Research linking soil moisture availability to nonstructural carbohydrate (NSC) storage suggests greater NSC reserves promote survival under acute water stress, but little is known about how NSC allocation responds to long-term differences in water availabilty. We hypothesized populations experiencing chronic or frequent water stress shift carbon allocation to build greater NSC reserves for increased

Microbes, as important regulators of ecosystem processes, play essential roles in ecosystem recovery after disturbances. However, it is not clear how soil microbial communities and functions change and affect forest recovery after clear-cutting. Here, we used metagenome sequencing to systematically analyse the differences in soil microbial community composition, functions, and nitrogen (N) cycling

Plant functioning and survival in drylands are affected by the combination of high solar radiation, high temperatures, low relative humidity, and the scarcity of available water. Many ecophysiological studies have dealt with the adaptation of plants to cope with these stresses in hot deserts, which are the territories that have better evoked the idea of a dryland. Nevertheless, drylands can also be

The distribution of plant species diversity has long been a major focus on biogeography. Yet, the universality of the popular Rapoport’s rule remains controversial for endemic plants, as previous studies have focused more on broad-ranged species. Here, we collected data for 4418 endemic woody seed plant species across China, including trees, shrubs, and lianas, to explore the latitudinal patterns of

Mangrove forests are highly productive ecosystems and play an important role in the global carbon cycle. We used Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) elevation data to estimate mangrove above-ground biomass (AGB) in Sabah, Malaysian northern Borneo. We developed a tree-level approach to deal with the substantial temporal discrepancy between the SRTM data and the mangrove’s field measurements. We

A large community of scientists has demonstrated that millions of people located in tropical zones derive a significant proportion of their livelihoods from the extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Despite these results, questions remain as to whether the valorisation of NTFPs can sustainably contribute to the improvement of the livelihood assets of the extractors. This study therefore

The purpose of this work was to determine which structural variables present statistically significant differences between degraded and conserved tropical dry forest through a statistical study of forest survey data. The forest survey was carried out in a tropical dry forest in the watershed of the River Ayuquila, Jalisco state, Mexico between May and June of 2019, when data were collected in 36 plots

Research Highlights: The molecular mechanisms underlying woody plant resistance upon oviposition by herbivores remain unclear, as studies have focused on herbaceous plants. The effect of oviposition on gene expression in neighboring plants has also not been reported. Elucidating these molecular responses can help cultivate insect-resistant trees. Background and Objectives: Oviposition by herbivorous

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesiivar. menziesii (Mirbel) Franco) plantation forests of the coastal Pacific Northwest have been intensively managed to improve the yield of forest products. However, the long-term effects of these management techniques have received limited research attention in this region. Three affiliate Long-Term Soil Productivity study sites were installed in Douglas-fir forests

Norway spruce trees weakened by soil drought and progressive die-off of mycorrhizas in root systems become susceptible to infection by rhizomorphs of Armillaria spp. The developing mycelium of this necrotroph induces resin channels in wood, and the induced resin releases some volatile compounds which falsely signal bark beetles that it is safe to invade the host. As a result of the developing beetle

Research Highlights: The antifungal assay confirmed that knotwood extractives of Scots pine inhibit the growth of wood decay fungi. Heartwood extracts of black locust were found to be much stronger free radical scavengers than the extracts of Scots pine. The extracts were deposited in the lumina and on the wall surface of cells in the impregnated sapwood. Impregnation of the sapwood blocks with Scots

Northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) is one of the most important foreign tree species in Germany and considered as a major candidate for prospective sustainable forestry in the face of climate change. Therefore, Q. rubra was subject of many previous studies on its growth traits and attempts to infer the origin of various populations of this species using nuclear and chloroplast DNA markers. However

The high density of fuel accumulated in the Mediterranean ecosystems due to land abandonment results in high severity fires. Traditional fire practices and livestock grazing have played an important role in shaping the structure and composition of Mediterranean landscapes, and both can be efficient tools to manage them now that land abandonment is widespread. Attempts at controlling forest fires are

The success of jurisdictional reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) initiatives is entirely dependent on how the REDD+ benefits are distributed among the stakeholders seeking to preserve the native vegetation and is considered one of the main challenges of REDD+. Among the existing benefit-sharing options, the adoption of the stock-and-flow approach to share REDD+ benefits

Neolamarckia cadamba, a member of the Rubiaceae family, is widely distributed throughout South Asia and South China. In order to acquire reliable and repeatable results, the use of a suitable internal reference gene to normalize the RT-qPCR data is essential. In this study, we reported the validation of housekeeping genes to identify the most suitable internal reference gene(s) for normalization of

