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Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 March 2023) | Viewed by 23342

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Any Mary Petritan

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Guest Editor

National Research and Development Institute in Forestry ”Marin Dracea” | ICAS · Department of Ecology, Bulevardul Eroilor 128, 077190 Voluntari, Romania
Interests: tree growth; forest ecology; forest management; dendroecology; plant ecology; climate change; natural resource management

Mirela Beloiu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant

Department of Biogeography, University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstraße 30, 95447 Bayreuth, Germany
Interests: climate change; forest disturbance; tree species; ecological adaptation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forests play a critical role in providing various ecosystem services that contribute to the well-being of society. However, the structure, functionality, and capacity of forests to provide these services are being significantly affected by ongoing climate changes, particularly increases in temperature and frequency of extreme events, followed by associated disturbances. Forest dynamics are generally determined by changes in forest structure and composition over time, including their response to anthropogenic and natural disturbances. However, global climate change is affecting disturbance regimes and the adaptive capacity of forests at an accelerating rate. In addition, the response of forest ecosystems to climate change and associated disturbances is influenced by the legacy of past management, a poorly studied factor. The frequency and intensity of climate-related disturbances are expected to increase in the future. Therefore, understanding the response of forests to climate warming and the effects of past management will help project how forests will respond to future disturbances and provide guidance for developing future management strategies.

In this Special Issue, we encourage contributions from around of world which investigated the forest response to climate changes using methodological approaches from different ecological fields (i. e., dendroecology, wood anatomy, disturbance ecology, silviculture). Comparative studies conducted in old-growth (unmanaged) and managed forests (with different management practices) are very welcome, as they could help shed light on the interactions between management legacies and drivers of global environmental change. Since old-growth forests and virgin forests have evolved with no or minimal anthropogenic intervention, they could serve as a reference for managed forests. Hence, studies in such remnant forests on disturbances as main drivers of forest dynamics, structure, and regeneration or concerning climate response are welcome.

Dr. Any Mary Petritan
Beloiu Mirela
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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 impacts
forest disturbance regime
forest resilience to climate change, forest vulnerability
forest management practices
old-growth forests
managed forests

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Editorial

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7 pages, 2395 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Forest Functioning under Climate Warming and Future Perspectives on Forest Disturbances

by Any Mary Petritan and Mirela Beloiu Schwenke

Forests 2023, 14(12), 2302; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14122302 - 24 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1016

Abstract

The Special Issue “Impact of climate warming and disturbances on forest ecosystems” underscores the critical importance of understanding how forests respond to these environmental challenges and the legacy of past management practices. Forest ecosystems are facing significant challenges due to ongoing climate change, characterized by rising temperatures and increased frequency of extreme events. The rapid pace of climate change is altering disturbance patterns and the adaptability of forests, which have a direct impact on ecosystem services that contribute to human well-being. This Special Issue features 11 research papers from nine countries. Some key outputs from these research papers include evidence on how climate change is already impacting forest ecosystems. For instance, the climatic envelope of many forest species has shifted due to global warming, making species more vulnerable, especially in lower elevations and at the edges of their distribution. Urgent adaptive measures in forest management are necessary to address this challenge. Climate change also affects vegetation phenology, tree growth, stand productivity, reproduction rates, and stand regeneration. Remote sensing data and ecological modeling techniques play a crucial role in monitoring and understanding these changes, especially in remote regions where field measurements are limited. The rising frequency and intensity of extreme events like droughts, windstorms, and forest fires require enhanced prediction and automatic monitoring. Leveraging machine learning tools and remote sensing data is imperative. This Special Issue provides insights into the intricate relationships among forests, climate change, and human interventions. We provide further research recommendations for the quantification and automated monitoring of forest fires and the management of forests to better withstand storms and increase their resilience to climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems)

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Research

Jump to: Editorial

17 pages, 6075 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Severe Drought Still Affects Reproductive Traits Two Years Later in a Common Garden Experiment of Frangula alnus

by Kristine Vander Mijnsbrugge, Marc Schouppe, Stefaan Moreels, Yorrick Aguas Guerreiro, Laura Decorte and Marie Stessens

Forests 2023, 14(4), 857; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14040857 - 21 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1082

