ALBERT

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    The Norwegian National Forest Inventory (NNFI) provides estimates of forest parameters on national and regional scales by means of a systematic network of permanent sample plots. One of the biggest challenges for the NNFI is the interest in forest attribute information for small sub-populations such as municipalities or protected areas. Frequently, too few sampled observations are available for such small areas to allow estimates with acceptable precision. However, if an auxiliary variable exists that is correlated with the variable of interest, small area estimation (SAE) techniques may provide means to improve the precision of estimates. The study aimed at estimating the mean above-ground forest biomass for small areas with high precision and accuracy, using SAE techniques. For this purpose, the simple random sampling (SRS) estimator, the generalized regression (GREG) estimator, and the unit-level empirical best linear unbiased prediction (EBLUP) estimator were compared. Mean canopy height obtained from a photogrammetric canopy height model (CHM) was the auxiliary variable available for every population element. The small areas were 14 municipalities within a 2,184 km 2 study area for which an estimate of the mean forest biomass was sought. The municipalities were between 31 and 527 km 2 and contained 1–35 NNFI sample plots located within forest. The mean canopy height obtained from the CHM was found to have a strong linear correlation with forest biomass. Both the SRS estimator and the GREG estimator result in unstable estimates if they are based on too few observations. Although this is not the case for the EBLUP estimator, the estimators were only compared for municipalities with more than five sample plots. The SRS resulted in the highest standard errors in all municipalities. Whereas the GREG and EBLUP standard errors were similar for small areas with many sample plots, the EBLUP standard error was usually smaller than the GREG standard error. The difference between the EBLUP and GREG standard error increased with a decreasing number of sample plots within the small area. The EBLUP estimates of mean forest biomass within the municipalities ranged between 95.01 and 153.76 Mg ha −1 , with standard errors between 8.20 and 12.84 Mg ha −1 . Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0596-7 Authors Johannes Breidenbach, Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, Postboks 115, 1431 Ås, Norway Rasmus Astrup, Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, Postboks 115, 1431 Ås, Norway Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Tree improvement in Poland has been most advanced for Scots pine, but existing seed orchards have not been progeny-tested yet. We examined variation in growth traits—tree height at ages 4 and 8 years, and diameter at age 13 years—in the common garden experiment testing open-pollinated progenies of 31 seed orchards and 5 commercial seed stands (referred to as populations) at 5 locations. We also examined bud burst phenology at two to five sites at three growing seasons. At one experimental site during the 5th growing season, we measured shoot growth rhythm on all populations. Similar measurements of shoot growth were done on a subset of populations during the 6th growing season together with the analysis of needle growth and foliar chemistry. We found significant variation among populations in growth traits, but also significant population × site (G × E) interactions. We used the regression approach and ecovalence analysis to examine populations’ performance stability. Most populations had average responsiveness to environment, and a set of least-responsive poor-growing populations contributed the most to the G × E interaction. Variation in bud burst phenology was associated with geographical distribution of tested progenies. The early bud-bursting populations originated from the north-eastern to north-central Poland, and a group of late bud-bursting populations originated mainly from the south-eastern region. Correlations between bud burst and growth traits were weak to medium and varied by site, but early bud-bursting populations tended to show stronger growth on height and diameter. We found significant differences among populations in final leader length, shoot elongation time and relative growth rate (RGR). However, RGR and shoot elongation time explained less than 30% of variation in leader length and were weakly correlated with tree height. Populations varied in needle length, specific leaf area and foliar nitrogen concentration, but time trends in these traits did not vary among populations or predefined groups of populations. Therefore, the analysis of growth rhythm or needle traits did not help resolve variation in tree growth to support selection decisions. Contrary to our expectation, progeny of seed orchards did not perform significantly better than that of commercial seed stands. This finding, however, should not be extrapolated beyond our set of populations. Nonetheless, the local seed sources were not always the best. From a selection standpoint, our results help culling the worst populations rather than selecting the best ones. Therefore, testing individual family progeny and genetic roguing of existing seed orchards is highly recommended. