Search Results (1,467)

Urban forests are vital to cities because they provide a range of ecosystem services, including carbon (C) sequestration, air purification, and urban cooling. However, urban forestry also generates significant amounts of organic waste, such as grass clippings, pruned tree branches, and fallen tree leaves and woody debris that can contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions if not properly managed. In this study, we investigated the effect of wheat straw biochar (produced at 500 °C) on GHG emissions from two types of urban forestry waste: green waste (GW) and yard waste (YW), using a 100-day laboratory incubation experiment. Overall, GW released more CO₂ than YW, but biochar addition reduced cumulative CO₂ emissions by 9.8% in GW and by 17.6% in YW. However, biochar increased CH₄ emissions from GW and reduced the CH₄ sink strength of YW. Biochar also had contrasting effects on N₂O emissions, increasing them by 94.3% in GW but decreasing them by 61.4% in YW. Consequently, the highest global warming potential was observed in biochar-amended GW (125.3 g CO₂-eq kg⁻¹). Our findings emphasize that the effect of biochar on GHG emissions varies with waste type and suggest that selecting appropriate biochar types is critical for mitigating GHG emissions from urban forestry waste. Full article

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is one of the polyphagous pests of several crops and forestry, resistant to numerous conventional chemicals. Due to the negative side effects of harmful chemical pesticides, such as environmental pollution, and risks to human health, the introduction of effective and low-risk alternatives is essential. The promising pesticidal effects of essential oils (EOs) isolated from Artemisia annua have been documented in recent studies. In the present study, the acaricidal effects of an A. annua EO, along with its two dominant monoterpenoids, 1,8-cineole and camphor, were investigated against adults of T. urticae. Artemisia annua EO, 1,8-cineole, and camphor, with 24 h-LC₅₀ values of 0.289, 0.533, and 0.64 µL/L air, respectively, had significant toxicity by fumigation against T. urticae adults. Along with lethality, A. annua EO and monoterpenoids had significant inhibitory effects on the activity of detoxifying enzymes, including α- and β-esterases, glutathione S-transferases, and cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase. According to the findings of the present study, A. annua EO and its two dominant monoterpenoids, 1,8-cineole and camphor, with significant toxicity and inhibitory effects on detoxifying enzymes, can be introduced as available, effective, and eco-friendly acaricides in the management of T. urticae. Full article

The spatial variation of forest ecosystem services at regional scales remains poorly understood, and few studies have explicitly analyzed how ecosystem services are distributed across different forest management types. This study assessed the spatial overlap between forest management types and ecosystem service hotspots in the Southeastern United States (SEUS) and the Pacific Northwest (PNW) forests. We used the InVEST suite of tools and GIS to quantify carbon storage and water yield. Carbon storage was estimated, stratified by forest group and age class, and literature-based biomass pool values were applied. Average annual water yield and its temporal changes (2001–2020) were modeled using the annual water yield model, incorporating precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, vegetation type, and soil characteristics. Ecosystem service outputs were classified to identify hotspot zones (top 20%) and to evaluate the synergies and tradeoffs between these services. Hotspots were then overlaid with forest management maps to examine their distribution across management types. We found that only 2% of the SEUS and 11% of the PNW region were simultaneous hotspots for both services. In the SEUS, ecological and preservation forest management types showed higher efficiency in hotspot allocation, while in PNW, production forestry contributed relatively more to hotspot areas. These findings offer valuable insights for decision-makers and forest managers seeking to preserve the multiple benefits that forests provide at regional scales. Full article

Willow stands (Salix spp.) are an essential part of riparian ecosystems, as they sustain biodiversity and provide bioenergy solutions. The present review synthesizes the global scientific literature about the management of willow stands. In order to achieve this goal, we used a dual approach combining bibliometric analysis with traditional literature review. As such, we consulted 416 publications published between 1978 and 2024. This allowed us to identify key species, ecosystem services, conservation strategies, and management issues. The results we have obtained show a diversity of approaches, with an increase in short-rotation coppice (SRC) systems and the multiple roles covered by willow stands (carbon sequestration, biomass production, riparian restoration, and habitat provision). The key trends we have identified show a shift toward topics such as climate resilience, ecological restoration, and precision forestry. This trend has become especially pronounced over the past decade (2014–2024), as reflected in the increasing use of these keywords in the literature. However, as willow systems expand in scale and function—from biomass production to ecological restoration—they also raise complex challenges, including invasive tendencies in non-native regions and uncertainties surrounding biodiversity impacts and soil carbon dynamics over the long term. The present review is a guide for forest policies and, more specifically, for future research, linking the need to integrate and use adaptive strategies in order to maintain the willow stands. Full article

Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (Lamb. ex D. Don) Endl.) is a fast-growing, long-lived conifer native to a narrow coastal zone along the western seaboard of the United States. Redwood can accumulate very high amounts of carbon in plantation settings and continuous cover forestry (CCF) represents a highly profitable option, particularly for small-scale forest growers in the North Island of New Zealand. We evaluated the profitability of conceptual CCF regimes using two case study forests: Blue Mountain (109 ha, Taranaki Region, New Zealand) and Spring Creek (467 ha, Manawatu-Whanganui Region, New Zealand). We ran a strategic harvest scheduling model for both properties and used its results to guide a tactical-spatially explicit model harvesting small 0.7 ha units over a period that spanned 35 to 95 years after planting. The internal rates of return (IRRs) were 9.16 and 10.40% for Blue Mountain and Spring Creek, respectively, exceeding those considered robust for other forest species in New Zealand. The study showed that small owners could benefit from carbon revenue during the first 35 years after planting and then switch to a steady annual income from timber, maintaining a relatively constant carbon stock under a continuous cover forestry regime. Implementing adjacency constraints with a minimum green-up period of five years proved feasible. Although small coupes posed operational problems, which were linked to roading and harvesting, these issues were not insurmountable and could be managed with appropriate operational planning. Full article

Ecosystem services—the benefits humans derive from nature—are foundational to environmental sustainability and economic well-being, with carbon sequestration and storage standing out as critical regulating services in the fight against climate change. This study presents a comprehensive financial valuation of the carbon sequestration, storage and product substitution ecosystem services provided by the Hungarian forest-based sector. Using a multi-scenario framework, four complementary valuation concepts are assessed: total carbon storage (biomass, soil, and harvested wood products), annual net sequestration, emissions avoided through material and energy substitution, and marketable carbon value under voluntary carbon market (VCM) and EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) mechanisms. Data sources include the National Forestry Database, the Hungarian Greenhouse Gas Inventory, and national estimates on substitution effects and soil carbon stocks. The total carbon stock of Hungarian forests is estimated at 1289 million tons of CO₂ eq, corresponding to a theoretical climate liability value of over EUR 64 billion. Annual sequestration is valued at approximately 380 million EUR/year, while avoided emissions contribute an additional 453 million EUR/year in mitigation benefits. A comparative analysis of two mutually exclusive crediting strategies—improved forest management projects (IFMs) avoiding final harvesting versus long-term carbon storage through the use of harvested wood products—reveals that intensified harvesting for durable wood use offers higher revenue potential (up to 90 million EUR/year) than non-harvesting IFM scenarios. These findings highlight the dual role of forests as both carbon sinks and sources of climate-smart materials and call for policy frameworks that integrate substitution benefits and long-term storage opportunities in support of effective climate and bioeconomy strategies. Full article

Forestry carbon sinks play a crucial role in mitigating climate change and protecting ecosystems, significantly contributing to the development of carbon trading systems. Remote sensing technology has become increasingly important for monitoring carbon sinks, as it allows for precise measurement of carbon storage and ecological changes, which are vital for forecasting carbon prices. Carbon prices fluctuate due to the interaction of various factors, exhibiting non-stationary characteristics and inherent uncertainties, making accurate predictions particularly challenging. To address these complexities, this study proposes a method for predicting carbon trading prices influenced by multiple factors. We introduce a Decomposition (DECOMP) module that separates carbon price data and its influencing factors into trend and cyclical components. To manage non-stationarity, we propose the KAN with Multi-Domain Diffusion (KAN-MD) module, which efficiently extracts relevant features. Furthermore, a Wave-MH attention module, based on wavelet transformation, is introduced to minimize interference from uncertainties, thereby enhancing the robustness of the model. Empirical research using data from the Hubei carbon trading market demonstrates that our model achieves superior predictive accuracy and resilience to fluctuations compared to other benchmark methods, with an MSE of 0.204% and an MAE of 0.0277. These results provide reliable support for pricing carbon financial derivatives and managing associated risks. Full article

