Habitat structure influences the spider fauna of short-rotation poplar plantations more than forest age

Plantation forests comprise an important part of the forested areas in European countries. Intensive forestry management and short-rotation cycles of plantation forests reduce habitat diversity and change the composition of invertebrate assemblages, mainly by reducing the number of habitat specialist species. Here, we analysed the effect of vegetation structure, amount of dead organic matter (DOM) and plantation age on spider functional diversity and assemblage structure in short-rotation plantations of native silver poplar in Hungary. Three stages, representing young plantations, 6- to 10-year-old stands (five stands), middle-aged plantations, aged between 23 and 26 years (five stands) and mature, 35- to 37-year-old forests at commercial maturity (five stands) were sampled. Each sample consisted of the data of ten pitfall traps. Traps were installed 5 m from each other in a 2 × 5 grid. Functional diversity was positively related to vegetation structure. High functional diversity indicates a higher number of available niches and potential resources. The abundance of moist habitat species and forest specialist species was positively correlated with DOM. Furthermore, moist habitat species were also related to vegetation structure. The most important environmental parameters affecting spiders were factors attributed to trees (litter and DOM), understory vegetation structure and, to a lesser extent, forest age. Different-aged stands may be similar in terms of species composition of their spider fauna if they comprise the same habitat structural patterns. Our study emphasises that the simple habitat structure of plantation forests has a negative effect on spider communities.     

The potential of hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa [Sieb. et Zucc.] Endlicher) plantation forests for the restoration of the original plant community in Japan

We estimated the potential of plantation forests for the restoration of the original plant community. We compared the understory vegetation in hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa [Sieb. et Zucc.] Endlicher) plantations at the understory re-initiation stage and in adjacent natural forests. To estimate the effect of the original natural forests on the understory species composition of plantation forests, we established study sites in five types of natural forests (mature evergreen broadleaf, mature deciduous broadleaf, mature evergreen coniferous, immature deciduous broadleaf warm-temperate, and immature deciduous broadleaf cool-temperate) and nearby plantation forests. The understory vegetation of the plantation forests had a higher species richness, a higher proportion of early-seral species, and a higher proportion of herb or fern species than the natural forests. The differences between natural and plantation forests varied according to the species composition of the natural forests. The composition of the understory vegetation of the plantations at the understory re-initiation stage was similar to that of the immature deciduous forests. The characteristics of immature, disturbed forests remained in the understory vegetation of the hinoki forests. No great loss of species was observed. Our findings suggest that most of the original forest species still survive in the understory of the plantation forests. These forests have the potential to follow the successional pathway to broadleaf or mixed forests via thinning or clear-cutting without planting.     

Thinning and chipping small-diameter ponderosa pine changes understory plant communities on the Colorado Front Range

Novel fire mitigation treatments that chip harvested biomass on site are increasingly prescribed to reduce the density of small-diameter trees, yet the ecological effects of these treatments are unknown. Our objective was to investigate the impacts of mechanical thinning and whole tree chipping on Pinus ponderosa (ponderosa pine) regeneration and understory plant communities to guide applications of these new fuel disposal methods. We sampled in three treatments: (1) unthinned forests (control), (2) thinned forests with harvested biomass removed (thin-only), and (3) thinned forests with harvested biomass chipped and broadcast on site (thin + chip). Plots were located in a ponderosa pine forest of Colorado and vegetation was sampled three to five growing seasons following treatment. Forest litter depth, augmented with chipped biomass, had a negative relationship with cover of understory plant species. In situ chipping often produces a mosaic of chipped patches tens of meters in size, creating a range of woodchip depths including areas lacking woodchip cover within thinned and chipped forest stands. Thin-only and thin + chip treatments had similar overall abundance and species richness of understory plants at the stand scale, but at smaller spatial scales, areas within thin + chip treatments that were free of woodchip cover had an increased abundance of understory vegetation compared to all other areas sampled. Relative cover of non-native plant species was significantly higher in the thin-only treatments compared to control and thin + chip areas. Thin + chip treated forests also had a significantly different understory plant community composition compared to control or thin-only treatments, including an increased richness of rhizomatous plant species. We suggest that thinning followed by either chipping or removing the harvested biomass could alter understory plant species composition in ponderosa pine forests of Colorado. When considering post-treatment responses, managers should be particularly aware of both the depth and the distribution of chipped biomass that is left in forested landscapes.     