Research Highlights: We modeled climate-biome envelopes at high resolution in the Western Great Lakes Region for recent and future time-periods. The projected biome shifts, in conjunction with heterogeneous distribution of protected land, may create both great challenges for conservation of particular ecosystems and novel conservation opportunities. Background and Objectives: Climate change this century

Recently, electrical cordless chainsaws were introduced, which provide less harmful working conditions for the operators, and should therefore be deployed as much as possible in all non-professional and professional applications. The low power of the electric engines may result in lower efficiency and higher energy consumption in the case of over-tensioned chains, due to increased friction between

Overdependence on and exploitation of forest resources have significantly transformed the natural reserve forest of Sundarban, which shares the largest mangrove territory in the world, into a great degradation status. By observing these, a most pressing concern is how much degradation occurred in the past, and what will be the scenarios in the future if they continue? To confirm the degradation status

Research Highlights: Litterfall biomass after prescribed burning (PB) is significantly influenced by meteorological variables, stand characteristics, and the fire prescription. Some of the fire-adaptive traits of the species under study (Pinus nigra and Pinus pinaster) mitigate the effects of PB on litterfall biomass. The Bayesian approach, tested here for the first time, was shown to be useful for

The integration of the Nordic timber markets has been analysed to provide market information to various decision-makers, e.g., climate and industrial policies and investment decisions. This study addresses the interlinkage between Nordic (Sweden, Norway and Finland) roundwood markets (Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.)) and Norway spruce ((Picea abies L.) sawlogs and pulpwood). In total, eleven markets

The montane subtropical broad-leaved humid forests of Meghalaya (Northeast India) are highly diverse and situated at the transition zone between the Eastern Himalayas and Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspots. In this study, we have used inventory data from seedlings to canopy level to assess the impact of both biotic and abiotic disturbances on structure, composition, and regeneration potential of the

Illegal logging and the associated deforestation have serious consequences for biodiversity, the climate, the economy and society. The EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) prohibits the placing of illegally harvested timber or timber products on the market. The objective of this paper is to analyse the recent evolution of EU imports of these products from the international market, in order to check how the

The scaling relationship between either leaf dry or fresh mass (M) and surface area (A) can reflect the photosynthetic potential and efficiency of light harvesting in different broad-leaved plants. In growing leaves, lamina area expansion is typically finished before the completion of leaf biomass accumulation, thereby affecting the M vs. A scaling relationship at different developmental stages of

Recent climatic changes have resulted in an increased frequency and prolonged periods of drought and strained water resources affecting plant production. We explored the possibility of reducing irrigation in a container nursery and studied the growth responses of seedlings of four economically important forest trees: broadleaf deciduous angiosperms Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea, and evergreen conifers

White pines (Pinus subsect. Strobus) play important roles in forest ecosystems in the Northern Hemisphere. Species of this group are narrowly distributed or endangered in China. In this study, we used a species distribution model (SDM) to project and predict the distribution patterns of the 12 species of Chinese white pine under a variety of paleoclimatic and future climate change scenarios based on

Forest stands can be considered as dynamic carbon pools throughout their developmental stages. Silvicultural thinning and initial planting densities for reforestation not only manipulate the structure or composition of vegetation, but also disturb forest floor and soils, which, in turn, influences the dynamics of carbon pools. Understanding these carbon pools both spatially and temporally can provide

This paper presents the outcomes from a joint research project that aims to develop a smartphone application/online platform to model the most thermally comfortable active transport route to a planned destination using heat information and tree shading (Shadeway). Here, we provide a summary of our systematic review of academic literature and applications from the Google Play and Apple App Store, to

The box tree moth Cydalima perspectalis (Walker, 1859) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is an invasive species in Europe and a serious pest of box trees (Buxus spp.). In Slovakia, Central Europe, it was first reported in 2012 within the low elevation region with a warm climate. We hypothesize that the cold mountain region of Slovakia would provide less suitable conditions for the spread of this species, indicated

The service life of wood in outdoor use under humid conditions is mainly determined by its material resistance and the exposure situation. Different standards such as EN 350 (2016) point on the relevance of wood’s resistance against moisture for its expected service life. Recently, different standardized but also numerous nonstandardized methods were suggested to test the water permeability of wooden

Many process-based models for carbon flux predictions have faced a wide range of uncertainty issues. The complex interactions between the atmosphere and the forest ecosystems can lead to uncertainties in the model result. On the other hand, artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, which are novel methods to resolve complex and nonlinear problems, have shown a possibility for forest ecological applications

