Thinning has a positive effect on growth dynamics and growth–climate relationships in Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) trees of different crown classes

? Context

Modification of stand density by thinning may buffer the response of tree growth and vigor to changes in climate by enhancing soil water availability.

? Aims

We tested the impact of thinning intensity on cambial growth of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis L.) under semi-arid, Mediterranean conditions.

? Methods

A multiple thinning experiment was established on an Aleppo pine plantation in Spain. We analysed the stem growth dynamics of two different crown classes under four different thinning intensities (15 %, 30 %, and 45 % removal of the basal area) for 2 years, based on biweekly band dendrometer recordings. Local relative extractable soil water was derived from the use of a water balance model Biljou© (available at https://appgeodb.nancy.inra.fr/biljou/) and used as an explanatory variable.

? Results

Radial growth was mainly controlled by soil water availability during the growing season, and differed by crown class. The growth rates of dominant trees were significantly higher than the growth rates of suppressed trees. Removal of 30 % and 45 % of the initial basal area produced a growth release in both dominant and suppressed trees that did not occur under less intense thinning treatments.

? Conclusions

Soil water availability was the main driver of radial growth during the growing season. Forest management confirmed its value for ameliorating the effects of water limitations on individual tree growth. These results may help managers understand how altering stand density will differentially affect diameter growth responses of Aleppo pine to short-term climatic fluctuations, promoting forests that are resilient to future climatic conditions.     

Thinning increases cone production of stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) stands in the Northern Plateau (Spain)

Context

Edible stone pine (Pinus pinea L.) nut is a forest product which provides the highest incomes to the owners of stone pine forests.

Aim

The objective of this work is to evaluate the effect of first thinning on growth and cone production in an artificially regenerated stand in order to determine optimum intensity.

Methods

A thinning trial was installed in 2004 to compare two thinning regimes (heavy and moderate) and a control treatment. From 2004 to 2012, six inventories of forest attributes were carried out, and the cone crop was harvested annually. We evaluated the effect of thinnings on growth using repeated measures analysis of variance with a mixed model approach. With regards to cone production, we first estimated the probability of finding cones in a tree by applying a generalized mixed model and then estimated cone production by using a mixed model, including climatic variables.

Results

We found that thinning had a positive influence on tree diameter increment. Thinning increased the probability of finding cones and cone production. However, significant differences between heavy and moderate thinnings were not found.

Conclusion

We recommend early silvicultural treatments in stone pine stands to favor the development of trees and larger edible pine nut production.     

Impact of local slope and aspect assessed from LiDAR records on tree diameter in radiata pine (Pinus radiata D. Don) plantations

Context

Reliable information on tree stem diameter variation at local spatial scales and on the factors controlling it could potentially lead to improved biomass estimation over pine plantations.

Aims

This study addressed the relationship between local topography and tree diameter at breast height (DBH) within two even-aged radiata pine plantation sites in New South Wales, Australia.

Methods

A total of 85 plots were established, and 1,302 trees were sampled from the two sites. Airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) was used to derive slope and aspect and to link them to each individual tree.

Results

The results showed a significant relationship between DBH and local topography factors. At both sites, trees on slopes below 20° and on southerly aspects displayed significantly larger DBHs than trees on steeper slopes and northerly aspects. Older trees with similar heights also exhibited a significant relationship between DBH and aspect factor, where greater DBHs were found on southerly aspects.

Conclusions

The observed correlation between tree DBH and LiDAR-derived slope and aspect could contribute to the development of improved biomass estimation approaches in pine plantations. These topographical variables are easily attained with airborne LiDAR, and they could potentially improve DBH predictions in resource inventories (e.g. stand volume or biomass) and support field sampling design.     

Survival to prescribed fire of plantation-grown Corsican black pine in northern Portugal

Context

The current fire regime threatens black pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) persistence in the Mediterranean Basin, which recommends larger-scale fuel treatments. Prescribed burning is an option for stand protection but its use in young stands (which are particularly at risk) is hindered by the scarce knowledge on post-fire tree survival.

