Despite a critical need to evaluate effectiveness of forest treatments in improving stand health, practitioners lack quantitative, repeatable metrics to assess tree vigor and stand health. We evaluated canopy and whole tree attributes of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. Ex Laws) related to carbon balance, water balance, and susceptibility to insects and pathogens in dry, pine-dominated forest

Early plant selection for desirable traits is important in tree improvement programs and sustainable forest management. In this study, we demonstrate the use of image based high-throughput plant phenotyping (HTPP, LemnaTec 3D Scanalyzer, Germany), with Red, Green, Blue (RGB), and hyperspectral cameras, to quantify Quercus bicolor and Quercus prinoides seedlings growth and development [plant height

Although impacts of intensive forest harvesting practices such as removing logging residue and stumps for bioenergy on forest ecosystem has been extensively studied, no information is available about the long-term effects of stump harvesting on the health status of young Norway spruce stands. In the present study, we surveyed damage caused by the large pine weevil (Hylobius abietis L.) and other causal

Eucalypt plants can take up calcium (Ca) from soils with nondetectable levels of exchangeable Ca2+. This suggests the operation of unknown processes capable of rendering non-exchangeable forms of the nutrient available to eucalypts. An explanatory hypothesis for this phenomenon is that soil acidification by ammonium can release Ca from Ca-oxalate and soil minerals. Therefore, the objective of this

Hierarchical models are used to study the relationship between a response variable and a predictor in structured data. Random effects are meant to capture the structured part of variability among groups of observations. In ecology, random effects are usually incorporated into the intercept. Their application to the other parameters of the curve, especially in nonlinear curves, has been understudied

The selection of ideotypes combining high biomass production, high water use efficiency (WUE) and adequate wood properties is a major challenge in improving forest trees for industrial plantations. This issue was addressed in a field experiment evaluating 1130 clones of Eucalyptus urophylla * Eucalyptus grandis. Genomic selection using 3303 SNPs and the GBLUP model was carried out at age 55 months

We restored small downstream sections of forestry-drained peatland catchments for use as wetland buffer areas and studied the effects of their restoration on the exports of nitrogen, phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon, and dissolved aluminium and iron. Even though the buffer areas were small relative to their catchment areas (0.5–3.5%), buffer restoration clearly increased pollutant exports. Thus

The current requirements to decrease the consumption and greenhouse gas emissions of fossil fuels have increased the demand of renewable energy sources. In forestry, this situation has intensified harvesting practices resulting in a decreased amount of woody debris left on the clear-cut areas. Impacts of energy wood harvest on wood-decomposing fungi were studied in a large-scale experiment in clear-cut

Pinus koraiensis is a conifer species of ecological and economic importance in northeast China that has been excessively exploited in recent years. A clonal seed orchard (CSO) was established including potentially genetically differentiated provenances from the whole distribution area, we applied nine simple sequence repeat (SSR) makers to study the genetic diversity and population structure of six

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests occur at their warmer, drier environmental limits in the Mogollon Highlands ecoregion (MHE) of the Southwestern United States, and are commonly found in stringers or discrete stands that form ecotones with interior chaparral. These “rear edge” forests are likely to be highly vulnerable to rapid changes in structure and composition with climate warming, drought

Contemporary forest management is increasingly focused on maintaining ecosystem function and services including biodiversity conservation. As a result, harvest guidelines related to retention of live trees and woody biomass (fine and coarse residue arising from harvesting) have been developed to provide benefits for wildlife, but there is much uncertainty on the effectiveness of these guidelines depending

Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa Bonpl.) is considered the cornerstone non-timber species of Amazonian conservation. Nuts (or seeds) of this massive tree are harvested by local people living in and near old growth forests, supporting local livelihoods and regional economies. Secondary forests, however, particularly plots previously used for agriculture (swidden fallows), present better B. excelsa seedling

Population densities of the green spruce aphid Elatobium abietinum (Walker) (Homoptera: Aphididae) were assessed by direct counting and trapping in 24 Sitka spruce stands that were being managed either by clear-felling and replanting, or by selective thinning under a shelterwood or group selection silvicultural system. It was expected that E. abietinum populations would be lower in shelterwood and

