58 Results Found

Tree stability under wind loading is a critical concern for risk management in urban and natural environments. Despite advances in assessment methods, discrepancies persist between theoretical predictions and real-world tree behaviour. This study pre...

In 2008, an unexpected and severe ice storm affected the forest of southern China. This storm caused damage in regeneration of an important dominant tree, Schima superba (Gugertree). To study this damage, we set up permanent monitoring plots in an ic...

More than 280 trees were uprooted in winching tests monitored by high resolution inclinometers at the base of the trees and a forcemeter mounted in the winching line. The dataset comprises trees growing on different urban and forest sites in Europe a...

Tree resistance to uprooting can be estimated as the critical turning moment in tree-pulling experiments. The depth at the center point of rotation (Dcp) in tree-pulling experiments is measured as an indicator of below-ground traits and is related to...

Coarse roots and the root plate play an important role in tree resistance to uprooting. In this study, a qualitative mechanistic model was developed to analyze coniferous tree resistance to uprooting in relation to tree morphological characteristics....

Amenity trees contribute to the overall quality of urban environments and are valued for their beauty and the benefits they bring to communities. However, the assessment of this capital commonly concludes with considerations of its vitality and decor...

The formation of spatial pedocomplexity in forested landscapes is an issue that has not yet been comprehensively resolved. This study analysed the effects of tree disturbances on the spatial variability of soil chemical properties in order to explain...

Urban green areas, while providing numerous benefits, can also produce negative impacts, often referred to as “ecosystem disservices”. While fallen fruits, leaves, and branches may pose tripping hazards, falling trees present a more signi...

Windthrow determines major changes in tree stand evolution due to the felling or breaking of either isolated trees or entire stands. It has a major ecological, social and economic impact. Wood loss resulting from tree felling and cross-cutting operat...

Roots anchor plants firmly to the soil, enabling them to effectively resist soil erosion and shear failure. Vegetation restoration has been acknowledged as one of the most useful measures for controlling soil loss; however, which root system characte...

Research Highlights: Bark beetles are important agents of disturbance regimes in temperate forests, and specifically in a connected wind-bark beetle disturbance system. Large-scale windthrows trigger population growth of the European spruce bark beet...

Climate change manifests itself as a change in the probability of extreme weather events, and it is projected that windstorms will become more frequent and intense in Northern Europe. Additionally, the frequency and length of warm periods with wet, u...

Post-disturbance salvage logging mitigates economic loss after windthrow, and the value of salvaged timber is strongly linked to its quality and dimensions. We studied the occurrence of wind-induced damage of aspen in the hemiboreal forests of Latvia...

Climate change will cause winds to strengthen and storms to become more frequent in Northern Europe. Windstorms reduce the financial value of forests by bending, breaking, or uprooting trees, and wind-thrown trees cause additional economic losses. Th...

The increasing effects of storms are considered the main abiotic disturbance affecting forest ecosystems. Bark-stripping damage from the growing ungulate populations, in turn, are among the main biotic risks, which might burden the stability of trees...

Windthrows are the most important type of disturbance occurring in the forests of Central Europe. On 19 November 2004, the strong northeastern katabatic winds caused significant damage and land cover change to more than 126 km² of spruce forests in t...

Under the intensifying cyclonic activity, the wind resistance of European forests could be increased through science-based adaptive forest management, which requires the quantification of tree stability. In this regard, the dimensions of the soil&nda...

Permanent crops, such as olive groves, vineyards and fruit trees, are important in European agriculture because of their spatial and economic relevance. Agricultural geographical databases (AGDBs) are commonly used by public bodies to gain knowledge...

In urban areas, typhoons frequently cause the tilting and uprooting of trees, resulting in damage to city infrastructure. During periods of intense rainfall, at shallow soil depths, soil water content is typically high, reducing the anchoring resista...

Forest ecosystems in Sri Lanka are under pressure from intensive human activity and climate change. Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to autochthonous species and ecosystems. In Bundala National Park of Sri Lanka, there are efforts to...

Secondary succession that occurs on abandoned farmlands is an important source of biomass carbon stocks. Both direct and indirect tree biomass estimation methods are applied on forest lands. Using empirical data from 148 uprooted trees, we developed...

Typhoon Goni crossed several provinces in the Philippines where agriculture has high socioeconomic importance, including the top-3 provinces in terms of planted coconut trees. We have used a computational model to infer coconut tree density from sate...

Tree resistance to overturning is crucial in forestry hazard applications and management. Tree anchorage varies considerably with species, tree age, and site conditions. We investigate the relationship between the root characteristics of the overturn...

Tree stability assessment is fundamental to preserve the safety of both people and goods. This topic attributes high relevance to cable-supported harvesting where trees and stumps are used as supporting and anchoring elements. In this case, the appli...

Deer can slow the natural succession of forests from light-demanding to shade-tolerant species or even keep forests in an early successional stage. This study examined the effects of bark stripping by deer (Cervus nippon) on the stand dynamics in a L...

