Effects of Environmental Changes on Forest Growth and Stability

Dear Colleagues,

As we all know, since the 17th century, the human population and the use of natural resources have rapidly increased worldwide, and the environmental conditions that had been stable for more or less two thousand years have changed considerably—and this is what scientists call the “global climate change” (GCC). Among these environmental changes, we have air elevated [CO₂], as the most likely initiating GCC factor, nitrogen deposition, increasing [O₃], persisting effect of air pollution, changes in the bio-chemical properties of soil, weather extremes (high or low air temperatures, frequent droughts and floods, wind-storms, etc.). Forests, as the final evolution phase of terrestrial ecosystems, play an important role within the climatic system of the Earth from the viewpoint of mass and energy transfer. Forest ecosystems are affected by environmental changes across all developmental phases. Due to different forest management approaches, natural forest structures have been modified to meet the demands of society. The environmental changes can affect natural, as well as artificial, forest structures, their growth and development in many ways.

Therefore, the objective of this Special Issue is to introduce the most recent research results on the effects of environmental changes on forest growth and stability via a series of papers focusing on old-growth forests, managed forests and measures for adaptation to GCC or other changing environmental factors.

Dr. Radek Pokorný
Guest Editor

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