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0594-9 Authors Daniel J. Chmura, Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa 5, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland Roman Rożkowski, Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa 5, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland Władysław Chałupka, Institute of Dendrology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Parkowa 5, 62-035 Kórnik, Poland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Forest fires release substantial amounts of carbon (C). Much of it is emitted to the atmosphere, but some is deposited within ash on the ground. Little is known about amount and types of C deposited in ash. Here, we quantify total C, and total inorganic, water-soluble and particulate organic fractions deposited in ash during the catastrophic 2009 ‘Black Saturday’ wildfires in Australia. These fires coincided with the highest air temperatures and lowest humidity ever recorded in the local area, which, combined with high fuel loads of mostly long unburnt eucalypt forests, generated extreme burning conditions. In three mixed-species eucalypt forest sites sampled, the canopy, understorey and litter fuels were almost completely consumed, resulting in substantial ash deposition (mean, 81.9 t ha −1 ), with 5.9 t ha −1 of C being transferred from vegetation to the forest floor. In five temperate rainforest sites sampled, the canopy was not burnt and ash deposition was lower (mean, 48.3 t ha −1 ) than in the mixed-species eucalypt forest, but overall their higher C content resulted in higher C deposition (8.1 t ha −1 ). In all cases, most C contained in ash was organic and its pyrogenic nature infers increased resistance to degradation. Pyrogenic C is viewed by many as an important C sink, which could contribute to long-term C sequestration when incorporated into soils or sediments. Our results highlight the potential importance of the pyrogenic C pool in freshly deposited ash and, therefore, the necessity of a systematic and detailed analysis of ash deposition and C forms in ash to improve our understanding of C fluxes by forest fires. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0595-8 Authors Cristina Santín, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK Stefan H. Doerr, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK Richard A. Shakesby, College of Science, Swansea University, Swansea, UK Rob Bryant, College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, UK Gary J. Sheridan, Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia Patrick N. J. Lane, Department of Forest and Ecosystem Science, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia Hugh G. Smith, School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK Tina L. Bell, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Studies have shown that tropospheric ozone (O 3 ) impacts trees in various ways, including growth reductions. To date, the landscape-level response of Canadian forests carbon (C) to O 3 exposure has not been quantified. We used a modified version of the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector and data from Aspen FACE to quantify the landscape-level impacts of different O 3 exposure modelling experiments. The main strengths of our approach consisted of using the most complete empirical data available to estimate the amount and location of forest C across Canada, as well as explicitly simulating the consequences of fire, insect, and harvest disturbances on forest C dynamics. These disturbances lead to younger forests and, considering trees sensitivity to O 3 exposure to decrease with age, thus result in higher landscape-level modelled impacts for the same O 3 levels. Despite various sources of uncertainty, our results indicate that even under a modelling experiment where O 3 increases continuously over four decades, the landscape-level impacts on the merchantable biomass and ecosystem C remain limited. Our results also suggest that the current direct impacts of O 3 on Canadian forests are likely below detection at the landscape level. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0656-z Authors Jean-Sébastien Landry, Regulatory Analysis and Valuation Division, Environment Canada, 10 rue Wellington, 24e étage, Gatineau, QC K1A 0H3, Canada Eric T. Neilson, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, 506 West Burnside Road, Victoria, BC V8Z 1M5, Canada Werner A. Kurz, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, 506 West Burnside Road, Victoria, BC V8Z 1M5, Canada Kevin E. Percy, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada, 1350 Regent Street, Fredericton, NB E3B 5P7, Canada Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    The growth patterns of annually resolved tree rings are good indicators of local environmental changes, making dendrochronology a valuable tool in air pollution research. In the present study, tree-ring analysis was used to assess the effects of 16 years (1991–2007) of chronic nitrogen (N) deposition, and 10 years (1991–2001) of reduced nitrogen input, on the radial growth of Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst.) and Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) growing in the experimental area of Lake Gårdsjön, southwest Sweden. In addition to the ambient input of c. 15 