Abstract

Longer periods of intensified droughts in Western Europe are predicted due to ongoing climate change. Studying the responses of woody species during intense drought events can help toward understanding the consequences for forest ecosystems. We studied the effects of an intense summer water limitation on several reproductive traits, two years after the treatment, in Frangula alnus Mill. shrubs grown in a common garden. Drought-treated shrubs produced more berries one and two years after the drought event, while the height increment of the second post-treatment year was still significantly retarded. The mean weight of stones from berries picked two years after the drought treatment and their germination percentage, which was corrected for mean stone weight, were higher for the treated shrubs. These results indicate a resource re-allocation toward reproduction, rather than toward growth, which was still in action two years after the water limitation. The higher germination success, which is a transgenerational effect, and which has already been suggested to be an adaptation to survival in more stressful growth conditions, is also still detectable two years after the severe drought. F. alnus produces mature berries continuously during the whole summer. From the middle of July till the end of August, the counts of mature berries, the mean stone weight and the germination percentage, corrected for mean stone weight, decreased, whereas the timing of seedling emergence, also corrected for stone weight, advanced slightly. The timing of seedling emergence correlated weak but significantly with the timing of bud burst in the mother shrubs, with a variance analysis indicating a stronger genetic control for bud burst in comparison to seedling emergence. Several results corroborated previous findings. Population differentiation in the common garden was observed for mature berry counts and for several phenological traits. In conclusion, longer-term effects of drought on reproductive traits in woody species may add more complexity to the consequences of climate change on tree species distributions and survival of forest ecosystems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems)

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15 pages, 3225 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seed Harvesting and Climate Change Interact to Affect the Natural Regeneration of Pinus koraiensis

by Kai Liu, Hang Sun, Hong S. He and Xin Guan

Forests 2023, 14(4), 829; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14040829 - 18 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1062

Abstract

The poor natural regeneration of Pinus koraiensis is a key limitation for restoring the primary mixed Pinus koraiensis forests. Seed harvesting and climate change are the important factors that influence the natural regeneration of Pinus koraiensis; however, it is hard to illustrate how, in synergy, they affect its regeneration at the landscape scale. In this study, we coupled an ecosystem process model, LINKAGES, with a forest landscape model, LANDIS PRO, to evaluate how seed harvesting and climate change influenced the natural regeneration of Pinus koraiensis over large temporal and spatial scales. Our results showed that seed harvesting decreased the abundance of Pinus koraiensis juveniles by 1, 14, and 18 stems/ha under the historical climate, and reduced by 1, 17, and 24 stems/ha under the future climate in the short- (years 0–50), medium- (years 60–100), and long-term (years 110–150), respectively. This indicated that seed harvesting intensified the poor regeneration of Pinus koraiensis, irrespective of climate change. Our results suggested that seed harvesting diminished the generation capacity of Pinus koraiensis over the simulation period. Seed harvesting reduced the abundance of Pinus koraiensis at the leading edge and slowed down its shift into high-latitude regions to adapt to climate change. Our results showed that the effect magnitudes of seed harvesting, climate change, their interaction and combination at the short-, medium- and long-term were −61.1%, −78.4%, and −85.7%; 16.5%, 20.9%, and 38.2%; −10.1%, −16.2% and −32.0%; and −54.7%, −73.8%, and −79.5%, respectively. Seed harvesting was a predominant factor throughout the simulation; climate change failed to offset the negative effect of seed harvesting, but the interactive effect between seed harvesting and climate change almost overrode the positive effect of climate change. Seed harvesting, climate change, and their interaction jointly reduced the natural regeneration of Pinus koraiensis. We suggest reducing the intensity of seed harvesting and increasing silvicultural treatments, such as thinning and artificial plantation, to protect and restore the primary mixed Pinus koraiensis forests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems)

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16 pages, 3679 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Short-Term Effects of Anthropogenic Disturbances on Stand Structure, Soil Properties, and Vegetation Diversity in a Former Virgin Mixed Forest

by Cosmin Ion Braga, Vlad Emil Crisan, Ion Catalin Petritan, Virgil Scarlatescu, Diana Vasile, Gabriel Lazar and Any Mary Petritan

Forests 2023, 14(4), 742; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14040742 - 4 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1452

