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Forests
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Forest Growth Modeling in Different Ecological Conditions
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Forest Growth Modeling in Different Ecological Conditions

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Inventory, Modeling and Remote Sensing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 8707

Special Issue Editors

Dr. María Menéndez-Miguélez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Instituto de Ciencias Forestales (ICIFOR-INIA), CSIC, Crta. La Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: climate change; biomass; new technologies
Dr. Admir Avdagic

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Forestry, University of Sarajevo, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Interests: earlywood; tree rings; radial growth; GIS; remote sensing
Dr. Francesca Giannetti

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
GEOLAB - Laboratory of Forest Geomatics, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Florence, Italy
Interests: forests; mapping natural resources; forest management; remote sensing to map forest resources; UAV forest applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global climate change the world is currently suffering means that forests have a more relevant role than ever. Whether they are restoration forests, new plantations, even aged or complex forests, all are effective tools to mitigate climate change by slowing CO2 accumulation in the atmosphere. The study of forests as ecosystems include, for example, the analysis of growth capacity, competition, mortality, death, mixtures or ecosystem services provision. Therefore, developing growth models adapted to new and future climate change situations is extremely necessary to manage these stands as best as possible, considering all possible functions and actors that belong to them and conserving them, including the different ecosystem services they provide. Talking about forest growth models means predicting the future status of a forest and the nature of any harvest from that forest and helping consider alternative management options. For these reasons, the main aim of this Special Issue is to compile papers that focus on forest growth and yield modeling at the individual tree or stand level, specific or generalized models, with different approaches, to improve knowledge and cover various forest types worldwide.

Dr. María Menéndez-Miguélez
Dr. Admir Avdagic
Dr. Francesca Giannetti
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

  • climate change
  • forest growth
  • yield models
  • carbon sequestration
  • biodiversity
  • ecosystem services
  • regeneration
  • mixed stands, pure stands
  • mortality
  • forest management

