ALBERT

Beschreibung:    There is a lack of knowledge to identify and classify forest structures according to the risk of crown fires, especially in Mediterranean regions. In this study, for the first time, we use real information, obtained after a wildfire that burnt under extreme meteorological conditions, to classify forest structures of Pinus halepensis into fuel types as a function of crown fire potential. We identified fourteen forest structures which characterize many forest types in Western Mediterranean areas depending on canopy closure, number of tree layers, percent of each tree layer and overall tree density. By using the pattern of fire types that burnt the most numerous forest structures, we have identified four fire hazard groups of forest structures which are considered different fuel types. The first two had the lowest risk of active crown fires and they differed in the proportion of surface fires and passive crown fires. The third fuel type was the threshold between structures with low and high extreme fire behavior; while the fourth had a high risk of active crown fires. Firefighters and forest managers who are demanding this kind of schema, will test and upgrade this classification of fuel types in function of crown fire potential during future wildfires. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0520-6 Authors Albert Alvarez, CREAF (Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications) and Unit of Ecology, Campus Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain Marc Gracia, CREAF (Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications) and Unit of Ecology, Campus Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain Javier Retana, CREAF (Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications) and Unit of Ecology, Campus Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    This study aims at the explanation of internal stem morphology of vital (co)dominant Pedunculate oak ( Quercus robur L.) trees in homogeneous even-aged high-forests by the factors tree age, forest structure and site quality, using boosted regression trees as a powerful modelling technique. The study area covers the region of Flanders (Northern Belgium), which is characterised by the absence of strong topographic and climatic gradients. For 76 adult sample trees covering the entire productivity range of Pedunculate oak, morphological characteristics were derived from measurements of ring width or heartwood area on wood cores. Forest structure, soil physicochemical properties, humus quality, vegetation indices and litter nutrient contents were quantified at each sample location. Model predictive performance and generality are good. Tree age effects correspond to expected trends in age-related radial growth and heartwood portion. Even if management of oak trees in even-aged high-forests is rather similar over Flanders, forest structure is the most important factor determining ring width, followed by soil fertility. Heartwood portion is determined by soil fertility and crown structure. Effects of topsoil and humus physicochemical characteristics, litter nutrient contents and water supply mainly confirm autecological knowledge on oak. However, variables related to soil water availability are only occasionally relevant, and always of lower importance than soil fertility. The low importance of water availability in the models contradicts results from other studies, and the potential effect of confounding is discussed. The observed growth reduction at low litter N/P ratios might be indirectly linked to early litterfall. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0535-z Authors Vincent Kint, Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, K.U.Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, Box 2411, 3001 Leuven, Belgium Dries Vansteenkiste, Laboratory of Wood Technology, Department of Forest and Water Management, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium Wim Aertsen, Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, K.U.Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, Box 2411, 3001 Leuven, Belgium Bruno De Vos, Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Gaverstraat 4, 9500 Geraardsbergen, Belgium Raphael Bequet, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium Joris Van Acker, Laboratory of Wood Technology, Department of Forest and Water Management, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium Bart Muys, Division Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, K.U.Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, Box 2411, 3001 Leuven, Belgium Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Region of provenance is defined as an area with uniform ecological conditions where stands with similar phenotypic or genetic features are found. This study assesses the effect of differing climate conditions of eight Spanish regions of provenance of Pinus nigra Arn. subsp. salzmannii on earlywood anatomical traits measured in samples from basal discs from mature trees. Results showed that variation in wood biometry between provenances was high and more pronounced than intrapopulation variation. When comparing P. nigra with other Mediterranean pines, high intertracheid wall strength values are associated with better adaptation of pines to arid conditions. However, the intraspecific variations of this parameter in P. nigra did not follow the same pattern, due to the influence of mechanical support requirements. Trees subject to greater aridity were characterised by short tracheids, apparently resulting from their poorer growth, and high frequency of rays and ray parenchyma cells, which would allow trees to store greater amounts of starch, which is the source of metabolites invested in minimising the limitations imposed by water stress. Severe winter cold spells were strongly associated with high axial resin canal frequency and large radial resin canals, creating a powerful, preformed defence system. Increased tracheid lumen involved an increase in the size of bordered pits, favouring sap flow between tracheids, in addition to an increase in the maximum diameter of cross-field pits, favouring the flow of water and metabolites between the axial and radial systems. The high influence of region of provenance on structural variation in P. nigra shows the importance of provenance in the selection of seed origin for reforestation. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0537-x Authors Luis G. Esteban, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Montes, Departamento de Ingeniería Forestal, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain Juan A. Martín, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Montes, Departamento de Silvopascicultura, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain Paloma de Palacios, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Montes, Departamento de Ingeniería Forestal, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain Francisco García Fernández, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Montes, Departamento de Ingeniería Forestal, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Effects of harrowing and fertilisation on tree growth, understory vegetation, forest floor litter and soil properties were studied in a field experiment installed in a 5-year-old first rotation eucalypt plantation. The treatments were harrowing (H), fertilisation (F), harrowing and fertilisation (HF) and a control without any treatments (C), with four replicates. Tree growth, root mass, tree nutrition status, understory vegetation, mass of forest floor litter and soil physical and chemical properties were monitored till the end of the rotation (stand was 14-year old). Effects of treatments on tree growth, root mass and timber production were not significant. Root nutrient concentration differed between treatments only few months after the beginning of the experiment, while differences regarding specific root length and area were observed during the first year. Harrowing (H and HF) led to significantly smaller biomass of understory vegetation (〈13.4 g m −2 ) than other treatments (33−61 g m −2 ) during the first 3 years, but at the end of the experiment differences were less important. Forest floor litter mass after 3 years and at the end of the experiment were similar among treatments. Soil bulk density significantly decreased by harrowing (H and HF treatments), but 16 months after treatments were similar. Although soil chemical properties were not significantly affected by treatments, a decrease in base cations occurred during the rotation period. Fertiliser application is a questionable practice under the economic point of view, whereas harrowing can reduce the fuel load only during a short period, without negative effects on productivity and soil quality. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0533-1 Authors Manuel Madeira, Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia – Univ. Técnica de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal António Fabião, Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia – Univ. Técnica de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal Marta Carneiro, Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia – Univ. Técnica de Lisboa, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    This paper describes the development of a decision support system (DSS) for prevention planning and emergency management of forest fire events that incorporates weather data management, a geographical data viewer, a priori danger forecasting and fire propagation modeling, automatic fire detection, and optimal resource dispatching. Collection, input, storage, management, and analysis of the information rely on advanced and automated methodologies using remote sensing, GPS, digital mapping, and geographic information systems. The results included short-term dynamic fire danger indices developed for improved and realistic prevention and pre-suppression planning. An automatic fire detection technology based on infrared video was developed and successfully tested on site. Several models for understanding fire propagation on forest fires have been proposed for practical application. Additionally, a DSS was developed with the innovation of covering wildland fire hazard management entirely, providing a complete coverage of technical and administrative activities that support decision makers in real time. The DSS was tested for high fire seasons in two different sites in South Europe. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0534-0 Authors Kostas Kalabokidis, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece Gavriil Xanthopoulos, NAGREF, Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems and Forest Products Technology, Terma Alkmanos, 11528 Athens, Greece Peter Moore, Climate, Fire and Natural Resources Consulting, 14 Jeanette Street, East Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia David Caballero, TECNOMA S.A., Area of Forest Ecosystems, Isla del Hierro 7, San Sebastián de los Reyes, 28700 Madrid, Spain George Kallos, Department of Physics, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece Juan Llorens, Department of Informatics, University Carlos III of Madrid, Leganes, 28911 Madrid, Spain Olga Roussou, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece Christos Vasilakos, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    We examine whether different guilds of foragers remove seeds differentially according to seed quality (seed size and insect infestation) and seed location (habitat and microhabitat) in a mixed oak-beech forest. Video recordings indicated that the wood mouse ( Apodemus sylvaticus ) was first to encounter seeds. Foragers preferred acorns to beechnuts, large to small size and sound to infested. Nevertheless, infested seeds were removed by rodents even when sound seeds were present. Seeds that were not preferred by scatter-hoarding rodents remained longer on the ground and were more vulnerable to predation and desiccation (4% moisture loss per day). However, seeds that were removed by scatter-hoarders were moved away from their mother trees (96%) and cached individually (32%), increasing their moisture content (3% per day). Buried seeds, simulating scatter-hoarding behavior, experienced only a 17% removal after 4 months. Seed removal differences among habitats were not due to habitat attributes but to the spatial distribution of rodent-preferred microhabitats. Thus, a significant lower seed removal was observed under the tree canopy with no shrubs. However, seed removal in forest gaps with deadwood cover was not significantly different from the preferred microhabitat (under shrub cover). In pure beech forests, seed removal by rodents only occurred under Ilex aquifolium (the only perennial cover) and under woody debris. This study concludes that seed quality and seed location determine the contribution of different removers (predators vs. dispersers), their seed selection and their removal speed, leading to different seed fates which will eventually affect tree regeneration. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0536-y Authors Ramón Perea, Departamento de Silvopascicultura, ETSI. Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain Alfonso San Miguel, Departamento de Silvopascicultura, ETSI. Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain María Martínez-Jauregui, Departamento de Silvopascicultura, ETSI. Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain María Valbuena-Carabaña, Departamento de Silvopascicultura, ETSI. Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain Luis Gil, Departamento de Silvopascicultura, ETSI. Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Across Europe, ungulate numbers have greatly increased over the past decades, leading to increasing concerns about the ecological and economical impacts and pleas for stronger population control. However, focussing on population control only ignores other underlying factors which may enhance the wildlife–forestry conflict. I reviewed factors which shape herbivore top-down effects in natural temperate forest systems aiming at understanding how these interactions are altered in managed forests. Carnivores are important in modifying ungulate–plant interactions. They can directly influence the numbers of ungulates, but this effect is dependent on productivity and predicted to be smallest in highly productive temperate forest. Indirectly, they modify herbivore top-down effects by creating a landscape of fear. Despite the abundance of knowledge from American systems, there is a lack of knowledge on how this process might work in European systems. Next to carnivores, abiotic conditions interact with herbivory by influencing forage quality and availability. Forest gaps lead to concentration of ungulates and their effects, due to increased forage supply. Abiotic conditions also influence the response of plants following herbivory, which can be tolerated by showing increased regrowth or resistance due to chemical or physical defence. In typical managed forest systems, carnivores and abiotic conditions which shape ungulate top-down effects in natural forests are altered or absent. Human hunting might replace the direct effects of carnivores, but does not replace their indirect effects. Forestry practices also have modified herbivore–plant interactions in several ways, creating a forest with lower ungulate carrying capacity and higher sensitivity for ungulate browsing. These changes logically increase the strength of herbivore top-down effects in managed forests and increase the wildlife–forestry conflict. To reduce this conflict, aiming only at reducing wildlife numbers is predicted to have little effects when they do not coincide with habitat ameliorations. Forestry practices may therefore greatly enhance the conflict that exists between wildlife and forestry but can also be an important tool to reduce this conflict by adapting management practices that allow more natural functioning of forests systems. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0523-3 Authors D. P. J. Kuijper, Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. Waszkiewicza 1d, 17-230 Białowieża, Poland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Within the EFORWOOD project, new methodological approaches to assess the sustainability impacts of forestry-wood chains (FWC) were developed by using indicators of environmental, social and economic relevance. This paper introduces and discusses the developed approach and the two main products developed in the EFORWOOD project: the Database Client and the Tool for Sustainability Impact Assessment (ToSIA), which hold, calculate and integrate the extensive information and data collected. Sustainability impact assessment (SIA) of FWCs is based on measuring and analysing environmental, economic and social indicators for all of the production processes along the value chain. The adoption of the method varies between applications and depends on the specification of the FWC in the assessment and what questions are studied. ToSIA is very flexible and can apply forest-, product-, industry- and consumer-defined perspectives. Each perspective influences the focus of the analysis and affects system boundaries. ToSIA can assess forest value chains in different geographical regions covering local, regional, national and up to the continental scale. Potential issues and scenarios can be analysed with the tool including, for example, the impacts of different forest policies on the sustainability of an FWC. This paper presents how ToSIA can be applied to solve such diverse problems and underlines this with examples from different case studies. Differences in chain set-up, system boundaries and data requirements are highlighted and experiences with the implementation of the sustainability impact assessment methods are discussed. The EFORWOOD case studies offer valuable reference data for future sustainability assessments. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0483-7 Authors Marcus Lindner, European Forest Institute (EFI), Torikatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland Wendelin Werhahn-Mees, European Forest Institute (EFI), Torikatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland Tommi Suominen, European Forest Institute (EFI), Torikatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland Diana Vötter, European Forest Institute (EFI), Torikatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland Sergey Zudin, European Forest Institute (EFI), Torikatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland Matias Pekkanen, European Forest Institute (EFI), Torikatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland Risto Päivinen, European Forest Institute (EFI), Torikatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland Martina Roubalova, Institute of Forest Ecosystem Research (IFER), Strašice 299, 33845 Strašice, Czech Republic Petr Kneblik, Institute of Forest Ecosystem Research (IFER), Strašice 299, 33845 Strašice, Czech Republic Franka Brüchert, Forstliche Versuchs- und Forschungsanstalt Baden-Württemberg (FVA), Wonnhaldestraße 4, 79100 Freiburg, Germany Erik Valinger, Department of Forest Resource Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Science (SLU), Skogsmarksgränd, 901 83 UMEÅ, Sweden Ludovic Guinard, FCBA Institut Technologique, 10 Avenue de Saint-Mandé, 75012 Paris, France Stefania Pizzirani, Forest Research, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9SY UK Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Sustainability impact assessment (SIA) is a prospective, integrated assessment approach for potential impacts of policy actions. Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) can be used to facilitate a multi-indicator evaluation in this framework in order to foster rational and transparent decision-making processes for SIA. Based on the outputs of the EFORWOOD project, this paper presents an exploratory MCA to a regional forest-wood chain (FWC) in Baden–Württemberg. This assessment is based on a set of sustainability indicators at process level for a baseline year 2005, reference futures ‘A1’ and ‘B2’ following the definition of the IPCC and a bio-energy scenario implanted into the reference future ‘A1’. The indicator values were calculated by the process tool ToSIA. It is demonstrated how time steps for parts of the regional FWC (forest management, harvest and transport to the mill gate) can be evaluated, as well as the outcomes of different scenarios for a time period. For this purpose, a novel software tool, ToSIA-MCA, is used to calculate relative sustainability impact rating (SIR) based on a PROMETHEE II algorithm. Further, we performed uncertainty analysis to test the stability of ranking results in the absence of real preference information with regard to uncertainty in indicator data. By comparing different indicator weighting patterns, the sensitivity of SIR calculation was further tested. The exploratory MCA outcomes are critically evaluated against the background of assumptions, and data used in the regional case, and an outlook is given on the importance to gain stronger stakeholder involvement in real-life applications. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0499-z Authors Bernhard Wolfslehner, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Silviculture, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, Peter Jordan Strasse 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria Franka Brüchert, Forest Research Institute of Baden-Württemberg (FVA), Wonnhaldestr. 4, 79100 Freiburg, Germany Janine Fischbach, Institute of Forest Utilisation and Work Science, Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs- University Freiburg, Werthmannstraße 6, 79110 Freiburg, Germany Werner Rammer, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Silviculture, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, Peter Jordan Strasse 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria Gero Becker, Institute of Forest Utilisation and Work Science, Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs- University Freiburg, Werthmannstraße 6, 79110 Freiburg, Germany Marcus Lindner, European Forest Institute (EFI), Torikatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland Manfred J. Lexer, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Silviculture, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, Peter Jordan Strasse 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Tropospheric ozone (O 3 ) is considered to be the air pollutant relating to the decline of Fagus crenata forest in Japan. In the present study, we assessed a risk of O 3 impact on the growth of F. crenata in Japan, giving consideration to the effects associated with atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition based on the experimental study, national monitoring data for oxidant concentration and atmospheric N deposition, and a national vegetation survey. The average and maximum O 3 -induced relative growth reduction (RG red ) of F. crenata across Japan were estimated to be 3.2 and 9.7%, respectively. Current levels of atmospheric N deposition were found to significantly affect the sensitivity of F. crenata to O 3 . When the N deposition was assumed as zero, the estimated average and maximum RG red were 2.3% and 5.7%, respectively. The inclusion of atmospheric N deposition data thus increased the estimated values for average and maximum RG red (by 38% and 71%, respectively). Our results demonstrate that a change in the sensitivity to O 3 associated with atmospheric N deposition is an important consideration in the risk assessment of O 3 impact on the growth of F. crenata in Japan. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0521-5 Authors Makoto Watanabe, Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8589 Japan Masahiro Yamaguchi, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan Hideyuki Matsumura, Environmental Science Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Abiko, Chiba 270-1194, Japan Yoshihisa Kohno, Environmental Science Research Laboratory, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Abiko, Chiba 270-1194, Japan Takeshi Izuta, Institute of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Mountain birch ( Betula utilis ) is the most important treeline species in alpine forests of southwestern China. In order to understand the effects of future warming on treeline birch, this study was conducted to examine the effects of experimental warming on leaf phenology, growth and gas exchange of B. utilis saplings using the open top chamber (OTC) method in a treeline ecotone of eastern Tibetan Plateau. The OTCs enhanced daily mean air temperature by 2.9 K throughout the growing season. Conversely, soil moisture within the OTCs on average declined by 3% over the experimental period. Experimental warming did not affect the timing of bud break, although treeline birch saplings growing in the OTCs manifested later leaf abscission, resulting in longer leaf life span. Artificial warming significantly accelerated the leaf and shoot growth rates of treeline birch saplings, resulting in larger leaf area and longer shoot elongation late in the growing season. Moreover, experimental warming significantly reduced the leaf fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and tended to increase specific leaf area (SLA). Moreover, elevated temperatures significantly enhanced the transpiration rate ( E ), stomatal conductance ( g s ), maximum net assimilation rate ( A max ), dark respiration rate ( R d ) and apparent quantum yield (AQY) but did not influence the light compensation point (LCP) and light saturation point (LSP) of treeline birch saplings. Taken together, our results indicated that short-term experimental warming markedly altered structural/functional leaf traits and enhanced photosynthetic capacity of treeline birch saplings; such positive responses in treeline birch would be favorable for the growth of this species under future warmer world. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0554-9 Authors Zhenfeng Xu, Institute of Ecological Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611830 China Tingxing Hu, Faculty of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya’an, 625014 China Yuanbin Zhang, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041 China Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The objectives of this study were to describe and quantify Aleppo pine aerial primary growth processes and to assess their relationships with climate. Primary growth (branch length growth, branching rate, polycyclism, needle number and size, fruiting), i.e. crown development and reproduction, was reconstructed for the last 16 years in Mediterranean France. From 1998 to 2007, climate has been far hotter and drier than normal in South-eastern France. All variables related to crown development and fruiting, as well as radial growth, significantly declined after 2003 heat wave and during repeated droughts from 2004 to 2007. A partial recovery of most parameters occurred from 2008 to 2010 on vigorous branches while frail branches showed less improvement. The limited crown development during unfavourable years may significantly hold back tree potential photosynthetic biomass for several following years and contribute to a slower than expected recovery of tree growth or to delayed die-back. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0565-6 Authors François Girard, CEMAGREF, Ecosystèmes Méditerranéens et Risques, 3275 Route de Cézanne CS 40061, 13182 Cedex 5, Aix en Provence, France Michel Vennetier, CEMAGREF, Ecosystèmes Méditerranéens et Risques, 3275 Route de Cézanne CS 40061, 13182 Cedex 5, Aix en Provence, France Frédéric Guibal, IMEP, Faculté des Sciences de St Jérôme, Avenue Escadrille Normandie-Niemen, Boite 441, 13397 Marseille, Cedex 20, France Christophe Corona, IMEP, Faculté des Sciences de St Jérôme, Avenue Escadrille Normandie-Niemen, Boite 441, 13397 Marseille, Cedex 20, France Samira Ouarmim, CEMAGREF, Ecosystèmes Méditerranéens et Risques, 3275 Route de Cézanne CS 40061, 13182 Cedex 5, Aix en Provence, France Asier Herrero, Departamento de Ecología, Facultad de Ciencias, Campus de Fuentenueva, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Due to high variation in forest communities, forest structure and the fragmentation of the forested area in Central Europe, satellite-based forest inventory methods have to meet particularly high-quality requirements. This study presents an innovative method to combine official forest inventory information at stand level with multidate satellite imagery using a spatially adaptive classification approach for producing wall-to-wall forest cover maps of important tree species and management classes across multiple ownership regions in a heterogeneous low mountain range in Germany. The classification approach was applied to a 5,200-km 2 area (about 2,080 km 2 of forest land, mostly mixed forests) located in the Eifel mountain range in Central Europe. In comparison with conventional classifiers, our results demonstrate a significant increase in classification accuracy in the order of 12%. The method was tested with ASTER images but holds the potential to be used for regular state forest inventories based on standard and novel earth observation data supplied for instance from the SPOT-5 and RapidEye sensors. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-19 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0577-2 Authors Johannes Stoffels, Environmental Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, University of Trier, Trier, Germany Sebastian Mader, Environmental Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, University of Trier, Trier, Germany Joachim Hill, Environmental Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics, University of Trier, Trier, Germany Willy Werner, Department of Geobotany, University of Trier, Trier, Germany Godehard Ontrup, Forest Management Planning, National Forests Rhineland-Palatinate, Koblenz, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Aging in trees implies a progressive reduction in the growth rate, related to a shortening of the growing period and changes in the photosynthetic capability and efficiency. These changes may continue during the old-growth life stages following the juvenile phase and are reflected in tree-ring properties such as growth increment, density or stable isotopes. We studied possible climate age effects in time series of several tree-ring parameters (ring width, wood density and stable carbon and oxygen isotopes) of mature individuals from two age groups of Pinus uncinata and P. nigra at two locations in Spain. The aim was to test whether age differences in trees in the old-growth life stages could lead to diverging climate responses. The results show some differences in response to climate between age groups at a monthly level, but most of these divergences are not significant for seasonal climate variables. Regardless of the age group, the main limiting climate factors constrained tree growth equally. Although our findings do not support the idea of an age-dependent response to climate that may lead to inaccurate climate reconstructions, further studies using tree-ring density and stable isotope series are urgently needed to verify the current results. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0566-5 Authors Isabel Dorado Liñán, Departament d’Ecologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Emilia Gutiérrez, Departament d’Ecologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Ingo Heinrich, German Centre for Geosciences, Climate Dynamics and Landscape Evolution, Potsdam Dendro Laboratory, Potsdam, Germany Laia Andreu-Hayles, Tree-Ring Laboratory, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, Palisades, NY, USA Elena Muntán, Departament d’Ecologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Filipe Campelo, Departament d’Ecologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Gerhard Helle, German Centre for Geosciences, Climate Dynamics and Landscape Evolution, Potsdam Dendro Laboratory, Potsdam, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    World-wide deforestation is being reversed in Mediterranean continental areas, where abandonment of traditional practises favours the expansion of valuable habitats, like Juniperus thurifera woodlands. We hypothesised that pre-existing trees facilitate establishment in expanding woodlands, whereas in mature woodlands, competition leads to patch disaggregation. We compared the imprint of these processes on growth, demographic and spatial structure of expanding and mature J. thurifera woodlands. We selected plots where we geopositioned, aged and quantified the morphological characteristics of all trees. In the mature woodland, trees arranged in clumps and randomly in the expanding woodland. Competition negatively affected growth, was greater in the mature woodland and led to disaggregation of juvenile clumps. Differences in growth between the mature and the expanding woodland disappeared in climatically unfavourable years, suggesting that adverse climate constrains growth more in expanding than in mature woodlands. We suggest that change in the dispersal agents and a decrease of facilitation underlay differences in spatial patters between the expanding and the mature woodland. Observed effective recruitment in less than 30 years into the expanding woodland evidenced that propagule arrival and sapling survival do not constrain woodland expansion. Furthermore, growth of juveniles established in these new areas is favoured by reduced intra-specific competition. However, we expect growth in expanding woodlands to be negatively impacted by climate change. We conclude that under current global change scenario, conservation of J. thurifera woodlands is favoured by changes in land use, but greater frequency and severity of drier than usual episodes could hamper natural reforestation. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0569-2 Authors Teresa E. Gimeno, Laboratorio Internacional de Cambio Global (LINC-Global), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN, CSIC, Serrano 115 dpdo., 28006 Madrid, Spain Beatriz Pías, Laboratorio Internacional de Cambio Global (LINC-Global), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN, CSIC, Serrano 115 dpdo., 28006 Madrid, Spain Jesús Martínez-Fernández, Laboratorio Internacional de Cambio Global (LINC-Global), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN, CSIC, Serrano 115 dpdo., 28006 Madrid, Spain David L. Quiroga, Laboratorio Internacional de Cambio Global (LINC-Global), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN, CSIC, Serrano 115 dpdo., 28006 Madrid, Spain Adrián Escudero, Departamento de Biología y Geología, ESCET, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Tulipán s/n, 28933 Móstoles, Spain Fernando Valladares, Laboratorio Internacional de Cambio Global (LINC-Global), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, MNCN, CSIC, Serrano 115 dpdo., 28006 Madrid, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Geographically structured tree-ring networks are needed to fully understand the spatiotemporal variability in climatic sensitiveness of trees and to study their future responses to global warming. We aim to identify the spatially constrained structure of radial-growth patterns of the Spanish juniper ( Juniperus thurifera L.) and to assess whether their climate–growth responses were unstable during the late twentieth century. Tree–ring width chronologies were built for 13  J. thurifera stands in Spain using dendrochronological methods and related to monthly climatic data. Sites were grouped according to their growth patterns using hierarchical cluster analysis. The relationships among geographical, climatic and stand features and their influence on radial growth were evaluated using redundancy analysis. The climate–growth relationships and their temporal stability were assessed using Pearson’s and moving bootstrapped correlations, respectively. Stands formed three geographical groups according to their high-frequency growth variation: North West and Centre, North East and South East. We found that J. thurifera radial-growth patterns depended on geographical and climatic factors, but not on the stand structure, and responded to a northwest–southeast gradient of decreasing rainfall and influence of Atlantic Westerlies and Mediterranean cyclonic activity. The positive response to June precipitation was unstable during the late twentieth century and started earlier in populations from western mesic sites than in eastern xeric sites. This pattern may be related to either decreasing water availability in western than in eastern sites or the resilience of J. thurifera growth from xeric sites in response to the increasing summer aridity. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0564-7 Authors Lucía DeSoto, Centro de Ecologia Funcional, Departamento de Ciências da Vida, Universidade de Coimbra, Apdo. 3046, 3001–456 Coimbra, Portugal Jesús Julio Camarero, ARAID, Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, 50080 Zaragoza, Spain José Miguel Olano, Área de Botánica, Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, EUI Agrarias, Universidad de Valladolid, Los Pajaritos s/n, 42004 Soria, Spain Vicente Rozas, Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG-CSIC), Apdo. 28, 36080 Pontevedra, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus , the causal agent of the pine wilt disease, has been detected in several regions of Portugal affecting Pinus pinaster , a coniferous species of a great economic value. The nematodes, migrating through resin canals and feeding on parenchyma cells, induce rapid metabolic changes in ray parenchyma cells, cavitation areas, and denaturation and necrosis of parenchyma and cambial cells. To understand how anatomic changes and biochemical incidences of tree defense reactions affect the technological parameters of the wood, the gross calorific value (GCV) and chemical composition of PWN-infected and -uninfected P. pinaster wood were evaluated. The GCV was determined using Parr 6300 Automatic Isoperibol Calorimeter, and chemical composition analysis was performed by determining the contents of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur and Ash on complete and instant oxidation of samples by “flash” combustion. The Student’s t test with Welch correction was used for statistical data analysis. The difference between the GCV and chemical composition for PWN-infected and -uninfected P. pinaster wood was statistically significant for the GCV and for hydrogen and nitrogen contents. The carbon, oxygen, sulfur and Ash contents did not differ statistically. The GCV of PWN-infected wood varied between the highest value of hardwood and the lowest value of softwood. This interdisciplinary study stresses the important technological and economic aspects, namely the impact of PWN on wood properties and the suitability of infected P. pinaster wood for use in the wood-processing and energy industries. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0574-5 Authors Valeria Reva, Centre of Forest Fire Studies, Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics (CEIF/ADAI), Rua Pedro Hispano, no 12, 3031-601 Coimbra, Portugal Luís Fonseca, IMAR-CMA, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal José L. Lousada, CITAB, Centre for Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences, UTAD, Quinta dos Prados Apartado, 1013-5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal Isabel Abrantes, IMAR-CMA, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal Domingos X. Viegas, Centre of Forest Fire Studies, Association for the Development of Industrial Aerodynamics (CEIF/ADAI), Rua Pedro Hispano, no 12, 3031-601 Coimbra, Portugal Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung: Challenges in implementing sustainability impact assessment of forest wood chains Content Type Journal Article Category Editorial Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0571-8 Authors Kaj Rosén, The Forest Research Institute of Sweden, Uppsala Science Park, 75183 Uppsala, Sweden Marcus Lindner, European Forest Institute, Torikatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland Gert-Jan Nabuurs, European Forest Institute, Torikatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland Piotr Paschalis-Jakubowicz, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Forest Utilization, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), ul. Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warszawa, Poland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Although pollen dispersal has been extensively studied in trees, parameters influencing between-population variation are still poorly understood. In this study, we conducted paternity analyses on open-pollinated seeds in four natural populations of wild cherry ( Prunus avium ) with contrasting density and clonal propagation, using eight microsatellite loci and one self-incompatibility system locus. We also measured four quantitative traits and spatial positions as potential correlates of reproductive success. Levels of polyandry differed among populations and 30% of the seed families exhibited unequal paternal contributions, suggesting variation in reproductive success rather than variation in mate availability. Mating occurred preferentially among neighbours in all populations, suggesting that it is a common pattern in wild cherry and probably results from pollinator behaviour. Paternal success was positively correlated with diameter at breast height, as indicated in previous studies and tree dominance only resulted in higher paternal success in low density plots. Mating patterns were thus also affected by both density and tree size. Large-scale studies are needed to disentangle relative influences of these factors on the mating system and pollination success. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0576-3 Authors Céline Jolivet, Institute of Forest Genetics, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institut (vTI), Sieker Landstrasse 2, 22927 Grosshansdorf, Germany Aki M. Höltken, Department of Wood Science, World Forestry, University of Hamburg, Leuschnerstrasse 91, 21031 Hamburg, Germany Heike Liesebach, Institute of Forest Genetics, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institut (vTI), Sieker Landstrasse 2, 22927 Grosshansdorf, Germany Wilfried Steiner, Nordwestdeutsche Forstliche Versuchsanstalt Abteilung Waldgenressourcen, Prof.-Oelkers-Str. 6, 34346 Hann. Münden, Germany Bernd Degen, Institute of Forest Genetics, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institut (vTI), Sieker Landstrasse 2, 22927 Grosshansdorf, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Soil loss rates currently recorded in forests are very low. Nevertheless, that may not be the case during stand installation and early tree growth stage, when soil is disturbed and scarcely covered. Site preparation techniques, performed to improve soil conditions for plant growth, should help reducing this erosion potential. In this study, several site preparation techniques were applied prior to installing a mixed stand ( Pseudotsuga mensiezii and Castanea sativa ) and a subsequent monitoring scheme of run-off and soil loss ran for 2 years in order to compare their effectiveness for erosion control. The experimental area, near Macedo de Cavaleiros, NE Portugal, at 700 m elevation, with annual means of 656 mm rainfall and 12°C temperature, has Mediterranean climatic conditions. Experimental design comprised three blocks, corresponding to different topographical positions (near flat plateau, moderate slope shoulder and steep mid-slope), where eight treatments were randomly distributed in plots with 375 m 2 area: (1) Original soil control (no intervention on the original abandoned field); (2) No subsoiling, no ploughing, plantation with hole digger; (3) Subsoiling over the whole area, with covering shovel; (4) No subsoiling, contour bunds shaped by two plough passes; (5) Subsoiling in future plantation rows, contour bunds shaped by two plough passes; (6) Subsoiling over the whole area, contour bunds shaped by two plough passes; (7) Subsoiling over the whole area, contour ploughing over the whole area; and (8) Potential erosion (subsoiling over the whole area, ploughing downhill). Sediment and water exported from small plots (2.5 m 2 average area), two replicates per treatment and block, were collected after each rainfall erosion event, in a total of 21, summing 1,876-mm precipitation in 2 years. Mean annual run-off and soil loss in the original soil were 3.4 mm and 11.6 g m −2 , respectively. In treatments 2–7, values were higher 3–7 times, for run-off, and 5–12 times, for soil loss. Potential erosion averages 2.3 t ha −1 year −1 . Soil loss and run-off tend to increase with tillage intensity associated with site preparation technique, even though average two-year losses, in all cases, are below tolerable rates. Soil loss and run-off rates decreased with time, becoming globally negligible after 2 years. Slight and moderate soil disturbance intensity site preparation techniques reduce erosion rates to 30% of potential erosion, halving the critical period when above tolerance rates may occur. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0581-6 Authors Tomás de Figueiredo, Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança/Escola Superior Agrária, Campus de Sta Apolónia, Apartado 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal Felícia Fonseca, Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança/Escola Superior Agrária, Campus de Sta Apolónia, Apartado 1172, 5301-855 Bragança, Portugal Afonso Martins, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Apartado 1013, 5001-911 Vila Real, Portugal Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung: Wind effects on trees Content Type Journal Article Category Editorial Pages 1-5 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0582-5 Authors Dirk Schindler, Meteorological Institute, Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany Jürgen Bauhus, Institute of Silviculture, Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany Helmut Mayer, Meteorological Institute, Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    This research encompasses soil CO 2 emission studies from forest and pasture couplets located in northwestern Spain, where two mature oak forest ecosystems partially cleared for pasture 5 or 50 years ago were selected to monitor soil C effluxes during 2 years. The CO 2 exchanges in the soil–atmosphere interphase of forest and pasture plots were seasonally determined using portable infrared gas analysers. At the same time, soil samples from both forest and pasture ecosystems were used to carry out long-term incubations under laboratory conditions. Solid-state 13 C-NMR with cross-polarization/magic angle spinning was applied to determine the deforestation effects on soil organic matter (SOM) composition. Pasture implantation caused a notable decline of the labile C pool and a decrease in the total soil C, with an increase in both the SOM humification and the relative concentration of phenolic and carboxyl C. After only 5 years, the deforestation caused a general decrease in the soil CO 2 emissions with reduced seasonal fluctuations, these effects being even more intense 50 years after clearing. The correlation observed in oak forests between the CO 2 measured in situ and the soil temperature, is masked in pasture ecosystems by the high summer soil dryness. After the partial disappearance of soil C stocks caused by deforestation, a new long-term C input/output equilibrium seems to be established, probably due to the joint adaptation of both SOM and microbial communities in the old pasture soil; however, the entire soil C retention capacity remains still degraded as compared with the original uncleared forest ecosystem. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0580-7 Authors Irene Fernandez, Departamento de Bioquímica del Suelo, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Apartado 122, 15780 Santiago de Compostela, Spain Beatriz Carrasco, Departamento de Bioquímica del Suelo, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Apartado 122, 15780 Santiago de Compostela, Spain Ana Cabaneiro, Departamento de Bioquímica del Suelo, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Apartado 122, 15780 Santiago de Compostela, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    In this article, the development and operationalisation of forestry-wood chain indicators within the frame of sustainability impact assessment are discussed. The analytical framework follows a distinction between indicator definition and selection in a first phase, and a second operational phase of indicator application in terms of interconnecting material flows, calculation of chain performance and utilisation within evaluation components. A clear boundary drawing effort in terms of the development of indicator definitions, related subclasses, and measurement units as well as the creation of conversion factors between indicator values and individual chain stages supports this. Economic, social and environmental indicators have to respond to data collection needs on individual process levels (that correspond to sub-divisions of the forestry-wood chain). For the usage of indicators within evaluation tools, a functional hierarchy has to be provided that supports clear preference elicitation as well as information on related externalities. In total, this paper aims at demonstrating an enhanced spectrum in the use of sustainability indicators, and the challenges that arise from a developing and applying multi-functional indicators in sustainability impact assessment. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0547-8 Authors Helga Pülzl, Department of Political Science and Sociology, University of Salzburg, Rudolfskai 42, 5020 Salzburg, Austria Irina Prokofieva, Forest Sciences Center of Catalonia (CTFC), Forest Economics Area, Ctra. De St. Llorenç de Morunys, km. 2, 25280 Solsona, Spain Staffan Berg, The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden, SkogForsk, Uppsala Science Park, 75183 Uppsala, Sweden Ewald Rametsteiner, EFICEEC c/o Department of Economics and Social Sciences, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, Feistmantelstraße 4, 1180 Vienna, Austria Filip Aggestam, EFICEEC c/o Department of Economics and Social Sciences, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, Feistmantelstraße 4, 1180 Vienna, Austria Bernhard Wolfslehner, EFICEEC c/o Department of Economics and Social Sciences, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, Feistmantelstraße 4, 1180 Vienna, Austria Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Soil water availability determines the vitality of trees and forest stands to a large degree. Over the last decades, an increasing number of drought spells has been observed in several parts of Europe. Our study aims to estimate long-term trends of soil drought at Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) stands along the prevailing climatic gradient in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, northeastern Germany. To this end, soil water balance simulations were carried out at 24 sites over the period from 1951 to 2009 with the physically based model LWF-BROOK90. As a threshold for soil water stress, we used 40% of relative extractable water (REW). The results indicated an increased number of drought days further east, together with declining totals of precipitation. However, specific site conditions had a large influence on the occurrence of soil drought, partly overriding the climatic differences across the study area. Soil drought has distinctly increased in the recent past, both in duration and in intensity, affecting the eastern sites more than the western sites. The increased soil dryness could be attributed to higher atmospheric evaporative demand due to higher temperatures, as well as slightly lower precipitation sums during the summer months. To mitigate the negative effects of future climate change, adaptation measures should preferably be conducted in the eastern parts of northeastern Germany. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0573-6 Authors Andreas Bauwe, Universität Rostock, Agrar- und Umweltwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, 18059 Rostock, Germany Christian Criegee, Universität Rostock, Agrar- und Umweltwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, 18059 Rostock, Germany Stephan Glatzel, Universität Rostock, Agrar- und Umweltwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, 18059 Rostock, Germany Bernd Lennartz, Universität Rostock, Agrar- und Umweltwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 6, 18059 Rostock, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Despite evidences that Holm oak has a high plasticity and great adaptability, there is limited or contradictory knowledge of the morphological and physiological variability of this species. Holm oak has been widely used for reforestation projects in Mediterranean areas, but has frequently shown poor field performance. We hypothesized that Holm oak has inter-population differences in physiological responses to abiotic stressors that could affect reforestation success. The influence of nursery culture on the characteristics of Holm oaks from different provenances has not been explored in depth. Thus, we studied the effect of nursery autumn fertilization on morphological traits, frost tolerance, root growth potential, and nutritional status of two Spanish provenances of Holm oak, La Alcarria (a region with inland Mediterranean climate) and Sierra Morena Occidental (a region with a warm coastal Mediterranean climate). There were significant differences between the provenances in frost tolerance, biomass allocation, and leaf nutrient content, suggesting a role of genetic factors. The leaves of seedlings from La Alcarria had less visual damage at −12°C than seedlings from the warmer provenance (45% vs. 92%). Seedlings from La Alcarria, compared to those from Sierra Morena, had higher leaf P concentration (0.17% vs . 