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Plants
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Forest Disturbance and Management
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Forest Disturbance and Management

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 July 2025 | Viewed by 4849

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jie Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water and Soil Conservation and Environmental Protection, College of Resources and Environment, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, China
Interests: forest fire ecology; forest disturbance; global climate change; remote sensing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chao Yue

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Interests: land use change; climate change; forest fire ecology; forest disturbance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Zhiwei Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China
Interests: spatial ecology; fire ecology; forest ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ziqiang Du

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Loess Plateau, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
Interests: climate change; ecosystem service; remote sensing; land use and land cover change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forests cover approximately 31% of the global land area and are home to an estimated 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity, playing a crucial role in providing ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, watershed protection and timber resources. However, forests are increasingly threatened by a variety of disturbances, including wildfires, insect outbreaks, diseases and human activities such as deforestation and land use change.

Climate change is exacerbating these threats, leading to more frequent and severe disturbances in many forested regions. For example, warmer temperatures and changing precipitation patterns are altering the frequency and intensity of wildfires, while also affecting the distribution and abundance of forest pests and diseases. These disturbances can have profound impacts on forest ecosystems, leading to a loss of biodiversity, changes in forest structure and composition and reduced ecosystem resilience.

In response to these challenges, there is a growing need for effective forest management strategies that can help mitigate the impacts of disturbances and ensure the long-term sustainability of forest ecosystems. This Special Issue aims to address this need by bringing together the latest research on forest disturbance and management from around the world. By advancing our understanding of the drivers, impacts and management strategies related to forest disturbances, this Special Issue will contribute to the conservation and sustainable management of forests globally.

This Special Issue aims to bring together cutting-edge research in the field of forest disturbance and management. It will cover a wide range of topics, including, but not limited to:

  • Spatial and temporal patterns of forest disturbance;
  • Drivers and mechanisms of forest disturbances;
  • Impacts of disturbances on forest ecosystems and biodiversity;
  • Innovative approaches for monitoring and assessing forest disturbances;
  • Sustainable forest management practices and their implications;
  • Restoration and rehabilitation of disturbed forest ecosystems;
  • Socio-economic aspects of forest management and conservation.

Dr. Jie Zhao
Dr. Chao Yue
Dr. Zhiwei Wu
Dr. Ziqiang Du
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. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2700 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

  • forest disturbance
  • forest management
  • climate change
  • climate impacts
  • sustainable management
  • vegetation responses
  • biodiversity
  • forest restoration