The ecological value of unmanaged early successional habitat created by disturbances has received considerable research attention. Less well studied is the capacity of tree plantations to contribute to local and regional biological diversity while subsidizing conservation strategies. We present a conceptual framework for describing variability in early successional forests and illustrate how the spatial

Restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem is a conservation priority throughout the southeastern United States, but the role of hardwoods in providing food and cover for wildlife within this system is poorly understood. We investigated white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) movement and habitat selection relative to overstory hardwood distribution in a longleaf pine ecosystem at Fort Bragg Military

A widely accepted paradigm in forest ecology proposes that patterns of relative abundance among mature forest trees are largely influenced by biotic and abiotic processes that operate most intensely during the earliest life-cycle stages. Therefore, traits expressed early in development such as germination and seedling establishment may be under strong selective pressure from the environment, and their

Wood-pastures are grazed systems, widespread across Europe, where natural and economic values often co-exist. Social and economic changes in Europe generate both threats and opportunities to these systems, calling for new or improved management strategies. We studied the potential of increasing the biodiversity of wood-pastures through the promotion of small-scale habitat diversification. More specifically

How tree growth and the underlying photosynthesis of leaves, especially those multi-aged leaves, change after the application of both pruning and understory removal remains unclear. In this study, the tree growth and photosynthetic responses of various-aged needles to pruning, understory removal and their interactions were investigated in a Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantation. The biochemical

Deciduous shrubs are widely distributed throughout temperate and boreal conifer forests and influence a wide range of ecological processes and forest resources. In the interior western U.S., many deciduous shrubs are highly preferred forage by wild (elk, Cervus canadensis; deer, Odocoileus spp.) and domestic (cattle) ungulates which can influence shrub abundance, composition, structural characteristics

Livestock grazing can be a problem for forest conservation because it can generate heterogeneous and unpredictable changes in plant communities. Understanding these changes is important for generating management strategies that are compatible with long-term conservation of threatened forests. Livestock exclusion is a useful experimental approach used to evaluate grazing effects. However, the evidence

Numerous studies have addressed the effects of forest conversion on soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN); however, knowledge of SOC and TN stocks and SOC stability after primary forest conversion to secondary forest is still lacking. Such an understanding is critical for the accurate estimation of the potential of forest soils to act as carbon sinks. To learn more about the changes in

Populus species have been extensively cultivated in different regions around the world due to their growth performance, easy vegetative propagation and wood properties (for lumber, pulp, fiberboard and plywood). Stability analysis is important for forest breeding programs aimed at obtaining high yield genotypes with greater adaptability for a wide range of environments. However, its application in

Warming climate in U.S. forests may limit future viability of dominant high-elevation species at their lower elevation range limits but favor more drought-adapted sympatric species, potentially contributing to species distribution changes. Adaptive management may address future uncertainty in species distributions by facilitating regeneration of multiple species with contrasting silvics. However, the

Differences in growth rates between Eucalyptus clones depend on differences in the acquisition of resources, and the efficiency of using resources to produce carbohydrates and grow wood. We examined differences in canopy structure, light interception, and light use efficiency for the 18 TECHS clones in a common garden experiment in Brazil. The degree of clumping within canopies varied substantially

Spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clem.) defoliation of balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) has been shown to be less severe in stands with higher hardwood (broadleaved trees) content during both building and declining phases of budworm outbreaks. Reduced defoliation associated with forest composition could be explained by habitat fragmentation and/or natural enemy hypotheses, which posit

Tree restoration on degraded land has been identified as an effective and affordable capture carbon strategy but it is unclear if carbon sequestration rates are comparable to rates on non-industrially impacted silvicultural forests. To this end, we resampled a jack pine (Pinus banksiana) and red pine (P. resinosa) chronosequence 16 years after the initial measurement to quantify carbon pools following

Insect pollinators are declining, which often is related to intensified agriculture. Less focus has been on the effect of forestry. In many boreal forests, clear-cutting has replaced fire as the main disturbance agent, which has been negative for many species. Therefore, prescribed burning is performed, often on clear-cuts. Knowledge on the effect of fire on pollinators is, however, scarce. We sampled