Aims

The objectives were to characterize bark thickness as a fire-resistance trait in P. nigra and to describe how post-fire tree survival responds to tree size and fire effects in a 16-year-old plantation.

Methods

Bark thickness was related to diameter at breast height and height in the stem. Metrics describing tree size and stem and crown damage were measured 1?year after prescribed burning in 259 trees. Tree survival was modeled with logistic regression and Classification and Regression Tree analysis.

Results

Bark thickness increased linearly with diameter at breast height (dbh) and decreased with height in the stem. Tree survival was primarily a function of crown injury. Stem damage was an influent factor in small trees.

Conclusion

Due to thinner bark and lower tolerance to crown damage, young P. nigra trees are less fire-resistant than other Mediterranean pines, e.g., Pinus pinaster. Prescribed fire should not be attempted if dbh <10?cm. Mechanical clearing is the treatment of choice in young stands with a significant shrub layer.     

Recovery of forest structure and composition to harvesting in different strata of mixed even-aged central Appalachian hardwoods

Context

Implementing nature-based silviculture requires understanding the structural and compositional changes that occur in forested stands under known disturbance types and intensities.

Aims

The objectives were to assess the (a) resistance of hardwood forests to change, (b) their trajectory of recovery following disturbance, and (c) how closely resulting forests resemble original forests.

Methods

We characterized tree structure and composition at three points in time (pre-disturbance, 1-year post-disturbance, and ～15 years following disturbance) along a harvesting disturbance gradient created by removing trees in different forest canopy strata.

Results

Significant differences to pre-disturbance conditions were noted immediately post-harvest for tree basal area, density, species richness, and tree species composition; treatment differences were observed for all parameters except diversity. Plots exposed to the least extreme harvesting disturbances (cutting small and intermediate trees) had returned to pre-disturbance conditions for most parameters after 15 years, while the most extreme harvesting disturbance (cutting large trees) had not yet recovered.

Conclusions

Although not initially resistant, Central Appalachian eastern hardwoods are fairly resilient to the removal of trees in the subcanopy or a mixture of the subcanopy and canopy; only the removal of solely canopy trees (i.e., high grading) and complete removal (i.e., clearcutting) appear to impose harvesting disturbances to which these forests may not be resilient.     

Variations of wood basic density with tree age and social classes in the axial direction within Pinus massoniana stems in Southern China

Context

Reliable estimates of wood density (WD) within individual trees could maximize the value of Pinus massoniana for specific end-use.

Aim

We examined and quantified the axial patterns of WD in trees with different social status in the stands.

Methods

Wood disks were sampled at the bottom, breast height, and middle of each 1-m sections from 108 stems, harvesting from three social classes in subtropical forests. A mixed-effects model was designed to quantify axial variation.

Results

The WD at different height was significantly different from the whole-stem WD (WWD) except the relative height of 0.1. An overall decrease of 133.8 kg m^?3 in WD was found from stem base to top. WD was significantly influenced by relative heights, tree age, and social class. WD of each relative height in mature trees was significantly higher than that of younger trees. Tree social class can affect WD development in the axial direction at age classes 2 and 3. Combining the fixed plus random effects, the final model explained 91 % of the observed variation in WD.

Conclusion

The WD development patterns in the axial direction vary considerably among tree age, diameter at breast height, and social class. To distinguish and supply timber for specific end-uses, we should use the axial variation in disk WD (DWD) instead of WWD directly. The accurate predictions of WD provided by the model could be used to optimally classify logs into different product classes and maximize economic benefits. We can use DWD at the relative height of 0.1 instead of WWD of a single tree.     

Influence of tree size, reduced competition, and climate on the growth response of Pinus nigra Arn. salzmannii after fire

Context

After wildfire, surviving trees are of major ecological importance as they can help in the post-fire regeneration process. Although these trees may be damaged, they may also benefit from reduced fuel hazard and competition. However, little is known about the long-term growth response of surviving trees.

