomass and abundance in deciduous forests","authors":"Bram Catfolis ,&nbsp;Tosca Vanroy ,&nbsp;Kris Verheyen ,&nbsp;Lander Baeten ,&nbsp;An Martel ,&nbsp;Frank Pasmans ,&nbsp;Luc Lens ,&nbsp;Diederik Strubbe","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100367","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100367","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forest structural complexity influences arthropod communities by shaping habitat availability, microclimatic conditions, and resource distribution. However, the extent to which structural complexity and specific structural components drive arthropod abundance and biomass remains poorly understood in temperate forests. This study examined how local and landscape-scale forest characteristics influence arthropod communities across vertical strata (forest floor (FF), herb layer (HL), and shrub layer (SL)) in 19 temperate deciduous forests in Belgium, dominated by pedunculate oak, European beech, or Canadian poplar. At the local scale, we assessed dominant tree species identity, overall forest structural complexity, and its components (vertical and horizontal structure, woody layer, herbal layer, and deadwood). At the landscape scale, we evaluated forest area, edge length, forest cover, and vegetation greenness (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)). Contrary to expectation, arthropod biomass and abundance did not consistently increase with higher structural complexity. Instead, woody layer complexity, dominant tree species, and NDVI emerged as key drivers, with effects varying by context and stratum. Arthropod abundance and biomass were the highest in oak- and poplar-dominated forests and the lowest in beech forests, likely due to differences in litter quality, microhabitat availability, and understory development. Woody layer complexity positively influenced forest floor arthropods in poplar forests but had a negative effect in oak forests. At the landscape scale, NDVI unexpectedly showed negative relationships with arthropod abundance across strata and with arthropod biomass in the herb layer, likely reflecting dense canopy suppression of understory productivity. Arthropod biomass on the forest floor increased with forest cover, while abundance in the shrub layer decreased with forest cover but increased with forest area. These findings highlight the complex interplay between forest structural attributes, dominant tree species, and landscape factors in shaping arthropod communities. By identifying the key drivers of arthropod abundance and biomass, this study contributes to a better understanding of biodiversity patterns in temperate forests and their ecological dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100367"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144664802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Slope mediates drought sensitivity but does not affect drought recovery for young trees along elevation gradients in temperate planted larch forests","authors":"Jinglei Liao ,&nbsp;Xianliang Zhang ,&nbsp;Tim Rademacher ,&nbsp;Chen Xu ,&nbsp;Mingchao Du ,&nbsp;Fangqin Guo ,&nbsp;Weixin Li ,&nbsp;Jianwei Zheng ,&nbsp;Yuewei Wu ,&nbsp;Rubén D. Manzanedo","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100371","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100371","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate warming causes mountainous species to shift their distributions towards higher elevations. How elevation influences growth–climate relationship in mountain regions has been intensively investigated. However, how microtopography shapes tree growth and its drought resistance along the elevation gradient remains poorly understood. We used a network of <em>Larix principis-rupprechtii</em> tree-ring data comprising 1,918 trees from different age classes and mountain slopes, along an elevation gradient ranging from 970 to 1,869 ​m, to investigate how slope gradients mediate the growth and drought resilience of larch trees along an elevation gradient in North China. Growing season drought and temperature were the major limiting climatic factors for larch trees across the study region. Larch trees younger than 40 years exhibited a stronger positive correlation between basal area increment (BAI) and elevation on steep slopes (10°–35°) than on flat (0°–5°) or gentle (5°–10°) slopes. At low-elevation steep slopes, the growth of larch trees younger than 40 years showed a stronger correlation with the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI). Both resistance and resilience were found to increase along the elevation gradient on steep slopes for young larch trees but not for old larch trees. No significant differences were observed in the drought recovery ability of larch trees across all age groups at increasing elevation. Our results highlight that drought events may particularly affect the growth of young larch trees on low-elevation steep slopes, with potential repercussions on mortality rates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100371"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827145","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biodiversity