间伐对栓皮栎人工林林下更新的影响

栓皮栎是我国温带落叶阔叶林代表树种之一,是河南省山区典型地带性树种和主要造林树种.间伐作为一个重要的森林经营措施,研究其对林下更新的影响,可为改善栓皮栎人工林林分结构,维持林下物种多样性,制定科学合理的森林经营措施提供支撑.对间伐3 a后栓皮栎人工林林下幼苗更新物种及更新多样性进行调查,结果表明:间伐后林地内幼苗种类和...     

Initial Response of Understory Vegetation to Three Alternative Thinning Treatments

This study compares initial understory vegetation response among three thinning treatments and a control in 30- to 50-year-old even-aged Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco (Douglas-fir) stands. It was conducted on four sites on the western slope of the central Oregon Cascades. Treatments included a control (no thinning), a light thinning, and two treatments designed to encourage development of understory vegetation: a light thinning with gap creation and a heavy thinning. Vegetation response was measured during the first post-treatment growing season and 5–7 years later. At a treatment-scale, vegetation structure and composition differed between thinned and unthinned stands but varied little among thinning treatments. Thinnings resulted in initial declines of bryophytes, tall shrubs, and low shrubs followed by subsequent recovery and growth. Herbs displayed little initial response, but a release of early-seral species was evident in thinned stands by 5–7 years posttreatment. The addition of gaps resulted in differentiation of plant composition across the gradient from gap center to the thinned forest matrix, but this was only statistically detectable at a within-treatment scale. The causal mechanisms driving initial post-thinning response are discussed to better understand long-term implications and potential roles of thinning in managing for understory vegetation.     

Thinning intensity affects microbial functional diversity and enzymatic activities associated with litter decomposition in a Chinese fir plantation

Microbial functional diversity and enzymatic activities are critical to maintaining material circulation during litter decomposition in forests. Thinning, an important and widely used silvicultural treatment, changes the microclimate and promotes forest renewal. However, how thinning affects microbial functional diversity and enzymatic activities during litter decomposition remains poorly understood. We conducted thinning treatments in a Chinese fir plantation in a subtropical region of China with four levels of tree stem removal (0, 30, 50, and 70%), each with three replicates, and the effects of thinning on microbial functional diversity and enzymatic activities were studied 7 years after treatment by collecting litter samples four times over a 1-year period. Microbial functional diversity and enzymatic activities were analyzed using Biolog Ecoplates (Biolog Inc., Hayward, CA, USA) based on the utilization of 31 carbon substrates. Total microbial abundance during litter decomposition was lower after the thinning treatments than without thinning. Microbial functional diversity did not differ significantly during litter decomposition, but the types of microbial carbon-source utilization did differ significantly with the thinning treatments. Microbial cellulase and invertase activities during litter decomposition were significantly higher under the thinning treatments due to changes in the litter carbon concentration and the ratios of carbon and lignin to nitrogen. The present study demonstrated the important influence of thinning on microbial activities during litter decomposition. Moderate-intensity thinning may maximize vegetation diversity and, in turn, increase the available substrate sources for microbial organisms in litter and promote nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems.     

A preliminary study on the effects of line and selective thinning on bird communities in Hokkaido, northern Japan

In Japan, selective thinning is a common thinning method, though line thinning receives much attention because of its economic merits. In this study, we examined effects of the two thinning methods on bird communities in Todo fir (Abies sachalinensis) plantations in Hokkaido, Japan. We surveyed bird species in forests under four different management types — unthinned, selectively thinned, line-thinned plantation, and naturally regenerated forest (here after referred to as natural forest) stands — using a line-transect method. We also investigated vegetation structure (canopy tree and understory) of these stands. Bird species richness did not differ between natural forests and plantations, while bird total abundance was greater in plantations than in natural forests. Bird species richness and total abundance were comparable among the three management types for plantations. Abundances of 10 bird species were different among the four management types, and five species were more abundant in line-thinned plantations. However, two species were more abundant in selectively thinned stands than in line-thinned stands, and they frequently appeared in natural forests. There were no distinct differences in vegetation structure among the management types for plantations. Our results suggest that line thinning could be beneficial for some bird species in plantations.     