0.15%), greater stem diameter (3.1 mm vs . 2.7 mm), lower shoot-to-root dry mass ratio (0.46 vs . 0.53), and lower slenderness (4.03 vs . 5.31). For both provenances, N autumn fertilization improved growth, root growth potential, cold hardiness, and nutritional status of seedlings. We suggest that forest reforestation programs should consider to a greater extent Holm oak provenances and their tolerances to different abiotic stressors. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0578-1 Authors Enrique Andivia, Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Universidad de Huelva, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, Campus Universitario de La Rábida Palos de la Frontera, 21819 Huelva, Spain Manuel Fernández, Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Universidad de Huelva, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, Campus Universitario de La Rábida Palos de la Frontera, 21819 Huelva, Spain Javier Vázquez-Piqué, Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Universidad de Huelva, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, Campus Universitario de La Rábida Palos de la Frontera, 21819 Huelva, Spain Reyes Alejano, Departamento de Ciencias Agroforestales, Universidad de Huelva, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, Campus Universitario de La Rábida Palos de la Frontera, 21819 Huelva, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Patterns in radial growth have often been used to predict forest decline since they are regarded as indicators of the tree responses to long-term stressors. However, the sensitivity of tree growth to climate, as a proxy of the trees’ adaptive capacity to short-term climatic stress, has received less attention. Here, we used retrospective tree-ring analyses to determine whether growth patterns and sensitivity to climate are related to Abies alba (silver fir) decline in the Spanish Pyrenees. We used regional climatic data to calculate normalised temperatures and drought indexes. Basal-area increment (BAI) was measured for declining (defoliation 〉50%) and non-declining (defoliation 〈50%) silver firs in four stands with contrasting decline levels. A dynamic factor analysis (DFA) was applied to test the hypothesis that declining and non-declining trees have experienced different long-term growth trends. Growth sensitivity to climate was computed as the average change in BAI per unit of change in a given climate variable. Declining trees showed a negative growth trend during the last 20 years. Trees with lower relative BAI and negative BAI trends showed stronger growth sensitivity to climate and higher defoliation than trees with the opposite characteristics. Our findings underscore the idea that long-term climatic warming seems to be a major driving factor of growth decline in Pyrenean silver fir forests. Ongoing growth reduction and enhanced growth sensitivity to climate may promote vegetation shifts in these declining forests located near the xeric edge of the species distribution area. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0572-7 Authors Juan Carlos Linares, Área de Ecología, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Ctra. Utrera km. 1, 41002 Sevilla, Spain J. Julio Camarero, ARAID, Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, 50192 Zaragoza, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The development of ToSIA (tool for sustainability impact assessment of the Forest Wood Chain) involved to measure economic, social and environmental indicators of all transformation processes belonging to the Forest Wood Chain (FWC). In this context, a specific tool has been developed to measure indicators related to almost all transport processes of each European FWC. The aim of this article is to describe the approach and the method used to set up this tool and also to illustrate some of its applications through an example. The example shows how the tool can deal with major transport issues by determining, in a German case, the distances (respectively, 330 and 280 km) setting the economic advantage to use rail and inland waterways instead of road. Moreover, it evaluates the implications of such changes in term of Green House Gas reduction (respectively, 50 and 56%). Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0530-4 Authors Jean-Baptiste Chesneau, FCBA—Pôle EEP, 10 avenue de Saint Mandé, 75012 Paris, France Elisabeth Le Net, FCBA—Pôle EEP, 10 avenue de Saint Mandé, 75012 Paris, France Staffan Berg, The Forest Research Institute of Sweden, Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The genus Quercus , which belongs to the family Fagaceae , is native to the northern hemisphere and includes deciduous and evergreen species. The trees of the different species are very important from both economic and ecological perspectives. Application of new technological approaches (which span the fields of plant developmental biology, genetic transformation, conservation of elite germplasm and discovery of genes associated with complex multigenic traits) to these long-rotation hardwoods may be of interest for accelerating tree improvement programs. This review provides a summary of the advances made in the application of biotechnological tools to specific oak species. Significant progress has been made in the area of clonal propagation via organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis (SE). Standardized procedures have been developed for micropropagating the most important European ( Q. robur , Q. petarea, Q. suber ) and American ( Q. alba , Q. bicolor , Q. rubra ) oaks by axillary shoot growth. Although regenerated plantlets are grown in experimental trials, large-scale propagation of oak species has not been carried out. The induction of SE in oaks from juvenile explants is generally not problematic, although the use of explants other than zygotic embryos is much less efficient. During the last decade, enormous advances have been made in inducing SE from selected adult trees, mainly specimens of pedunculate oak ( Q. robur ) and cork oak ( Q. suber ). Advances in the understanding of the maturation and germination steps are required for better use of embryogenic process in clonal forestry. Quercus species are late-maturing and late-flowering, exhibit irregular seed set, and produce seeds that are recalcitrant to storage by conventional procedures. Vitrification-based cryopreservation techniques were used successfully in somatic embryos of pedunculate oak and cork oak, and an applied genbank of cork oak selected genotypes is now under development. The feasibility of genetic transformation of pedunculate oak and cork oak somatic embryos by means of co-culture techniques with several strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens has also been demonstrated. To date, most research on the genomics of Quercus species has concerned population genetics. Approaches using functional genomics to examine the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control organogenesis and or somatic embryogenesis are still scarce, and efforts on the isolation and characterization of genes related to other specific traits should be intensified in the near future, as this would help improve the practical application of clonal forestry in recalcitrant species such as oaks. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-21 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0526-0 Authors Ana M. Vieitez, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, CSIC, Avda. de Vigo s/n, Campus Sur, Apartado 122, 15780 Santiago de Compostela, Spain Elena Corredoira, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, CSIC, Avda. de Vigo s/n, Campus Sur, Apartado 122, 15780 Santiago de Compostela, Spain M. Teresa Martínez, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, CSIC, Avda. de Vigo s/n, Campus Sur, Apartado 122, 15780 Santiago de Compostela, Spain M. Carmen San-José, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, CSIC, Avda. de Vigo s/n, Campus Sur, Apartado 122, 15780 Santiago de Compostela, Spain Conchi Sánchez, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, CSIC, Avda. de Vigo s/n, Campus Sur, Apartado 122, 15780 Santiago de Compostela, Spain Silvia Valladares, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, CSIC, Avda. de Vigo s/n, Campus Sur, Apartado 122, 15780 Santiago de Compostela, Spain Nieves Vidal, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, CSIC, Avda. de Vigo s/n, Campus Sur, Apartado 122, 15780 Santiago de Compostela, Spain Antonio Ballester, Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiológicas de Galicia, CSIC, Avda. de Vigo s/n, Campus Sur, Apartado 122, 15780 Santiago de Compostela, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Knowledge on the natural dynamics of Norway spruce-European silver fir forests is scarce, but is of high importance for the sustainable management of these ecosystems. Using a unique data set from five forest reserves in the Swiss Alps that covers up to 35 years, we elucidated communalities and differences in stand structure and species composition across the reserves and over time and investigated the role of site conditions versus intrinsic forest dynamics. For the early and late successional phases, we found a clear relationship between stand structure (diameter distributions) and species composition. Two pathways of early succession were evident as a function of the disturbance regime. Thus, the spatial extent of disturbances in spruce-fir forests strongly determines the pathway in early succession. Contrary to earlier descriptions of clearly distinguishable optima phases, our data did not reveal a relationship between stand structure and species composition for the early, mid-, and late optimum phases. Although the reserves investigated here are characterized by highly different climatic and soil conditions, their temporal development was found to fit well into a single successional scheme, suggesting that in spruce-fir mountain forests, the life-history strategies of the tree species may have a stronger influence on successional trajectories than site conditions per se. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-16 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0525-1 Authors Caroline Heiri, WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland Annett Wolf, Forest Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland Lukas Rohrer, Forest Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland Peter Brang, WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland Harald Bugmann, Forest Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Department of Environmental Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Nectria flute canker is a fungal disease that results in cankers on Pinus radiata stems. The disease, caused by the pathogen Neonectria fuckeliana, is associated with commercial pruning operations that limit knot defect to a central core to promote growth of high-quality clearwood. Nectria flute canker is present in commercial plantation forests in parts of New Zealand and Chile. Symptoms of the disease, bark cracks, stem flattenings or depressions and flute cankers, were identified on 25 mature Pinus radiata trees. Trees were felled, and discs crosscut from within, and adjacent to, the disease symptoms. The discs were photographed, and three different methods were used to determine the extent of Nectria damage beyond the defect core into the valuable clearwood sheath. These methods included a visual assessment of photographs of internal damage and two quantitative methods, based on calculations of defect extent using image processing software. Overall, flute cankers were associated with the greatest degree of encased bark and severe decay pockets, and stem flattenings the least. None of the flattened stems had internal decay. The average damage to the clearwood sheath due to flute canker was 43%, whilst that for bark cracks and flattenings was 19 and 8%, respectively. Similar results were achieved using all three methods, and the preferred method would depend on the context of the study. Using a combination of all three methods provides a robust method for measuring the damage to internal wood quality by stem pathogens and other abiotic agents. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0522-4 Authors A. J. M. Hopkins, Scion, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua, 3010 New Zealand C. L. Todoroki, Scion, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua, 3010 New Zealand D. Pont, Scion, Private Bag 3020, Rotorua, 3010 New Zealand Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Enhancement of Juniperus thurifera recruitment and colonisation by oak and pine species has been related at the local level to changes in livestock pressure. We used forest inventory data from Castilla y León Autonomous Region (Central Spain), an area comprising 34% of the world range of J. thurifera , to assess whether this process is occurring at a larger scale. We compared tree composition and density in a set of 659 permanent plots over a 10-year period. Logistic models and redundancy analysis were used to assess the effect on this process of parameters such as livestock pressure, propagule availability and climatic conditions. Between 1992 and 2002, juniper woodlands became denser (1.31% juniper stem year −1 ) and tree diversity increased due to rapid colonisation by oaks and pines (2.21% occupied plots year −1 ). In addition, the presence of juniper increased in other types of forests at a moderate rate (0.6% y −1 ). Thus, we observed both a disruption of the borders between current forest types and a generalised increase in α-diversity of tree species. The seed source was the main factor explaining colonisation rate, suggesting that the pace of colonisation is critically constrained by the spatial configuration of the landscape and the local propagule availability of the colonising species. If the current colonisation trends continue, monospecific juniper woodlands will become very scarce by the end of the twenty-first century. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0531-3 Authors José M. Olano, Laboratorio de Botánica, EUI Agrarias de Soria, Universidad de Valladolid, Los Pajaritos s/n, 42004 Soria, Spain Miguel A. Zavala, Departamento de Ecología, Edificio de Ciencias, Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain Vicente Rozas, Misión Biológica de Galicia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Apdo. 28, 36080 Pontevedra, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) forests of many inner Alpine valleys have recently displayed a quick loss of vitality. A decline disease has been suggested as the cause, with drought as the main predisposing factor and the additional contribution of biotic agents inciting tree dieback. This study is focused on Valle d’Aosta, a dry, inner-Alpine region in NW Italy. We inferred vitality changes between years 2000 and 2007 by computing reductions in enhanced vegetation index (EVI). Image differencing was carried out on pre-processed Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery taken in late springtime and validated against ancillary ground truth. We: (1) tested whether EVI reductions in Scots pine forests were significantly higher than those of a control species and of a wetter region for the same species, (2) analyzed decline incidence as a function of site and topographic variables, and (3) assessed the relative influence of site and stand structure on decline probability by means of path analysis. Mean EVI in the study area increased due to an early onset of the 2007 growing season. Nevertheless, the incidence of decline was 6.3% and significantly greater for Scots pine than the control species and site. Low-elevation, northerly exposed sites exhibited the highest incidence of decline. Path analysis suggested that the most important determinants of decline probability were slope, solar radiation, and stand sparseness. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0570-9 Authors Giorgio Vacchiano, Department of Agriculture, Silviculture and Land Management, University of Torino, Via L. da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy Matteo Garbarino, Department of Agriculture, Silviculture and Land Management, University of Torino, Via L. da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy Enrico Borgogno Mondino, Department of Agricultural, Forestry and Environmental Economics and Engineering, University of Torino, Via L. da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy Renzo Motta, Department of Agriculture, Silviculture and Land Management, University of Torino, Via L. da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco, TO, Italy Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Whole-tree harvesting (WTH), where logging residues are removed in addition to stems, is widely practised in Fennoscandian boreal forests. WTH increases the export of nutrients from forest ecosystems. The extent of nutrient removals may depend on tree species, harvesting method, and the intensity of harvesting. We developed generalized nutrient equations for Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.), Norway spruce ( Picea abies Karsten), and birch ( Betula pendula Roth and Betula pubescens Ehrh.) stands to be able to calculate the amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and calcium in stems and above-ground biomass (stem and crown) as a function of stand volume. The equations were based on Fennoscandian literature data from 34 pine, 26 spruce, and 5 birch stands, and they explained, depending on the tree species and nutrient, 61–99% and 56–87% of the variation in the nutrient amounts of stems and above-ground biomass, respectively. The calculations based on the equations showed that nutrient removals caused by stem-only harvesting (SOH) and WTH per harvested stem m 3 were smaller in pine than in spruce and birch stands. If the same volume of stem is harvested, nutrient removals are, in general, nearly equal at thinnings and final cuttings in SOH, but larger in thinnings than final cuttings in WTH. If the principal aim is to minimize the nutrient removals per harvested stem m 3 , the harvesting should be done at mature pine stands. The effect of biomass removal on overall site nutrient status depends on site-specific factors such as atmospheric deposition, weathering of minerals, and the size of the nutrient pools in the soil. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-20 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0567-4 Authors Marjo Palviainen, Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 27, 00014 Helsinki, Finland Leena Finér, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Joensuu Research Unit, P.O. Box 68, 80101 Joensuu, Finland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    A severe oak decline is taking place across the Mediterranean region since the 1980s. Among the climatic and biological factors involved in this complex syndrome, the longhorn C. welensii is currently considered a major element. Furthermore, larval damage to young or healthy trees is being increasingly important and thereby also the need to manage this emerging pest species. This paper deals with quantifying the adult populations in the field in order to evaluate the potential performance of mass trapping as control method against C. welensii . We used a mark-recapture protocol using feeding traps, which was complemented with some nocturnal observations and additional laboratory studies. Research was conducted in the Cornalvo Natural Park (southwestern Spain) during two consecutive years (2008–2009). Data were analysed with classic closed population (CP) methods and Maximum Likelihood Spatially Explicit Capture-Recapture (ML SECR) detection models. The results strongly supported the potential success of mass trapping as control method for C. welensii , including a high trapping efficiency (70–81%), relatively low adult population density for a pest species (316 and 265 adults/ha in 2008 and 2009), movement pattern of flying adults and highly aggregated distribution of adults in trees with traps. We also found experimental evidence that most adults come to the traps close to emergence as showed body appearance , longevity estimates and female reproductive age at trapping time. We discuss the practical achievement of mass trapping as control method integrating behavioural and ecological perspectives and, though a large-scale field validation is still lacking, we conclude that mass trapping may be a potential tool to manage C. welensii populations in dehesa open woodlands. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0579-0 Authors Luis M. Torres-Vila, Servicio de Sanidad Vegetal, Consejería de Agricultura DRMAyE, Junta de Extremadura, Avda. de Portugal s/n, 06800 Mérida, Badajoz, Spain Álvaro Sanchez-González, Servicio de Sanidad Vegetal, Consejería de Agricultura DRMAyE, Junta de Extremadura, Avda. de Portugal s/n, 06800 Mérida, Badajoz, Spain Francisco Ponce-Escudero, Servicio de Sanidad Vegetal, Consejería de Agricultura DRMAyE, Junta de Extremadura, Avda. de Portugal s/n, 06800 Mérida, Badajoz, Spain Daniel Martín-Vertedor, Servicio de Sanidad Vegetal, Consejería de Agricultura DRMAyE, Junta de Extremadura, Avda. de Portugal s/n, 06800 Mérida, Badajoz, Spain Juan J. Ferrero-García, Servicio de Sanidad Vegetal, Consejería de Agricultura DRMAyE, Junta de Extremadura, Avda. de Portugal s/n, 06800 Mérida, Badajoz, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Density estimators for k -tree distance sampling are sensitive to the amount of extra Poisson variance in distances to the k th tree. To lessen this sensitivity, we propose an adaptive composite estimator (COM). In simulated sampling from 16 test populations, a three-component composite density estimator (COM)–with weights determined by a multinomial logistic function of four readily available ancillary variables–was identified as superior in terms of average relative absolute bias. Results from a different set of nine validation populations–with widely different stem densities and spatial patterns of tree locations—confirmed that relative root mean squared errors (RRMSE) of COM were, on average, considerably lower than those obtained with the three-component k -tree density estimators. The RRMSE performance of COM improved with increasing values of k . With k  = 6 and sample sizes of 10, 20, and 30, the average relative bias of COM was between −5 and 5% in seven validation populations but in an open low-density savanna-like population bias reached −12% (1979 data) and 7% (1996 data). For k  = 6 and n  = 10, the RRMSE of COM was, in six of the nine validation populations, within 3.3 percentage points of the RRMSE for sampling with fixed-area plots. Jackknife estimates of the precision of COM estimates of density were negatively biased, leading to under-coverage (7%) of computed 95% confidence intervals. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0502-8 Authors Steen Magnussen, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, 506 West Burnside Rd., Victoria, BC V8Z 1M5, Canada Lutz Fehrman, Department of Forest Inventory and Remote Sensing, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Büsgenweg 5, 37077 Göttingen, Germany William J. Platt, Department of Biological Sciences 202 LSB, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Austrocedrus chilensis forests suffer from a disease caused by Phytophthora austrocedrae , which is found often in wet soils. We applied three widely used modelling techniques, with different data requirements, to model disease potential distribution under current environmental conditions: Mahalanobis distance, Maxent and Logistic regression. Each model was built using field data of health condition and landscape layers of environmental conditions (distance to streams, slope, aspect, elevation, mean annual precipitation and soil pH NaF). We compared model predictions by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and Kappa statistics. A reasonable ability to predict observed disease distribution was found for each of the three modelling techniques. However, Maxent and Logistic regression presented the best predictive performance, with significant differences with respect to the Mahalanobis distance model. Our results suggested that if good absence data are available, Logistic regression should be used in order to better discriminate sites with high risk of disease. On the other hand, if absence data are not available or doubtful, Maxent could be a very good option. The three models predicted that around 50% (49–56%) of the currently asymptomatic forests are located on sites at risk of disease according to abiotic factors. Most of these asymptomatic forests surround the current diseased patches, at distances lower than 100 m from diseased patches. Management considerations and the scope of future studies were discussed in this article. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0503-7 Authors L. La Manna, Laboratorio de Suelos, Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico and Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco, Ruta 259 km 4, C.C. 14, 9200 Esquel, Chubut Argentina S. D. Matteucci, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina T. Kitzberger, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Water availability and salt excess are limiting factors in Mexican mixed pine-oak forest. In order to characterise the acclimatation of native species to these stresses, leaf water (Ψ w ) and osmotic potentials (Ψ s ) of Juniperus flaccida, Pinus pseudostrobus and Quercus canbyi were measured under natural drought and non-drought conditions under two different aspects in the Sierra Madre Oriental. Factorial ANOVA revealed significant differences in Ψ w and Ψ s between two aspects, species and sampling dates. In general, all species showed high predawn and low midday values that declined progressively with increasing drought and soil–water loss. Seasonal and diurnal fluctuation of Ψ w and Ψ s were higher for J. flaccida and Q. canbyi than for P. pseudostrobus . Leaf Ψ w and Ψ s were mainly correlated with soil water content, while Ψ s of P. pseudostrobus were hardly correlated with environmental variables. Thus, species have different strategies to withstand drought . P. pseudostrobus was identified as a species with isohydric water status regulation, while J. flaccida and Q. canbyi presented water potential patterns typical for anisohydric species. The type of water status regulation may be a critical factor for plant survival and mortality in the context of climate change. Nevertheless, for precise conclusions about the advantages and disadvantages of each type, further long-term investigations are required. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0507-3 Authors Wibke Himmelsbach, Departamento de Silvicultura, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), Apartado Postal 41, Carretera Nacional No 85, Km 145, 67700 Linares, NL Mexico Eduardo J. Treviño-Garza, Departamento de Silvicultura, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), Apartado Postal 41, Carretera Nacional No 85, Km 145, 67700 Linares, NL Mexico Humberto González-Rodríguez, Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), Apartado Postal 41, Carretera Nacional No 85, Km 145, 67700 Linares, NL Mexico Marco A. González-Tagle, Departamento de Silvicultura, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), Apartado Postal 41, Carretera Nacional No 85, Km 145, 67700 Linares, NL Mexico Marco V. Gómez Meza, Facultad de Economía, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, NL Mexico Oscar A. Aguirre Calderón, Departamento de Silvicultura, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), Apartado Postal 41, Carretera Nacional No 85, Km 145, 67700 Linares, NL Mexico A. Eduardo Estrada Castillón, Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), Apartado Postal 41, Carretera Nacional No 85, Km 145, 67700 Linares, NL Mexico Ralph Mitlöhner, Burckhardt-Institute, Tropical Silviculture and Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, Georg-August University Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Using wood as a building material affects the carbon balance through several mechanisms. This paper describes a modelling approach that integrates a wood product substitution model, a global partial equilibrium model, a regional forest model and a stand-level model. Three different scenarios were compared with a business-as-usual scenario over a 23-year period (2008–2030). Two scenarios assumed an additional one million apartment flats per year will be built of wood instead of non-wood materials by 2030. These scenarios had little effect on markets and forest management and reduced annual carbon emissions by 0.2–0.5% of the total 1990 European GHG emissions. However, the scenarios are associated with high specific CO 2 emission reductions per unit of wood used. The third scenario, an extreme assumption that all European countries will consume 1-m 3 sawn wood per capita by 2030, had large effects on carbon emission, volumes and trade flows. The price changes of this scenario, however, also affected forest management in ways that greatly deviated from the partial equilibrium model projections. Our results suggest that increased wood construction will have a minor impact on forest management and forest carbon stocks. To analyse larger perturbations on the demand side, a market equilibrium model seems crucial. However, for that analytical system to work properly, the market and forest regional models must be better synchronized than here, in particular regarding assumptions on timber supply behaviour. Also, bioenergy as a commodity in market and forest models needs to be considered to study new market developments; those modules are currently missing. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0463-3 Authors Ljusk Ola Eriksson, Department of Forest Resource Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umeå, Sweden Leif Gustavsson, Department of Engineering and Sustainable Development, Mid Sweden University, 831 35 Östersund, Sweden Riitta Hänninen, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, 01301 Vantaa, Finland Maarit Kallio, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, 01301 Vantaa, Finland Henna Lyhykäinen, Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 27, 00014 Helsinki, Finland Kim Pingoud, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Tekniikantie 2, P.O. Box 1000, 02044 VTT Espoo, Finland Johanna Pohjola, Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 27, 00014 Helsinki, Finland Roger Sathre, Department of Engineering and Sustainable Development, Mid Sweden University, 831 35 Östersund, Sweden Birger Solberg, Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5044, 1432 Ås, Norway Jarle Svanaes, Norsk Treteknisk Institutt, P.O. Box 113, Blindern, 0314 Oslo, Norway Lauri Valsta, Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 27, 00014 Helsinki, Finland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Individual and family heritabilities and juvenile–mature genetic correlations were estimated for growth and biomass traits recorded in treatment with optimal and limiting water and/or nutrient availability to study how the different growth environments affected genetic parameter estimates. Thirty open-pollinated families, randomly selected among the 58 families used in field progeny tests in Galicia, were cultivated for 30 weeks in a climatic chamber under controlled conditions. Two water regimes (high and low water supply) combined with two nutrient regimes (high and low nutrient supply) were applied by subirrigation. Several growth, branching and dry mass traits were assessed 30 weeks after sowing and compared with field performance (height, diameter and volume) of 4-year-old progeny tests established at three different sites in Galicia (NW Spain). Both the irrigation and the fertilization treatments had a strong effect in all the assessed traits except irrigation for the number of branches. Heritabilities for growth and biomass traits were moderate to high (0.13–0.77) in individual treatments. However, when analyzing all treatments together, the impact of the family × treatment interactions led to a reduction (0.20–0.35) in the heritability estimates. The results indicated that the genotype × water and genotype × nutrient interactions may be important and could not be ignored in the Galician radiata pine breeding program. Climatic chamber–field correlations were different between different traits measured at climatic chamber experiments and the three field tests. The correlations were larger with the well-watered treatments, suggesting that further development of early testing methods for radiata pine in Galicia should include treatments with no limiting water availability. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0501-9 Authors V. Codesido, CINAM-Lourizán, Ap. 127, 36080 Pontevedra, Spain R. Zas, CINAM-Lourizán, Ap. 127, 36080 Pontevedra, Spain J. Fernández-López, CINAM-Lourizán, Ap. 127, 36080 Pontevedra, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The nativity of Populus alba in the Mediterranean has only been confirmed in the last decade, following the discovery of 8,000-year-old leaf imprints in Southern France. Recent evidence has even emerged from molecular studies suggesting that the species is native to some of the islands, and these populations may be relicts of a native flora that arrived there much earlier than previously thought. In view of this, samples obtained from the Central Mediterranean archipelago of Malta and other neighbouring regions were analysed to determine the native status of the Maltese populations and possibly trace their origins. All 38 samples were investigated in order to assess the genetic diversity and origin of Maltese trees. Nuclear microsatellite analysis revealed that all 28 trees sampled from the two islands of Malta belonged to one clone. Chloroplast data suggested relatedness of the Maltese clone to Italian P. alba samples. However, nuclear data suggested additional admixture through pollen from North Africa. Existing archival and palaeontological records were also examined for any supporting evidence. On considering the latter records in combination with molecular evidence, we arrived to the conclusion that arrival of this clone in Malta through human introduction in the sixteenth century is the most likely explanation, since alternative scenarios like autovegetative propagation or arrival by seed seem highly unlikely. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0506-4 Authors Barbara Fussi, Bavarian Office for Forest Seeding and Planting (ASP), Forstamtsplatz 1, 83317 Teisendorf, Germany Joseph Bonello, Ministry for Gozo, Afforestation Parks and Public Gardens Section, Victoria Gozo, Malta Eman Calleja, University of Warwick, Warwick HRI, Wellesbourne, CV35 9EF UK Berthold Heinze, Department of Genetics, Federal Research Centre for Forests, Natural Hazards and Landscape, Hauptstrasse 7, 1140 Vienna, Austria Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    National forest inventories provide information for strategic decisions in a large number of countries. In general, they cover a wide range of variables, from timber-related features to biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Often, it is difficult to decide the exact scope and design of this type of inventory; especially, it is difficult to decide the appropriate sample size. In planning inventories, trade-offs between cost and precision for core variables frequently are made; however, this approach does not fully acknowledge the fact that data typically are collected to form the basis for decisions. In theory, cost-plus-loss analysis provides a more holistic approach to inventory planning, since both inventory costs and losses due to information deficiencies in the decision-making processes are considered. However, whilst it is normally straightforward to determine cost functions, loss functions are difficult to establish; an important reason is that the linkages between data and decisions must be clearly understood. In this study, we explored the possibilities for using cost-plus-loss analysis in connection with determining the appropriate sample size of a national forest inventory. We used Sweden as a case and restricted the analysis to consider the use of data for determining sustainable harvesting levels. The results indicated that the number of plot clusters in Sweden should be in the order of 1,300–2,400 annually, whereas it is currently about 1,400. However, our main objective of the study was not to determine an exact answer for the case of Sweden, but rather to suggest pathways for how cost-plus-loss analysis could be used to support decisions related to determining the appropriate sample size of national forest inventories. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0505-5 Authors Andreas Barth, Skogforsk—The Forestry Research Institute of Sweden, 751 83 Uppsala, Sweden Göran Ståhl, Department of Forest Resource Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83 Umeå, Sweden Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Forest fires affect both carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling in forest ecosystems, and thereby influence the soil–atmosphere exchange of major greenhouse gases (GHGs): carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), and nitrous oxide (N 2 O). To determine changes in the soil GHG fluxes following a forest fire, we arranged a low-intensity surface fire in a white birch forest in northern Japan. We established three treatments, having four replications each: a control plot (CON), a burned plot (BURN), and a plot burned with removal of the resulting charcoal (BURN-CHA). Soil GHG fluxes and various properties of the soil were determined on four or five occasions during a period that spanned two growing seasons. We observed increased concentrations of ammonium-N (NH 4 -N) in BURN and BURN-CHA after the fire, while nitrate–N (NO 3 -N) concentration was only increased in BURN-CHA after the fire. The soil CO 2 flux was significantly higher in CON than in BURN or BURN-CHA, but there was no difference in soil CH 4 uptake between the three treatments. Moreover, the N 2 O flux from BURN-CHA soil was slightly greater than in CON or BURN. In BURN-CHA, the soil N 2 O flux peaked in August, but there was no peak in BURN. We found temporal correlations between soil GHG fluxes and soil variables, e.g. soil temperature or NO 3 -N. Our results suggest that environmental changes following fire, including the increased availability of N and the disappearance of the litter layer, have the potential to change soil GHG fluxes. Fire-produced charcoal could be significant in reducing soil N 2 O flux in temperate forests. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0490-8 Authors Yong Suk Kim, Silviculture and Forest Ecological studies, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8589 Japan Kobayashi Makoto, Silviculture and Forest Ecological studies, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8589 Japan Fumiaki Takakai, Faculty of Bio-Resources Sciences, Akita Prefectural University, Akita, 010-0195 Japan Hideaki Shibata, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0809 Japan Takami Satomura, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0809 Japan Kentaro Takagi, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0809 Japan Ryusuke Hatano, Soil Science Laboratory, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8589 Japan Takayoshi Koike, Silviculture and Forest Ecological studies, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-8589 Japan Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    We compared the structure of the arboreal layer and the diversity and species composition of the understory vegetation of three types of mature forest communities: oak ( Quercus pyrenaica ) and beech ( Fagus sylvatica ) forests and Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris ) plantations. Our main aim was to determine whether differences in these variables existed and were due to the identity of the dominant tree species. We selected four stands or replicates per forest type located geographically close and with relatively similar conditions. We found no differences in the arboreal structure of oak and beech forests, which were characterised by great variability in tree size, while in case of plantations, this variability was lower at both the intra-stand (estimated by the coefficient of variation) and inter-stand (i.e. the four replicates harboured trees of similar sizes) scales. However, the highest variability in the canopy layer of natural forests was not consistently linked to greater understory species richness. Indeed, the lowest plant species richness was found in beech forests, while oak forests harboured the highest value at either the sampling unit (per m 2 ) or stand scales. The greatest negative correlation between plant diversity and the environmental variables measured was found for litter depth, which was the highest in beech forests. The results obtained by the CCA indicated that the four replicates of each forest type clustered together, due to the presence of characteristic species. We concluded that pine plantations did not approach the environmental conditions of native forests, as plantations were characterised by singular understory species composition and low arboreal layer variability, compared to natural woodlands. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0493-5 Authors Reyes Tárrega, Área de Ecología, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Gestión Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain Leonor Calvo, Área de Ecología, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Gestión Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain Ángela Taboada, Área de Ecología, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Gestión Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain Elena Marcos, Área de Ecología, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Gestión Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain José Antonio Marcos, Área de Ecología, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Gestión Ambiental, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    About 90% of the wildland fires occurred in Southern Europe are caused by human activities. In spite of these figures, the human factor hardly ever appears in the definition of operational fire risk systems due to the difficulty of characterising it. This paper describes two spatially explicit models that predict the probability of fire occurrence due to human causes for their integration into a comprehensive fire risk–mapping methodology. A logistic regression technique at 1 × 1 km grid resolution has been used to obtain these models in the region of Madrid, a highly populated area in the centre of Spain. Socio-economic data were used as predictive variables to spatially represent anthropogenic factors related to fire risk. Historical fire occurrence from 2000 to 2005 was used as the response variable. In order to analyse the effects of the spatial accuracy of the response variable on the model performance (significant variables and classification accuracy), two different models were defined. In the first model, fire ignition points ( x , y coordinates) were used as response variable. This model was compared with another one (Kernel model) where the response variable was the density of ignition points and was obtained through a kernel density interpolation technique from fire ignition points randomly located within a 10 × 10 km grid, which is the standard spatial reference unit established by the Spanish Ministry of Environment, Rural and Marine Affairs to report fire location in the national official statistics. Validation of both models was accomplished using an independent set of fire ignition points (years 2006–2007). For the validation, we used the area under the curve (AUC) obtained by a receiver-operating system. The first model performs slightly better with a value of AUC of 0.70 as opposed to 0.67 for the Kernel model. Wildland–urban interface was selected by both models with high relative importance. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0488-2 Authors Lara Vilar del Hoyo, IES, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, TP 261, Via E. Fermi 27492, 21027 Ispra, Va Italy M. Pilar Martín Isabel, Centre for Human and Social Sciences, Spanish Council for Scientific Research, Albasanz 26-28, 28037 Madrid, Spain F. Javier Martínez Vega, Centre for Human and Social Sciences, Spanish Council for Scientific Research, Albasanz 26-28, 28037 Madrid, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The chemical and spectroscopic properties of humic acids (HAs) isolated from four litters and their corresponding underlying soils at three depths in a protected forest area in Southern Italy were investigated as a function of four different plant coverings: Quercus ilex L., mixed Carpinus betulus L. and C. orientalis Mill., Pinus halepensis L., and mixed Quercus trojana Webb. and Q. ilex L.. The forested site is a part of a calcareous plateau, characterized by homogeneous soils classified as Eutric Cambisols associated with Calcic Luvisols. The changes in the composition of HAs with soil depth have been evaluated on the basis of chemical (elemental and COOH groups) and spectroscopic analyses (E 4 /E 6 ratio and FT IR spectra), and lignin-derived CuO oxidation products. A different distribution of the main elements was found in the various HAs which is apparently related to the type of humic acid-precursor biomolecules in the parent litters. The HAs isolated from soils under Q. ilex and mixed Carpinus species showed a slight increase in the C/H ratio and COOH content downward the soil profile, suggesting increasing aromatic polycondensation and humification degree with depth. On the contrary, no trend was observed for HAs from soils under Pinus halepensis L. and mixed Quercus species, indicating a partial incorporation of residues deriving from litter degradation into these HAs. Further, the content of lignin-derived phenols was higher in Pinus halepensis L. and mixed Quercus species layers, with the same trend measured for the corresponding HAs, thus confirming a lignin contribution related to the lignin type of plant covering. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0491-7 Authors Andreina Traversa, Dipartimento di Biologia e Chimica Agroforestale ed Ambientale, University of Bari, Via G. Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy Daniel Said-Pullicino, Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 72, Perugia, Italy Valeria D’Orazio, Dipartimento di Biologia e Chimica Agroforestale ed Ambientale, University of Bari, Via G. Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy Giovanni Gigliotti, Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 72, Perugia, Italy Nicola Senesi, Dipartimento di Biologia e Chimica Agroforestale ed Ambientale, University of Bari, Via G. Amendola 165/A, 70126 Bari, Italy Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The Siberian moth, Dendrolimus sibiricus , Tschtv. is the most harmful defoliator of coniferous forests in North Asia. The pest has already spread over the Urals and continues moving westwards. Recently, it has been recommended for quarantine in member countries by European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO). The performances of the pest on coniferous species planted in Europe were assessed on a range of potted trees corresponding to the spectrum of economically important conifers in the EU: European larch Larix decidua, Norway spruce Picea abies , Scots pine Pinus sylvestris , European black pine Pinus nigra , and the North American species: Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii and grand fir Abies grandis . Larvae showed a potential to survive and complete the development on all these host tree species. Favorable hosts were grand fir, European larch, and Douglas fir that allowed higher survival, better larval development, and as a result, yielded heavier pupae and adult moths with higher longevity. Black pine was a poor host but, however, could still support larval and pupal development. Norway spruce and Scots pine had an intermediate behavior. If accidentally introduced to Europe, the Siberian moth may become especially damaging in forest stands predominated by European larch and by the North American firs. Norway spruce and especially the two-needle pines will be less prone to intensive defoliation by this species. The fact that the pest may damage the range of economically important coniferous species should be taken into account in the pest risk assessment for Europe and also for North America where the Siberian moth occurrence is considered likely. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0495-3 Authors Natalia Kirichenko, Department of Forest Zoology, V. N. Sukachev Institute of Forest SB RAS, Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, 660036 Russia Julie Flament, Lutte biologique et Ecologie spatiale (LUBIES), Université Libre de Bruxelles, CP 160/12, av. F. D. Roosevelt 50, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium Yuri Baranchikov, Department of Forest Zoology, V. N. Sukachev Institute of Forest SB RAS, Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, 660036 Russia Jean-Claude Grégoire, Lutte biologique et Ecologie spatiale (LUBIES), Université Libre de Bruxelles, CP 160/12, av. F. D. Roosevelt 50, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The lack of generic methods to assess the environmental consequences of agricultural practices and the lack of consensus on monitoring and evaluation of environmental, agricultural and socio-economic effects of agri-environment schemes (AES) in EU Member States call for better evaluation methods. The ‘Agri-environmental Footprint’ project proposed to deal with these problems by establishing a new evaluation method, the Agri-Environmental Footprint Index (AFI). The AFI is an index customised to local stakeholder preferences, using expert knowledge for assessment of impacts and sensitivity, and indicators of the environmental state at farm level. In a Danish test case, agricultural practices at twenty-five farms in two groundwater protection zones were assessed. Data was collected from databases, registers, maps and interviews with farmers. The index was calculated for 1996/7 and 2006/7 to track temporal development and effects of entering an agri-environmental scheme. The Danish case demonstrated that the index can be used to track changes in environmental impacts and that entering agri-environmental scheme had a positive impact on the index value. However, the index should be used with caution. It is important to consider the robustness of each indicator: to assess whether changes will occur over time; whether changes are linked to management practices or external factors; and whether data are available up to date. Indicators dependent upon uptake data from agri-environmental schemes should be used with great caution. Retrospective use of stakeholder preferences is subject to uncertainty because preferences may have changed over time. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0469-x Authors Jens Peter Vesterager, Forest and Landscape, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958 Frederiksberg, Denmark Kasper Teilmann, Centre for Tourism and Culture Management, Copenhagen Business School, Solbjerg Plads 3, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark Henrik Vejre, Forest and Landscape, University of Copenhagen, Rolighedsvej 23, 1958 Frederiksberg, Denmark Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    In Central Europe, the conversion of pure Norway spruce stands ( Picea abies [L.] Karst.) into mixed stands with beech ( Fagus silvatica L.) and other species like e.g. Douglas fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) is accomplished mainly by underplanting of seedlings beneath the canopy of overstorey spruce trees after partial cutting treatments what means exposure to shade and below-ground root competition by the overstorey to the seedlings. Particularly about the second factor, our knowledge is limited. Therefore, we carried out a below-ground competition exclusion experiment by root trenching and investigated the effects on soil resources, growth, and biomass partitioning of underplanted beech and Douglas fir saplings under target diameter and strip cutting treatments. The exclusion of overstorey root competition by trenching increased the soil water potential in the second year that had a fairly dry growing season and led to significantly higher foliar concentrations of most nutrients, particularly in Douglas fir, indicating an amended nutrient supply. Both improvements were accompanied by an increase in length and diameter increment of the underplanted saplings, appearing in both species only after having surpassed a species-specific threshold light value (Douglas fir 16% of above canopy radiation, beech 22%). We also found significant interactions between trenching and light for specific fine root length and further biomass and morphological parameters. Judged by the much steeper increase in height and diameter growth with increasing light after release from below-ground competition, Douglas fir saplings appeared to be more sensitive to root competition than beech saplings what conforms to older findings for beech. According to our results, a strip cutting seems to be more appropriate than a target diameter cutting treatment to replace a pure spruce stand by a mixed stand with beech and Douglas fir. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-16 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0473-1 Authors Ion Catalin Petriţan, Department of Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, Georg-August University Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany Burghard von Lüpke, Department of Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, Georg-August University Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany Any Mary Petriţan, Department of Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, Georg-August University Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The accurate prediction of the mechanical properties that can be expected from timber from standing trees has many benefits for the growers and processors of trees. It includes support in tree breeding selection, tree processing allocation decisions, site and silvicultural research and processing production planning. A number of methods have been developed over the last few decades with significant interest in the recent past in especially acoustic methods, near-infrared spectroscopy methods and the Australian multi-property measurement system known as Silviscan. This paper reviews the current literature on new and existing non-destructive or limited destructive property measurement methods on standing trees that can assist with the prediction of, in most cases, the modulus of elasticity and modulus of rupture of timber. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0484-6 Authors C. B. Wessels, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602 South Africa F. S. Malan, Komatiland Forests, PO Box 574, Sabie, 1260 South Africa T. Rypstra, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602 South Africa Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Analysing data from 903 permanent sample plots situated in medium-moist and moist forests in the southern Cape, South Africa, we explored factors controlling forest structure. Pronounced subcanopy stem density persistence (well-stocked subcanopy forest matrix) and stem density packing (comparatively high stem densities of relatively large-sized trees) were found in the moist, less seasonal (quasi-tropical) Tsitsikamma forests. These attributes of structure were linked to the prevailing dystrophic, less seasonal conditions and the associated metabolic vertical growth orientation. The cool, moist and seasonal (quasi-temperate) Knysna forests had lower densities of relatively large-sized trees at the canopy level (stem density intolerance). This was attributed to the lateral growth mode and extended persistence of the trees involved. The warm, seasonal (quasi-subtropical) Outeniqua forests, on relatively nutrient-rich soils, had high stem densities at the canopy level relative to the subcanopy stratum; due to a combination of low subcanopy tree persistence, fast ingrowth of trees into the canopy stratum, which were then lost to mortality before they reached large sizes (high canopy tree turnover). Persistence of the multi-species subcanopy forest matrix supported asynchronous establishment and death of individual trees. Typical for tropical-type forests, the development of trees towards maturity (phase) was associated with a spatially fine-grained disturbance regime. A metabolic performance trade-off model was developed and provided an ecophysiological framework for the interpretation of forest structure and its underlying dynamics. This explanatory model indicated causal links between intraspecific metabolic tactics of trees in response to their edaphoclimatic environment and associated attributes of forest structure. Some implications of the findings for tropical forest management are discussed. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-21 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0498-0 Authors Armin H. W. Seydack, South African National Parks, P.O. Box 3542, Knysna, 6570 South Africa Graham Durrheim, South African National Parks, P.O. Box 3542, Knysna, 6570 South Africa Josua H. Louw, School of Natural Resource Management, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Private Bag X 6531, George, 6530 South Africa Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Ecological studies commonly demand elaborate knowledge of the distribution pattern of humous horizons, especially in forest ecosystems with high humus variability. Conventional investigative methods are time-consuming and surface-destructive. Ground penetrating radar (GPR), in contrast, offers a fast and non-destructive method of portraying the shallow subsurface. Against this background, the reliability of GPR-derived metric data on terrestrial humous horizons was tested at a study site in the altimontane zone of the Bavarian Alps (1,260 m a.s.l.). The GPR survey, using a shielded bistatic antenna device at 800 MHz, is based on eight parallel lines within a 30 × 30 m plot. The metric interpretation of the GPR results is validated by a trench, which records the thickness of humous horizons at a 10-cm interval, and is compared to conventional sampling methods, represented by 18 soil monolith profiles of both random and grid-based distribution. The results show that it is not possible to resolve the borders of single humous horizons. The delineation of humous against non-humous horizons, however, shows correlation ( R  = 0.553) with the reference data and delivers reliable data on the average thickness and variation of humous horizons. The observed thickness deviations between GPR and the trench line range between −9.5 and 7.5 cm, with remarkably narrow deviations of −2 to 2 cm or less in 50% of the cases. In summary, supported by the high number of data records ( n  = 1,727), GPR creates a much better and none destructive image of the actual humus distribution pattern compared to conventional methods. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0472-2 Authors Jennifer Winkelbauer, Department of Geomorphology and Soil Science, Technische Universität München, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany Jörg Völkel, Department of Geomorphology and Soil Science, Technische Universität München, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany Matthias Leopold, Department of Geomorphology and Soil Science, Technische Universität München, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany Natalie Bernt, Department of Geomorphology and Soil Science, Technische Universität München, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung: Erratum to: Stem modeling and simulation of conversion of cork oak stems for quality wood products Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-1 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0497-1 Authors Sofia Knapic, Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal Isabel Pinto Seppä, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 Helsinki, Finland Arto Usenius, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 Helsinki, Finland Helena Pereira, Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The oak ( Quercus robur L.) regeneration intensity was assessed in the core area of the Białowieża National Park (BNP) in Poland with respect to the selected ecological factors. The emphasis was placed on the response of oak regeneration to disturbances, including the large-scale dieback of spruce stands. Defining their effect could help predicting the role of oak in naturally developing lowland forest ecosystems in the European hemiboreal zone. The results of the study challenge the opinion that the ‘lime-oak-hornbeam forest’ is a ‘climax’ community, confirming a very poor regeneration represented by only two saplings taller than 0.5 m per hectare. By contrast, in spruce-dominated communities, from 49 to 848 taller saplings per hectare were found. The occurrence of saplings was associated with discontinuous canopy of late seral stage of stands, as well as with large gaps. Most of the best quality grown-up oak saplings developed in the immediate neighbourhood of spruce logs. The results of the research indicate that ‘lime-oak-hornbeam forest’ ( Tilio - Carpinetum ) should be rather perceived as a transient community, evolved from relict, culturally modified, oak woodlands. Because spruce had become a dominating species only after abandoning in mid-1800s the historical regime of anthropogenic disturbances (involving frequent forest fires), the observed phenomena related to the disintegration of spruce stands had probably no precedent over the last 500 years. To confirm whether the massive decline of spruce stands will finally result in the successful establishment of the new canopy oak generation, both in Białowieża and other forests of hemiboreal zone, further research is needed. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0471-3 Authors Andrzej Bobiec, Agroecology & Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Biology and Agriculture, Rzeszów University, ul. M. Ćwiklińskiej 2, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland Ewelina Jaszcz, Agroecology & Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Biology and Agriculture, Rzeszów University, ul. M. Ćwiklińskiej 2, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland Karolina Wojtunik, Agroecology & Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Biology and Agriculture, Rzeszów University, ul. M. Ćwiklińskiej 2, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Cork oak (Quercus suber L.) has a dense wood that allows high-quality uses. In the present work, we study the influence of vessel characteristics, measured through image analysis and optical microscopy, on wood density, measured using X-ray microdensitometry, on 40-year-old trees. Vessel area increases with cambial age (5403–33064 μm 2 ), while wood density decreases (1.229–0.836 g/cm 3 ). The number of vessels is relatively constant at 6 vessels/mm 2 , while vessel proportion in cross-section increases from 3.3% near the pith to 20.5% near the bark. In growth rings closest to the pith, with high wood density and low vessel area, the relationship between the two variables is linear ( R 2  = −32.1%, P  〈 0.01) but with increasing tree age and vessel size, the wood density remains rather constant, suggesting that decreases in density might compromise mechanical support of the tree at a stage when the increase in cross-sectional area alone might not provide mechanical stability. Other anatomical characteristics not considered in this study, like large xylem rays that increase with cambial age, may be responsible for the constant density. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0487-3 Authors Sofia Leal, Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal Vicelina B. Sousa, Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal Sofia Knapic, Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal José Luís Louzada, Departamento Florestal/CITAB, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados Apartado 202, 5000-911 Vila Real, Portugal Helena Pereira, Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The study purpose selected among several candidate models for best individual tree, over bark, total volume model, volume ratio model to any top height limit and taper model for maritime pine ( Pinus pinaster Aiton) in the regions of Pinhal Interior Sul and Beira Interior Sul, Portugal. The data used in the study were collected from 144 felled trees, corresponding to 995 diameter/height measurements. To select among the best models, several statistics were computed during model fitting, and the independent validation procedure was used to evaluate model fitting, collinearity and prediction performance. A ranking index was used to support the final decision. The analysis of models studentized residuals distribution showed that some regression model assumptions, such as normality and homogeneity, were not met. To overcome this unideal situation, the models selected were then fitted again using robust regression and weighted regression techniques. The set of adjusted models will allow the prediction of individual tree, over bark, total volume and merchantable volume to any merchantable limit, for both species and region to support management decisions. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0479-3 Authors C. Alegria, Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco, Escola Superior Agrária, Unidade Técnico-científica de Recursos Naturais e Desenvolvimento Sustentável, Quinta da Senhora de Mércules, 6001-909 Castelo Branco, Portugal M. Tomé, Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Proactive forest conservation planning requires spatially accurate information about the potential distribution of tree species. The most cost-efficient way to obtain this information is habitat suitability modelling i.e. predicting the potential distribution of biota as a function of environmental factors. Here, we used the bootstrap-aggregating machine-learning ensemble classifier Random Forest (RF) to derive a 1-km resolution European forest formation suitability map. The statistical model use as inputs more than 6,000 field data forest inventory plots and a large set of environmental variables. The field data plots were classified into different forest formations using the forest category classification scheme of the European Environmental Agency. The ten most dominant forest categories excluding plantations were chosen for the analysis. Model results have an overall accuracy of 76%. Between categories scores were unbalanced and Mesophitic deciduous forests were found to be the least correctly classified forest category. The model’s variable ranking scores are used to discuss relationship between forest category/environmental factors and to gain insight into the model’s limits and strengths for map applicability. The European forest suitability map is now available for further applications in forest conservation and climate change issues. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0480-x Authors Stefano Casalegno, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, TP260, 21020 Ispra, VA Italy Giuseppe Amatulli, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, TP260, 21020 Ispra, VA Italy Annemarie Bastrup-Birk, Life Sciences, Forest and Landscape, University of Copenhagen, 1958 Frederiksberg, Denmark Tracy Houston Durrant, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, TP260, 21020 Ispra, VA Italy Anssi Pekkarinen, Finnish Forest Research Institute (Metla), PO Box 18, 01301 Vantaa, Finland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Soil variability was assessed in a 74.2-ha area within the Žofínský prales natural forest. Parameters evaluated for 1765 soil profiles inside 353 graticule plots were as follows: (1) thickness of organic horizons, (2) thickness and form of mineral horizons, (3) humus form (HF), (4) soil taxonomic unit (STU) and (5) anomalies. In addition, soil reaction (pH KCl ) and oxidizable carbon content (C ox ) were measured in the laboratory for 734 samples from the upper mineral (A) and lower mineral (B) horizons. The most frequently occurring humus form was mor followed by moder, hydromor and peaty T-horizon. Entic Podzols, Dystric Cambisols, Haplic Cambisols, Albic Podzols, Histic (or Haplic) Gleysols, Endogleyic Stagnosols, Fibric or Hemic or Sapric Histosols and Stagnic Gleysols were all present at the site despite its homogeneous geological bedrock. Overall coefficient of variance (CV) was lower in terrestrial soils compared with (semi-)hydromorphic soils. Overall variance decreased in both soil groups with increasing depth, as did CV differences between the fine (up to 10 m) and the locality scales. The lowest CV values occurred for C ox and pH KCl . The CV values differed between STUs as well. Compared to lower horizons, variograms of upper horizons showed greater autocorrelation at the intermediate spatial scale (10–320 m)—ranging from 50 to 150 m. Semivariance values, however, reached 70–80% of sill already at a distance of 10 m. The most significant factor of variability at all studied spatial scales is presumably the soil disturbance regime, followed by terrain micro-topography and the effect of tree species. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-17 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0496-2 Authors Pavel Šamonil, Department of Forest Ecology, The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Lidická 25/27, 657 20 Brno, Czech Republic Martin Valtera, Department of Forest Ecology, The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Lidická 25/27, 657 20 Brno, Czech Republic Stanislav Bek, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague 2, Czech Republic Barbora Šebková, Department of Forest Ecology, The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Lidická 25/27, 657 20 Brno, Czech Republic Tomáš Vrška, Department of Forest Ecology, The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Lidická 25/27, 657 20 Brno, Czech Republic Jakub Houška, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Large woody debris (LWD) provides structural complexity to small streams. Riparian buffers are intended to provide long-term vegetation cover and supplies of LWD, but post-harvest windthrow often occurs. To evaluate the impacts of windthrow in riparian buffers and identify the components for a small stream LWD recruitment model, we sampled 26 streams in immature and older stands in wind-exposed areas of southwestern and northern Vancouver Island. These treed buffer strips had been exposed following clearcut harvest of adjacent timber on both sides 1–20 years previously. For stream sections 100 m long in each buffer, all logs greater than 7.5 cm diameter that spanned at least part of stream channel were measured. A total of 658 logs were recorded. Windthrown trees were comparable in characteristics to the trees that made up the buffer. The majority of logs derived from windthrown trees were oriented perpendicular to the stream channel and were suspended above the stream channel. Even 20 years after harvesting, two-thirds of the logs were still suspended above the stream. Logs in older buffers were more decayed, and the decay rate depended on tree species and initial diameter. Log height above stream was negatively correlated with log decay class and time since logging. Log length declined with time since harvest exposure and decay class. Sediment was exposed on upturned roots and within mineral soil pits. The volume of soil retained on upturned rootwads declined over time, but some soil remained even after 20 years. Very little of this exposed sediment was close enough to the creek to result in sediment delivery. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0485-5 Authors Devesh Bahuguna, Department of Forest Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2424-3041 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada Stephen J. Mitchell, Department of Forest Sciences, University of British Columbia, 2424-3041 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T1Z4, Canada Grant R. Nishio, FPInnovations, 2601 East Mall, Vancouver, BC Canada Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Summer water stress is the main limiting factor for Pinus pinaster growth under Mediterranean climate, but no information on limiting physiographic and climatic factors under Atlantic conditions is available for this species. We hypothesize that water availability during the active period limits P. pinaster growth, with stands nearby the Atlantic–Mediterranean boundary being more sensitive to summer drought stress. We analyzed the inter- and intra-annual climatic response of this species at ten monospecific stands in a transitional area between the Atlantic and Mediterranean biogeographical regions in Galicia, NW Spain. Mean sensitivity of radial growth consistently decreased with increasing elevation, and growth variation was quite similar for the earlywood, latewood or total ring widths, suggesting a strong intra-annual coherency of radial growth. Growth patterns were site dependent and geographically structured, with three groups of stands showing different climatic responses. As expected for sites suffering from summer drought stress, water availability enhances growth in western and southern Galicia, showing negative responses to maximum temperatures and positive to water availability. In northern Galicia, away from the Atlantic-Mediterranean boundary, water surplus in the rainy seasons negatively influenced growth. This was probably due to the combined effects of seasonal water-logging stress and the reduction of solar radiation associated with cloudiness, which would limit photosynthetic rates in winter and spring. Local variations of water availability strongly controlled the physiological processes that determine growth dynamics of P. pinaster in NW Spain, contributing to its geographical structure and contrasting sensitivity. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0494-4 Authors Vicente Rozas, Misión Biológica de Galicia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Apdo. 28, 36080 Pontevedra, Spain Rafael Zas, Misión Biológica de Galicia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Apdo. 28, 36080 Pontevedra, Spain Ignacio García-González, Departamento de Botánica, Escola Politécnica Superior, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Campus de Lugo, 27002 Lugo, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    A key requirement for the success of a forest management information system is that it may effectively address its users’ needs. Yet, the development of models and methods to address-specific forest ecosystem management processes has not been matched by architectures that may take into account the human dimension of information systems. This paper presents an approach to pulpwood supply system architecture. Emphasis is on participatory business modeling that may effectively address users’ needs and enhance system resilience. An Enterprise Architecture methodology is proposed so that the information systems’ functional requirements for pulpwood supply may emerge from business and information architectures in workshops with the stakeholders. Results of its application to a vertically integrated Portuguese pulp and paper company are presented. The case study focuses on processes and business information required to support the pulp mills entire pulpwood supply management. Results show that the proposed approach addressed effectively end-users’ involvement in pulpwood supply system design. It provided an architecture that addresses all stakeholders’ perspectives and concerns and it was thus instrumental to develop a Pulp and Paper Supply Chain Process Framework. Results further show that it may effectively identify and integrate information systems’ components, ensuring business information integrity. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0482-8 Authors A. F. Marques, Centro de Estudos Florestais, ISA, Technical University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal J. G. Borges, Centro de Estudos Florestais, ISA, Technical University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal P. Sousa, Link Consulting, Av Duque d’Ávila 23, 1000-138 Lisbon, Portugal A. M. Pinho, Silvicaima, Rua Natália Correia 2 A, Constância Sul, 2250-070 Constância, Portugal Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    As resources allocated specifically for conservation are limited, there is a need to ensure conservation policy initiatives lead to effective conservation outcomes. In this study, we investigated the potential conservation benefits from alternative spatial allocations of old deciduous stands to a landscape dominated by coniferous production forests owned primarily by non-industrial private forest owners. As a target species, we used the long-tailed tit ( Aegithalos caudatus ), a species associated with deciduous forests and known to be sensitive to isolation. We used a previously published model based on empirical data on the occurrence of this species, to assess the probability of occurrence of the bird in a 4,000 km 2 area in southern Sweden for which we possess detailed spatial GIS data (kNN data) of tree species composition and age. We assessed alternative scenarios where old deciduous forest was allocated with or without respect to distance from existing old deciduous forests. Due to the long-tailed tit’s habitat requirement increasing the amount of old deciduous forests close to existing habitats was the most effective strategy. However, the potential advantages of this strategy may in fact be overturned in favor of the other scenarios if ownership structures and probable uptake rates of policy initiatives are also considered. If a policy initiative is targeted toward owners with properties in close proximity to existing suitable habitat, when compared to if all forest owners are targeted, a higher proportion of owners is needed to participate in order to achieve the same degree of habitat creation for the species. Here, we discuss the potential benefits for effective conservation policy formulation from integrating spatially explicit datasets and detailed ecological knowledge with land-ownership structures and policy uptake scenarios. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0478-9 Authors Matts Lindbladh, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, SLU—Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 49, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden Adam Felton, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, SLU—Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 49, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden Renats Trubins, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, SLU—Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 49, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden Ola Sallnäs, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, SLU—Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 49, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    In this article, we present equations derived for the prediction of the aboveground tree volume and phytomass for twenty-five of the most important forest species growing in Italy. These equations result from ongoing research aiming to fill a gap in the models available at the national scale. With regard to volume, the results are particularly important for thirteen species or groups of species that were once scaled with models, conventionally assumed as reference models, available for other species. In Italy, phytomass models had never been constructed at the national level before. For any single tree, specific equations allow estimations of the following tree components to be made: stem and large branches (for either volume or phytomass), small branches (phytomass), stump (phytomass) and the whole tree phytomass. The models have been constructed on the basis of nearly 1,300 sampling units (sample trees). Although these equations must be considered intermediate results of the ongoing research because only half the scheduled number of samples has been collected, they have already been used in the practice, for example in the estimates reported in the recently published second national forest inventory. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-24 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0481-9 Authors Giovanni Tabacchi, Agricultural Research Council–Forest Monitoring and Management Research Unit, Trento, Italy Lucio Di Cosmo, Agricultural Research Council–Forest Monitoring and Management Research Unit, Trento, Italy Patrizia Gasparini, Agricultural Research Council–Forest Monitoring and Management Research Unit, Trento, Italy Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Limited nutrient acquisition from soil is a key process limiting productivity in boreal forest. We investigated short-root morphological adaptations and rhizosphere effect in relation to site conditions in interaction with tree mineral nutrition. We studied s even young (8- to 14-year-old) silver birch ( Betula pendula Roth.) stands on abandoned agricultural land in Estonia. Soil pH varied from 3.8 to 7.0, and soil N % from 0.07 to 0.26%. Tree nutrient (NPK) status was expressed by leaf nutrient concentrations. Leaf N correlated negatively with short-root specific length and area. Summed activity (SA) and metabolic diversity of bacteria (by BIOLOG Ecoplate™), bacterial community diversity (by DGGE) and pH KCl were determined for rhizosphere (R) and bulk soil (S) to reveal the extent of the rhizosphere effect . Bacterial activity in rhizosphere was 1.4–4.7 times higher than in bulk soil. Ratio SA R /SA S indicating root support to the rhizosphere bacterial communities decreased with increasing bulk soil pH; however, when bulk soil pH was ≥5, the decrease in SA R /SA S was insignificant, i.e. the rhizosphere effect stayed at a stable level. Diversity of bacterial community was 6% higher in bulk soil than in rhizosphere. Rhizosphere acidification occurred in studied stands when bulk soil pH KCl  ≥ 5. Short-root N % correlated positively with SA R /SA S . We concluded that tree N-nutritional status was related to short-root morphological parameters but not to studied microbiological characteristics in the soil of young silver birch stands. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0492-6 Authors Katrin Rosenvald, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia Ivika Ostonen, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia Marika Truu, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia Jaak Truu, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia Veiko Uri, Institute of Forestry and Rural Engineering, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014 Tartu, Estonia Aivo Vares, Institute of Forestry and Rural Engineering, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014 Tartu, Estonia Krista Lõhmus, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    In three subsequent years, seeds were collected from 66 to 75 seed traps in three Abies alba stands that differed in vertical structure and the number of potentially reproducing trees. The objective was to compare empirical patterns of seed density with a random (Poisson) model, which assumes that seed density would be the same in every location, and a binomial negative model that is appropriate for over-dispersed data. The seed density patterns were tested for spatio-temporal independence. The effect of some dispersal variables (number of mother trees and seed fall seasons, dispersal distance, fecundity rate) on seed density pattern was studied in a simple simulation experiment. Several local stand density measures (stem density, basal area, distance-weighted indices, canopy openness) were also tested for their ability to predict local seed density. The Poisson model was rejected in all the stands studied, and a much better fit achieved using the binomial negative model. The simulation study revealed that random seed distribution may occur only at considerable dispersal distances, concave seed shadows, and at very low fecundity rates. The seed density patterns identified exhibited both spatial and temporal correlation, which can probably be linked to the arrangement of mother trees and variation in their seed output. To a minor degree, this seed density pattern also correlated with local stand density. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0486-4 Authors Jarosław G. Paluch, Department of Silviculture, University of Agriculture, Al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Cracow, Poland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Different multiple linear regression models of maximum leaf area index (LAI max ) based on stand characteristics, site quality, meteorological variables and their combinations were constructed and cross-validated for three economically important tree species in Flanders, Belgium: European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.), Pedunculate oak ( Quercus robur L.) and Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.). The models were successfully tested on similar datasets of experimental sites across Europe. For each species, ten homogeneous and mature stands were selected, covering the species’ entire stand productivity range based on an a priori site index classification. LAI max was derived from measurements of leaf area index (LAI) made by means of hemispherical digital photography over the whole growing season (mid-April till end October 2008). Species-specific models of LAI max for beech and oak were mostly driven by management practice affecting stand characteristics and tree growth. Tree density and dominant height were main predictors for beech, while stand age and tree-ring growth were important in the oak models. Scots pine models were more affected by site quality and meteorological variables. The beech meteorological model showed very good agreement with LAI at several European sites. Scots pine’s stand model predicted well LAI across Europe. Since the species-specific models did not share common predictors, generic models of LAI max were developed for the 30 studied sites. Dominant height was found to be the best predictor in those generic models. As expected, they showed a lower predictive performance than species-specific ones. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0500-x Authors Raphael Bequet, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium Vincent Kint, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, Box 2411, 3001 Leuven, Belgium Matteo Campioli, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium Dries Vansteenkiste, Department of Forest and Water Management, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Laboratory of Wood Technology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium Bart Muys, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200E, Box 2411, 3001 Leuven, Belgium Reinhart Ceulemans, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    This study presents empirical data on regeneration and growth of understory trees and constructs simple models for predicting these characteristics at various stand structure and post-thinning standing volume levels. The field experiment was established on a grass/herb mineral soil site in central Finland. Regeneration and understory tree growth data were collected from 24 Norway spruce ( Picea abies L.)-dominated mixed substands. Seedlings with heights from 5 to 130 cm were measured in 1996 and 2007. In addition, the annual height growth of Norway spruce seedlings was measured in 2007. The spatial pattern of the substands varied from clustered to regular with a decreasing standing volume. Stand complexity was uniform across the range of standing volume. In the 2007 survey, the amount of Norway spruce regeneration increased from approximately 400 to 5,000 seedlings ha −1 when the post-thinning standing volume level was reduced from 230 to 90 m 3 ha −1 , respectively. Nearly no seedlings were found when the standing volume was over 300 m 3 ha −1 . The annual diameter increment in Norway spruce understory (dbh 〈 5 cm) trees decreased, on the average, from 2.3 to 0.3 mm with an increase in the standing volume level from 90 to 340 m 3  ha −1 , respectively; their height growth showed also a decreasing trend when the standing volume increased. The results indicated that a post-thinning standing volume lower than 150 m 3 ha −1 with a regular overstory spatial structure provides a suitable environment for regeneration and growth of Norway spruce understory trees in the studied forest type. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0541-1 Authors C. Julian Lin, Mekrijärvi Research Station, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistontie 4, 82900 Ilomantsi, Finland Olavi Laiho, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Parkano Research Unit, Kaironiementie 54, 39700 Parkano, Finland Erkki Lähde, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit, P.O. Box 18, 01301 Vantaa, Finland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The article evaluates changes in the forest health status and nutrition, caused by the historical development of the air pollution load, in the Norway spruce ( Picea abies L. Karst) stands in the Jizera Mts. The Jizera Mts. are located in northern Bohemia, on the border between the Czech Republic and Poland close to western Saxony (Zittau). The 19 research plots selected on the plateau within the forest sites of the young Norway spruce stands were installed in 1991. Since 1993 the defoliation of the tree crown has been assessed every year; sampling of needles for nutrient analyses has also been undertaken annually. Soil samples were taken in 1995, 1999, 2003 and 2009. Long-term investigation confirmed that the health condition of the trees, evidenced by crown defoliation, is influenced by a combination of various stress factors. To define the relationship between the crown defoliation, nutrients and stress element contents, a linear regression model was proposed. The model for the current year needles demonstrates that the defoliation of the spruce crowns in the Jizera Mts. is a function of the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium sulphur and fluorine concentration. The crown defoliation of the spruce stands is increasing with the decrease in the nitrogen and magnesium concentrations and the increase in the sulphur and fluorine concentrations in the needles. The unbalanced nutrition in the Jizera Mts. is affected by the ongoing nitrogen deposition to the forest ecosystem. This is manifested as a disturbed N:P and N:Mg ratios in the needles. Acidification of the soil environment and the phosphorus and magnesium deficiency may be limiting factors to the forest’s nutrition in the future. The optimal range of N:Mg ratio (8–30) is relatively wide for the Jizera Mts. The upper optimal limit for the young spruce stands in the Jizera Mts. should be decreased to 25. The comparison of the element concentration in the needles and mineral soil confirmed the nutritional threat and the deterioration in the condition of the spruce stands in the Jizera Mts. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0549-6 Authors Bohumír Lomský, Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Strnady 136, 252 02 Jiloviště, Czech Republic Vít Šrámek, Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Strnady 136, 252 02 Jiloviště, Czech Republic Radek Novotný, Forestry and Game Management Research Institute, Strnady 136, 252 02 Jiloviště, Czech Republic Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    This study analyzed the temporal variation of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) of Hun River upstream forest in northeastern China and its correlation with climate parameters (temperature and precipitation) during the period of 2000–2009. We examined the interannual variation of forest, seasonal variation of forest and lag effects of climate variables (temperature and precipitation) on forest using simple regression and correlation. The objective of this paper was to compare the results of our research and previous researches and to show that the conclusions derived from broad-scale researches provided a direction of policy, but the local details were essential to local management. We found that the annual mean NDVI was significantly correlated with annual mean temperature. The forests studied in our research showed insignificant increase trends except for Fraxinus spp. forest. We concluded that the temperature was the limiting factor of vegetation growth in our study area and the forest which was in the core geographic area of its distribution was resilient to climate variation. When seasonal variation was examined, we found the largest increase trend of seasonal mean NDVI was in winter. The result was different from the outcome of previous research at national scale. There were 3 months lag effects of climate variables on vegetation of our study area in summer and autumn, which was consistent with researches at broad scales. The reasons of both difference and indifference were discussed in this paper. We also got information about tree species for local management using MODIS NDVI. The results of this work suggested that information from local scales would be important complements to researches at broad scales and were essential for local managers. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0543-z Authors J. Yao, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 72 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, 110016 People’s Republic of China X. Y. He, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 72 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, 110016 People’s Republic of China X. Y. Li, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 72 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, 110016 People’s Republic of China W. Chen, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 72 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, 110016 People’s Republic of China D. L. Tao, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 72 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, 110016 People’s Republic of China Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    To facilitate restoration of the lava field forests surrounding Mexico City, we developed methods to improve the germination and field seedling performance of Quercus rugosa using hydropriming (regulated hydration of seeds in water), and we used special watering regimes to improve seedling acclimation. The size, dry mass, fresh mass and water content of seeds were measured, and curves were generated to evaluate acorn hydration and dehydration. The effects of stratification (5°C), heat shock (50°C) and scarification on germination were tested. All treated seeds and controls were germinated in control chambers at 21°C. One hydropriming cycle (PC) consisted of two hydration days followed by two dehydration days; treatments of 1, 2 and 3 PCs were tested. Seedlings from 1PC to 2PC were acclimated in a shade house under high and low watering regimes (400 and 200 mL week −1 , respectively). In the shade house and field, the effects of hydropriming and watering treatments were evaluated by measuring length, basal diameter, crown cover, number of leaves and branches and leaf area of seedlings. Dry and fresh mass were used to calculate acorn water content. Dehydration and hydration curves displayed hysteresis. Acorns exhibited physiological dormancy, which could be overcome by stratification or by 1 month of storage. 1PC led to increased germination rates and final germination. In both the shade house and field, 1PC showed a positive effect on all seedling growth parameters except branch number. Field survival was not affected. Generally, 1PC favoured efficient seed germination, seedling vigour and homogenous plant production. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0548-7 Authors Libertad Castro-Colina, Instituto de Ecología, Departamento de Ecología Funcional, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-275, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico, DF, Mexico Miguel Martínez-Ramos, Centro de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701, Col. Ex-Hda de San José de la Huerta, CP 58195, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico Maria Esther Sánchez-Coronado, Instituto de Ecología, Departamento de Ecología Funcional, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-275, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico, DF, Mexico Pilar Huante, Instituto de Ecología, Departamento de Ecología Funcional, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-275, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico, DF, Mexico Ana Mendoza, Instituto de Ecología, Departamento de Ecología Funcional, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-275, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico, DF, Mexico Alma Orozco-Segovia, Instituto de Ecología, Departamento de Ecología Funcional, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-275, Circuito Exterior, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico, DF, Mexico Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Fagus sylvatica , the dominant native forest tree species of Central Europe, is sensitive to late frost events. Advanced leaf flushing due to climate warming may lead to more frequent frost damage in the future. Here, we explore local adaptation to late frost events at both continental and regional scales and test how moderate climate warming (+1.5°C) affects late frost sensitivity. Short-term leaf injury and height growth after a late frost event were quantified in a common garden experiment with 2-year-old F. sylvatica seedlings. The fully crossed three-factorial design consisted of a late frost manipulation, a continuous warming manipulation and selected provenances (three provenances from western Bulgaria and three from southern Germany). Late frost led to leaf injury and reduced height growth (−7%). Provenances differed in their late frost sensitivity at the regional scale, and local adaptation was detected. At the larger scale, the Bulgarian provenances showed reduced height growth (−17%), while the German provenances did not exhibit growth reduction. The warming treatment prevented late frost damage, while height growth declined by 19% in the reference temperature treatment. This surprising finding was attributed to advanced leaf maturity in the warming treatment. The impact of late frost events on F. sylvatica in a warmer world will depend on timing. An event that damages leaves immediately after leaf flushing appears negligible a few days earlier or later, thereby complicating projections. Local adaptation to late frost is evident at a regional scale. Management strategies should aim at maximizing genetic diversity to adapt to climate change. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0544-y Authors J. Kreyling, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany D. Thiel, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany L. Nagy, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany A. Jentsch, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany G. Huber, Bavarian Institute for Forest Seeding and Planting (ASP), Teisendorf, Germany M. Konnert, Bavarian Institute for Forest Seeding and Planting (ASP), Teisendorf, Germany C. Beierkuhnlein, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    This study aims to quantify the contribution of the harvested wood products (HWP) to the carbon removals/emissions by the agriculture, forestry and land-use sector (hereafter referred to as HWP contribution) using the tier 1 method proposed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in the 2006 Guidelines (hereafter referred to as GL tier 1 method) and to compare it with the results obtained with the tier 2 method proposed by the IPCC in the Good Practice Guidance for Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (hereafter referred to as GPG tier 2 method). The HWP contribution was calculated for three approaches: stock change, production and atmospheric flow. Another objective was to perform a sensitivity analysis in order to identify the calculation procedures and the input data that have the largest impact on the HWP contribution estimates. An uncertainty analysis was also carried out with Monte Carlo simulation. The case study of Portugal was analysed in this study. The HWP contribution obtained with the GL tier 1 method ranged from 150 to 1,240 Gg C year −1 , for the period from 1990 to 2004. These results are similar to those obtained with the GPG tier 2 method, except for the production approach, since the GL tier 1 method underestimated carbon accumulation in solid waste disposal sites (SWDS) under this approach. The most influential calculation procedures and input data were the algorithm used to calculate the change in carbon stocks for the pools that follow a first-order decay, the procedure to estimate the input of carbon to the pool of HWP in SWDS, the procedure to determine the change in carbon stocks of HWP in SWDS for the production approach, the type of carbon stocks considered in SWDS and the conversion factor for wood-based panels. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0515-3 Authors Ana Cláudia Dias, CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal Luís Arroja, CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal Isabel Capela, CESAM and Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The relationship between number of species and area observed has been described using numerous approaches and has been discussed for more than a century. The general objectives of our study were fourfold: (1) to evaluate the behaviour of species–area curves across geographic scales, (2) to determine sample sizes necessary to produce acceptably precise estimates of tree species diversity, (3) to evaluate relationships among estimates of tree species diversity for local to large geographic scales, and (4) to determine whether the proportion of native tree species may be precisely estimated using sample sizes smaller than those necessary to estimate total tree species diversity. Such investigations are necessary to improve biodiversity monitoring at large scales. The analytical approaches included Monte Carlo bootstrap simulations and two geospatial methods and relied on a database populated with data for more than 12,000 national forest inventory plots (NFI) from 16 regional units, 13 European countries and three ecoprovinces of the United States of America (USA). Four primary results were obtained. First, tree species diversity may be precisely estimated using observations for a random subsample of 2,000–4,000 NFI plots. Second, large sample sizes are necessary to estimate tree species diversity for regional units or forest categories, except possibly for boreal forests for which the number of tree species is small. Third, estimates of the proportion of native tree species may be precisely estimated using tree species information for a random sample of approximately 30 NFI plots. Finally, our estimated species–area curves show that the curve shapes and relationships among estimates of tree species diversity at large scales clearly depend on the relative geographic location of the anchor regional unit (a European country or ecoprovince of the USA) relative to the other regional units. None of the well-known models for species–area curves adequately describes our results. The conclusion was that the uncertainties of the estimates reflect the unfavourable state of global biodiversity monitoring of species groups. The total numbers of tree species in our regional units, which cannot be adequately estimated, are small relative to other tree species-rich regions. Consequently, monitoring of tree species diversity is currently a highly uncertain enterprise at large scales. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0518-0 Authors Susanne Winter, Department für Ökologie, Department for Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Geobotany, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany Andreas Böck, Technische Universität München, Fachgbiet Biostatistik, Zentrum für Mathematik, Am Forum 1, 85354 Freising, Germany Ronald E. McRoberts, Northern Research Station, US Forest Service, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung: Erratum to: An adaptive composite density estimator for k-tree sampling Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-1 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0529-x Authors Steen Magnussen, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service, 506 West Burnside Rd., Victoria, BC V8Z 1M5, Canada Lutz Fehrman, Department of Forest Inventory and Remote Sensing, Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Büsgenweg 5, 37077 Göttingen, Germany William J. Platt, Department of Biological Sciences 202 LSB, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The pine bark beetle Ips acuminatus has recently increased frequency and intensity of outbreaks in Pinus sylvestris stands in the Alps. During a 3-year period, we investigated life-history traits of the species that may have adaptive value. In the south-eastern Alps, I. acuminatus becomes active in early spring when the air temperature reaches 14°C, suggesting the presence of a local population adapted to low temperature. Such an early emergence allows the complete development of a second generation, even if only a portion of the population is truly bivoltine. As a consequence, there are two main attack periods, the first in early spring and the second in summer, resulting in different trees being colonised each time. Irrespective of the generation, a large part of the beetles leaves the breeding substrate before hibernation, and this is interpreted as an escape from natural enemies associated with the bark. These findings suggest that the populations of I. acuminatus of the south-eastern Alps may benefit from climate warming as they have more opportunities to complete the second generation and to escape from mortality factors associated with a long permanence in the bark. In addition, the extended period of tree colonisation offers more possibilities to locate suitable hosts and to build up outbreak densities. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0528-y Authors Fernanda Colombari, Department of Environmental Agronomy and Crop Production, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy Andrea Battisti, Department of Environmental Agronomy and Crop Production, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy Leif Martin Schroeder, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7044, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden Massimo Faccoli, Department of Environmental Agronomy and Crop Production, University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Wind throw is a common disturbance in forest ecosystems. Because many forests are intensively used our knowledge on forest dynamics after such disturbances is limited. In the Bavarian Forest National Park/Germany after the wind throw event in summer 1983, we started our long-term observation in nearly natural Norway spruce forests within 5-year intervals up to 2010. A part of the affected stands was cleared, while another part was left untouched for natural development. Here, we focused on the tree species regeneration, using an individual-based approach. We expected that tree species regeneration in both management types would follow different succession pathways. Indeed, we found different regeneration characteristics, depending on whether the area had been cleared or left unmanaged. For example, for the target species Norway spruce, a chronic regeneration during the first two decades with low numbers, but a high survival rate of individuals, and for the pioneer species birch, pulse regeneration with high numbers of individuals only at the beginning and high individual loss during the following years occurred. Unmanaged and cleared wind throw areas, respectively, offer different quantities of micro-sites: the pit and mound structure as mineral soil disturbance was limited to less than 1/4 in the untouched area, whereas there was mineral soil disturbance more or less everywhere on the cleared parts. Type and intensity of disturbance allow a wide range of succession pathways after wind throw, based on the fundamental processes of germination and competition. Therefore, for protection area management as well as for forest management, the human activity immediately after the event is crucial. Because each management impact will change the succession pathway fundamentally any impact has to be omitted in protection areas with the main goal of natural vegetation succession. Also in managed forests abdication of any impact on small areas may improve the natural structures and biodiversity of forests. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0524-2 Authors Anton Fischer, Geobotany, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany Hagen S. Fischer, Geobotany, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    In drained, forested peatlands, ditch network maintenance (DNM) is often considered necessary for tree growth, but it also constitutes additional management costs. Commercial thinnings, in turn, in addition to their silvicultural benefits, are generally applied to enhance the financial performance of stand management but results from peatland stands are scarce. In this study, our aim was to find financially feasible management practices for Scots pine-dominated stands on drained peatland sites in Finland. Using mainly inventory data sets, we compiled altogether 29 typical model-stands for four climatic areas, four site types, and two stand conditions according to need for silvicultural care. We used MOTTI stand simulator to predict the development of the model-stands according to different management regimes consisting of various combinations of 0–2 DNM and 0–2 thinnings with different timings and thinning intensities. We then calculated and compared the financial feasibility of the regimes using net present value (NPV; discount rate 3%) analysis. The separate effect of DNM on the profitability was marginal, but the positive effect of thinnings was clear. The harvesting removals varied within a wide range, depending on the timing and intensity of thinnings, but on average, the NPV doubled due to the thinnings. In the stands of initially good silvicultural condition, regimes including only one thinning and a DNM operation generally displayed a good financial result. In the stands of initially poor silvicultural condition due to neglected early care, regimes with two thinnings produced the best NPV regardless of the often low-yielding first thinning. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0514-4 Authors S. Kojola, Vantaa Research Unit, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, 01301 Vantaa, Finland A. Ahtikoski, Rovaniemi Research Unit, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 16, 96301 Rovaniemi, Finland H. Hökkä, Rovaniemi Research Unit, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 16, 96301 Rovaniemi, Finland T. Penttilä, Vantaa Research Unit, Finnish Forest Research Institute, P.O. Box 18, 01301 Vantaa, Finland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Scots pine is a highly diverse species, extended across Europe from Scandinavia to Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey. It is also a valuable species, used in many commercial monoculture plantations in Great Britain and particularly in Scotland. Because of the diversity of growing environments and its commercial importance, it is necessary to identify the combination of significant factors affecting the observed variability of growth. Temperature, mainly during the growing season, is quite commonly considered as the most important factor in knowledge-based or empirical models. However, in highly oceanic climates like that of Scotland, the impact of temperature may have a less significant impact on growth. Here we argue that other factors, such as incoming winter solar radiation, frost, drought and management also have a significant effect on the growth of Scots pine. In addition, we argue that the already developed Ecological Site Classification knowledge-based model, used as a forest management tool in Great Britain, should be updated to incorporate our findings. Furthermore, we discuss the need to include management impact and possibly more physiological based components in its growth modelling routines, as these would allow the introduction of the effect of winter solar radiation. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0516-2 Authors Georgios Xenakis, University of Edinburgh, School of GeoSciences, Crew Building, The King’s Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JN UK Duncan Ray, Centre for Human and Ecological Sciences, Forest Research, NRS, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9SY UK Maurizio Mencuccini, University of Edinburgh, School of GeoSciences, Crew Building, The King’s Buildings, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3JN UK Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Shrews ( Soricomorpha ) are among the most numerous small forest dwelling mammals in boreal forests ecosystems. In Norway large areas of sub-Arctic birch ( Betula pubescens ) forests have gradually been replaced by non-native spruce ( Picea abies ) plantations during the last century. This conversion has led to changes in forest floor vegetation and soil conditions which negatively influence invertebrates serving as prey for shrews and intermediate hosts for shrew endoparasites (helminths). In this trapping study we assessed if abundance and individual condition of common shrews ( Sorex araneus ) and prevalence and species richness of associated helminths, responded to spruce plantations in a manner that could indicate community level changes. Shrews colonized plantations in autumn, but never attained abundances comparable to the birch forest types. Shrews in plantations had lower body mass compared to those trapped in the birch forests. We identified 15 helminth species, and detected large differences in prevalence. Only one common helminth had significantly higher prevalence in the birch forest. By analysing prevalence of all species jointly, the highest prevalence was in moist birch forests and lowest in spruce plantations. Species richness estimates were lower in plantations, however not statistically significant. Although prevalence and species richness of helminths in common shrews were affected by tree species conversion, we judge the responses to be too weak and uncertain and the sampling and analysis too laborious to make shrew endoparasites suitable for monitoring purposes. However, monitoring abundance of common shrews is likely an efficient way of detecting changes in the forest floor fauna resulting from modern forestry practices. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0511-7 Authors Therese Sigurdsen, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, University of Tromsø, 9037 Tromsø, Norway Åshild Ø. Pedersen, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, University of Tromsø, 9037 Tromsø, Norway Nigel G. Yoccoz, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, University of Tromsø, 9037 Tromsø, Norway Voitto Haukisalmi, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research Unit, 01301 Vantaa, Finland Rolf A. Ims, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, University of Tromsø, 9037 Tromsø, Norway Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The role of forests in the public and private spheres is the standard against which workers in the sector must measure their activities in outlining models for the use of forest resources. The actions of legislators and public administrations are aimed at identifying the intrinsic nature of forests in and of themselves (internal limits), from which flows the identification of their optimal use in terms of society and its economic interests (external limits). Additional measures have reinforced a new set of goals, which has shown a need for a new management approach with an emphasis on environmental uses, in turn calling for an indemnification to land owners for loss of income. This forest policy approach is frequently use in Italy, especially for forest with high environmental value as the forests within protected areas or in forests included in the Natura 2000 network. The workings of law 43/1974 for the Lazio region are reconcilable with this emerging model. This analysis of its 30 years of practice shows both its intrinsic potential for improving the environment, and the seriousness of its influence when it is mistakenly used to intervene in precarious ecosystems. The conclusions will highlight the circumstances and procedures for the proper use of a forestry indemnity as evidenced by the Lazio Region, pointing out the essential characteristics of a forestry policy that efficiently supports sustainable forest management. Conclusions highlighted the circumstances and procedures for the proper use of forestry indemnity, and, according to the Regione Lazio experience, certain essential characters that should typify the forest policy in order to support efficiently the sustainable forest management. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0517-1 Authors Francesco Carbone, Viterbo, Italy Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Seedling recruitment can be influenced by seed dispersal, conspecific density dependence, and environmental factors. These forces are variant in space. In this study, seedling recruitment was investigated by the inverse modeling method. The inverse modeling framework here was made up of two components: a conspecific effect and a declining function. Power functions ( P ) and constant conspecific ( C ) effects were tried. Two types of declining functions were tried: isotropic ( I ) and anisotropic ( A ). Thus, the combination of conspecific effect and declining function generated four candidate models: PI, PA, CI, CA. These four models were used to study the seedling recruitment of 13 species in a 20 ha forest plot in subtropical China. It was found that PI, PA, CI, CA are the best models for two, three, five, and three species, respectively. Negative exponents in P were found in three species, which may indicate negative density-dependent mortality. Among those species that supported an anisotropic component, all moderately shade-tolerant and shade-tolerant species except Calophyllum membranaceum had higher possibilities of successful recruitment if their altitudes were relatively low, consistent with their ecological niches. The shade intolerant species, Castanopsis fissa produces seeds weighing 6–250 times more than other species. Yet, its seedling recruitment was more successful at higher altitudes, which again was consistent with its ecological niche. Our research indicated that it is necessary to take anisotropic forces into account when investigating seed dispersal and seedling recruitment in regions with complex topography, and that the niche-based processes and density-dependent mortality at least play some part in constructing the seedling distribution pattern. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0519-z Authors Yue Bin, Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510650 Guangzhou, China Guojun Lin, Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510650 Guangzhou, China Buhang Li, Department of Ecology, School of Life Science/State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275 Guangzhou, China Linfang Wu, Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510650 Guangzhou, China Yong Shen, Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510650 Guangzhou, China Wanhui Ye, Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Conservation and Sustainable Utilization, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 510650 Guangzhou, China Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    It is becoming increasingly apparent that the institutional dimension is of critical importance for achieving sustainable development, which is why the view that it should be considered as a fourth dimension of sustainability is acquiring increased support. It is argued that the institutional dimension represents an important challenge to the full integration of the economic, social and environmental sustainability objectives within the necessary institutional setting. But despite its importance, the latter is often neglected when it comes to scientific assessments of sustainability performance. A fact that holds particularly true for the forestry sector. The aim of the present paper is to describe and discuss how the institutional dimension of sustainability can be incorporated into a Sustainability Impact Assessment of the European Forest-Wood-Chain (FWC) by using a policy database developed within the context of EFORWOOD. The policy database, covering all policies of key relevance to FWC-sustainability, was employed for the purpose of connecting the EFORWOOD sustainability indicators to its institutional and political background. This connection provides direct and detailed insights into the governance structures prevailing in the European forest-based sector and thereby into the institutional dimension of FWC-sustainability. The results illustrate that FWC-sustainability is governed and regulated rather inconsistently by the many political institutions involved, various types of policies in force, and different modes of governance applied. The connection between the EFORWOOD sustainability indicators and a comprehensive database of sector-related policies thus presents a feasible approach for overcoming the lack of consideration given to the institutional sphere of sustainability. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0504-6 Authors Thomas Vogelpohl, Sustainable Energy and Climate Protection, Institute for Ecological Economy Research, Potsdamer Straße 105, 10785 Berlin, Germany Filip Aggestam, European Forest Institute Central-East European Regional Office (EFICEEC), Department of Economics and Social Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Feistmantelstr. 4, Gregor Mendel Straße 33, 1180 Vienna, Wien, Austria Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Successfully accounting for serial correlations has always been a vital part of growth and yield modeling when using repeated measurement data. In this case study, 16 alternative functions addressing the serial correlations of errors from a basal area model of black spruce ( Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) were examined and compared. Results from this study showed that functions incorporated into the fixed and mixed models to account for the serial correlations improved model fit. The serial correlation of the residuals from the fixed model with directly modeled error structure was significantly lower than that from the fixed model without a modeled error structure. For the mixed model, modeling error structure resulted in only a moderate reduction in serial correlation of residuals. The comparison of the fixed and mixed models with and without directly modeling the error structure showed that for fixed model, a substantial improvement in forecasting ability was achieved when the error structure was directly modeled to account for serial correlation, and when the forecasts were adjusted based on the estimated correlation. But for the mixed model, further modeling of the error structure to account for more serial correlation resulted in worsened or comparative forecasting ability of the fitted model. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0527-z Authors Shawn X. Meng, Biometric Unit, Alberta Department of Sustainable Resource Development, Forest Management Branch, 8th Floor, 9920–108 Street, Edmonton, AB T5K 2M4, Canada Shongming Huang, Biometric Unit, Alberta Department of Sustainable Resource Development, Forest Management Branch, 8th Floor, 9920–108 Street, Edmonton, AB T5K 2M4, Canada Curtis L. Vanderschaaf, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 413 SE 13th Street, Grand Rapids, MN 55744, USA Yuqing Yang, Biometric Unit, Alberta Department of Sustainable Resource Development, Forest Management Branch, 8th Floor, 9920–108 Street, Edmonton, AB T5K 2M4, Canada Guillermo Trincado, Instituto de Manejo Forestal, Universidad Austral de Chile, Box 567, Valdivia, Chile Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Fire behavior modeling systems are important in predicting wildfire risk, fire growth, and fire effects. However, simulation software requires a new fuel modeling to include fuel treatments, prescribed fire and the transition to crown fire. The thirteen Rothermel models are insufficient in completely representing Mediterranean ecosystems. In this sense, the new American modeling includes five fuel types, requiring the acquisition of hybrid models made up of the mixture of grass and shrub and the grass or shrub mixed with litter from forest canopy. Respecting meteorological conditions and shrub characteristics, field studies have shown significant differences between American and Mediterranean models. As a consequence, the definition of new Mediterranean models requires the adjustment of specific parameters such as fuel load by category (live and dead) and particle size class (1-, 10- and 100-h time-lag), fuelbed depth and surface area-to-volume ratio. These new parameters were obtained in situ of sample itineraries, prescribed fires, and forest fires. The availability of this new modeling, validated on a field of regional scale, will facilitate preventive planning and management as well as an efficient application of suppression techniques, both ground and aerial operations, required in defending a territory against forest fires. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0532-2 Authors Francisco Rodríguez y Silva, Department of Forest Engineering, University of Córdoba, Edificio Leonardo da Vinci-Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, Spain Juan Ramón Molina-Martínez, Department of Forest Engineering, University of Córdoba, Edificio Leonardo da Vinci-Campus de Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Rooting space is considered as a resource in plants, but comparative studies on the biomass allocation plasticity in response to rooting volume (RV) are rare. We compared responses in growth, biomass allocation and ontogenetic heteroblasty in nine hard pine species of contrasted ecology. Seedlings were cultivated in containers of 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.8 and 7 L for two growing seasons (425 days). Reduction in RV caused a reduction in plant absolute and relative growth rate and biomass allocated to stems but it increased biomass allocated to roots. RV affected to a lesser extent and in a less consistent direction allocation to leaves. Species that grew faster (higher relative growth rate) had a steeper decrease in growth with the reduction in RV. Ontogenetic heteroblasty, evaluated as the proportion of secondary needles in the needle biomass, showed highly different plasticity patterns in response to RV. Decrease in RV caused negligible or no change either in the most ontogenetically delayed Mediterranean pines or in the most ontogenetically advanced pines, the mesic Pinus sylvestris and P. uncinata . By contrast, ontogenetically intermediate species showed steep reaction norms in response to reduction in RV. While P. pinaster and P. brutia showed marked rejuvenation, P. nigra accelerated the development of adult foliage. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0476-y Authors José Climent, CIFOR. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Apto. 8111, 28080 Madrid, Spain Maria Regina Chambel, CIFOR. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Apto. 8111, 28080 Madrid, Spain Marta Pardos, CIFOR. Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Apto. 8111, 28080 Madrid, Spain Francisco Lario, Departamento de Mejora Agroforestal, TRAGSA, Ctra. de Maceda-Valdrey km 2, 32700 Maceda (Ourense), Spain Pedro Villar-Salvador, Departamento de Ecología, Universidad de Alcalá, Carretera Madrid-Barcelona Km 33.6, 28871 Alcalá de Henares (Madrid), Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Recent research is underway to study cork oak ( Quercus suber L.) wood potential for production of wood components. A total of 35 stems of young and mature cork oaks were sampled, live sawn into flitches, scanned using VTT’s WoodCIM ® , and the measured data computed by VTT’s PuuPilot software, allowing stem 3D reconstruction. Sawing simulations were run for 0.5 m and 1 m logs and the whole stem. Sawn products were (1) planks, (2) parquet, (3) lamparquet, and (4) external component of multilayer planks. Cork oak stems showed a moderate to small taper (mean 24 mm/m). Curviness varied between straight to significantly crooked stems (mean value 40 mm) Batch yields for the tested products ranged 25–43% and 37–50% for 0.5 m logs of young and mature trees, respectively; for 1 m logs, batch yields ranged 19–41% and 25–54%. When using the whole stem, batch yields were lower, ranging 11–38% and 15–50%. Higher yields were obtained for all log lengths and samples for production of lamparquet, parquet, and multilayer component. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0467-z Authors Sofia Knapic, Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal Isabel Pinto Seppä, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 Helsinki, Finland Arto Usenius, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 Helsinki, Finland Helena Pereira, Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Emissions of N 2 O from forest soils in Europe are an important source of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, influencing the emission rates by forest management is difficult because the relations and feedbacks between forest and soils are complex. Process-based models covering both vegetation and soil biogeochemical processes are frequently used to analyse emission patterns. Particularly, the simulation of soil C and N turnover processes driving N 2 O production, consumption and emission from forest soils requires highly specific input data which renders their regional application difficult since at this scale, soil conditions are often not well understood. Therefore, a soil C and N model (DecoNit) has been developed which describes biogeochemical processes with a simplified structure compared to existing carbon/nitrogen models that nevertheless follows the basic physical and chemical laws involved and which allows to simulate N trace gas emissions. The DecoNit model was previously calibrated using an extensive dataset on decomposition rates of incubated plant materials, microbial dynamics and nitrification. The DecoNit model has now been embedded in a modular simulation environment (MoBiLE) where it is combined with soil water balance and forest process sub-modules. Here, we present the evaluation of MoBiLE-DecoNit with emission data of N 2 O and NO from forest soils of 15 European sites and compare simulation results with a previous study in which a more complex model (PnET-N-DNDC) was used. Evaluation criteria were as follows: (1) precision of modelled annual average emission rates; (2) coherence of modelled and measured annual average and daily emissions; (3) a dynamic representation of emission rates that correspond with the observed variance of fluxes. The results show that MoBiLE-DecoNit captures average annual emission rates more precisely than the more complex model PnET-N-DNDC. Also the structural underestimation of N trace gas fluxes from forest soils was resolved. Moreover, we present evidence that the new modelling approach is also somewhat more adequate for describing inter-daily emission dynamics. The combined MoBiLE-DecoNit is therefore thought to be a promising approach to simulate forest development and greenhouse gas balances on site and regional scales. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-19 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0468-y Authors Arjan M. G. de Bruijn, Alterra, P.O. Box 47, NL 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands Rüdiger Grote, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU), Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Atmospheric Environmental Research (IMK-IFU), Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Wind-induced motion of 29 neighbouring trees growing in a Scots pine plantation was measured over the period 14 March to 24 March 2008. The bi-orthogonal decomposition (BOD) of the complex tree motion field into a limited number of spatio-temporal modes provided the basis for the analysis of the response behaviour to wind excitation of the group of sample trees. It is shown that the first BOD-mode was the most energetic and differed from all other BOD-modes. The BOD-results as well as the results from wavelet analysis of the temporal eigenvectors of the BOD-modes demonstrate that two concomitant low-frequency components in the streamwise wind velocity component stimulated coherent response of the sample trees at the tree group level. However, in the range of the wind speed measured close to the top of the Scots pine forest canopy (hourly mean wind speed values lower than 6 m s −1 ), the wind loads associated with these low-frequency airflow structures were too low to harmonise the motion of the sample trees completely. It is shown that instantaneous single tree responses to wind excitation were highly irregular in magnitude and direction. Results from Fourier and wavelet analysis demonstrate that sway in the first mode dominated the wind-induced sway behaviour at the tree level. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0474-0 Authors Dirk Schindler, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany Hannes Fugmann, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany Jochen Schönborn, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany Helmut Mayer, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Bambusa nutans Wall., is an evergreen, perennial, and multipurpose bamboo having strong culms, which are largely used for construction, scaffolding, craft purposes, pulp, and paper industry. Multiple shoots from nodal segments (3–4 cm) of young branches of mature culms were established in Murashige and Skoog ( 1962 ) (MS) medium supplemented with various concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) (1.0–6.0 mg l −1 ) or in combination with α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) (0.5–1.0 mg l −1 ) or kinetin (Kn) (1.0–2.0 mg l −1 ). February–March and December were found to be the best seasons for culture establishments. Maximum shoots were achieved on MS medium fortified with BAP (2.0 mg l −1 ). Embryogenic callus (slightly greenish compact, globular, and slow growing) was initiated from the base of severed sprouted buds in 2–3 subsequent subcultures on MS medium supplemented with 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) (5.0 mg l −1 ) under dark incubations. Maturation and germination of well-organized somatic embryos was achieved on MS medium containing BAP and 2,4-D (1.0 mg l −1 each) with 20.0 mg l −1 ascorbic acid. Full-strength MS medium supplemented with 2% glucose favored further development of proliferated somatic embryos into plantlets. Genetic variations of field-established B. nutans plants regenerated through tissue cultures were assessed by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis using 6 primer combinations. Four hundred and seven scorable fragments were amplified, of which 402 (98.8%) have recorded conservation at various morphogenetic stages leading to plantlets regeneration, therefore, revealed a high level of genetic stability. Content Type Journal Article DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0462-4 Authors Rupali Mehta, Biotechnology Division, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Palampur, 176061 Himachal Pradesh India Vikas Sharma, Biotechnology Division, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Palampur, 176061 Himachal Pradesh India Anil Sood, Biotechnology Division, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Palampur, 176061 Himachal Pradesh India Madhu Sharma, Biotechnology Division, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Palampur, 176061 Himachal Pradesh India Ram Kumar Sharma, Biotechnology Division, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research, Palampur, 176061 Himachal Pradesh India Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    The Bitterlich relascope is a multiple use dendrometer widely used in forest inventory. Although it is most commonly used to estimate basal area, the relascope can also estimate other stand variables, including density and diameter distribution. However, forest stand inventories in Spain rarely use relascope plots to estimate these variables due to the belief that they lead to higher errors than fixed-radius plots due to the heterogeneity of many Mediterranean forests. This study compared the accuracy of the estimated averages of three main stand variables (basal area, stand density, and diameter class distribution) in forest stand inventories performed with relascope plots and with conventional fixed-radius circular plots, both measuring a similar number of trees (15–20). A forest stand inventory simulator (DOMO) was used (1) to generate simulated forest stands corresponding to the nine most common types in the Mediterranean region of Catalonia (NE Spain), including even-aged and uneven-aged stands, and (2) to estimate and compare the average values of these variables at the forest stand level resulting from both plot types. In general, we did not find significant accuracy differences between the inventory systems for most of the stand variables and forest types studied, as expected by established angle-count sampling theory. However, the results show that for stands with multiple strata and open structures, the Bitterlich relascope provides a more accurate estimate for basal area than for density, while the reverse occurs for fixed-radius plots. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0477-x Authors Míriam Piqué, Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya, Ctra. Vella Sant LLorenç de Morunys Km. 2, 25280 Solsona, Lleida, Spain Berta Obon, Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya, Ctra. Vella Sant LLorenç de Morunys Km. 2, 25280 Solsona, Lleida, Spain Sonia Condés, Departamento de Economía y Gestión Forestal, E.T.S.I. Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain Santiago Saura, Departamento de Economía y Gestión Forestal, E.T.S.I. Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    A convenient model type for simulating the dynamics of uneven-aged and uneven-sized stands of Finland is individual-tree model. This is because the stand structures are complex due to the presence of several tree species and irregular size distributions of trees. The required minimum set of models in this approach consists of species-specific individual-tree diameter increment models, individual-tree survival models, and ingrowth models. The development of these models needs data in which the diameter and survival of each tree of the sample plots is known for at least two time points. For this, the trees need to be numbered, which is tedious in uneven-aged forests due to the great number of small trees and the continuous ingrowth process. This study proposes a modelling approach that fits the above models but requires only the diameter distributions of the plots in the beginning and at the end of the measurement interval. The method uses non-linear optimization to derive such values for model parameters that, when the models are applied to the initial diameter distribution, the simulated stand development results in a diameter distribution which agrees with the measured ending distribution. The study showed that the method produces similar models and model parameters as regression analysis. Since the method is less demanding in terms of modelling data, it brings new data sets available for modelling the dynamics of uneven-aged stands and reduces the cost of collecting new data. The models fitted by the proposed optimization method were rather similar to the models developed earlier for Finnish uneven-aged forests. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0475-z Authors Timo Pukkala, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. 111, 80101 Joensuu, Finland Erkki Lähde, The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Unit, P.O. 18, 01301 Vantaa, Finland Olavi Laiho, The Finnish Forest Research Institute, Parkano Unit, 39700 Parkano, Finland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Forest fires severity has increased in Portugal in the last decades. Climate change scenarios suggest the reinforcement of this severity. Forest ecosystem managers and policy-makers thus face the challenge of developing effective fire prevention policies. The characterization of forest fires is instrumental for meeting this challenge. An approach for characterizing fire occurrence in Portugal, combining the use of geographic information systems and statistical analysis techniques, is presented. Emphasis was on the relationships between ecological and socioeconomic features and fire occurrence. The number and sizes of wildfires in Portugal were assessed for three 5-year periods (1987–1991, 1990–1994, and 2000–2004). Features maps were overlaid with perimeters of forest fires, and the proportion of burned area for each period was modeled using weighted generalized linear models (WGLM). Descriptive statistics showed variations in the distribution of fire size over recent decades, with a significant increase in the number of very large fires. Modeling underlined the impact of the forest cover type on the proportion of area burned. The statistical analysis further showed that socioeconomic features such as the proximity to roads impact the probability of fires occurrence. Results suggest that this approach may provide insight needed to develop fire prevention policies. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0470-4 Authors S. Marques, Forest Research Center, Institute of Agronomy, Technical University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal J. G. Borges, Forest Research Center, Institute of Agronomy, Technical University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal J. Garcia-Gonzalo, Forest Research Center, Institute of Agronomy, Technical University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal F. Moreira, Centre of Applied Ecology “Prof. Baeta Neves”, Institute of Agronomy, Technical University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal J. M. B. Carreiras, Department of Natural Sciences, Tropical Research Institute (IICT), Rua João de Barros, 27, 1300-319 Lisbon, Portugal M. M. Oliveira, University of Évora, Largo dos Colegiais 2, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal A. Cantarinha, University of Évora, Largo dos Colegiais 2, 7004-516 Évora, Portugal B. Botequim, Forest Research Center, Institute of Agronomy, Technical University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal J. M. C. Pereira, Forest Research Center, Institute of Agronomy, Technical University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Hybridization and introgression between Quercus alnifolia Poech and Q. coccifera L. is studied by analyzing morphological traits, nuclear and chloroplast DNA markers. The study site is a mixed stand on Troodos Mountains (Cyprus), and the analyzed material includes both adult trees and progenies of specific mother trees. Multivariate analysis of morphological traits shows that the two species can be well distinguished using simple leaf morphometric parameters. A lower genetic diversity in Q. alnifolia than in Q. coccifera and a high interspecific differentiation between the two species are supported by an analysis of nuclear and chloroplast microsatellites. The intermediacy of the four designated hybrids is verified by both leaf morphometric and genetic data. Analysis of progeny arrays provides evidence that interspecific crossings are rare. This finding is further supported by limited introgression of chloroplast genomes. Reproductive barriers (e.g. asynchronous phenology, postzygotic incompatibilities) might account for this result. A directionality of interspecific gene flow is indicated by a genetic assignment analysis of effective pollen clouds with Q. alnifolia acting as pollen donor. Differences in flowering phenology and species distribution in the stand may have influenced the direction of gene flow and the genetic differentiation among effective pollen clouds of different mother trees within species. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0454-4 Authors Charalambos Neophytou, Department of Forest Ecology, Forest Research Institute of Baden-Württemberg, Wonnhaldestr. 4, 79100 Freiburg, Germany Filippos A. Aravanopoulos, Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Tree Breeding, Faculty of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, P.O. Box 238, Thessaloniki, Greece Siegfried Fink, Faculty of Forest and Environmental Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg, Bertoldstr. 17, 79085 Freiburg, Germany Aikaterini Dounavi, Department of Forest Ecology, Forest Research Institute of Baden-Württemberg, Wonnhaldestr. 4, 79100 Freiburg, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung: Socio-economics in forestry Content Type Journal Article DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0466-0 Authors Achim Schlüter, Institute of Forestry Economics University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, 79085 Freiburg, Germany Roderich von Detten, Institute of Forestry Economics University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, 79085 Freiburg, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    In Italy, poplar plantations represent an important source of wood products, and especially of high-quality veneer logs. These plantations offer favourable conditions to the introduction of forest mechanisation, and especially easy access and industrial management. However, owners fear that mechanised log-making may cause value losses, due to poor length measurement, log surface damage and improper grading. This study compared the performance of manual and mechanised log-making on ten commercial operations, in order to determine the occurrence and the severity of possible value losses due to product degrade. The study found that length measurement errors are smaller for mechanised processing, while the frequency and severity of log surface damage are the same for both treatments. In three cases out of five, mechanised log-making extracted the same value from the stems as manual log-making: in the remaining two, differences were very small and went opposite directions. Significant differences were found between operators, stressing the importance of operator skills and motivation. In fact, the log-making specifications and the pricing structure applied to poplar processing are relatively simple and are unlikely to challenge the ability of personnel and equipment. At present, most Italian poplar growers are unaware of the potential offered by modern technology, whose intelligent use would boost value recovery and decrease harvesting cost. Significant benefits may derive from the introduction of optimised bucking, which may help shifting to a more articulated and rewarding product strategy. Content Type Journal Article DOI 10.1007/s10342-010-0464-2 Authors Raffaele Spinelli, CNR IVALSA, Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, FI Italy Natascia Magagnotti, Via Biasi 75, San Michele all’Adige, TN Italy Carla Nati, CNR IVALSA, Via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, FI Italy Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Białowieża Primeval Forest lies within the boreal part of the Norway spruce range, which, according to pollen data, was formed by a refugium located in the Russian Upland. However, recent genetic studies have indicated that spruce from the Eastern Carpathian refugium also occurs in Białowieża Forest. In order to investigate whether the Norway spruce from the Eastern Carpathian refugium migrated naturally into the boreal part of the Norway spruce range, we assessed the refugial origin of 234 of the oldest Norway spruce individuals from Białowieża Forest using mitochondrial marker mt15 - D02 . Out of the trees that we studied, 64.8% carried mitotype 1, which is specific to the Carpathian refugium, while 35.2% had mitotype 3, specific to the Russian refugium. Our genetic analysis, combined with historical data on forest management in this part of Europe, argues for a natural contribution of spruce from the Eastern Carpathian refugium during postglacial recolonization of Białowieża Primeval Forest. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-7 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0510-8 Authors Monika Dering, Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa Street 5, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland Andrzej Misiorny, Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa Street 5, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland Andrzej Lewandowski, Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa Street 5, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland Adolf Korczyk, Bialystok University of Technology, Wiejska Street 5A, 15-351 Białystok, Poland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Responses of Norway spruce populations to climatic transfer, in terms of growth and survival, were analyzed on the basis of a provenance experiment derived from the international provenance test IUFRO 1964/1968. The experiment comprises a series of five trial plots situated at contrasting elevations ranging from 484 to 1,275 m a.s.l., with 11 provenances represented at all trial plots that were used for the analysis. Transfer rates were defined as differences in altitudes or climatic variables between the site of plantation and the site of origin. Optimal transfer rates and optimal climates for individual provenances were derived from quadratic response functions. Spruce provenances generally responded positively by height and volume growth to transfer into lower altitudes, i.e., warmer conditions with less precipitations. The analysis at the level of provenances showed that optimal transfer rates were consistently negatively correlated with the underlying environmental variables and optimal climates were consequently nearly the same for all provenances irrespective of the response traits and ecodistance variables. Stability indices based on joint regression analysis indicate that provenances from higher altitudes, colder and wetter climates tend to be more stable, whereas provenances from lower altitudes, drier and warmer sites are more responsive to site quality. However, the differences in the stability are small and stability indices were generally close to 1. The results indicate that populations in different climates remain adapted to a common optimum and the extent of local adaptation is quite limited. Possible explanations of this observation are briefly discussed. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0512-6 Authors Dušan Gömöry, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, TG Masaryka 24, 96053 Zvolen, Slovakia Roman Longauer, National Forestry Centre, TG Masaryka 22, 96092 Zvolen, Slovakia Tomáš Hlásny, National Forestry Centre, TG Masaryka 22, 96092 Zvolen, Slovakia Marián Pacalaj, National Forestry Centre, TG Masaryka 22, 96092 Zvolen, Slovakia Slavomír Strmeň, National Forestry Centre, TG Masaryka 22, 96092 Zvolen, Slovakia Diana Krajmerová, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, TG Masaryka 24, 96053 Zvolen, Slovakia Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    In order to map the spatial distribution of twenty tree species groups over Europe at 1 km × 1 km resolution, the ICP-Forest Level-I plot data were extended with the National Forest Inventory (NFI) plot data of eighteen countries. The NFI grids have a much smaller spacing than the ICP grid. In areas with NFI plot data, the proportions of the land area covered by the tree species were mapped by compositional kriging. Outside these areas, these proportions were mapped with a multinomial multiple logistic regression model. A soil map, a biogeographical map and bioindicators derived from temperature and precipitation data were used as predictors. Both methods ensure that the predicted proportions are in the interval [0,1] and sum to 1. The regression predictions were iteratively scaled to the National Forest Inventory statistics and the Forest map of Europe. The predicted proportions for the twenty tree species were validated by the Bhattacharryya distance between predicted and observed proportions at 230 plot data separated from the calibration data. Besides, the map with the predicted dominant species was validated by computing the error matrix. The median Bhattacharryya distance in the subarea with NFI plot data was 1.712, whereas in the subarea with ICP-Level-I data, this was 2.131. The scaling did not significantly decrease the Bhattacharryya distance. The estimated overall accuracy of this map was 43%. In areas with NFI plot data, overall accuracy was 57%, outside these areas 33%. This gain was mainly attributable to the much denser plot data, less to the prediction method. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0513-5 Authors D. J. Brus, Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands G. M. Hengeveld, Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands D. J. J. Walvoort, Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands P. W. Goedhart, Biometris, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 100, 6700 AC Wageningen, The Netherlands A. H. Heidema, Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands G. J. Nabuurs, Alterra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands K. Gunia, European Forest Institute, Torikatu 34, 80100 Joensuu, Finland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Anthropomorphic changes in land use have extensively modified natural forests in the European countries over the twentieth century. This yielded a decline in the number of plant species and fragmentation of their populations. Understanding of the impact of land use changes on the spatio-temporal dynamics of forest species is essential to the ecological sustainability of the natural forests in the region. In this study, we examined the spatio-temporal dynamics of Q. faginea forests in the Central Pre-Pyrenees (Spain) over period from 1957 to 2006. Gains and losses in Q. faginea forests were quantified by means of construction of matrix of changes. Patch fragmentation, isolation, and irregularity were assessed using a set of standard landscape metrics. Also, the probable factors influencing these changes were identified employing three statistical models. The univariate generalized additive model (GAM) was used to explore the nature of the relationship between the response and predictor variables. The Bayesian model averaging (BMA) and the adaptative regression mixed with model screening (ARMS) were employed to identify the most important factors affecting changes in Quercus faginea forests. The results of this research revealed substantial changes in the spatial patterns of Q. faginea forests in the Central Pre-Pyrenees over the last 50 years. These changes have been clearly reflected in noteworthy increase of fragmentation, isolation degrees, and patch irregularity. Changes in the spatial patterns of Q. faginea forests were particularly driven by the vast introduction of pine plantations and the former deforestation, associated with increasing the amount of croplands and pastures. In addition, roads acted as attractors for changes in land use and deforestation, which influenced strongly the spatial variability in Q. faginea forests. Therefore, the long-term sustainability of these forests largely depends on the landscape conservation, where this species occurs. Moreover, an improvement in the integrity and connectivity of the remaining patches of native Q. faginea forests is still demanded. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0509-1 Authors Yacine Kouba, Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, PO Box 202, 50080 Zaragoza, Spain Concepción L. Alados, Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, PO Box 202, 50080 Zaragoza, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Wind damage in Japan is mainly caused by typhoons (i.e., tropical cyclones), which are characterized by intensive heavy rainfall and strong winds. In this study, we conducted tree-pulling experiments on two sites to find out whether rapidly supplied water on the soil would affect stability of root anchorage of hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtuse (Sieb. Et Zucc.) Endl.), as expected. For the experiments, we first supplied several quantities of water around the target trees, and then they were pulled down using a wire winch. On study site 1 (Kamiatago experimental forest), we applied general tree-pulling experiments (no water supply) in 2008 and six different irrigation treatments around the target trees in 2009. On study site 2 (Chiyoda experimental forest), we applied one irrigation treatment in 2009. As a result, five trees were uprooted and two were broken in 2008, and all nine trees were uprooted in 2009 on study site 1, regardless of irrigation treatment. On study site 2, two trees pulled down after 4 h of water supply were ruptured at the stem base, opposite to two trees pulled down immediately after supplying water. The water content below the root plate significantly affected root anchorage and more specifically, the maximum turning moment, stem angle at the maximum force, and stiffness index. Moreover, water inside the root plate increased root anchorage at the beginning of a tree failure process. However, it also reduced the root plate area of the hinge side. Conversely, high water content below the root plate decreased root anchorage. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0508-2 Authors K. Kamimura, Department of Forest Policy and Economics, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8687 Japan K. Kitagawa, Department of Environment and Forest Resources Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, 863 Ohya, Suruga, Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 422-8529 Japan S. Saito, Department of Plant Ecology, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8687 Japan H. Mizunaga, Department of Environment and Forest Resources Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, 863 Ohya, Suruga, Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 422-8529 Japan Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Beschreibung:    Tree–understory competition is one of the most important aspects that control tree growth after reforestation. The relationship between trees and the understory can be modified by improving acidic soils with lime and by fertilisation. This experiment aims to evaluate the effect of soil improvements on the pasture–tree relationship by liming and fertilisation on different dates in a Pinus radiata- reforested area. Both lime and sewage sludge improved soil fertility by increasing Ca and reducing Al in the soil. Initially, tree development was reduced by lime, which improved the establishment of competitive grasses. Tree growth in limed treatments did not initially respond to sludge inputs, likely because both tree and grass roots shared the same soil depth layer. Three years after establishment, the use of high doses of sewage sludge in limed plots caused a growth rate similar to the best treatments of unlimed plots, which grew with a poorly sown grass establishment. After 2 years of the experiment, the presence of Erica woody shrub diminished tree development. High doses of sewage sludge with lime, as well as high doses of sewage sludge without lime, applied in April and low doses of sewage sludge without lime added in early February improved tree growth. From a practical point of view, lime and sewage sludge dose close to 100 kg total N ha −1 should be recommended if a silvopastoral system is established, as it enhances pasture production and tree growth. Content Type Journal Article Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-011-0489-1 Authors M. R. Mosquera-Losada, Dpto. Producción Vegetal, EPS Lugo, Univ. Santiago de Compostela, Campus Universitario s/n, 27002 Lugo, Spain R. Cuiña-Cotarelo, Dpto. Producción Vegetal, EPS Lugo, Univ. Santiago de Compostela, Campus Universitario s/n, 27002 Lugo, Spain A. Rigueiro-Rodríguez, Dpto. Producción Vegetal, EPS Lugo, Univ. Santiago de Compostela, Campus Universitario s/n, 27002 Lugo, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669