This article examines the role of managed ecosystems, and particularly forests, in achieving carbon neutrality in Russia. The range of estimates of Russia’s forests’ net carbon balance in different studies varies by up to 7 times. The. A comparison of Russia’s National GHG inventory data for 2023 and 2024 (with the latter showing 37% higher forest sequestration) is presented and explained. The possible changes in the Long-Term Low-Emission Development Strategy of Russia (LT LEDS) carbon neutrality scenario due to new land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) data in National GHG Inventory Document (NID) 2024 are discussed. It is demonstrated that the refined net carbon balance should not impact the mitigation ambition in the Russian forestry sector. An assessment of changes in the drafts of the Operational plan of the LT LEDS is presented and it is concluded that its structure and content have significantly improved; however, a delay in operationalization nullifies efforts. The article highlights the problem of GHG emissions increases in forest fires and compares the gap between official “ground-based” and Remote Sensing approaches in calculations of such emissions. Considering the intention to increase net absorption by implementing forest carbon projects, the latest changes in the regulations of such projects are discussed. The limitations of reforestation carbon projects in Russia are provided. Proposals are presented for the development of the national forest policy towards increasing the net forest carbon absorption, including considering the projected decrease in annual net absorption by Russian forests by 2050. The role of government and private investment in improving the forest management of structural measures to adapt forestry to modern climate change and the place of forest climate projects need to be clearly defined in the LT LEDS. Full article

Pinus yunnanensis, a native tree species in southwest China, is shading-tolerant and ecologically significant. Light has a critical impact on plant physiology, and decapitation improves canopy light penetration and utilization efficiency. The study of allometric relationships is well-known in forestry, forest ecology, and related fields. Under control (full daylight exposure, 0% shading), L1 (partial shading, 25% shading), L2 (medium shading, 50% shading), and L3 (serious shading, 75% shading) levels, this study used the decapitation method. The results confirmed the effectiveness of decapitation in annual P. yunnanensis and showed that the main stem maintained isometric growth in all shading treatments, accounting for 26.8% of the individual plant biomass, and exhibited dominance in biomass allocation and high shading sensitivity. These results also showed that lateral roots exhibited a substantial biomass proportion of 12.8% and maintained more than 0.5 of higher plasticity indices across most treatments. Moreover, the lateral root exhibited both the lowest slope in 0.5817 and the highest significance (p = 0.023), transitioning from isometric to allometric growth under L1 shading treatment. Importantly, there was a positive correlation between the biomass allocation of an individual plant and that of all components of annual P. yunnanensis. In addition, the synchronized allocation between main roots and lateral branches, as well as between main stems and lateral roots, suggested functional integration between corresponding belowground and aboveground structures to maintain balanced resource acquisition and architectural stability. At the same time, it has been proved that the growth of lateral roots can be accelerated through decapitation. Important scientific implications for annual P. yunnanensis management were derived from these shading experiments on allometric growth. Full article

In this study, we comprehensively analyzed material consumption (fuel, hydraulic oil, lubricants, and AdBlue fluid) and estimated carbon dioxide emissions during logging operations. This study was carried out in the northeastern part of Poland. Four harvesters and four forwarders representing two manufacturers (John Deere-Deere & Co., Moline, USA, and Komatsu Forest AB, Umeå, Sweden) were analyzed to compare their operational efficiency and constructional influences on overall operating costs. Due to differences in engine emission standards, approximate greenhouse gas emissions were estimated. The results indicate that harvesters equipped with Stage V engines have lower fuel consumption, while large forwarders use more consumables than small ones per hour and cubic meter of harvested and extracted timber. A strong positive correlation was observed between total machine time and fuel consumption (r = 0.81), as well as between machine time and total volume of timber harvested (r = 0.72). Older and larger machines showed about 40% higher combustion per unit of wood processed. Newer machines meeting higher emission standards (Stage V) generally achieved lower CO₂ and other GHG emissions compared to older models. Machines with Stage V engines emitted about 2.07 kg CO₂ per processing of 1 m³ of wood, while machines with older engine types emitted as much as 4.35 kg CO₂ per 1 m³—roughly half as much. These differences are even more pronounced in the context of nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions: the estimated NO_x emissions for the older engine types were as high as ~85 g per m³, while those for Stage V engines were only about 5 g per m³ of harvested wood. Continuing the study would need to expand the number of machines analyzed, as well as acquire more detailed performance data on individual operators. A tool that could make this possible would be fleet monitoring services offered by the manufacturers of the surveyed harvesters and forwards, such as Smart Forestry or Timber Manager. Full article

Climate change poses one of the greatest challenges of our time, with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions significantly contributing to global warming. The agriculture, forestry, and land-use (AFOLU) sectors not only emit GHGs but also offer the potential for carbon sequestration, which can mitigate climate change. This study presents a methodological framework for estimating soil organic carbon (SOC) changes based on carbon farming practices in northern Lithuania. Using satellite-derived indicators of cover crops, no-till farming, and residue retention combined with soil and climate data, SOC dynamics were modeled across the Joniškis municipality for the period 2019–2020 using the Rothamsted Carbon Model (RothC) model. The integration of geospatial data and process-based modeling allowed for spatial estimation of SOC change, revealing positive trends ranging from 0.23 to 0.32 t C ha⁻¹ year⁻¹. Higher increases were observed in areas where multiple carbon farming practices overlapped. The proposed workflow demonstrates the potential of combining Earth observation and modeling approaches for regional-scale carbon assessment and provides a basis for future applications in sustainable land management and climate policy support. Full article