Influence of conventional and chemical thinning on stand structure and diversity of plant and mammal communities in young lodgepole pine forest

Silvicultural practices that provide a wide variety of vegetative composition and structure (habitats) in young stands should help manage for biological diversity across forested landscapes. This study was designed to test the hypotheses that: (i) abundance and diversity of stand structure attributes (species diversity and structural diversity of herb, shrub and tree layers) and forest floor small mammal communities, and (ii) relative habitat use by large herbivores, will increase from unthinned to conventionally thinned to chemically thinned stands of young lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) forest. Replicate study areas were located near Summerland, Kelowna and Williams Lake in south-central British Columbia, Canada. Each study area had three treatments: a conventionally thinned, a chemically thinned and an unthinned stand. Pre-commercial thinning was conducted in 1993. Coniferous stand structure and understory vegetation were measured prior to thinning in 1993 and 5 years later in 1998. Small mammal populations were sampled intensively from 1993 to 1998. Relative habitat use by large herbivores was sampled in 1998.

Our results indicate that chemical thinning of young lodgepole pine stands produced an aggregated pattern of crop trees compared with stands subjected to conventional thinning. Diameter growth of crop trees in the chemically thinned stands was similar to that in the conventionally thinned, but also to that in unthinned stands. Although horizontal stratification (aggregates of trees) was enhanced, vertical stratification (structural diversity of vegetation) was less in the chemically than conventionally thinned stands. Abundance and diversity of understory vegetation and small mammal communities were generally unaffected by stand thinning in these particular installations. Relative habitat use by mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) occurred in a gradient from highest in the conventionally thinned stand to lowest in the unthinned stand. Habitat use by snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) tended to have the opposite trend. Moose (Alces alces) exhibited no difference in habitat use among stands. Thus, although there were few differences among treatment stands, chemical thinning could be used to develop an aggregated pattern of crop trees in pre-commercially thinned stands to maintain habitat for herbivores such as snowshoe hares and mule deer. Understory plant and forest floor small mammal communities would be maintained in these stands as well.     

Responses of community structure,diversity, and abundance of understory plants and insect assemblages to thinning in plantations

Identifying effective management operations for plantations is important for conservation of biodiversity in a plantation-dominated landscape. We tested whether pre-commercial thinning influenced community structures and could be an effective strategy for increasing diversity and abundance of plants and animals in plantations. We designated thinned and unthinned study stands in Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) plantations and compared the communities of understory vegetation, bees, butterflies, hoverflies, and longhorn beetles 1 and 3 years after thinning. The analyses of vegetation showed that pre-commercial thinning affected community structure, but species richness and vegetation abundance were not significantly affected. Thinning affected insect community structure, and both species richness and abundance of all insect groups increased 1 year after thinning. However, 3 years after thinning, significant differences only remained in the species richness of bees and the abundance of bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. These results suggest that pre-commercial thinning in plantation stands influences the community structure of understory vegetation and can be an effective way to increase the diversity and abundance of some insect groups in the short term. However, the results also suggest that the duration of the operational effects of pre-commercial thinning varies among insect groups; thus, the variable effects of pre-commercial thinning should be carefully considered in the conservation-based management of plantation stands.     

The effect of understory removal on microclimate and soil properties in two subtropical lumber plantations

Understory vegetation is an important component in forest ecosystems. However, the effects of understory on soil properties in subtropical forests are not fully understood. We thus conducted an experimental manipulative study in two young fast-growing plantations—Eucalyptus urophylla and Acacia crassicarpa—in southern China, by removing understory vegetation in both plantations, to estimate the effects of understory vegetation on microclimate, soil properties and N mineralization. Our data showed that, after 6 months, understory removal (UR) in both plantations had greatly increased soil surface luminous intensity (90–500 cd) and temperature (0.5–0.8 °C); soil moisture was reduced in the Eucalyptus plantation but not in the Acacia plantation. Understory removal also reduced soil organic matter (SOM), but had little impact on other soil chemical properties, including total phosphorus, C/N, pH, exchangeable cations (K, Ca, Mg), available P, ande extractable NH₄–N and NO₃–N. We found a significant decline of soil N mineralization and nitrification rates in the 0–5 cm soils of UR in both plantations. The decline of SOM in UR may contribute to the lower N transformations rates. This study indicates that a better understanding of understory vegetation effects on soil N cycling would be beneficial to forest management decisions and could provide a critical foundation for advancing management practices.     