Abstract

Despite the sharply growing interest in the disturbances occurring in primary forests, little is known about the response of European virgin forests to anthropogenic disturbance. The present study investigated the effect of the first silvicultural interventions that took place nine years earlier in a former virgin forest (FVF). Changes in the stand structure, environmental characteristics, and diversity of ground vegetation were studied in comparison with a nearby virgin forest (VF), both consisting of a mixture of European beech and silver fir. While the tree density did not differ significantly between the two forests, the number of large trees, the basal area, and the stand volume were significantly reduced in the FVF. The deadwood volume was twice as great in the VF as in the FVF and was found in both forests, particularly from silver fir. Despite significantly better light conditions in the FVF, natural regeneration was not significantly higher than in the VF. However, a slight improvement in the proportion of silver fir and other tree species into total regeneration was reported. The soil temperature was significantly higher in the FVF, independent of the measurement season, while the soil moisture showed a higher value in the VF only in spring. The FVF is characterized by a greater soil CO₂ emission, which is especially significant in summer and fall. The diversity of the ground vegetation did not yet react significantly to the silvicultural intervention. These preliminary findings are important in drawing suitable forest management practices that need to be applied in mixed beech–silver fir stands, especially in terms of maintaining species diversity. However, the short time frame since the intervention obliges further research on this VF–FVF pair over the next 10–20 years, at least regarding silver fir dynamics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems)

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16 pages, 7530 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predicting Distribution and Range Dynamics of Three Threatened Cypripedium Species under Climate Change Scenario in Western Himalaya

by Naveen Chandra, Gajendra Singh, Ishwari Datt Rai, Arun Pratap Mishra, Mohd. Yahya Kazmi, Arvind Pandey, Jeewan Singh Jalal, Romulus Costache, Hussein Almohamad, Motrih Al-Mutiry and Hazem Ghassan Abdo

Forests 2023, 14(3), 633; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14030633 - 21 Mar 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1787

Abstract

Climate change and anthropogenic pressure have significantly contributed to the decline of biodiversity worldwide, particularly in mountain ecosystems such as the Himalaya. In addition to being relatively sensitive to disturbances, orchids may also respond more quickly to climate change impacts than other plant species. Because of their complex biology and anthropogenic pressures on their habitat in the Himalayan region, lady’s slipper orchids are considered to be a highly vulnerable group of orchids. In the present study, we examine the effect of climate change on the distribution of three threatened Cypripedium species (Cypripedium cordigerum, Cypripedium elegans, and Cypripedium himalaicum), utilizing ecological niche modeling for present and future climatic scenarios to identify key environmental determinants and population parameters. A community climate system model (CCSM ver. 4) was used to identify suitable distribution areas for future scenarios. Based on the least correlated characteristics of the species bioclimatic, topographical, and physiological characteristics, the species’ climatic niche was determined. According to the results, the true skill statistic (TSS), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and Cohen’s kappa provide more reliable predictions. Precipitation during the wettest month and precipitation during the coldest quarter are the primary climatic variables that influence the distribution of suitable areas. A total of 192 km² of the area was estimated to be suitable for all three species under current climate conditions. Under future climate conditions, the model predicts a trivial increase in suitable habitat areas with a shift toward the northwest. However, highly suitable habitat areas will be severely diminished. There are currently highly suitable habitats in Tungnath and the Valley of Flowers, but due to climatic factors, the habitats will become unsuitable in the future. Additionally, under future climatic scenarios, viable habitats will be identified for priority conservation to cope with the effects of climate change and anthropogenic activities. In light of these findings, conservation methods for the target species may be designed that will be successful and have the potential to prevent local extinctions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems)

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16 pages, 4059 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relation between Topography and Gap Characteristics in a Mixed Sessile Oak–Beech Old-Growth Forest

by Nicu Constantin Tudose, Ion Catalin Petritan, Florin Lucian Toiu, Any-Mary Petritan and Mirabela Marin

Forests 2023, 14(2), 188; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14020188 - 18 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1257