Systematic forest networks of health monitoring have been established to follow changes in tree vigor and mortality. These networks often lack long-term growth data, but they could be complemented with tree ring data, since both defoliation and radial growth are proxies of changes in tree vigor. For instance, a severe water shortage should reduce growth and increase tree defoliation in drought-prone

Persian oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) is a valuable native species in Iranian forests with very limited availability of data on its wood properties. The objective of the current study was to determine the influence of altitude and slope on physical properties and fiber dimensions of Persian oak wood. In addition, the relationship among wood properties, site conditions (temperature and rainfall) and

This paper describes a permanent research platform (PRP) designed and implemented in “Codrul secular Slătioara” and its surroundings (2,205.85 ha), having also the role of introductory paper for future research articles based on data collected from this platform. “Codrul secular Slătioara” is known as one of the largest temperate mountainous intact forests of Europe and, in 2017, it was included in

Since 2010, the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) mechanism has been implemented in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, a biodiversity hotspot with persistent deforestation problems. We apply the before-after-control-intervention approach and quasi-experimental methods to evaluate the effectiveness of REDD+ interventions in reducing deforestation at municipal (meso) and community

In recent years, the pinewood nematode has continuously adapted to low-temperature environments and expanded from the South to the North of China. In December 2018, a large area of pinewood nematode was suspected to be harmful to Pinus tabuliformis under natural conditions in Fushun City, Liaoning Province. In order to clarify the low-temperature environment and population characteristics of pinewood

Tropical old-growth forests are essential for global carbon regulation. Although there is increasing evidence that species and functional diversity, stand structural diversity, functional compositions, and elevation play roles in ecosystem functioning, the relative strengths of these drivers and the underlying mechanisms (mass-ratio hypothesis or niche complementarity hypothesis) are not clear. Aboveground

Forest logging can be detrimental for non-vascular epiphytes, determining the loss of key components for ecosystem functioning. Legal logging in a Mediterranean mixed oak forest (Tuscany, Central Italy) in 2016 heavily impacted sensitive non-vascular epiphytes, including a large population of the threatened forest lichen Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. This event offered the background for this experiment

Mangrove forests play crucial roles in the coastal ecosystems of the tropics. Few studies have addressed long-term changes in the net primary productivity (NPP) of mangroves in relation to the tropical monsoon climate. We conducted a tree census from 2008 to 2018 in a permanent plot at a secondary mangrove forest under the tropical monsoon climate of Eastern Thailand. During this period, the mortality

Over the decades, hydropower complexes have been built in several hydrographic basins of Brazil including the Amazon region. Therefore, it is important to understand the effects of these constructions on the environment and local communities. This work presents a land use and land cover change temporal analysis considering a 33-year period (1985–2018) in the direct influence zone of the Braço Norte

Despite recent advances in understanding tree species sensitivities to climate change, ecological knowledge on different species remains scattered across disparate sources, precluding their inclusion in vulnerability assessments. Information on potential sensitivities is needed to identify tree species that require consideration, inform changes to current silvicultural practices and prioritize management

Urban trees are under unprecedented pressure and competition worldwide with other land uses. Homestead windbreaks in urban areas are an important part of urban forests because of their proximity to settlements. To aid in the conservation of old-growth homestead trees in the urban setting on Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, this article surveys the dimensions and spatial distribution of century-old trees

Copal is a resin of ritual uses in Mexico that is extracted from several species of trees of the genus Bursera. The effect of traditional management on phenotypical traits of copal trees has not been sufficiently studied. This research analyzed the traditional management and human selection on populations of Bursera bipinnata, and it also examined their influence on the quantity and quality of the

Height is a key trait in the indices applied when selecting genotypes for use in both tree breeding populations and production populations in seed orchards. Thus, measurement of tree height is an important activity in the Swedish Norway spruce breeding program. However, traditional measurement techniques are time-consuming, expensive, and often involve work in bad weather, so automatization of the

One of the effects of climate change is, among others, changes to forest ecosystems. Research Highlights: Temperature increases and upward tree line shifts are linked in many studies. However, the impact of climate change on tree lines has not been studied in Greece. Background and Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the relation of tree line shifts and climate change in Olympus mountain

Annual river discharge is a critical variable for water resources planning and management. Tree rings are widely used to reconstruct annual discharge, but errors can be large when tree growth fails to respond commensurately to hydrologically important seasonal components of climate. This paper contrasts direct and indirect reconstruction as statistical approaches to discharge reconstruction for the

To investigate the variation in seasonal soil respiration (SR) as a function of soil temperature (Ts) and soil water content (SWC) in Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica) forests in urban (Mt. Nam) and well-reserved (Mt. Jeombong) areas in South Korea, we conducted continuous field measurements of SR and other environmental parameters (Ts and SWC) using an automated chamber system. Overall, the SR rates