kg N ha −1 year −1 , dissolved NH 4 NO 3 was experimentally added to a 0.52-ha watershed at a rate of c. 40 kg ha −1 year −1 . Atmospheric N depositions were reduced by means of a below-canopy plastic roof, which covered a 0.63-ha catchment adjacent to the fertilized site. The paired design of the experiment allowed tree growth in the N-treated sites to be compared with the growth at a reference plot receiving ambient N deposition. Nitrogen fertilization had a negative impact on pine growth, while no changes were observed in spruce. Similarly, the reduction in N and other acidifying compounds resulted in a tendency towards improved radial growth of pine, but it did not significantly affect the spruce growth. These results suggest that spruce is less susceptible to changes in the acidification and N status of the forest ecosystem than pine, at least in the Gårdsjön area. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0657-y Authors Kristina Seftigen, Regional Climate Group, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 460, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden Filip Moldan, Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL), P.O. Box 47086, 402 58 Göteborg, Sweden Hans W. Linderholm, Regional Climate Group, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 460, 405 30 Göteborg, Sweden Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Species selection for reforestations can be challenging in habitat protection zones, especially in human transformed landscapes, where nativeness of some species is not easily determined and yet is crucial for knowing whether a species can be used or not. We try to determine whether Pinus uncinata Ramond ex DC was present in the Cantabrian Range (Spain) and whether it could have disappeared recently due to anthropogenic causes. Plant morphology and needle anatomy were characterized in Pinus sylvestris L. and P. uncinata 2-year-old seedlings. An analysis of variance was used for selecting morphological markers capable of discriminating both species. These markers permit the comparison of seedlings coming from the highest zone of Puebla de Lillo relict pinewood (Cantabrian Range) with reference material from Castillo de Vinuesa (Iberian Range). This comparison was firstly made with two multivariate methods, a principal component analysis and a multivariate discriminant analysis. Subsequently, this was corroborated with the detection of a species-specific chloroplast DNA marker. The differences found between both species reflect the better adaptation of P. uncinata to typical highland environment. Several Puebla de Lillo seedlings had P. uncinata type morphology and haplotype, suggesting the presence of this species in the Cantabrian Range until recently. This discovery changes the current interpretation of the zone’s vegetation, enhancing the natural presence of highland open pinewoods. However, human activities (fire and livestock grazing) have driven them to extinction and have favoured the contemporary expansion of heathlands. Based on this P. uncinata case, we discuss how local extinctions can affect management and conservation policies negatively. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-14 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0660-3 Authors Martin Venturas, Departamento de Silvopascicultura, E.T.S.I. de Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria S/N, 28040 Madrid, Spain Salvia García Álvarez, Departamento de Silvopascicultura, E.T.S.I. de Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria S/N, 28040 Madrid, Spain Miriam Fajardo Alcántara, Departamento de Silvopascicultura, E.T.S.I. de Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria S/N, 28040 Madrid, Spain Carmen Collada, Departamento de Biotecnología, E.T.S.I. de Montes, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria S/N, 28040 Madrid, Spain Luis Gil, Departamento de Silvopascicultura, E.T.S.I. de 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

Description:    Nitrate (NO 3 − ) concentrations in seepage water ( \text SW \text NO 3 ) of N saturated forests regularly show a high spatial variability. As seepage water sampling is expensive, most studies use small numbers of soil solution samplers. This implies high uncertainties of calculated concentration and flux data. At the N saturated Höglwald site we investigated, whether a preselection of seepage water sampling places by a prior intensive soil sampling can improve the precision of the estimation of \text SW \text NO 3 . We implemented 121 suction cups and analyzed the soil, removed with the soil auger during installation at the sampling depth of 40 cm, for water extractable NO 3 − . The NO 3 − content in soil ( \text Soil \text NO 3 ) was calculated and \text SW \text NO 3 was measured. With this data set we tested the correlation between \text Soil \text NO 3 and \text SW \text NO 3 and simulated a random selection of sampling places (RS) as well as a prestratified sampling based on \text Soil \text NO 3 (PS). With bootstrap statistics different numbers of replications (n) were tested and the 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was used to compare RS with PS. Highly significant correlations between \text Soil \text NO 3 and \text SW \text NO 3 were found ( r  = 0.99***). It was even possible to calculate \text SW \text NO 3 from \text Soil \text NO 3 . Here best results where achieved when \text Soil \text NO 3 was determined from field moist soil samples. With PS the accuracy of the mean value of \text SW \text NO 3 improved considerably. To achieve a 95% CI lower than ±10%, 250 suction cups would be needed for RS compared to n  = 20 for PS. Even 6 months after implementation, precision of mean \text SW \text NO 3 was higher for suction cup places selected with the PS method. A detailed description is given, how these findings may be applied in studies and monitoring programs focusing on NO 3 − leaching in forest ecosystems. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0606-9 Authors Michael Kohlpaintner, Fachgebiet für Waldernährung und Wasserhaushalt, Department für Ökologie, Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan, TU-München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany Christian Huber, Fachgebiet für Waldernährung und Wasserhaushalt, Department für Ökologie, Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan, TU-München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany Axel Göttlein, Fachgebiet für Waldernährung und Wasserhaushalt, Department für Ökologie, Wissenschaftszentrum Weihenstephan, TU-München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    The quantification of terrestrial carbon pools is important for the modeling of carbon fluxes in forest ecosystems. As a contribution to the understanding of the factors that influence the carbon sequestration capacity of Mediterranean forest soils, the present study focuses on the quantification of the superficial soil carbon stocks in evergreen oak stands ( Quercus ilex L.) representative of its distribution area in Mainland Spain and to analyze the influence of site factors (climate and topography) and the soil chemical properties in the topsoil carbon storage capacity. For that purpose, 103 Quercus ilex stands were studied grouped in four main formations: 40 wooded grassland ecosystems with scattered oak trees ( dehesas ), 14 open Holm oak stands , 28 mixed Holm oak forests and 21 dense Holm oak forests . The soil organic carbon stocks (SOCS) in the upper organo-mineral soil layer ranged between 1.4–15.6 kg m −2 and total soil carbon stocks (TSCS) between 1.4–17.9 kg m −2 . Tree density was a significant factor for SOC storage in the soil. The wooded grassland dehesas presented the minimum superficial SOC stocks (3.6 kg m −2 ), while dense Holm oak forests reached the maximum average values (7.6 kg m −2 ). Maximum SOCS (〉10 kg m −2 ) were measured in the mixed and dense Holm oak forests over soils with calcareous substrates. Summer mean temperature ( R  = −0.46; P  〈 0.001) was the climatic variable that most influenced the SOCS. Soil properties had stronger positive correlations with SOCS than site factors: nitrogen concentrations ( R  = 0.70; P  〈 0.001), clay content ( R  = 0.62; P  〈 0.001), soluble calcium ( R  = 0.60; P  〈 0.001) and magnesium ( R  = 0.42; P  〈 0.001). Climatic and topographic variables together explained 30 % of the SOCS variability. An increase up to 63 % was obtained by including soil variables. Under Mediterranean climate conditions, the soil properties that enhance the organic matter protection achieve a notable relevance. The soil carbon storage is favored by large organic matter inputs, high soil clay contents, a calcium-saturated soil matrix and reduced summer aridity. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0623-8 Authors I. González González, Ecology and Forest Genetics Department (CIFOR), INIA, Madrid, Spain J. M. Grau Corbí, Ecology and Forest Genetics Department (CIFOR), INIA, Madrid, Spain A. Fernández Cancio, Ecology and Forest Genetics Department (CIFOR), INIA, Madrid, Spain R. Jiménez Ballesta, Geology and Geochemistry Department, Autonoma University, Madrid, Spain M. R. González Cascón, Department of Environment, INIA, Crra. Coruña km 7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Understanding the causes and consequences of spatiotemporal structural development in forest ecosystems is an important goal of basic and applied ecological research. Most existing knowledge about the sequence and timing of distinct structural stages following stand origin in unmanaged (not actively managed in 〉50 years) forests has been derived from forests in North America, which are characterized by particular topographic, climatic, biotic and other environmental factors. Thus, the effects on structural development remain poorly understood for many other forest systems, such as the dense, unmanaged, subalpine Norway spruce forests of the Swiss Alps. Over the past century, land abandonment and reductions in active forest management have led to a substantial increase in the density of these forests types. Consequently, many stands are entering the stem exclusion stage and are currently characterized by associated self-thinning mortality. However, the environmental influences on the rate of this structural development as well as this structural stage itself have not yet been examined. We studied stem exclusion processes based on forest inventory data (National Swiss Forest Inventory; NFI) over three survey periods (1983–1985, 1993–1995 and 2004–2006) using repeated measures statistics. To complement these analyses, we also collected and analysed 3,700 increment cores from 20 field plots within dense subalpine Norway spruce forests dispersed across the Swiss Alps. Over the past decades, basal area (BA) has generally increased, particularly on N-facing and steeper slopes, and within 300 m of potential treeline. The number of dead trees was higher on N-facing compared with S-facing slopes, but the BA of dead wood was higher on S-facing slopes. Tree ring analysis confirmed important differences in growth patterns between N- and S-facing slopes and verified the results of the NFI analysis. This study provides a detailed example of how environmental heterogeneity and management history can influence the spatiotemporal structural development of forest ecosystems. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0625-6 Authors Frank Krumm, WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Flüelastrasse 11, 7260 Davos Dorf, Switzerland Dominik Kulakowski, School of Geography, Clark University, Worcester, MA, USA Anita C. Risch, Swiss Federal Institute of Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland Heinrich Spiecker, Institute for Forest Growth IWW, Freiburg, Germany Urs-Beat Brändli, Swiss Federal Institute of Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland Peter Bebi, WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Flüelastrasse 11, 7260 Davos Dorf, Switzerland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    We modeled the probability of sessile oak ( Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) stump sprouting 1 year after harvest. We established seven research plots in forest stands with ages from 31 to 97 years, differing site indexes and elevations ranging from 290 to 410 m above sea level. A total of 862 stumps of sessile oak were analyzed. In each plot, the position (respective to the plot centre), stump surface diameter, age at the time of harvest and regeneration status (successful or unsuccessful) were determined for every stump. The probability of stump sprouting 1 year after harvest was modeled using logistic regression. Stump diameter and parent tree age were both negatively correlated with sprouting probability. No impact of site index on sprouting probability was found. Out of several analyzed models, three models were statistically significant. The model with stump diameter was found to be the most suitable. For stump diameters ≥35 cm, the sprouting probability fell below 50 %. For stump diameters up to 20 cm, the probability of at least one living sprout occurrence was ≥70 %. When compared with similar models used for three North American oak species ( Quercus velutina Lamb., Quercus montana W. and Quercus alba L.), the sprouting probability in sessile oak stumps declines more sharply as stump diameter increases. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-8 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0628-3 Authors Markéta Šplíchalová, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Institute of Forest Management, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic Zdeněk Adamec, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Institute of Forest Management, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic Jan Kadavý, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Institute of Forest Management, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic Michal Kneifl, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Institute of Forest Management, Mendel University in Brno, Zemědělská 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Carbon fluxes and C-turnover of a mature mixed forest were assessed over a 5-year period from 2004 to 2008 at the Integrated Monitoring site “Neuglobsow”. The mature stand with European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.) and Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) is located in the north-eastern German lowlands (Brandenburg). Soil carbon fluxes of the trenched and non-trenched plots were measured once a week with a closed chamber method to separate heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration. Annual wood increments were continuously measured by dendrometer bands. A strong correlation was found between observed and predicted soil respiration fluxes calculated on the basis of the measured soil temperatures and soil water contents. Carbon sequestration by accumulation in the aboveground biomass accounted for 1.67 Mg C ha −1  year −1 . Including the C-sequestration in coarse roots the net primary production (NPP) increased to 2.0 Mg C per ha and year. Carbon release from soil by apparent heterotrophic respiration was overestimated due to higher soil moisture in the rootless trenching plots. Therefore we adjusted the apparent heterotrophic respiration by means of predicted water contents of the trenched plots, using a SVAT model. Accordingly the apparent heterotrophic respiration rate was 0.94 Mg C ha −1  year −1 resulting in a net ecosystem production (NEP) of 1.06 Mg C ha −1  year −1 . The net C loss from the soil carbon pool may be caused by higher temperatures, which were increased by 1.5 °C during the observation period compared to the long-term temperature average (1961–1990). These short-term changes have to be regarded carefully interpreting measured carbon sequestration rates of forest ecosystems in the global carbon cycle. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0627-4 Authors H. Schulte-Bisping, Büsgen-Institute, Soil Science of Temperate Ecosystems, Büsgenweg 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany F. Beese, Büsgen-Institute, Forest Ecosystems Research Centre, Büsgenweg 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany H. Dieffenbach-Fries, German Federal Environment Agency, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 29, 63225 Langen, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Planting of spruce on the sites of natural beech forests is very common across Europe. Its effect on ground vegetation is assumed to be strong on poorly buffered soils. We investigate associated patterns of herb layer composition and diversity on crystalline and carbonate parent rock in the Western Carpathians. We analysed a series of vegetation plots with respect to the partial relationship of spruce cover with vascular understorey species (ordination), to the affinity of plant species to sample groups with different cover of spruce and to plant diversity and species turnover within these groups. In our data set spruce and beech were the most important tree species with the closest association with understorey composition and their covers explained similar proportions of herb layer variability. Species composition was significantly different under spruce canopies, but species richness was not lower (crystalline region) or even higher (carbonate region), and overall diversity of vascular plants was only slightly affected. Most species negatively or positively associated with spruce differed between bedrock types, but those with the same positive relationship are diagnostic for natural spruce forests ( Vaccinio - Piceetea ). The species turnover between beech- and spruce-dominated stands was much higher on crystalline bedrock. The higher amounts of light and acid litter in spruce stands, limited growth of spruce on dolomite bedrock and the competitive pressure of beech seem to be the most important drivers of the herb layer changes. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-19 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0624-7 Authors František Máliš, National Forest Centre, Forest Research Institute Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 22, 960 92 Zvolen, Slovak Republic Karol Ujházy, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 24, 960 53 Zvolen, Slovak Republic Anna Vodálová, National Forest Centre, Forest Research Institute Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 22, 960 92 Zvolen, Slovak Republic Ivan Barka, National Forest Centre, Forest Research Institute Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 22, 960 92 Zvolen, Slovak Republic Vladimír Čaboun, National Forest Centre, Forest Research Institute Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 22, 960 92 Zvolen, Slovak Republic Zuzana Sitková, National Forest Centre, Forest Research Institute Zvolen, T. G. Masaryka 22, 960 92 Zvolen, Slovak Republic Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Some non-timber forestry products, such as mushrooms, have not typically been included in forest management plans, creating a scenario whereby timber production is the main objective and fungal resources are an afterthought. However, in certain forests, wild mushrooms reach a significant level of production. This paper researches a strategic forest management plan that would include the production of both timber and mushrooms as principal objectives while still adhering to constraints normally considered within forest management. A case study is provided featuring two main groups of edible wild mushrooms, where the two aforementioned objectives have been optimised individually. Lacking a satisfactory solution for the decision-maker, a model based on multi-criteria decision analysis (compromise programming) has been constructed to yield more attractive solutions. Information regarding mushrooms is based on the actual amount collected in the forest and not on potential production. Measured in monetary terms, mushroom production can be easily compared with timber production. Income associated with mushroom production is equal to approximately 20 % of that generated by timber throughout the planning horizon when final inventory and regulation constraints are imposed. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0649-y Authors Jorge Aldea, Centro de Investigación Forestal de Valonsadero, Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Castilla y León. Apdo. de correos 175, 42080 Soria, Spain Fernando Martínez-Peña, Centro de Investigación Forestal de Valonsadero, Consejería de Medio Ambiente, Junta de Castilla y León. Apdo. de correos 175, 42080 Soria, Spain Luis Diaz-Balteiro, ETS Ingenieros de Montes, Madrid, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    In even-aged, 120-year-old Norway spruce stands with underplanted beech (in 1995) four permanent research plots were established, each 100 × 100 m in size. Twelve subplots were selected on each plot along a light gradient from complete canopy closure to open light conditions. On each plot, photon flux density (PFD) was measured continuously, and during same time interval (August 2008, 2009), color digital hemispherical photographs were taken. Cumulative PFD values for measuring points