Abstract

The interest to assess the relationship between forest gap characteristics and topography features has been growing in the last decades. However, such an approach has not been studied in undisturbed mixed sessile oak–beech old-growth forests. Therefore, the present study carried out in one of the best-preserved sessile oak–beech old-growth forests in Europe, aims to assess the influence of topographic features (slope, altitude and aspect) on (i) some characteristics of canopies and expanded gaps (surface, diameter and perimeter) and (ii) the proportion of beech and sessile oak as bordering trees, gap fillers and gap makers. Through a complete gap survey on an area of 32 ha, 321 gaps were identified and mapped. The largest gaps and also the highest gap frequency (140) was found in the slope class (15.1–20°), while the gap frequency increased with altitude, with 99 gaps being recorded at 601–650 m a.s.l. The size and perimeter of the canopy and expanded gaps, as well as the number of gap makers, were negatively related to the slope and altitude. The expanded gap to canopy gap size ratio decreased with the slope and was positively related to the altitude, while a significant negative decrease in gap filler density with altitude was encountered. The sessile oak participation ratio as bordering trees forming the gap increased not only with the altitude but also with the slope. The topography plays an important role in the formation of gaps as well as in the characteristics of the future stand. This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between canopy gap characteristics and topography, which is useful information for forest owners that pursue the design of forest management toward nature-based solutions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems)

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18 pages, 3838 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Forest Damage by Extra-Tropical Cyclone Klaus-Modeling and Prediction

by Łukasz Pawlik, Janusz Godziek and Łukasz Zawolik

Forests 2022, 13(12), 1991; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13121991 - 25 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1594

Abstract

Windstorms may have negative consequences on forest ecosystems, industries, and societies. Extreme events related to extra-tropical cyclonic systems remind us that better recognition and understanding of the factors driving forest damage are needed for more efficient risk management and planning. In the present study, we statistically modelled forest damage caused by the windstorm Klaus in south-west France. This event occurred on 24 January 2009 and caused severe damage to maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) forest stands. We aimed at isolating the best potential predictors that can help to build better predictive models of forest damage. We applied the random forest (RF) technique to find the best classifiers of the forest damage binary response variable. Five-fold spatial block cross-validation, repeated five times, and forward feature selection (FFS) were applied to the control for model over-fitting. In addition, variable importance (VI) and accumulated local effect (ALE) plots were used as model performance metrics. The best RF model was used for spatial prediction and forest damage probability mapping. The ROC AUC of the best RF model was 0.895 and 0.899 for the training and test set, respectively, while the accuracy of the RF model was 0.820 for the training and 0.837 for the test set. The FFS allowed us to isolate the most important predictors, which were the distance from the windstorm trajectory, soil sand fraction content, the MODIS normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and the wind exposure index (WEI). In general, their influence on the forest damage probability was positive for a wide range of the observed values. The area of applicability (AOA) confirmed that the RF model can be used to construct a probability map for almost the entire study area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems)

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21 pages, 8392 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Environmental Gradients on Phenometrics of Major Forest Types of Kumaon Region of the Western Himalaya

by Vikas Dugesar, Koppineedi V. Satish, Manish K. Pandey, Prashant K. Srivastava, George P. Petropoulos, Akash Anand and Mukunda Dev Behera

Forests 2022, 13(12), 1973; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13121973 - 22 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1199

Abstract

Understanding ecosystem functional behaviour and its response to climate change necessitates a detailed understanding of vegetation phenology. The present study investigates the effect of an elevational gradient, temperature, and precipitation on the start of the season (SOS) and end of the season (EOS), in major forest types of the Kumaon region of the western Himalaya. The analysis made use of the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) time series that was observed by the optical datasets between the years 2001 and 2019. The relationship between vegetation growth stages (phenophases) and climatic variables was investigated as an interannual variation, variation along the elevation, and variation with latitude. The SOS indicates a delayed trend along the elevational gradient (EG) till mid-latitude and shows an advancing pattern thereafter. The highest rate of change for the SOS and EOS is 3.3 and 2.9 days per year in grassland (GL). The lowest rate of temporal change for SOS is 0.9 days per year in mixed forests and for EOS it is 1.2 days per year in evergreen needle-leaf forests (ENF). Similarly, the highest rate of change in SOS along the elevation gradient is 2.4 days/100 m in evergreen broadleaf forest (EBF) and the lowest is −0.7 days/100 m in savanna, and for EOS, the highest rate of change is 2.2 days/100 m in EBF and lowest is −0.9 days/100 m in GL. Winter warming and low winter precipitation push EOS days further. In the present study area, due to winter warming and summer dryness, despite a warming trend in springseason or springtime, onset of the vegetation growth cycle shows a delayed trend across the vegetation types. As vegetation phenology responds differently over heterogeneous mountain landscapes to climate change, a detailed local-level observational insight could improve our understanding of climate change mitigation and adaptation policies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems)