Aims

This study aims to explain short- to long-term variations in the postfire growth of surviving black pines in an area burnt in 1994, focusing on levels of fire severity and tree sizes.

Methods

Relative basal area increments were used to detect time-course variations in postfire radial tree growth depending on fire severity. Linear mixed-effects models were used to describe the factors affecting postfire ring growth.

Results

In the short term, fire caused stronger reduction in growth in small trees with increasing bole char height. However, as time since fire increased, a positive effect of fire on growth due to reduced competition counteracted the short-term fire impacts. Indeed, small surviving trees demonstrated a surge in growth 15 years after the fire.

Conclusion

It was concluded that reduced competition might offset the short-term negative effects of fire in surviving black pines.     

Interspecific differences in the oleoresin production of Copaifera L. (Fabaceae) in the Amazon rainforest

? Context

Copaifera species produce an oleoresin of commercial importance that is widely extracted in Amazon communities.

? Aims

This paper addresses two questions. (1) What are the morphological characteristics of Copaifera species that influence oleoresin production? (2) How do different Copaifera species respond to repeated harvests?

? Methods

We performed a large-scale experiment in the Brazilian Amazon. We tapped 110 Copaifera trees belonging to four species, and several morphological tree characteristics were measured to determine their effect on oleoresin production.

? Results

The proportion of Copaifera reticulata and Copaifera paupera trees that yielded more than 1 ml oleoresin was higher than the other species. The oleoresin volumes from yielding Copaifera pubiflora trees were significantly higher than those from C. reticulata and C. paupera, with Copaifera multijuga yielding intermediate values. Interestingly, none of the studied morphological tree characteristics had a significant effect on the proportion of yielding trees. Hollowed trees yielded significantly smaller volumes than non-hollowed trees. Both the proportion of yielding trees and oleoresin volumes decreased from the first to the second harvests for C. reticulata and C. paupera; however, the opposite pattern was observed for C. pubiflora.

? Conclusions

Oleoresin production capacity varies by species, and management protocols should account for these differences.     

Use of Gumbel and Weibull functions to model extreme values of diameter distributions in forest stands

Context

Families of the Gumbel (type I), Fréchet (type II) and Weibull (type III) distributions can be combined in the generalized extreme value (GEV) family of distributions. Maximum and minimum values of diameters in forest stands can be used in forest modelling, mainly to define parameters of the functions used in diameter class models as well as in some practical cases, such as modelling maximum diameters for sawing and processing purposes.

Aims

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare two extreme value distribution functions (the Gumbel and the Weibull functions) in modelling the distribution of the minimum and the maximum values of representative sets of tree diameter samples. Both of these functions were applied to the lower and upper values of the diameter distributions of the main forest species in northwest Spain: Quercus robur L., Betula pubescens Ehrh., Pinus radiata D. Don, Pinus pinaster Ait. and Pinus sylvestris L.

Methods

Parameters of the Gumbel function were estimated using the mode and the moments of the distributions, and parameters of the Weibull function were estimated using the moments method.

Results

In general, the Weibull distribution was the most suitable model for describing the maximum diameters. The mode method of the Gumbel yielded the best results for minimum diameters of birch and Monterrey pine. The Gumbel distribution, fitted by either the mode- or moments-based methods, proved more suitable than the Weibull distribution for describing the minimum diameters in maritime pine and Scots pine stands.

Conclusion

In some cases, better results were obtained with the Gumbel than the Weibull distribution for describing the distribution of extreme diameter values in forest stands in northwest Spain. This is the first example of the application of the Gumbel distribution in forest modelling.     

Nutrient concentration and allometric models for hybrid eucalyptus planted in France

Context

Short rotation coppice (SRC) of hybrid Eucalyptus has been developed in France for almost 30 years for the production of pulp and paper and, since a few years, for energy purposes. In the traditional pulp production, only the stems are harvested, whereas the whole biomass may be harvested for energy purposes. Thus, a range of different harvest scenarios need to be considered with higher plantation densities or younger age of harvest for example.