A system of field protective forest belts (FPFBs) was created in the middle of the 20th century in Southern Dobrudzha (Northern Bulgaria) to reduce wind erosion, improve soil moisture storage, and increase agricultural crop yields. Since 2020, prolonged climatic drought during growing seasons and the advanced age of trees have adversely impacted the health status of planted species and resulted in the decline and dieback of the FPFBs. Physiologically stressed trees have become less able to resist pests, such as insects and diseases. In this work, an original new methodology for the integrated assessment of the condition of FPFBs and their protective capacity is presented. The presented methods include the assessment of structural and functional characteristics, as well as the health status of the dominant tree species. Five indicators were identified that, to the greatest extent, present the ability of forest belts to perform their protective functions. Each indicator was evaluated separately, and then an overlay analysis was applied to generate an integrated assessment of the condition of individual forest belts. Three groups of FPFBs were differentiated according to their condition: in good condition, in moderate condition, and in bad condition. The methodology was successfully tested in Southern Dobrudzha, but it could be applied to other regions in Bulgaria where FPFBs were planted, regardless of their location, composition, origin, and age. This methodological approach could be transferred to other countries after adapting to their geo-ecological and agroforest specifics. The methodological approach is an informative and useful tool to support decision-making about FPFB management, as well as the proactive planning of necessary forestry activities for the reconstruction of degraded belts. Full article

The common oak (Quercus robur L.), though ecologically important and long-lived, has declined in Northern Europe due to historical land use and conifer-dominated forestry. In Latvia, where its distribution is limited, oaks support a rich biodiversity through features like tree-related microhabitats (TreMs) and diverse epiphytic communities. This study compared TreM and epiphyte diversity between planted mature oaks and relict champion oak trees across 16 forest stands. Epiphyte species were recorded using fixed-area frames on tree trunks, and TreMs were categorized following a hierarchical typology. Champion trees hosted significantly more TreMs and a greater variety, including 10 unique TreMs. While overall epiphyte diversity indices did not differ significantly, champion trees supported more specialist and woodland key habitat indicator species. The findings underscore the ecological value of legacy trees, which provide complex habitats essential for specialist taxa and indicators of forest continuity. Conserving such trees is vital for maintaining forest biodiversity and supporting ecosystem resilience in managed landscapes. Full article

Thermal modification applies to a technique for the enhancement of biological durability, stability, and appearance of wood. Much is known about its effects on the chemical and physical attributes of wood. However, there is a knowledge gap concerning the effects of heat treatment on surface coating performance of different wood species. The focus of this research is heat treatment regulation of 160 °C, 180 °C, and 200 °C for three commercially important wood species which are Populus (poplar), Quercus (oak), and Pinus (pine). These treatments were evaluated in relation to coating performance indicators adhesion, integrity, and visual stability during and after natural and artificial weathering. It was revealed that specific responses among species differences exist. Populus behaved differently and exhibited a steady loss in mass and volume. Quercus demonstrated gradual degradation alongside enhanced lignin stability. Pinus exhibited maintenance of volume and mass until 180 °C after which accelerated degradation was observed. Coating durability and adhesion exhibited dependence on thermal condition, wood species, porosity, surface chemistry and microstructural variations that occurred. The research results can be used to streamline finishing processes for thermally modified wood while underscoring the critical nature of precise treatment parameter adjustments guided by species-specific responses to ensure long-term stability. Full article

This study advances vegetation and forest mapping in temperate mixed forests by integrating airborne hyperspectral imagery (HSI) and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data, overcoming the limitations of conventional multispectral imaging. Employing a Digital Canopy Height Model (DCHM) derived from LiDAR, our approach integrates these structural metrics with hyperspectral spectral information, alongside detailed remote sensing data extraction. Through machine learning-based clustering, which combines both structural and spectral features, we successfully classified eight specific tree species, community boundaries, identified dominant species, and quantified their abundance, contributing to precise vegetation and forest type mapping based on predominant species and detailed attributes such as diameter at breast height, age, and canopy density. Field validation indicated the methodology’s high mapping precision, achieving overall accuracies of approximately 98.0% for individual species identification and 93.1% for community-level mapping. Demonstrating robust performance compared to conventional methods, this novel approach offers a valuable foundation for National Forest Ecology Inventory development and significantly enhances ecological research and forest management practices by providing new insights for improving our understanding and management of forest ecosystems and various forestry applications. Full article