in primary vs. managed forests: Biological legacies of old living and large dead trees drive lichen diversity","authors":"Daniela Dúhová ,&nbsp;Jeňýk Hofmeister ,&nbsp;Garrett W. Meigs ,&nbsp;Josef Halda ,&nbsp;Daniel Kozák ,&nbsp;Matej Ferenčík ,&nbsp;Rhiannon Gloor ,&nbsp;Katarína Markuljaková ,&nbsp;Jakob Pavlin ,&nbsp;Ivo Pardus ,&nbsp;Audrey R. Salerno ,&nbsp;Michal Frankovič ,&nbsp;Pavel Janda ,&nbsp;Martin Dušátko ,&nbsp;Miroslav Svoboda ,&nbsp;Martin Mikoláš","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100374","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100374","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Anthropogenic activities have significantly contributed to the loss and fragmentation of primary forests across the globe, which has accelerated biodiversity decline, particularly among highly specialised species dependent on unique forest structures. Nevertheless, comparative studies between primary and managed forests are scarce, despite their importance for effective monitoring and conservation planning. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a comparative study using a unique dataset of permanent study plots established across some of the best-preserved, mixed-beech primary forests and their adjacent managed counterparts in the Western Carpathian Mountains. We assessed the effects of forest structure and tree age—determined through extensive dendrochronological reconstructions—on contemporary lichen communities. Lichen species richness and the richness of red-listed species were 26% and 50% higher in primary forests than in managed forests, respectively, highlighting the outstanding conservation importance of primary forests. Generalised least squares (GLS) modelling demonstrated that in managed forests, lichen species richness was strongly associated with structural attributes: It increased with maximum tree age and the diameter of standing deadwood, and decreased with higher basal area (BA) of living trees, likely due to reduced understory light. In contrast, no structural variables significantly explained richness in primary forests, likely due to structural saturation and widespread microhabitat availability. Elevation emerged as the sole variable with significant explanatory strength.</div><div>These findings underscore the critical role of structural complexity in supporting lichen diversity under different management regimes and provide a robust evidence base for promoting elements such as old trees, deadwood—especially large standing deadwood—and reduced canopy density. At the same time, they reaffirm the irreplaceable value of primary forests as biodiversity refuges and highlight the need for landscape-level conservation strategies that integrate both intact primary and structurally enriched managed forests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100374"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144902850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Minimal expansion of shrubland on the Tibetan Plateau over the past three decades","authors":"Li Liu ,&nbsp;Daijun Yao ,&nbsp;Guang Zhao ,&nbsp;Zhoutao Zheng ,&nbsp;Ning Zong ,&nbsp;Yan Zhao ,&nbsp;Ke Huang ,&nbsp;Nan Cong ,&nbsp;Yu Zhang ,&nbsp;Qianxin Jiang ,&nbsp;Yunlong He ,&nbsp;Wenchao Wu ,&nbsp;Yangjian Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100349","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100349","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shrubland expansion is a globally occurring phenomenon under global change and has caused a wide range of ecological consequences. However, due to the visual similarity between shrubland and grassland, the accuracy of shrubland interpretation and its spatial distribution varies across different products, making shrub encroachment on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) uncertain. To address these challenges, we developed a phenology-based and pixel-wise method utilizing the Landsat, Sentinel-1, and Sentinel-2 image archives to map shrubland distribution from 1990 to 2022 across the TP. We also investigated the factors affecting shrubland distribution. Using the Random Forest (RF) model, we achieved moderate to high accuracies (Kappa ​= ​0.70–0.81) in predicting shrubland distributions, and we found that shrubland primarily occupies transitional zones between forest and grassland. In the southeast TP, solar radiation intensity is the dominant factor explaining the spatial distribution of shrubland, whereas in arid regions, water availability is the most important. From 1990 to 2022, the shrubland area slightly increased from 3.40% to 4.71%, with expansion showing a clustered pattern, mainly in the shaded aspects of arid regions. The shrubland identification method proposed here shows potential applicability in other areas with similar environmental conditions, such as arid landscapes or high-altitude ecosystems with pronounced seasonal vegetation dynamics. It also plays a crucial role in evaluating vegetation responses to