Aims

The objective of this study was to build models to estimate biomass and nutrient content of eucalyptus at different ages and so to estimate the production and the nutrient exportation of a SRC, depending on the different harvest scenarios.

Methods

Over 250 trees were sampled in 16 stands at ages from 1 to 15 years. For each tree, biomass of different compartments and nutrient contents were recorded.

Results

A complete set of equations for the four compartments (wood, bark, branches, and leaves) of aboveground biomass and for nutrient concentration was set up.

Conclusion

Biomass and its allocation to different compartments and nutrient concentrations depended on the dimension and/or the age of the tree. In particular, nutrient concentration decreased with increasing tree diameter.     

Spatially explicit competition in a mixed planting of Araucaria cunninghamii and Flindersia brayleyana

? Context

A 20-year-old Nelder wheel planted with hoop pine (Araucaria cunninghamii Aiton ex D.Don) and Queensland maple (Flindersia brayleyana F.Muell.) in 18 spokes and 8 rings represents nominal point densities of 3,580, 2,150, 1,140, 595, 305, 158, 82, and 42 stems/ha and offers an opportunity to examine competition and spatial interaction between these two species.

? Aims

This study aimed to evaluate the intraspecific and interspecific competition between two contrasting tree species and to determine the distance over which competition can be observed.

? Methods

Competition was estimated using Hegyi’s index, implemented using the Simile visual modeling environment, and calibrated using nonlinear least squares with PEST.

? Results

Interactions were detected between pairs of stems closer than D _ij ?<?40(d _i ?+?d _j ) where D is distance (in centimeters) and d is stem diameter (in centimeters diameter at breast height). F. brayleyana trees surrounded by A. cunninghamii trees experience negligible competition, whereas A. cunninghamii surrounded by F. brayleyana trees suffer strong competition.

? Conclusion

Forty times diameter offers a useful guide to the extent of competition in even-aged stands planted with these species. Competition can be observed empirically when pairs of trees are closer than 40 times the sum of their diameters, but the intensity of the competition may vary considerably with species.     

Regeneration strategies influence ground bryophyte composition and diversity after forest clearcutting

Context

Natural regeneration with broadleaved species and reforestation with coniferous trees are two widely practiced forest regeneration strategies after timber harvesting. They lead to different tree species composition and may cause different understory biodiversity, but the effects on ground bryophyte composition and diversity are not well-known.

Aims

We tested whether natural regeneration with broadleaved species and reforestation with spruce induced different diversities of the ground bryophyte populations 20–40 years after old-growth spruce forest clearcutting in the subalpine regions of southwestern China.

Methods

Differences between natural stands and plantations were compared through the analysis of 13 paired stands, with 78 plots, 390 shrub/herb quadrats, and a total of 1,560 bryophyte quadrats.

Results

Naturally regenerated forests were characterized by lower density and cover and lower tree height but higher herbaceous plant height, shrub cover, and bryophyte diversity. They also harbored many more ground bryophytes. The species richness of pleurocarpous mosses and fans, mats, and turfs were significantly higher in naturally regenerated forests. Frequency difference analysis demonstrated that more bryophyte species preferred ground habitats in naturally regenerated forests than in plantations (116 vs. 48 species). The canonical correspondence analysis indicated that stand structure attributes were more important determinants of ground bryophyte diversity and abundance.

Conclusion

Natural regeneration and reforestation resulted in large differences in ground bryophyte populations. A larger diversity was observed in the former case, and natural regeneration practices can be an effective measure for the protection of ground bryophyte diversity after clearcutting.     

Within-population variability in architectural traits and suitability to forestry conditions in Nothofagus nervosa (= N. alpina; Nothofagaceae)

? Context

There is evidence that Nothofagus nervosa (= N. alpina) is suitable for timber production in temperate regions due to its wood quality and fast growth. However, high intra-specific variability in the architectural traits of this species limits its usefulness.

? Aims

This study was aimed at evaluating intra-specific variability in the architecture of N. nervosa trees at the population level, with emphasis on traits related to the suitability of trees for timber production.

