Root Traits, Litterfall, and Radial Growth: Seasonal Dynamics and Silvicultural Modulation

Dear Colleagues,

Forest ecology has traditionally concentrated on aboveground processes, especially in relation to the annual growth rings of trees (e.g., productivity). However, over the past few decades, there has been growing awareness that forest health and function are critically dependent on belowground traits and aboveground–belowground linkages. Root traits are responsible for the governance of resource acquisition strategies (water and nutrients). Litterfall dynamics are pivotal for the cycling of nutrients and the fertility of the soil.

These processes are currently subject to rapid changes driven by climate change, making the study of their seasonal dynamics (e.g., phenology and xylogenesis timing) essential for understanding how trees adapt to environmental stress. Concurrently, silvicultural practices are no longer regarded exclusively as mechanisms for enhancing productivity; rather, they are now recognized as essential modulators for preserving forest resilience and functionality in the context of a changing climate.

This Special Issue will integrate state-of-the-art knowledge regarding the operation of fundamental tree strategies and processes at the seasonal scale. These processes include root traits, litterfall dynamics and radial growth, and the modulation of these dynamics via silvicultural interventions.

Rather than studying these multi-dimensional ecological components in isolation, we seek to understand them as an integrated system. The core scope of this Special Issue covers the mechanisms underlying forest resilience, as well as the regulation of carbon and nutrient cycling, through this integrated perspective.

Current cutting-edge research is rapidly advancing across three interconnected areas:

• Integration of Belowground–Aboveground Mechanisms: Research that interprets the functional links between root traits (e.g., specific root length) and aboveground growth/litterfall patterns using trait-based approaches;
• Quantification of Seasonal Timing: Studies that quantify the fine-scale seasonal timing of phenology and xylogenesis (annual ring formation) and investigate how this timing is altered through climate and forest management;
• Ecological Effects of Management Interventions: Research that identifies the mechanisms via which specific silvicultural methods (such as thinning or fertilization) modulate a tree's resource allocation strategy (root/stem/litter) and growth dynamics.

This Special Issue encourages the submission of original research papers and in-depth review articles that address the aforementioned themes. Furthermore, we strongly encourage submissions that utilize diverse methods and cover varied forest systems and silvicultural contexts.

The following areas are of particular interest, but the scope is not strictly limited to them:

• The impact of silvicultural practices (e.g., thinning, fertilization, prescribed burning, harvesting) on root traits or the quantity and quality of litterfall;
• Studies utilizing radial growth (tree ring) data to analyze the seasonal connectivity between root/litter characteristics and growth;
• The effects of forest management on the timing of phenology and xylogenesis, and the resultant influence on annual tree growth;
• Research elucidating the mechanisms by which aboveground-belowground linkages are modulated by climate change or silvicultural practices;
• Analyses of trade-offs among root traits, litterfall, and growth across different tree species and forest types (e.g., natural, managed, urban forests);
• Methodological advancements in measuring root traits, litterfall flux, or seasonal growth dynamics in managed forest settings.

We invite submissions from a range of methodological approaches, encompassing field experiments, observational studies, modeling strategies, and meta-analyses, provided that they contribute novel insights into the seasonal dynamics and silvicultural modulation of these pivotal ecological processes.

Dr. Ji Young An
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• silvicultural practices
• tree root traits
• litterfall dynamics
• xylogenesis
• seasonal dynamics
• phenology
• aboveground-belowground linkages
• forest ecosystem function
• dendroecology
• nutrient cycling