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 58619 KiB  
Article
Impact of Climate and Soil on Plant Dynamics and Ecosystem Stability in Argan Orchards
by Maryem Telmoudi, Chaima Afi, Naima Chabbi, Said Labbassi, Assma Oumasst, Mohamed Ouknin, Rachid Bouharroud, Abdelaziz Mimouni, Mimoun El Kaoua, Driss Hsissou, Abdelghani Tahiri and Naima Ait Aabd
Plants 2025, 14(5), 664; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050664 - 21 Feb 2025
Viewed by 498
Abstract
Assessing the impact of natural disturbances on plant biodiversity is crucial amid biodiversity loss and climate change. Research highlights dynamic shifts driven by environmental factors, climate change, and human activity, emphasizing the need to maintain ecosystem stability for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, [...] Read more.
Assessing the impact of natural disturbances on plant biodiversity is crucial amid biodiversity loss and climate change. Research highlights dynamic shifts driven by environmental factors, climate change, and human activity, emphasizing the need to maintain ecosystem stability for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. This study, conducted between 2021 and 2023, focused on the dynamics of plant communities in argan tree reserve areas. Six argan orchards were selected as study sites for detailed investigation. A total of 82 species belonging to 25 families were identified, with 23 families documented in 2021 and 21 families in 2023, including six endemic species to Morocco (Frankenialaevis subsp. velutina, Ononisnatrix subsp. arganietorum, Rumex papilio, Andryala integrifolia subsp. cedretorum, Chiliadenushesperius, and Reseda difussa). The majority of the plants present in the study area were annual and biennial herbaceous types, exhibiting minimal seasonal stability within the plant communities. However, how communities respond to the effects of fluctuating disturbances remains unclear. This study explores the indirect effects of natural disturbances on community metrics in argan orchards, assessing plant diversity, biomass, and density across different orchard types. It highlights the influence of climate, soil properties, and biotic interactions on plant community dynamics. We utilized alpha diversity indices (Shannon, Simpson, Pielou’s, and Margalef’s) and beta diversity indices (Jaccard and Sorenson Similarity) to examine these patterns. Seasonal changes were predominantly influenced by temperature and precipitation, while diverse soil types shaped by relief, climate, and water balance contributed to different ecological functions. The key findings indicated the highest plant diversity in “Tioughza” and the most significant plant density in “Imoulass” and “Ezzaouite”. Soil nutrients (N, C, and P) showed a positive correlation with plant biomass, highlighting their vital role in biomass accumulation, whereas temperature, C/N ratio, and loam percentage were found to be crucial for plant richness. Mixed modeling revealed a significant relation between density and biomass, but no significant effect between alpha diversity (Shannon Index) and elevation. This study concludes that soil texture and climate significantly shape the relationships between diversity, biomass, and density, recommending further research into interactions among plant diversity, cover, biomass, and soil fertility to support the sustainable management of argan orchards. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Disturbance and Management)
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23 pages, 4579 KiB  
Article
Effects of Long-Term Vegetation Restoration on Green Water Utilization Heterogeneity in the Loess Plateau Based on Field Experiments and Modeling
by Long Wang, Xiaoyu Song, Yu Liu, Lanjun Li, Xinkai Zhao, Pengfei Meng, Chong Fu, Wanyin Wei, Xuwu Wang and Huaiyou Li
Plants 2025, 14(5), 644; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14050644 - 20 Feb 2025
Viewed by 341
Abstract
Due to the differences in the green water (GW) budget patterns of different vegetation, improper vegetation restoration may not only fail to improve the ecological environment but also cause irreversible damage to ecologically vulnerable areas, especially when vegetation restoration continues to be implemented [...] Read more.
Due to the differences in the green water (GW) budget patterns of different vegetation, improper vegetation restoration may not only fail to improve the ecological environment but also cause irreversible damage to ecologically vulnerable areas, especially when vegetation restoration continues to be implemented in the future, and the pressure on water scarcity increases further. However, there is a lack of standardized research on the differences in the patterns of recharge, consumption, and efficient use of GW in typical vegetation. This makes the research results vary and cannot provide direct support for water management decision-making. Therefore, in this study, 30-year-old woodlands (R. pseudoacacia and P. orientalis) and two typical grasslands (I. cylindrican and M. sativa) that are similar to each other except for species were selected in a headwater catchment in the rain-fed agricultural area. A new GW concept and assessment framework was constructed to study the GW of long-term revegetation using a combination of field experiments and model simulations during the 2019–2020 growing season. The study findings comprise the following: (1) High-efficiency green water (GWH), low-efficiency green water (GWL), ineffective green water (GWI), and available green water storage (GWA) in the four sample plots during the study period were defined, separated, and compared. (2) An analysis of GWA variations under different water scenarios. (3) The establishment of GWH and GWL thresholds. (4) Strategies to reduce GWI and optimize GW potential while maintaining soil erosion prevention measures. (5) Suggestions for vegetation restoration species based on diverse factors. This research enhances comprehension of the impact of vegetation restoration on green water dynamics in ecologically vulnerable areas such as the rain-fed agricultural zone of the Loess Plateau. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Disturbance and Management)
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18 pages, 27309 KiB  
Article
Impact of Natural and Human Factors on Dryland Vegetation in Eurasia from 2003 to 2022
by Jinyue Liu, Jie Zhao, Junhao He, Pengyi Zhang, Fan Yi, Chao Yue, Liang Wang, Dawei Mei, Si Teng, Luyao Duan, Nuoxi Sun and Zhenhong Hu
Plants 2024, 13(21), 2985; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13212985 - 25 Oct 2024
Viewed by 992
Abstract
Eurasian dryland ecosystems consist mainly of cropland and grassland, and their changes are driven by both natural factors and human activities. This study utilized the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), gross primary productivity (GPP) and solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) to analyze the changing [...] Read more.