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14 pages, 4587 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamics of Vegetation Productivity in Relation to Surface Meteorological Factors in the Altay Mountains in Northwest China

by Aishajiang Aili, Hailiang Xu, Xinfeng Zhao, Peng Zhang and Ruiqiang Yang

Forests 2022, 13(11), 1907; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13111907 - 14 Nov 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1127

Abstract

Vegetation productivity, as the basis of the material cycle and energy flow in an ecosystem, directly reflects the information of vegetation change. At the ecosystem level, the gross primary productivity (GPP) refers to the amount of organic carbon fixed by plant bodies. How to accurately estimate the spatiotemporal variation of vegetation productivity of the forest ecosystem in the Altay Mountains in northwest China has become a critical issue to be addressed. The Altay Mountains, with rich forest resources, are located in a semi-arid climate zone and are sensitive to global climate changes, which will inevitably have serious impacts on the function and structure of forest ecosystems in northwest China. In this paper, to reveal the variation trends of vegetation gross primary productivity (GPP) and its response to surface meteorological factors in the Altay Mountains in northwest China, daily temperature and precipitation data from the period of 2000–2017 were collected from seven meteorological stations in Altay prefecture and its surrounding areas; the data were analyzed by using the MODIS GPP model, moving average trend analysis, linear regression analysis and the climate tendency rate method. The results show that: (1) The spatial distribution pattern of GPP in the whole year was almost the same as that in the growing season of vegetation in the Altay Mountains. In the whole mountain range, the proportion of the area which had a GPP value of 400–600 g c/m² had the highest value; the proportion of the annual and growing season of this area was 41.10% and 40.88%, respectively, which was mainly distributed in the middle and west alpine areas of the Altay Mountains. (2) There was a big gap in the GPP value in the different stages of the vegetation growing season (April to September), which reached the highest value in July, the area with a GPP of 100–150 g c/m² was the highest, with 36.15%. (3) The GPP of the Altay Mountains showed an overall increasing trend, but the annual fluctuation was relatively large. In 2003, 2008, 2009 and 2014, the GPP showed lower values, which were 385.18 g c/m², 384.90 g c/m², 384.49 g c/m² and 393.10 g c/m², respectively. In 2007, 2011 and 2016, the GPP showed higher values, which were 428.49 g c/m², 428.18 g c/m² and 446.61 g c/m². (4) In 64.85% of the area of the Altay Mountains, the GPP was positively correlated with annual average temperature, and in 36.56% of the area, the correlation coefficient between temperature and GPP ranged from −0.2 to 0. In 71.61% of the area of the Altay Mountains, the GPP was positively correlated with annual accumulated precipitation, and in 28.39% of the area, the GPP was negatively correlated with annual accumulated precipitation. Under the scenario of global climate change, our study has quantitatively analyzed the long-term dynamics of vegetation GPP and its responses to meteorological factors in the Altay Mountains, which would be helpful for evaluating and estimating the variation trends of forest ecosystems in China, and has important guiding significance for policy formulation to protect forest resources and improve the local ecological environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems)

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24 pages, 8550 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Climate Change in the Provenance Regions of Romania over the Last 70 Years: Implications for Forest Management

by Georgeta Mihai, Alin-Madalin Alexandru, Ion-Andrei Nita and Marius-Victor Birsan

Forests 2022, 13(8), 1203; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13081203 - 31 Jul 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3399