Can pine forest restoration promote a diverse and abundant understory and simultaneously resist nonnative invasion?

An important goal of forest restoration is to increase native plant diversity and abundance. Thinning and burning treatments are a common method of reducing fire risk while simultaneously promoting understory production in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests. In this study we examine the magnitude and direction of understory plant community recovery after thinning and burning restoration treatments in a ponderosa pine forest. Our objective was to determine if the post-treatment community was a diverse, abundant, and persistent assemblage of native species or if ecological restoration treatments resulted in nonnative species invasion. This project was initiated at the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona, USA in 1997. We established four replicated blocks that spanned a gradient of soil types. Each block contained a control and a treated unit. Treated units were thinned to emulate pre-1870 forest stand conditions and prescribed-burned to reintroduce fire to a system that has not burned since ∼1870. We measured plant cover using the point-line intercept method and recorded species richness and composition on 0.05 ha belt transects. We examined the magnitude of treatment responses using Cohen's d effect size analysis. Changes in community composition were analyzed using nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS). Native plant species cover and richness increased in the thinned and burned areas compared to the controls. By the last year of the study, annual species comprised nearly 60% of the understory cover in the treatment units. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum), a nonnative annual grass, spread into large areas of the treated units and became the dominant understory species on the study site. The ecological restoration treatments did promote a more diverse and abundant understory community in ponderosa pine forests. The disturbances generated by such treatments also promoted an invasion by an undesirable nonnative species. Our results demonstrate the need to minimize disturbances generated by restoration treatments and argue for the need to proactively facilitate the recovery of native species after treatment.     

Understory Response to Repeated Thinning in Douglas-fir Forests of Western Oregon

This study investigated effects of a second-thinning entry on understory vegetation and tree regeneration development and understory vegetation composition. Study sites were located in the Coast Range and Cascade Range mountains of western Oregon and were dominated by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) forests. Stands were initially thinned between 1975 and 1982 and parts of these same stands were thinned again approximately 20 yr later. Thinning stands a second time resulted in greater amounts of fern, graminoid, and open-site species, but the abundance of tree regeneration was not affected. Despite different site conditions, compositional patterns in the understory consistently shifted toward open-site early seral species following the second thinnings. These results suggest that the initial impacts of a second thinning are not simply predictable from studies in which only a single thinning was implemented. It is important to consider that vegetation trends were already influenced by the previous thinnings, and impacts of the second thinning are thus not as easily detectable. Within these limitations, repeated thinnings may be an effective management tool to maintain early seral species in older forests, while other aspects of understory vegetation and tree regeneration are less influenced in the short term.     

皆伐前后油松人工林下植物多样性变化及与土壤水分的关系

【目的】探讨油松人工林皆伐前后林下植物多样性的变化及与土壤水分的关系,为在油松林皆伐后植被恢复和发育阶段维持生物多样性、保持林分结构稳定、发挥更高生态效益等方面提供科学依据和经营措施建议。【方法】采用时序研究法,在河北平泉地区选择立地一致的不同林龄油松人工林(32年中龄林、40年近熟林、53年成熟林)和皆伐后不同时间(5、10、24 a)的天然更新林作为研究对象,分析不同生长发育阶段油松人工林下植物物种组成与多样性的变化规律及与土壤水分间的相关性。【结果】1)皆伐前后6种林分样地共出现灌木植物21种,草本植物65种,不同样地林下植物组成存在差异。胡枝子在各林分样地均有出现,且重要值均> 20%,在灌木层优势地位明显;草本层中菊科植物种类最多,有18种,其次是蔷薇科和禾本科,分别为6种和4种。2)不同林分样地林下植物多样性指数均表现为草本层>灌木层,皆伐前随着林龄增加林下植物多样性逐渐增加;皆伐后灌木层植物多样性表现为先下降后增加再下降,且变化幅度明显,伐后10 a灌木层Margalef丰富度指数、Simpson多样性指数、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数最大,分别为1.40、0.61、1.24和0.74,与53年样地差异不显著。皆伐后不同时间的天然更新林草本层植物多样性均与伐前53年样地的差异不显著,皆伐对灌木层植物的影响较大。3)不同林地土壤水分变化规律较一致,表现为伐前随林龄增加而逐渐增加,伐后5~10 a仍保持较高水平,伐后24 a出现下降,经相关分析植物多样性指数与土壤水分之间有显著的正相关关系,与草本层的相关性达极显著水平。【结论】伐前林下植物多样性变化主要与林分密度降低、光照条件改善有关,伐后主要与油松天然更新及种间竞争有关。依靠油松天然更新恢复的林地保持了较高的生物多样性,但在皆伐10 a后出现下降的趋势,建议在此时对油松更新苗进行人工抚育、降低密度以维持植物多样性。土壤水分是影响植物多样性的关键生态因子,良好的土壤水分条件和林下植被的恢复和发展可以相互促进。     