climatic changes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100349"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144204251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of Douglas-fir on biodiversity in European forests – What do we know and what do we not know?","authors":"Marlene Graf ,&nbsp;Rafael Achury ,&nbsp;Isabelle Lanzrein ,&nbsp;Ronja Wenglein ,&nbsp;Peter Annighöfer ,&nbsp;Stefan Scheu ,&nbsp;Wolfgang W. Weisser","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100319","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100319","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>1. In recent years, climate change has led to drought and severe bark beetle infestations, affecting Norway spruce (<em>Picea abies</em>) across Europe, with detrimental consequences for forest owners, the forestry sector and associated industries. As a result, silviculture now faces the challenge of identifying tree species more resilient to these stressors to mitigate the impacts on forest management, forest-dependent economies and rural livelihoods. The North American Douglas-fir (<em>Pseudotsuga menziesii</em>) has emerged as a promising conifer species, better suited to future climate conditions and capable of producing high timber yields.</div><div>2. Non-native tree species may affect native biodiversity, yet the impacts of Douglas-fir on native forest biodiversity are not clear. A comprehensive review evaluating the impact of Douglas-fir on faunal and floral biodiversity in European forests is lacking.</div><div>3. Here, we present the results of a systematic literature review on Douglas-fir effects on native biodiversity, focusing on studies conducted in Europe. For arthropods, sufficient studies were found to do more detailed quantitative assessments. For fungi, birds, plants and soil fauna some studies existed, but only qualitative evaluations could be made. Other taxa were not investigated.</div><div>4. In the present literature, the effects of Douglas-fir inclusion in stands on native biodiversity, compared to stands of solely native tree species, were mostly non-significant (78.6%, based on 32 studies). Positive effects were noted in 12% of cases, while negative effects were observed in 9.4% (total of 1,936 effects). Above-ground fauna was more extensively studied than below-ground fauna. Mechanisms proposed to explain taxa responses were often discussed but not always formally tested. For arthropods, there were varying effects on diversity between studies evaluating different scales (i.e., tree-scale vs. stand-scale). In general, differences in effects depended on a range of factors, including stand composition and structure, season, and sampling site and period.</div><div>5. Our review indicates limited evidence of adverse effects of Douglas-fir on biodiversity in European forests, highlighting a significant knowledge gap due to the scarcity of studies. Douglas-fir's impact on biodiversity likely varies depending on the forest type and management practices. Further research in diverse contexts is crucial to determine optimal levels of admixture and guide forest management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100319"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143637496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Spatio-temporal dynamics of future aboveground carbon stocks in natural forests of China","authors":"Yixuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Kai Cheng ,&nbsp;Zekun Yang ,&nbsp;Yuling Chen ,&nbsp;Haitao Yang ,&nbsp;Yu Ren ,&nbsp;Jianhua Wan ,&nbsp;Qinghua Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100293","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100293","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Natural forests are the primary carbon sinks within terrestrial ecosystems, playing a crucial role in mitigating global climate change. China has successfully restored its natural forest area through extensive protective measures. However, the aboveground carbon (AGC) stock potential of China's natural forests remains considerably uncertain in spatial and temporal dynamics. In this study, we provide a spatially detailed estimation of the maximum AGC stock potential for China's natural forests by integrating high-resolution multi-source remote sensing and field survey data. The analysis reveals that China's natural forests could sequester up to 9.88 ​± ​0.10 ​Pg ​C by 2030, potentially increasing to 10.46 ​± ​0.11 ​Pg ​C by 2060. Despite this, the AGC sequestration rate would decline from 0.19 ​± ​0.001 to 0.08 ​± ​0.001 ​Pg ​C·yr⁻¹ over the period. Spatially, the future AGC accumulation rates exhibit marked heterogeneity. The warm temperate deciduous broadleaf forest region with predominantly young natural forests, is expected to exhibit the most significant increase of 26.36% by 2060, while the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Alpine region comprising mainly mature natural forests would exhibit only a 0.74% increase. To sustain the high carbon sequestration capacity of China's natural forests, it is essential to prioritize