Eurasian dryland ecosystems consist mainly of cropland and grassland, and their changes are driven by both natural factors and human activities. This study utilized the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), gross primary productivity (GPP) and solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) to analyze the changing characteristics of vegetation activity in Eurasia over the past two decades. Additionally, we integrated the mean annual temperature (MAT), the mean annual precipitation (MAP), the soil moisture (SM), the vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and the terrestrial water storage (TWS) to analyze natural factors’ influence on the vegetation activity from 2003 to 2022. Through partial correlation and residual analysis, we quantitatively described the contributions of both natural and human factors to changes in vegetation activity. The results indicated an overall increasing trend in vegetation activity in Eurasia; the growth rates of vegetation greenness, productivity and photosynthetic capacity were 1.00 × 10−3 yr−1 (p < 0.01), 1.30 g C m−2 yr−2 (p < 0.01) and 1.00 × 10−3 Wm−2μm−1sr−1yr−1 (p < 0.01), respectively. Furthermore, we found that soil moisture was the most important natural factor influencing vegetation activity. Human activities were identified as the main driving factors of vegetation activity in the Eurasian drylands. The relative contributions of human-induced changes to NDVI, GPP and SIF were 52.45%, 55.81% and 74.18%, respectively. These findings can deepen our understanding of the impacts of current natural change and intensified human activities on dryland vegetation coverage change in Eurasia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Disturbance and Management)
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14 pages, 811 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Logging-Related Soil Disturbance on Pioneer Tree Regeneration in Mixed Temperate Forests
by Farzam Tavankar, Rachele Venanzi, Mehrdad Nikooy, Angela Lo Monaco, Rodolfo Picchio and Ramin Naghdi
Plants 2024, 13(15), 2149; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13152149 - 3 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1093
Abstract
The recovery of soil properties and the proper growth of natural tree regeneration are key elements for maintaining forest productivity after selective logging operations. This study was conducted on the soil properties and natural growth of two pioneer seedling species of alder and [...] Read more.
The recovery of soil properties and the proper growth of natural tree regeneration are key elements for maintaining forest productivity after selective logging operations. This study was conducted on the soil properties and natural growth of two pioneer seedling species of alder and maple which were on skid trails in the mixed beech forests of northern Iran. To examine the long-term effects, we randomly selected six skid trails, with two replicates established for each of three time periods since last use (10, 20, and 30 years ago). Random plots 4 m × 10 m in size, three plots on each skid trail and six plots on areas without soil compaction (control), were selected. Measurements included the physical and chemical properties of the soil and the growth, and the architectural and qualitative characteristics of the seedlings. The results showed that all the soil properties of the 10- and 20-year-old skid trails were significantly different from the control area (except for the soil moisture in the 20-year-old skid trail). The 30-year-old skid trail showed values of other soil properties which were not significantly different from the control area, except for the amounts of organic matter and soil nitrogen, which was less than the control. The skid trails had a negative effect on all of the growth, qualitative, and architectural indices of seedlings. The characteristics of seedlings were related to soil characteristics and had the highest correlation with the soil penetration resistance (R-value from −0.41 to −0.63 for stem growth, p < 0.05; −0.57 to −0.90 for root growth, p < 0.01; and −0.76 to −0.86 for biomass, p < 0.01). The correlation coefficient between soil penetration resistance and the Dickson quality index of alder and maple seedlings was, respectively, −0.74 and −0.72, p < 0.01. The negative effect of soil compaction on root growth (−27.69% for alder seedlings and −28.08% for maple seedlings) was greater than on stem growth (−24.11% for alder seedlings and −16.27% for maple seedlings). The amount of growth, qualitative, and architectural indices of alder seedlings were higher than that of maple seedlings. Although alder is a better choice as compared to maple seedling in the initial year, the results of our study show that it is recommended to plant both alder and maple on skid trails after logging operations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Disturbance and Management)
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17 pages, 16160 KiB  
Article
Last-Century Forest Dynamics in a Highland Pyrenean National Park and Implications for Conservation
by Valentí Rull, Arnau Blasco, Javier Sigro and Teresa Vegas-Vilarrúbia
Plants 2024, 13(8), 1144; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13081144 - 19 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1289
Abstract
Ecological records from before and after the creation of natural parks are valuable for informing conservation and management but are often unavailable. High-resolution paleoecological studies may bridge the gap and provide the required information. This paper presents a 20th-century subdecadal reconstruction of vegetation [...] Read more.
Ecological records from before and after the creation of natural parks are valuable for informing conservation and management but are often unavailable. High-resolution paleoecological studies may bridge the gap and provide the required information. This paper presents a 20th-century subdecadal reconstruction of vegetation and landscape dynamics in a national park of the Pyrenean highlands. The park lands had traditionally been used for cultivation, extensive grazing, forest exploitation, and hydroelectricity generation following the damming of numerous glacial lakes. A significant finding is that forests have dominated the landscape, with negligible changes in composition, and only experienced fluctuations in forest cover, influenced by both climatic and anthropogenic factors. The creation of the park (1955) and the initial restrictions on forest exploitation did not significantly affect vegetation cover or composition. Major forest expansion did not occur until several decades later, 1980, when the park was enlarged and forest exploitation was further restricted. This expansion peaked in the 1990s, coinciding with a warming trend and a decrease in fire incidence, before declining due to warmer and drier climates. This decline was coeval with the ongoing global forest dieback and may be exacerbated by the predicted global warming in this century, which could also increase fire incidence due to dead-wood accumulation. Currently, the main threats are global warming/drying, fire, and tourism intensification. Similar high-resolution paleoecological records in protected areas are globally scarce and would be capable in providing the long-term ecological scope required to properly understand forest dynamics and optimize conservation measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Disturbance and Management)
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