不同间伐强度对长白落叶松-红松林植物多样性和土壤特性的影响

为了提高长白落叶松-红松林的生产力和生物多样性,2005年秋对长白落叶松人工林进行疏伐,伐后林冠下栽植4年生红松。2012年秋又对上层长白落叶松进行生长伐,设计轻度、中度和强度3种间伐强度和1组未间伐林分(对照),分析5年后不同间伐强度对林下植物多样性和土壤理化性质的影响。结果表明:①抚育间伐能提高林下植物多样性,林下灌木层植物丰富度随着间伐强度的增加而增加,轻度、中度和强度间伐差异显著(p<0.05)。林下灌木层植物多样性指数随着间伐强度的增加而增加,对照与中度间伐、强度间伐差异显著(p<0.05),但中度间伐和强度间伐差异不显著。林下草本层植物的丰富度和多样性指数随着间伐强度的增加而增加,各间伐强度均与对照差异显著(p<0.05),但轻度间伐和中度间伐差异不显著。②适度抚育间伐能改善土壤的理化性质,随着间伐强度的增加,土壤容重有所降低,土壤孔隙度和持水量有所提高;土壤pH值呈现先升高后略有降低的趋势,全K、速效K、全P、速效P、全N、速效N含量先升高后略有降低,其中中度间伐效果最好。综合考虑,对长白落叶松林分进行中度间伐较为适宜。     

Effects of thinning on plant species diversity and composition of understory herbs in a larch plantation

The effects of thinning on plant species diversity and composition of understory herbs in a larch plantation were investigated. The relationships between plant species diversity and composition of understory herbs and light conditions were established. Twenty-five 1 m × 1 m plots and fifteen 13 m × 1 m transects were set up in unthinned and thinned stands, respectively. All the transects in the thinned stands were set across the thinned rows and unthinned rows, and each of them was divided into nine 1 m × 1 m sub-plots. The herb diversity and light conditions were observed in each plot and sub-plot. The results show that there was a significant difference in herb diversity between the thinned and unthinned stands. All biodiversity indices except for evenness index in the thinned stand were higher than those of the unthinned stand, i.e., the herb diversity increased after thinning. According to the changes in herb densities and whether one species could be found in a stand or not before and after thinning, all herb species were classed into three types: positive, neutral and negative species, which referred to a species newly appeared and having an obviously increased density after thinning, with no obvious changes in its appearance and density after thinning, and disappeared and having an obviously decreased density after thinning, respectively. Many new species were found in the thinned stand like Corydalis pallida, Prenanthes tatarinowii, Vicia unijuga and Sonchus brachyotus etc. However, most species found in both the thinned and unthinned stands were negative species. In all nine subplots, only 11 and 10 species were found in spring and in autumn respectively, accounting for 17.74% and 15.15% of all the species in the thinned stand, respectively. All biodiversity indices were the highest in the center sub-plots and most of them tended to reduce from middle to side sub-plots. There was a close correlation between most of the three types of species and light conditions which was similar to each other in the thinned and unthinned stands. __________ Translated from Chinese Journal of Ecology, 2006, 25(10): 1201–1207 [译自: 生态学杂志]     

间伐对祁连山青海云杉人工林土壤水分的影响

利用EM50土壤水分监测仪,在样地尺度上,测定了祁连山青海云杉天然林、无间伐和间伐强度为20%的人工林地生长季节的土壤水分,对比分析间伐对人工林土壤水分的影响。结果表明:未间伐人工林林地表层(10 cm)土壤含水量显著高于间伐强度为20%的人工林和天然林,间伐导致了人工林林地表层土壤水分下降;而对于深层土壤含水量而言,间伐措施又显著提高了深层60 cm处的土壤含水量。与天然林地土壤含水量相比,无间伐人工林深层60 cm和80 cm处的土壤体积含水量仅为天然林的49.7%和52.1%,深层土壤已经出现旱化现象,间伐措施能够减缓这种旱化现象。     