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 3514 KiB  
Article
Elevational Effects of Climate Warming on Tree Growth in a Picea schrenkiana Forest in the Eastern Tianshan Mountains
by Jianing He, Zehao Shen, Caiwen Ning, Wentao Zhang and Ümüt Halik
Forests 2024, 15(12), 2052; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15122052 - 21 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 933
Abstract
Considerable uncertainty exists regarding the overall effects of future climate change on forests in arid mountains, and the elevational range of drought-induced tree growth decline remains unclear. Tianshan is the largest mountain in arid regions globally. Here, we analyzed tree ring data of [...] Read more.
Considerable uncertainty exists regarding the overall effects of future climate change on forests in arid mountains, and the elevational range of drought-induced tree growth decline remains unclear. Tianshan is the largest mountain in arid regions globally. Here, we analyzed tree ring data of pure stands of Schrenk spruce (Picea schrenkiana Fisch. et Mey.) in the Jiangbulake region in the eastern Tianshan Mountains along an elevational gradient (1800–2600 m a.s.l.). The radial growth of P. schrenkiana trees declined in three of the nine sample strips (1800–2100 m a.s.l.) over the last two decades. P. schrenkiana growth response (measured by the tree ring width index, RWI) to temperature significantly changed at an elevational “inflection point” at 2100–2200 m. RWI was significantly negatively correlated with temperature at low elevations, whereas the opposite was observed at high elevations. Precipitation and minimum temperatures in winter and spring and mean temperatures in spring and summer were the main drivers of P. schrenkiana growth, with the effect of maximum temperatures on tree growth concentrated in the spring. In addition to climate warming in the study area since the 1970s, tree growth (as measured by the basal area increment, BAI) at elevations below 2200 m initially increased and then decreased. Tree growth at higher elevations continues to increase. Since 2000, the average RWI at high elevations exceeded that at low elevations. The average BAI values at high and low elevations have gradually approached each other in recent decades, although lower elevations exhibited higher values in the past. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Growth Modeling in Different Ecological Conditions)
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23 pages, 7104 KiB  
Article
Simulating the Long-Term Response of Forest Succession to Climate Change in the Boreal Forest of Northern Ontario, Canada
by Guy R. Larocque, F. Wayne Bell, Eric B. Searle, Stephen J. Mayor, Thomas Schiks and Parvin Kalantari
Forests 2024, 15(8), 1417; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15081417 - 13 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1519
Abstract
The effect of climate change on forest dynamics is likely to increase in importance in the forthcoming decades. For this reason, it is essential to predict the extent to which changes in temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric CO2 might affect the development of [...] Read more.
The effect of climate change on forest dynamics is likely to increase in importance in the forthcoming decades. For this reason, it is essential to predict the extent to which changes in temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric CO2 might affect the development of forest ecosystems and successional pathways. The gap model ZELIG-CFS was used to simulate the potential long-term effects of climate change on species-specific annual change in mean basal area and stand density under two scenarios of representative concentration pathways (RCP), 4.5 and 8.5, for the boreal forest region of Ontario, Canada, where mean temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric CO2 are expected to increase. Forest ecosystems in this boreal region included pure and mixed stands of black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.), paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), white spruce (Picea glauca [Moench] Voss), northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.), American larch (Larix laricina [Du Roi] K. Koch), and balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera L.). Simulation results under climate change generally predicted a decline in the basal area and stand density for black spruce, balsam fir, jack pine, and white spruce, but an increase for paper birch, trembling aspen, American larch, and balsam poplar. However, the extent of change differed regionally among species. Forest composition is expected to change over the long term. Simulation results indicated that shade-intolerant deciduous and conifer species will increase their dominance over the 100-year time horizon. This transition toward the increasing presence of deciduous forests is likely explained by more favorable temperature conditions for their growth and development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Growth Modeling in Different Ecological Conditions)
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16 pages, 3633 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Height Growth Equations and Site Index-Based Biomass Models for Young Native Species Afforestations in Spain
by Rafael Calama, Guillermo Madrigal, Miren del Río, Eduardo López-Senespleda, Marta Pardos, Ricardo Ruiz-Peinado and María Menéndez-Miguélez
Forests 2024, 15(5), 827; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050827 - 8 May 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1809
Abstract
The expansion of forested areas through afforestation and reforestation is widely recognized as a highly effective natural solution for mitigating climate change. Accurately assessing the potential carbon uptake capacity of newly afforested areas requires modelling tools to estimate biomass stocks, including site index [...] Read more.
The expansion of forested areas through afforestation and reforestation is widely recognized as a highly effective natural solution for mitigating climate change. Accurately assessing the potential carbon uptake capacity of newly afforested areas requires modelling tools to estimate biomass stocks, including site index curves and biomass models. Given the unique conditions in terms of tree size, uniform spacing, and tree allometries observed in young afforestations compared to natural stands, specific tools are necessary. In Spain, over 800,000 ha has been afforested with native forest species since 1992, but specific modelling tools for these plantations are lacking. Using data from 370 stem analyses collected across an extensive network of plots in young afforestations, we developed dynamic height growth and site index models for the main native species (five pines and five oaks) commonly used in afforestation in Spain. We compared various nonlinear models, such as ADA (algebraic difference approach) and GADA (generalized algebraic difference approach) expansions. The developed site index models were then used to predict the total biomass stored in the afforestation. Our results underscore the necessity for specific site index models tailored to afforestations, as well as the potential of the established site index in predicting biomass and carbon fixation capacity in these young forests. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Growth Modeling in Different Ecological Conditions)
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14 pages, 7711 KiB  
Article
Fine-Scale Spatial Variability of Stand Structural Features under Selection Management and Strict Protection: An Example from the Dinaric Mountains
by Srdjan Keren, Wojciech Ochał and Vojislav Dukić
Forests 2024, 15(1), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15010032 - 22 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1148
Abstract
Small scattered plots of a few hundred square meters well reflect structural variability at stand level, but not at small spatial scales as the data between plots is missing. Information about structural similarities between managed and unmanaged stands, especially based on large sample [...] Read more.
Small scattered plots of a few hundred square meters well reflect structural variability at stand level, but not at small spatial scales as the data between plots is missing. Information about structural similarities between managed and unmanaged stands, especially based on large sample plots, is still scarce. Our first objective was to quantify and illustrate structural variability of a selection-managed stand and a corresponding old-growth (OG) stand at small spatial scales. The second goal was to find out if there is a positive autocorrelation among neighboring patches in these stands regarding tree density (N) and basal area (BA). Tree positions and their diameters were recorded in 1.5 ha plots. Structural variation was examined at scales from 0.01 ha to 0.36 ha. Spatial correlation of N and BA was examined by applying experimental semivariograms. The variability of N was similar in both stands, whereas it significantly differed regarding BA (α = 0.05). Semivariance did not detect positive spatial autocorrelation of BA, while adjacent plots appeared to be more similar (autocorrelated) regarding N in both stands. Despite statistical difference regarding BA variability, the selection-managed stand exhibited many structural similarities to the OG stand, which makes it potentially suitable for modulating, if needed, to bring it step closer to an old-growth structure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Growth Modeling in Different Ecological Conditions)
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12 pages, 2186 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Height Growth Suggests Moderate Growth of Tilia cordata and Acer platanoides at the Native Hemiboreal Stands in Latvia
by Ilze Matisone, Guntars Šņepsts, Dārta Kaupe, Sebastian Hein, Raitis Rieksts-Riekstiņš and Āris Jansons
Forests 2024, 15(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15010007 - 19 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1550
Abstract
In the Eastern Baltics, climatic changes are expected to alter forest composition favouring broadleaved species. The height growth of trees influences the productivity of stands and the competitiveness of species, particularly in mixed sites, thus emphasising the necessity for accurate projections. Accordingly, height [...] Read more.
In the Eastern Baltics, climatic changes are expected to alter forest composition favouring broadleaved species. The height growth of trees influences the productivity of stands and the competitiveness of species, particularly in mixed sites, thus emphasising the necessity for accurate projections. Accordingly, height models are paramount for projecting productivity and yields of stands. As tree height growth dynamics vary regionally, regional or even local models are needed. Based upon 214 National Forest Inventory plots and 510 individual canopy trees, dominant height growth for small-leaved lime (Tilia cordata Mill.) and Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.) in Latvia were analysed. Height growth was modelled using a generalised algebraic difference approach, testing several non-linear equations. The Sloboda (for lime) and Hossfeld I (for maple) models showed the best fit and were the most realistic, predicting slower initial and middle-age (maturing period) growth, yet also displayed higher asymptotes compared to Western Europe. The predicted height at the age of 80 years was 14–33 m and 13–34 m for lime and maple, accordingly. A longer establishment period and later growth culmination suggest longer rotation, highlighting the assessment of long-term risks. In this case, supplementation of the models with climatic effects appears advantageous. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Growth Modeling in Different Ecological Conditions)
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