protecting mature forests alongside preserving and restoring young natural forest areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100293"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552472","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Mitigating drought stress in European beech and pedunculate oak: The role of competition reduction","authors":"Sanne Verdonck ,&nbsp;Anneleen Geussens ,&nbsp;Roman Zweifel ,&nbsp;Arno Thomaes ,&nbsp;Koenraad Van Meerbeek ,&nbsp;Bart Muys","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100303","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100303","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Droughts pose significant threats to forest ecosystems globally. Effective forest management strategies, adapted to local conditions, are needed to mitigate negative drought impacts. One proposed strategy is competition reduction to increase water availability and, as a result, alleviate drought stress. This study investigates the effect of competition intensity on drought stress and tree growth in European beech (<em>Fagus sylvatica</em>) and pedunculate oak (<em>Quercus robur</em>). We deployed 72 point dendrometers, placed along a competition intensity gradient, in National Park Brabantse Wouden (Belgium), to measure daily minimum tree water deficit (TWD_min) as a drought stress proxy and daily radial growth at tree level. Our results revealed species-dependent effects of competition intensity (CI). For European beech, competition reductions positively influenced growth and alleviated (1 ​&lt; ​CI ​&lt; ​2) or aggravated (CI ​&lt; ​0.5) drought stress. For pedunculate oak, competition intensity did not affect drought stress or growth along the investigated gradient. Environmental variables consistently affected TWD_min and growth of both species. Precipitation reduced TWD_min and increased growth, while vapor pressure deficit led to opposite trends. Thus, environmental conditions and competition can play a critical role in forest dynamics, especially in light of climate change. However, reducing competition through increased management efforts does not seem to be a one-size-fits-all solution to alleviating drought stress. Additionally, there seems to be a trade-off between reducing drought stress and improving tree growth in European beech: tree growth continuously benefited from competition reductions, while under low competition (CI ​&lt; ​0.5) drought stress increased. Revisiting or reviving long-term thinning intensity trials encompassing various regions, species, and soil types will be needed to gain comprehensive insights into mitigating drought stress through management interventions under different local stand conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100303"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143518954","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"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":"Nonlinear multilevel seemingly unrelated height-diameter and crown length mixed-effects models for the southern Transylvanian forests, Romania","authors":"Albert Ciceu ,&nbsp;Ştefan Leca ,&nbsp;Ovidiu Badea ,&nbsp;Lauri Mehtätalo","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100322","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100322","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we used an extensive sampling network established in central Romania to develop tree height and crown length models. Our analysis included more than 18,000 tree measurements from five different species. Instead of building univariate models for each response variable, we employed a multivariate approach using seemingly unrelated mixed-effects models. These models incorporated variables related to species mixture, tree and stand size, competition, and stand structure. With the inclusion of additional variables in the multivariate seemingly unrelated mixed-effects models, the accuracy of the height prediction models improved by over 10% for all species, whereas the improvement in the crown length models was considerably smaller. Our findings indicate that trees in mixed stands tend to have shorter heights but longer crowns than those in pure stands. We also observed that trees in homogeneous stand structures have shorter crown lengths than those in heterogeneous stands. By employing a multivariate mixed-effects modelling framework, we were able to perform cross-model random-effect predictions, leading to a significant increase in accuracy when both responses were used to calibrate the model. In contrast, the improvement in accuracy was marginal when only height was used for calibration. We demonstrate how multivariate mixed-effects models can be effectively used to develop multi-response allometric models that can be easily calibrated with a limited number of observations while simultaneously achieving better-aligned projections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"13 ","pages":"Article 100322"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143800106","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}