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is one of the most serious conifer diseases, with further expansion expected under ongoing climate change. Sustainable forest management and effective pest control of pine forests therefore requires rigorous exploration of potential PWD risk areas under current and future climate conditions. To predict potential PWD risk areas in Japan, we constructed an inhomogeneous Poisson

Pinus pinea is a Mediterranean species that has been found to grow and develop vigorously in Chile. This species is resistant to drought; however, it has been found to be sensitive to increasing aridity. A few studies have reported the effects of irrigation and fertilization on growth, but no detailed studies have considered the effects of both management techniques to improve growth stability. In

The aim of this study was to compare the forest stand structure in managed and unmanaged ravine forests. The study was conducted in the Carpathians and the Krakow-Częstochowa Upland (SE Poland). We used 24 plots, of which 13 were from managed forests and 11 from unmanaged areas. We used 12 metrics related to both living and dead trees. The density of large living trees, quadratic mean diameter and

Reduction of forest regeneration due to overbrowsing by white-tailed deer is a growing concern for land managers. Abundant deer can impede forest regeneration through direct predation on tree seedlings. Additionally high deer density can facilitate the establishment of a dense understory of browse tolerant plant species that shades seedlings and persists even in the absence of deer. In response to

Deadwood is an important structural feature in forests providing essential resources for various organisms. Both forest management and conservation are increasingly focusing on the integration of deadwood into forest management. Deadwood volume and composition are driven by forest type, stand age, natural tree mortality, tree species composition and harvesting intensity. Here, we used inventory data

Mega hydroelectric dams cause loss of habitat for many species and lead to local or regional extinction. Despite these dire facts, little is known about the impact of these mega-dams on Amazonia. Using palms as a model, we investigated this question by sampling 26 1-ha plots distributed in the influence areas of the Jirau mega-dam in southwestern Brazilian Amazonia. We examined palm community patterns

Temperate forests ecosystems are threatened by declines and diseases worldwide. Causes have been investigated during the last decades allowing, in some cases, to relate such deterioration to climate change or pathogens but, in many cases, causes have not yet been elucidated. In recent decades, a phenomenon of grouped mortality, whose etiology remains unknown, has been observed in the two most distributed

Recently, there has been renewed interest in the ecosystem services of mangroves such as carbon sequestration or coastal protection, and consequently, the development of tools providing an effective and automatic monitoring of the dynamics of mangrove land coverage including rehabilitated or naturally regenerated forest stand is increasingly demanded. Satellite-based time series analysis in coastal

Confined to the humid cloud belt of the Macaronesian Islands the Laurel-forests are sensitive to climate changes. Intense natural disturbances are rare and regeneration includes asexual regeneration and dominance of shade intolerant species in the seedling bank. Long-term monitoring of the seedling bank showed that even under these relatively stable conditions high variations occurred. Studies point

The conservation of forest biodiversity is increasingly relying on forest landscapes managed for timber production. A precondition for successful biodiversity conservation in intensively managed landscapes is a good understanding of habitat- and landscape-level drivers of species diversity. In this study, we investigated the effects of habitat characteristics and landscape context on the species richness

A major challenge for the forestry sector is to restore forest cover in degraded areas. In this regard, the adoption of mixed plantations is an opportunity to combine the obtaining of services and products from the forest, providing ecological and socioeconomic advantages. Thus, our objective was to evaluate the growth of native forest species in mixed plantations in Brazilian Savanna. The study was

American chestnut (Castanea dentata) once held great economic and ecological importance in eastern US forests before its demise due to an invasive blight fungus. Backcross breeding and genetic engineering methods are currently developing a blight-resistant tree with mostly American chestnut traits. With the potential reintroduction of chestnut, research has sought to understand the geographic distribution

Recent national wide afforestation in China are playing an increasingly significant role in the global greening trend and CO2 mitigation. However, the long term knowledge of spatiotemporal pattern of plantation forests (PF) is essential to understand the continuability and sustainability of the PF contribution and its spatiotemporal pattern comparing to nature forests (NF). Here we combined an inventory

