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Forests
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Silviculture Measures Needed to Keep Up with Changes in Forests
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Silviculture Measures Needed to Keep Up with Changes in Forests

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 August 2023) | Viewed by 8114

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jiří Novák

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Research Station at Opočno, 51773 Opočno, Czech Republic
Interests: silviculture; forest management; soil; environment; forest ecology; forest conservation; natural resource management; climate change; vegetation; plant ecology
Dr. Dušan Kacálek

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Research Station at Opočno, 51773 Opočno, Czech Republic
Interests: silviculture; soil fertility; plant nutrition; nutrient management; soil and water conservation; environment; nutrient cycling; soil ecology; forest ecology; reforestation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Around the world, huge areas of forest are being influenced by man. Forest management takes time, and the status of current forest stands is a result of traditional management and natural disturbances. New research, observations and practical experience have generated the knowledge that such stands are often unstable in changing environments. Therefore, forest managers and owners seek new measures that help to make forest stands more stable and capable of providing wood and other forest services.

The objective of this Special Issue is to introduce recent research results related to silvicultural measures (thinning, methods of regeneration, conversion, etc.) and their effects on forest stability and the provision of productive and non-productive forest services under changing environmental conditions.

Dr. Jiří Novák
Dr. Dušan Kacálek
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thinning
  • renewal
  • conversion
  • forest services
  • changing environments