Abstract

The recent climate change scenarios show significant increases in temperature and extreme drought events in Southern and Eastern Europe by the end of the 21st century, which will have a serious impact on forest growth and adaptation, and important consequences for forest management. The system of provenance regions, according to the OECD Scheme and EU Directive, was thought to encourage the use of the local seed sources, under the concept ‘local is the best’. However, climate is changing faster than some species or populations can adapt or migrate, which raises some uncertainties with respect to the future performance of local populations. In Romania, as in other countries, the delimitation of provenance regions is based on geographical, ecological and vegetation criteria. The aim of this study is to evaluate: (1) the climate change that has occurred at the level of the provenance regions; (2) which regions will be most vulnerable to climate change; (3) which forest types will be the most vulnerable in a certain region; and (4) changes in the climatic envelope of forest species. Several climatic parameters and an ecoclimatic indices have been calculated and analyzed at the level of provenance regions, subregions and ecological sectors (forest types) in Romania, during the period 1951–2020. The results highlight a general shift towards warmer and drier conditions in the last 30 years, the mean annual temperature increasing with 0.3–1.1 °C across the provenance subregions. The De Martonne aridity index for the vegetation season shows that 86% of the ecological sectors fell into the arid and semiarid categories, which indicates a very high degree of vulnerability for forest species. On the Lang rainfall index, forest steppe climatic conditions occurred in all pure or mixed pedunculate oak forests, thermophile oak species, meadow forests, poplar and willow, Turkey oak and Hungarian oak forests. The Ellenberg coefficient highlights that the warming process is more evident along the altitude and the degree of vulnerability increase at lower altitude or at the edge of species distribution. The climate envelopes of many forest species have already shifted to another ecosystem’s climate. This paper presents the importance of re-delineation the provenance regions for the production and deployment of forest reproductive materials according to the climate change occurred in the last decades, as a fundamental tool for an adaptive forest management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems)

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17 pages, 5560 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Timescale Effects of Radial Growth Responses of Two Dominant Coniferous Trees on Climate Change in the Eastern Qilian Mountains

by Changliang Qi, Liang Jiao, Ruhong Xue, Xuan Wu and Dashi Du

Forests 2022, 13(1), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13010072 - 5 Jan 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1767

Abstract

To explore the difference in the response of the radial growth of Pinus tabulaeformis and Picea crassifolia on different timescales to climate factors in the eastern part of Qilian Mountains, we used dendrochronology to select four different timescales (day, pentad (5 days), dekad (10 days), and month) for exploration. The primary conclusions were as follows: (1) According to an investigation of the dynamic correlations between radial growth and climate conditions, drought during the growing season has been the dominant limiting factor for radial growth across both species in recent decades; (2) climate data at the dekad scale are best for examining the correlations between radial growth and climate variables; and (3) based on basal area increment, P. tabuliformis in the study area showed a trend of first an increase and then a decrease, while P. crassifolia showed a trend of continuous increase (BAI). As the climate continues to warm in the future, forest ecosystems in arid and semi-arid areas will be more susceptible to severe drought, which will lead to a decline in tree growth, death, and community deterioration. As a result, it is critical to implement appropriate management approaches for various species based on the peculiarities of their climate change responses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems)

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17 pages, 9778 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Forest Fires on Air Quality in Wolgan Valley, New South Wales, Australia—A Mapping and Monitoring Study Using Google Earth Engine

by Sachchidanand Singh, Harikesh Singh, Vishal Sharma, Vaibhav Shrivastava, Pankaj Kumar, Shruti Kanga, Netrananda Sahu, Gowhar Meraj, Majid Farooq and Suraj Kumar Singh

Forests 2022, 13(1), 4; https://doi.org/10.3390/f13010004 - 21 Dec 2021

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 4902

Abstract

Forests are an important natural resource and are instrumental in sustaining environmental sustainability. Burning biomass in forests results in greenhouse gas emissions, many of which are long-lived. Precise and consistent broad-scale monitoring of fire intensity is a valuable tool for analyzing climate and ecological changes related to fire. Remote sensing and geographic information systems provide an opportunity to improve current practice’s accuracy and performance. Spectral indices techniques such as normalized burn ratio (NBR) have been used to identify burned areas utilizing satellite data, which aid in distinguishing burnt areas using their standard spectral responses. For this research, we created a split-panel web-based Google Earth Engine app for the geo-visualization of the region severely affected by forest fire using Sentinel 2 weekly composites. Then, we classified the burn severity in areas affected by forest fires in Wolgan Valley, New South Wales, Australia, and the surrounding area through Difference Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR). The result revealed that the region’s burnt area increased to 6731 sq. km in December. We also assessed the impact of long-term rainfall and land surface temperature (LST) trends over the study region to justify such incidents. We further estimated the effect of such incidents on air quality by analyzing the changes in the column number density of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides. The result showed a significant increase of about 272% for Carbon monoxide and 45% for nitrogen oxides. We conclude that, despite fieldwork constraints, the usage of different NBR and web-based application platforms may be highly useful for forest management to consider the propagation of fire regimes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Climate Warming and Disturbances on Forest Ecosystems)

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