The conservation of habitats and ecosystems is widely regarded as the most efficient way to maintain biodiversity. Protected areas are, however, under the continuous influence of natural dynamics that may affect their structure and functioning. In boreal forests, succession in protected forests may change their ecological properties, including tree species composition. European aspen (Populus tremula)

Different ecophysiological models are used to predict the productivity of forest plantations worldwide. The Physiological Principles in Prediction Growth (3-PG) model has been successfully used for this purpose since 1997. In this study, the 3-PG model was parameterized and validated to predict the productivity of the most planted clonal eucalypts in Brazil (Eucalyptus urophylla) in different regions

We explore the patterns of epiphytic lichen community richness and composition (both taxonomical and functional) on the trunks of the two most important species used for forestry in NW Spain (the non-native Eucalyptus globulus, and Pinus pinaster, a native species in the Iberian Peninsula) across a chronosequence of age classes. We recorded a total of 56 lichen taxa in 30 genera across all sites. Lichen

Plant competition can impose species-specific effects on the dynamics of soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) through rhizosphere processes and litter input. Therefore, it is crucial to quantify these effects in various terrestrial ecosystems for a better understanding of the mechanisms. Here, we collected subsoils containing low N from a subtropical forest and planted eight dominant tree species (two

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) forests throughout the western United States have experienced significant mortality in recent decades, which has been influenced by climate variability, especially drought. In the western portion of its range, where most precipitation arrives during winter as snowfall and summers are dry, snowdrifts that persist into the growing season provide soil moisture recharge

The requirements of climate change mitigation and energy security have led to increased interest in biomass from researchers and policymakers. Available logging residues are an important biomass source, and the climate change impact of their utilization for bioenergy needs to be estimated. In this study, we used the Global Forest Resources Assessments 2015 database to assess the available logging residues

A main disadvantage of heavy machinery in forest operation is soil compaction. Compacted soils may be a barrier to seedling growth, even though the exact mechanisms of action are not clear yet, especially for different soil textures, plant species and ages. Previous meta-analyses did not find significant effects, mostly due to the limited size of their databases. We analyzed 45 articles for above-ground

The spatial pattern of surface fuelbeds in fire-dependent ecosystems are rarely captured using long-standing fuel sampling methods. New techniques, both field sampling and remote sensing, that capture vegetation fuel type, biomass, and volume at super fine-scales (cm to dm) in three-dimensions (3D) are critical to advancing forest fuel and wildland fire science. Such scales are particularly important

Heterobasidion is a severe threat to coniferous forests in the northern hemisphere. Accurate forest management is needed to safeguard the economic values at stake. In this paper we investigate the efficacy of stump treatment with urea and Phlebiopsis gigantea as control treatment in Norway spruce against airborne Heterobasidion infections. The aim of this study was to examine the infection frequency

Fire events have increased in scale and severity due to hotter, drier conditions brought on by climate change and fire suppression. Extreme fire events can be detrimental to forest specialists, especially populations at the edge of the species range, where conditions can vary from those within the core of the range. The San Bernardino flying squirrel (Glaucomys oregonensis californicus) is the southernmost

Firmiana major (Malvaceae) is a dominant tree species endemic in arid-hot and arid-warm valleys in Southwest China. Human disturbance, mainly the use of its bark to produce rope, caused a sharp decline in F. major populations before 1980s. The plant was declared extinct in 1998 but reappeared in 2001. Knowledge of population structure, regeneration characteristics, and current threats is fundamental

Background insect herbivory, i.e. the minor but chronic plant damage caused by insects, is usually considered ‘negligible’ for plants when compared with the severe defoliation associated with forest pest outbreaks. We experimentally tested the hypothesis that the impacts of background herbivory on tree growth and mortality accumulate over years, resulting in much larger effects than usually assumed

As over half of the world’s tropical forests are reforested or afforested, understanding the resilience of carbon (C) pool in these forests is critical for global C balance. While most previous studies on the reforested lands have focused on C stock recovery, soil C turnover has largely been overlooked. We evaluated soil C turnover rate by calculating the isotopic enrichment factors of α (defined as