? Methods

The size of 13-year-old trees installed in an experimental field population and the extent of differentiation between trunk and branches were compared among families (trees derived from different mother trees).

? Results

The large majority of trees exhibited architectural features indicative of high suitability for timber production: clear differentiation between trunk and main branches and few occurrences of permanent trunk forks, apex deaths, and sylleptic branching. Trees belonging to different families differed in height and trunk diameter. Micro-environmental conditions had a very significant effect on most architectural traits, including the trunk differentiation.

? Conclusions

N. nervosa emerges as a suitable option for timber production in temperate regions. Trunk growth seems to be under both environmental and genetic control in this species.     

Relationship between tree morphology and growth stress in mature European beech stands

Aims

In European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) large growth stresses lead to severe log end splitting that devaluate beech timber. Our study aimed at detecting relationships between growth stress and some morphology parameters in trees.

Methods

Growth stress indicators were recorded for 440 mature trees in nine stands from five European countries, together with morphology parameters.

Results

Most trees displayed an uneven distribution of growth stress around the trunk. Moreover, growth stress intensity varied largely between individual trees. Geometry of the trunk was a poor predictor of growth stress intensity. Crown asymmetry resulted in a larger stress dissymmetry within trees. Trunk inclination was not correlated to max tension stress, contrary to what is usually found in younger trees. In the case of small inclination, growth stress was close to expected from biomechanics of restoring verticality. Trees exhibiting a larger inclination probably evolved a different mechanical solution: a rather large crown, lower tree slenderness and a sufficient asymmetry in growth stress as to prevent a higher inclination due to growth.

Conclusion

A large slenderness is the best accurate predictor of a large growth stress, although variations in the ratio height/diameter at breast height explained only 10 % of the variability of growth stress. A large crown surface was the best predictor of a low level of growth stress. A large spacing between trees seems a good solution to lower the risk of growth stress in mature beech.     

Hydraulic properties and embolism in small-diameter roots of five temperate broad-leaved tree species with contrasting drought tolerance

? Context

It has been estimated that about half of a plant??s total hydraulic resistance is located belowground, but it is not well known how temperate tree species differ in root hydraulic properties and how these traits vary with the species?? drought tolerance.

? Aims

We examined root anatomical and hydraulic traits in five broad-leaved tree species with different drought tolerance, analyzed the relation between root anatomy and hydraulic conductivity and root embolism, and investigated the relation of these traits to the species?? drought tolerance.

? Methods

In small-diameter roots (2?C6?mm), we measured vessel diameters and vessel density, specific hydraulic conductivity, and the percental loss of conductivity (??native?? embolism) during summer in a mixed forest.

? Results

Specific conductivity was positively related to vessel diameter but not to vessel density. Drought-tolerant Fraxinus showed the smallest mean vessel diameters and drought-sensitive Fagus the largest. Specific conductivity was highly variable among different similar-sized roots of the same species with a few roots apparently functioning as ??high-conductivity roots??.

? Conclusion

The results show that coexisting tree species can differ largely in root hydraulic traits with more drought-sensitive trees apparently having larger mean vessel diameters in their roots than tolerant species. However, this difference was not related to the observed root conductivity losses due to embolism.     

Effect of selective logging on stand structure and tree species diversity in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest

?Context

Selective logging followed by natural regeneration is rarely employed for restocking subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests in East Asia compared with the use of clear-cutting.

?Aims

To clarify the succession of these forests, the effects of selective logging on stand structure, species diversity, and community similarity were studied in a mature and regenerating forest in Okinawa, Japan.

?Methods

Four study plots were established, and trees ≥1.2 m height were identified by species name, tree height, and diameter at breast height.

?Results

The results showed that the species composition of regenerating forest was similar to mature forest; however, the former had a greater species density and Shannon–Wiener index than the latter. Castanopsis sieboldii and Distylium racemosum, the predominant trees in the mature forest, continued to dominate the regenerating forest, with a broad layer distribution. High Sørensen and Jaccard community similarity indices for mature and regenerating forest indicated that the regeneration occurred in a progressive succession.