Despite the recognized organic carbon (OC) sequestration potential of mangrove forests, the ongoing climate change and anthropogenic disturbances pose a great threat to these ecosystems. However, we currently lack the ability to mechanically understand and predict the consequences of such impacts, primarily because mechanisms underlying OC stabilization in these ecosystems remain elusive. Research

Forest fire modeling often requires estimates of fuel moisture status. Among the various fuel variables used for fire modeling studies, the 10-h fuel moisture content (10-h FMC) is a promising predictor since it can be automatically measured in real time at study sites, yielding more information for fire models. Here, the performance of 10-h FMC models based on three different approaches, including

In the context of global warming and increasing wildfire occurrence, this study aims to examine, for the first time, the changes in multi-level biodiversity and key soil features related to soil functioning in a burned Mediterranean beech forest. Two years after the 2017 wildfire, changes between burned and unburned plots of beech forest were analyzed for plant communities (vascular plant and cover

The importance of tree genetic variability in the ability of forests to respond and adapt to environmental changes is crucial in forest management and conservation. Along with genetics, recent advances have highlighted “epigenetics” as an emerging and promising field of research for the understanding of tree phenotypic plasticity and adaptive responses. In this paper, we review recent advances in this

Carbon cycling within the deep mangrove forest floor is unique compared to other marine ecosystems with organic carbon input, mineralization, burial, and advective and groundwater export pathways being in non-steady-state, often oscillating in synchrony with tides, plant uptake, and release/uptake via roots and other edaphic factors in a highly dynamic and harsh environment. Rates of soil organic carbon

In this study, we report the cloning and functional characterization of an early responsive gene, BplERD15, from Betula platyphylla Suk to dehydration. BplERD15 is located in the same branch as Morus indica Linnaeus ERD15 and Arabidopsis Heynh ERD15 in the phylogenetic tree built with ERD family protein sequences. The tissue-specific expression patterns of BplERD15 were characterized using qRT-PCR

Research Highlights: It was found that both tree species and ground vegetation affected soil carbon stock in boreal forests. Carbon stocks in the mineral layers were related negatively to the C/N ratio in the organic horizon and pine proportion in the growing stock volume, and positively to the share of herbaceous plants and the proportion of spruce. Background and Objectives: Existing research showed

Wood properties have an influence on the safety around the tree itself as well as on actual possibilities of using wood. The article focuses on the wood properties of the Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) in reference to the time since the tree has decayed. The study was conducted among mature tree stands of spruce in Białowieża Forest, where over the last 10 years there has been a weakening

Research highlights: The pine-tree lappet moth, Dendrolimus pini, can cause serious needle defoliation on pines with outbreaks occurring over large geographical areas. Under laboratory conditions, the promising potential of the naturally occurring entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana was tested against D. pini larvae as a biological control method. Background and objectives: The aim of this study

Research Highlights: Thinning and tree species alter the forest floor microclimate by modifying canopy cover, radiation, wind, and humidity. Thus, forest management can directly influence the edaphic mesofauna responsible for decomposing coarse woody debris (CWD). Background and Objectives: This research was carried out in the Southwestern Pyrenees Mountains (Northern Spain) and aimed to determine

Cork oak forests are of immense importance in terms of economic, cultural, and ecological value in the Mediterranean regions. Since the beginning of the 20th century, these forests ecosystems have been threatened by several factors, including human intervention, climate change, wildfires, pathogens, and pests. Several studies have demonstrated the primary role of the oomycete Phytophthora cinnamomi

Severe droughts and changing precipitation patterns could alter the biogeochemical properties of the soil, affecting soil carbon cycles in forest ecosystems. A throughfall exclusion (TFE) experiment was conducted in a continental climate coniferous stand in Gangwon Province, Korea, to examine the effects of excluding rainfall on total soil respiration (SR), heterotrophic soil respiration (HR), autotrophic

Forest ecosystems in Europe undergo cyclic fluctuations with alternating periods of forest prosperity and disturbances. Forest disturbances are caused by large-scale calamities (climate-induced and unforeseen events) resulting in an increased volume of salvage logging. In recent decades, climate change (warming, long-term droughts, more frequent storms, bark beetle outbreaks) has contributed to an

Research Highlights: the wide variety of multispectral sensors that currently exist make it possible to improve the study of forest systems and ecosystem services. Background and Objectives: this study aims to analyze the current usefulness of remote sensing in forest management and ecosystem services sciences, and to identify future lines of research on these issues worldwide during the period 1976–2019