Stumps left behind after the felling of trees represent an important source of renewable energy that could be used for fuel mixtures as a sustainable solution. The subject of this research was to determine the influence of tree species, stump diamete...

The treefall mounds and pits resulting from uprooting caused by strong winds is an indispensable microtopography for the regeneration of many tree species through improved light conditions and mineral soil exposure. These microtopographies are expect...

Forests play a central role in the management of the Earth’s climate. Airborne laser scanning (ALS) technologies facilitate the monitoring of large and impassable areas and can be used to monitor the 3D structure of forests. While the ALS-based...

In the Eastern Baltic region, severe windstorms increase both in frequency and magnitude, particularly during the dormancy period, increasing wind damage risks even more for silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), which is considered to be less vulnerab...

Trees growing in urban environments are often impacted by maintenance or construction work involving the cutting of roots. Tree protection zones have been proposed to avoid critical damage to the tree. However, despite incorporating quantitative info...

Urban trees are subjected to stressful conditions caused by anthropogenic, biotic, and abiotic factors. These stressors can cause structural changes, increasing the risks of branch failure or even complete uprooting. To mitigate the risks to people&r...

Although extensive studies have focused on carbon and water balance from aboveground measurements, the link between the belowground and aboveground processes deserves greater attention. In this context, the aim of this work was to assess the bi-direc...

Urban trees in a densely populated environment may pose risks to the public’s safety in terms of the potential danger of injuries and fatalities, loss of property, impacts on traffic, etc. The biological and mechanical features of urban trees m...

The last remaining Dragon Tree Forest on Earth survives on a small plateau (Roqeb di Firmihin) in Socotra Island (Yemen). The Socotran Dragon’s Blood Tree (Dracaena cinnabari Balf. f.) is endemic to the Socotra Archipelago UNESCO World Heritage...

Sometimes, mandatory rules for eradicating pathogens specifically target crops that hold intrinsic economic value, cultural heritage, and are a lucrative tourist attraction as well as an appealing part of the landscape due to their historical presenc...

The main objective of the LIFE Fluvial project is the improvement of the conservation status of Atlantic river corridors in the Natura 2000 network, developing a transnational strategy for the sustainable management of river corridor habitats in seve...

Tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons) cause large-scale disturbances in forest ecosystems all over the world. In the summer of 2016, a strong tropical cyclone named Lionrock created windthrow patches in the area of more than 400 km² on the fore...

Damage caused by snowfall can result in broken crowns and trunks and even lead to the uprooting of forest trees. Damage or death of forest trees creates forest gaps and alters overall forest demographics, but predicting the exact nature and influence...

In Salento, the olive agro-ecosystem has lasted more than 4000 years, and represents an invaluable local heritage for landscape, trade, and social traditions. The quarantine bacterium Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca was introduced in the area from ab...

In the humid tropics of Latin America, considerable proportions of agro-scapes are covered with degraded pastures that were taken over by dense weedy shrub canopies hampering further forest succession. While tree seeds are still constantly dispersed...

The dynamics of forest recovery after windthrows (i.e., broken or uprooted trees by wind) are poorly understood in tropical forests. The Northwestern Amazon (NWA) is characterized by a higher occurrence of windthrows, greater rainfall, and higher ann...

The utilization of agricultural prunings as renewable energy sources requires effective and efficient logistics systems. The objective of this paper was to map out logistics activities along the agricultural pruning-to-energy (PtE) value chains. It d...

Research Highlights: Simulations of treefall patterns during tornado events have been conducted, enabling the coupled effects of tornado characteristics, tree properties and soil conditions to be assessed for the first time. Background and Objectives...

Tree-covered urban green spaces, including streets, parks, and other public areas, are vital for urban sustainability and people’s well-being. However, such trees face threats from the occurrence of extreme weather. In this study, we investigat...

Natural disturbances like hurricanes can cause extensive disorder in forest structure, composition, and succession. Consequently, ecological, social, and economic alterations may occur. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and deep learning have been use...

Natural disturbances in forested landscapes are increasing in frequency. Hurricanes and flooding events can cause extreme damages to forested ecosystems and the forest products industry. The state of South Carolina experienced four major hurricanes a...

Mangroves provide many ecosystem services, including coastal protection against storm surges and waves. As an adaptive method for coastal defense, mangroves were widely restored and planted in tropical and subtropical regions, such as the coastal reg...

Windthrow (i.e., trees broken and uprooted by wind) is a major natural disturbance in Amazon forests. Images from medium-resolution optical satellites combined with extensive field data have allowed researchers to assess patterns of windthrow tree-mo...

Frequent earthquakes, monsoon torrential rains and typhoons cause severe landslides and soil erosion in Taiwan. Hibiscus taiwanensis, Macaranga tanarius, and Mallotus paniculatus are major pioneer tree species appearing on landslide-scarred areas. Th...

Agricultural activity replaces natural vegetation with cultivated land and it is a major cause of local and global climate change. Highly specialized agricultural production leads to extensive monoculture farming with a low biodiversity that may caus...