Effects of thinning intensity on species diversity and timber production in a conifer (Cryptomeria japonica) plantation in Japan

In conifer plantations, enhancement of species diversity has become an important management goal. Although thinning is a useful method to enhance diversity, determining optimum thinning intensities may be rather complicated because of potential trade-offs among a broad array of management goals (e.g., recovery of biodiversity, increasing individual tree sizes, increasing net primary production, saving management costs). To evaluate the optimum thinning intensity by analyzing these relationships, we conducted a thinning experiment with three different thinning intensities—unthinned, 33% thinned, and 67% thinned—in a Cryptomeria japonica plantation in 2003, and investigated the number, diameter at breast height (DBH), and diversity of hardwoods (height?>?1.5?m) in 2008, and the growth of conifers over five?years. In hardwoods, the number of individuals, number of species, mean DBH, and total basal area were greatest in the 67% thinned treatment, irrespective of successional status. However, Shannon’s diversity index did not differ among the three treatments due to a disproportionate increase with thinning intensity in the abundance of a mid-successional species, Cornus controversa. Diameter growth of conifers was also highest in the 67% thinned and lowest in the unthinned treatment, whereas the reverse was true for stand volume increment. These results suggest that intensive thinning is a reliable method to convert conifer plantations into conifer–hardwood mixed forests at canopy level much more quickly and consistently than weak thinning, although primary production is to some extent reduced. If forest managers prefer sustainable timber production of conifers rather than full recovery of diversity, weak thinning may be suitable.     

Understory diversity and composition after planting of teak and mahogany in Yogyakarta,Indonesia

ABSTRACT

Forest rehabilitation is when a desired tree species is planted in degraded forests or lands. Rehabilitation by planting a single tree species is a common way to restore exploited forests to maintain ecological processes. We compared woody and herbaceous understory vegetation between forests rehabilitated by mahogany (N = 12) or teak (N = 12) planted from 1941 until 2003 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Understory vegetation of these areas was compared with that of three native forests. Species richness, species diversity, density of plants and proportion of native plants did not differ between the rehabilitated areas and the native forest. Recently rehabilitated areas were different from the native forests while 41–74 yr after rehabilitation, characteristics of understory vegetation approached those of native forest. We described species composition using ordination, and found it to differ between areas rehabilitated with teak and with mahogany and, particularly, between the rehabilitated areas and the native forests. Time since rehabilitation and tree species planted were important for the species composition of understory vegetation. We conclude that the selection of species for rehabilitation and letting rehabilitated areas mature are important for understory development and species diversity.     

Growth and structure development of semi-natural larch-spruce-fir (Larix olgensis–Picea jezoensis–Abies nephrolepis) forests in northeast China: 12-year results after thinning

Analyzing and understanding the structure and growth dynamics of semi-natural plantations is useful for their management. Since 1987, 16 plots with 4 treatments (CT: control; LT: light thinning; MT: medium thinning; and HT: heavy thinning) by 0, 20, 30 and 40% of basal area removal, respectively, and four replications were established in semi-natural larch-spruce-fir forests in northeast China. The structure and growth dynamics of semi-natural larch-spruce-fir stands and the effects of thinning on the growth, structure and diversity were examined. A mixed model repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) was used to test the effects of treatment and time.

Results showed that differences in periodic annual increment (PAI) of stand basal area and volume and the individual diameter and volume among treatments changed over time in a complex statistical interaction. Thinning, however, had a significant effect on growth at tree and stand levels 12 years after thinning while the PAI of the diameter, basal area and volume was positively correlated with thinning intensity. No significant differences were found in the total stand yield among treatments. Composition of tree species group (larch, other conifers and deciduous trees) during monitoring years did not change significantly. Moreover, no significant differences were observed in tree species and size diversity among treatments in the years following thinning. Both thinning and control plots had similar understory plant diversity after the 12 year period. Univariate point pattern analysis revealed that clumped and random distributions were dominant for tree species groups in this study. The current species composition and regeneration dynamics within these semi-natural plantations suggested a development towards mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests. Management implications for the transformation from larch plantations towards mixed broad-leaved Korean forests with a more diverse structure, the climax vegetation in this region, were discussed.