?Conclusion

The similar species composition and stand structure for both mature and regenerating forest, and the higher species diversity for the latter, provided no evidence of forest degeneration and suggested that the regenerating forest may develop into a stand similar to preselective logging forest.     

Considering evolutionary processes in adaptive forestry

Context

Managing forests under climate change requires adaptation. The adaptive capacity of forest tree populations is huge but not limitless. Integrating evolutionary considerations into adaptive forestry practice will enhance the capacity of managed forests to respond to climate-driven changes.

Aims

Focusing on natural regeneration systems, we propose a general framework that can be used in various and complex local situations by forest managers, in combination with their own expertise, to integrate evolutionary considerations into decision making for the emergence of an evolution-oriented forestry.

Methods

We develop a simple process-based analytical grid, using few processes and parameters, to analyse the impact of forestry practice on the evolution and evolvability of tree populations.

Results

We review qualitative and, whenever possible, quantitative expectations on the intensity of evolutionary drivers in forest trees. Then, we review the effects of actual and potential forestry practice on the evolutionary processes. We illustrate the complexity of interactions in two study cases: the evolutionary consequences for forest trees of biotic interactions and of highly heterogeneous environment.

Conclusion

Evolution-oriented forestry may contribute adapting forests to climate change. It requires combining short-term and long-term objectives. We propose future lines of research and experimentation.     

Tree species exhibit complex patterns of distribution in bottomland hardwood forests

?Context

Understanding tree interactions requires an insight into their spatial distribution.

?Aims

We looked for presence and extent of tree intraspecific spatial point pattern (random, aggregated, or overdispersed) and interspecific spatial point pattern (independent, aggregated, or segregated).

?Methods

We established twelve 0.64-ha plots in natural bottomland hardwood stands in the southeastern USA.

?Results

Spatial point pattern analyses (Ripley’s K, L, and L ₁₂) indicated that, when species were combined, trees were frequently aggregated and less commonly overdispersed. Plots with larger trees were more likely to exhibit overdispersion, confirming a shift to this pattern as trees grow. The intraspecific pattern of cherrybark oak and water oak was either aggregated or random. Sweetgum was aggregated on all plots and always at smaller distances (less than 5 m) than the two oak species. Intraspecific overdispersion was very rare. Interspecific segregation among the two oak species was more commonly observed (six plots) than aggregation (one plot). Cherrybark oak and sweetgum were segregated at some scale on seven of the 12 plots and aggregated on only two plots.

?Conclusion

The results from the analyses suggest that strong interspecific competition may result in segregation of trees from different species, while weaker intraspecific competition may lead to aggregations of conspecifics.     

Intra-specific differences in allometric equations for aboveground biomass of eastern Mediterranean Pinus brutia

? Context

Biomass prediction is important when dealing for instance with carbon sequestration, wildfire modeling, or bioenergy supply. Although allometric models based on destructive sampling provide accurate estimates, alternative species-specific equations often yield considerably different biomass predictions. An important source of intra-specific variability remains unexplained.

? Aims

The aims of the study were to inspect and assess intra-specific differences in aboveground biomass of Pinus brutia Ten. and to fill the gap in knowledge on biomass prediction for this species.

? Methods

Two hundred one trees between 2.3 and 55.8 cm in diameter at breast height were sampled throughout the eastern- and southernmost natural distribution area of P. brutia, in Middle East, where it forms different stand structures. Allometric equations were fitted separately for two countries. The differences in biomass prediction at tree, stand, and forest level were analyzed. The effect of stand structure and past forest management was discussed.

? Results

Between-country differences in total aboveground biomass were not large. However, differences in biomass stock were large when tree components were analyzed separately. Trees had higher stem biomass and lower crown biomass in dense even-aged stands than in more uneven-aged and sparse stands.

? Conclusion

Biomass and carbon predictions could be improved by taking into account stand structure in biomass models.