Forest Growth, Soil Properties and Climate

Dear Colleagues,

Site quality, genetic factors, and forest management are crucial to forest stand productivity. In physiographically homogeneous landscape units, soil quality, climate, and microclimate determine the variability of the physical environment and the productive potential of a forest ecosystem.

In addition to its support function, soil is a source of water and nutrients for terrestrial plants. Poor performance of these functions can make soil a limiting factor for tree growth and the productivity of forest stands. The soil's physical, chemical, and biological properties, primarily emanating from its profile, directly affect the soil’s ability to provide the necessary resources for forest growth. The climate also plays a major role in tree growth, both by directly affecting vital functions and by influencing the soil's productive capacity. Both soil and climate set limits for fundamental forest planning and management decisions.

In turn, soil formation is a major service provided by forests to society. Furthermore, forests provide protection against erosion and excessive evaporation, promote water drainage and aeration, improve soil structure, and enrich the soil with organic matter and nutrients. By directly interfering in the water cycle, forests also shape the climates within their perimeters and in the surrounding areas. Given the amount of biomass produced, forest soils are one of the largest carbon reservoirs on the planet.

Only a deep knowledge of these mutual influences can guarantee the sustainable management of forest resources, i.e., promoting forest growth, yield, and productivity without compromising other natural resources, particularly soil resources. This Special Issue will focus on examples of these relationships, resulting from ongoing experiments in the scientific community. The contributions should also help to clarify the concept of forest soils, as well as the relative importance of each climatic factor in forest growth.

Dr. José Alexandre Varanda Andrade
Dr. Carlos A. Alexandre
Dr. Ana Cristina Gonçalves
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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