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 847 KiB  
Article
Chemical Thinning and Fisheye Clip for Managing Light Intensity in the Understory of Forest Restoration
by André Junqueira Barros, Priscilla de Paula Loiola and Ricardo Augusto Gorne Viani
Forests 2023, 14(11), 2140; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112140 - 27 Oct 2023
Viewed by 704
Abstract
Research highlights: Tropical forest restoration can be supported by the production of timber species in their understory. While they may appear at odds, they can be reconciled to promote environmental conservation and services. The lack of information on the management of tropical species [...] Read more.
Research highlights: Tropical forest restoration can be supported by the production of timber species in their understory. While they may appear at odds, they can be reconciled to promote environmental conservation and services. The lack of information on the management of tropical species causes a technical constraint for timber production in the understory of restoration sites, especially given the light restrictions. This issue could be amended with the development of methods to easily manage and estimate light availability, targeting management practices that balance restoration success and productivity. Materials and Methods: We conducted this study in an area within the Atlantic Forest, Brazil, where we tested the efficiency of chemical thinning to increase light availability in the understory of a five-year-old restoration planting, aiming to increase the growth rates of desirable timber species. Moreover, we tested the viability of using hemispherical photography taken with a smartphone to assess light incidence to assist restoration management practices. We calculated the percentage of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) using a ceptometer in four different thinning intensities and compared them to the smartphone measures using correlation analysis. Results: Chemical thinning increased light incidence in the understory, with potential impacts on timber species productivity. Light management through PAR and canopy opening were highly correlated overall, especially after three months of management and 60% of thinning intensity. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the potential for chemical thinning as a management practice to enhance light availability in the understory of tropical forest restoration sites. Additionally, our study highlights the value of using affordable and accessible tools like smartphones and fisheye clips for the indirect assessment of light conditions to promote natural regeneration and guide forest management and timber production in tropical forest restoration. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Silviculture Measures Needed to Keep Up with Changes in Forests)
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14 pages, 1982 KiB  
Article
The Mechanical Stability of Pure Norway Spruce Stands along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Czech Republic
by David Dušek, Jiří Novák and Jakub Černý
Forests 2023, 14(8), 1558; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14081558 - 30 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 914
Abstract
Norway spruce stands are established and managed along various site conditions in central Europe. Currently, spruce often grows at locations outside of its ecological optimum, resulting in extensive damage elicited by harmful abiotic and biotic factors, which relatively shortens the time to change [...] Read more.
Norway spruce stands are established and managed along various site conditions in central Europe. Currently, spruce often grows at locations outside of its ecological optimum, resulting in extensive damage elicited by harmful abiotic and biotic factors, which relatively shortens the time to change this adverse status in the adaptation frame by foresters. Except for the rapid change in species composition through clear-cuts, another way is possible, i.e., stabilising current (especially young) spruce stands to extend the time required to implement adaptation measures. The assumption that different site conditions will have to be respected as part of this adaptation was confirmed by our study based on NFI data of the Czech Republic. A semiparametric generalized linear model (GAM) was used to model the relationship between the height-to-diameter ratio and forest stand age, differentially considering particular forest vegetation zones. Spruce stands with lower elevations attain a lower stability (expressed by their height-to-diameter ratio; HDR) than those in the mountains. The HDR culminated in lower and middle altitudes in the first half of the rotation period, representing the most critical timing and effectivity of silvicultural measures. Contrary to previous findings, we found higher HDR values at nutrient-rich sites than those at acid ones, especially up to 50–60 years old. Therefore, more research should be devoted to the issue concerning the same thinning regime under different site conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Silviculture Measures Needed to Keep Up with Changes in Forests)
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14 pages, 3371 KiB  
Article
Short-Term Effects of Thinning on Tree Growth and Soil Nutrients in the Middle-Aged Chinese Fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook.) Plantations
by Na Lin, Ninglong Deng, Dehao Lu, Huiyan Xie, Mingchun Feng and Shiqing Chen
Forests 2023, 14(1), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14010074 - 30 Dec 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2026
Abstract
Knowing the effect of thinning on forest ecosystem services is an important aspect of sustainable forest management. This study analyzed the traditional thinning on tree growth and soil nutrients in the Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) plantations. The Chinese fir plantations [...] Read more.
Knowing the effect of thinning on forest ecosystem services is an important aspect of sustainable forest management. This study analyzed the traditional thinning on tree growth and soil nutrients in the Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) plantations. The Chinese fir plantations were 11 years old with different initial densities in Jinji (4000 tree·ha−1), and Yingde (3000 tree·ha−1), Xiaolong (2000 tree·ha−1) forest farms, and 20 years old in Yangmei (2000 tree·ha−1) forest farm. The thinning intensity was 35% in Yangmei and Xiaolong forest farms, and 43% in Jinji and Yingde forest farms. Tree growth was measured as the increment of diameter at breast height and stand volume; soil nutrients were measured as pH, soil carbon and nitrogen contents at 0–10 cm soil. The thinning led to an increase in the diameter of trees in all study plots, with the fastest growth rate in Jinji (22.02%) forest farm. The stand volume growth rate was higher in thinning plots than in control plots, with the highest volume growth rate in Xiaolong (27.8%), due to its higher leaf area index and lower density. There was an increasing pattern of C and N contents in the higher initial density plots after thinning (Jinji and Yingde forest farms). During the extreme drought year in 2021, the thinning mitigated the changes in soil acidity and soil moisture, which indicated that thinning could also increase drought tolerance in the short term. Thinning response studies frequently focus on the long-term effect; our results demonstrate how thinning promotes tree growth in the short term. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Silviculture Measures Needed to Keep Up with Changes in Forests)
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13 pages, 1302 KiB  
Article
The Polish Provenances of European Larch Overperform the Expected Growth Dynamics Indicated by the Sigmoid Model
by Radosław Jagiełło, Adrian Łukowski and Wojciech Kowalkowski
Forests 2022, 13(11), 1852; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13111852 - 05 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1283
Abstract
This article attempts an unusual interpretation of the observations characteristic of experiments that compare different tree species’ provenances. The focus falls on larch (Larix decidua subsp. polonica). The data came from the experiment established in 1967 at the Siemianice forest experimental [...] Read more.
This article attempts an unusual interpretation of the observations characteristic of experiments that compare different tree species’ provenances. The focus falls on larch (Larix decidua subsp. polonica). The data came from the experiment established in 1967 at the Siemianice forest experimental station, where 21 Polish larch provenances were compared. The study’s main objective was to compare the basic estimates of growth dynamics, the maximum growth rate and acceleration, and the point in time when these values were achieved. A four-parameter sigmoid growth function was used to model the average stand basal area increments and its first and second derivatives to calculate the indicators of the growth dynamic. The models explained 98% of the observed variations resulting from the 21 inventories. Only one growth parameter showed a statistically significant difference among the compared provenances. The Góra Chełmowa provenance achieved the highest value of the maximum growth acceleration, but it was statistically significantly different only from the three underperformed provenances. However, when the average values for all the experimental plots (n = 86) were compared with those of the deterministic model (the stand volume and yield tables), the maximum growth rate and acceleration values were higher for the former. We discuss the potential factors responsible for this overperformance and point out the potential risks that arise from growth and quality metrics only when deciding on the best-performing provenances. The sigmoid growth model employed in this study might be an excellent alternative for comparing the growth dynamics among different stands or replications in experimental studies. Considering only the early results, the sigmoid growth model proves its limitations, and the conclusions reached should be treated with caution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Silviculture Measures Needed to Keep Up with Changes in Forests)
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15 pages, 3655 KiB  
Article
Heritage Trees as an Important Sanctuary for Saproxylic Beetles in the Central European Landscape: A Case Study from Litovelské Pomoraví, Czech Republic
by Oto Nakládal, Václav Zumr, Jiří Remeš, Markéta Macháčová and Vítězslava Pešková
Forests 2022, 13(7), 1128; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13071128 - 18 Jul 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2351
Abstract
Intensive forest and agroforestry management has greatly reduced the biodiversity of saproxylic organisms. Large trees are one of the most important refuges of saproxylic beetles. These large trees that grow outside and inside the forest are declining in the wider landscape. Heritage trees [...] Read more.
Intensive forest and agroforestry management has greatly reduced the biodiversity of saproxylic organisms. Large trees are one of the most important refuges of saproxylic beetles. These large trees that grow outside and inside the forest are declining in the wider landscape. Heritage trees are one of the essential groups of beneficial trees in the landscape. We investigated saproxylic beetles associated with 35 selected oak heritage trees in Litovelské Pomoraví in the eastern Czech Republic. The study aimed to investigate the distribution of saproxylic beetles on trees growing inside or at the edge of forest stands, or on free-growing heritage trees. The other studied variables were the height, DBH, and light condition (sunny or shady) of heritage trees. The results showed that sunny habitats were the only significant factor found for all saproxylic species. However, the significance of increasing tree trunk dimension was found for the endangered species. Diversity indices q = 0 (species richness) and q = 1 (exponential of Shannon entropy index) were also higher for sunny trees, while solitary trees showed a high Shannon index value despite the low number of samples. Redundancy analysis of saproxylic species showed that the preferred habitats of most species were sunny massive solitary oaks. The results indicated that strictly protected heritage trees scattered in the landscape are crucial sanctuaries for many species—especially in landscapes where there are not enough suitable habitats for saproxylic beetles. Finding, conserving, and protecting these rare types of massive trees in the landscape has a significant impact on the conservation of saproxylic beetle biodiversity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Silviculture Measures Needed to Keep Up with Changes in Forests)
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