were compared with potential PFD radiation obtained from hemispherical photograph analysis for different angle of hemisphere and different parameters from hemispherical image analysis (gap fraction, total openness and direct, indirect and total amount of radiation). Cumulative and average daily values for the plots were compared; 120° hemispherical photograph angle, gap fraction and total openness were the variables that explained the largest proportion of variance in light transmittance. Determination coefficients between direct and total light component were highest for the total potential radiation and lowest for the diffuse light component. Comparison between potential and instantaneous light measurements for radial, height increment and SLA of young beech showed that instantaneous radiation measurements explained height increment best; 120° of hemisphere proved to be the best explaining angle. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0651-4 Authors Matjaž Čater, Slovenian Forestry Institute, Večna pot 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia I. Schmid, Institute for Landscape and Plant Ecology, University of Hohenheim, August-von-Hartmann-Str. 3, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany M. Kazda, Institute for Systematic Botany and Ecology, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081 Ulm, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Heartwood is the most valuable part of larch timber when either natural durability or aesthetic aspects of the wood are required. Both properties are directly linked to chemical extractives and particularly to phenols. Based on a broad sample of trees (583) from European and Japanese larch and their interspecific hybrid, we investigated the variability in phenolic content, and particularly of two major compounds, Taxifolin (Tax) and Dihydrokaempferol (DHK), and their link with wood colour. At the individual wood sample level, phenolic contents ranged from 6.0 to 55.9 mg eq. Tax/g DW. Taxifolin was the most abundant constituent (range: 1.3–41.7 mg/g DW) compared with DHK (0.5–13.7 mg eq. Tax/g DW). A high variability among taxa, genotypes and individual trees within taxa and within trees was observed. Japanese larch had the highest amount of total phenols and of Taxifolin and European larch the lowest. For DHK, Japanese larch was the poorest compared with European larch. Hybrid larch had both a high content of Taxifolin and of DHK. Variability for colour parameters was on average weaker than for phenolic content but still large enough to show significant differences between taxa. Correlations between colour parameters and extractives were moderate to weak. At the mean genotype level, a good link ( r  〉 0.51, p  〈 0.001) was found between a* (red–green axis in CIELAB) and total phenols and Taxifolin contents and between L* (Lightness) and DHK content ( r  〉 0.54). The broad variability observed in this study at different levels for phenolics offers opportunities for breeders to genetically improve the quality of larch heartwood, in particular in relation to decay resistance. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0654-1 Authors Luc E. Pâques, INRA, UR 0588, AGPF, Centre de recherche d’Orléans, 2163 avenue de la Pomme de Pin CS 40001 ARDON, 45075 Orleans Cedex 2, France Maria del Carmen García-Casas, INRA, UR 0588, AGPF, Centre de recherche d’Orléans, 2163 avenue de la Pomme de Pin CS 40001 ARDON, 45075 Orleans Cedex 2, France Jean-Paul Charpentier, INRA, UR 0588, AGPF, Centre de recherche d’Orléans, 2163 avenue de la Pomme de Pin CS 40001 ARDON, 45075 Orleans Cedex 2, France Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    We investigated the influence of climate on the ring width and xylem anatomy of two co-occurring pines ( Pinus nigra Arn. and P. sylvestris L.) in the mountains of east-central Spain in order to test their utility for dendroclimatic reconstructions. We developed chronologies of ring width, mean lumen diameter and mean cell-wall thickness (in the earlywood, latewood, and the total annual ring) and the number of cells between 1960 and 2006. Drought, expressed as the standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI), was the main climatic driver of tree radial growth, although trees were also sensitive to temperature (negative effect in previous autumn and current summer) and precipitation (with a general positive effect). P. sylvestris response was stronger to climate of the current year, whereas the effect of previous-year climate was more important for P. nigra . Warm and dry summers reduced ring width, tracheid lumen, and wall thickness in both species, whereas warm winter-spring temperatures had the opposite effect, primarily for P. sylvestris . Previous-year or early-season conditions mainly affected earlywood features, whereas latewood was more responsive to summer climate. Overall, climate appeared to be a stronger limiting factor for P. sylvestris . During periods of drought, cell-wall thickness was reduced while lumen width increased in the latewood of P. sylvestris . This could compromise its hydraulic safety against drought-induced cavitation as our site was close to the southern and dry edge of the species distribution area. Our results suggest that anatomical variables record different and stronger climate information than ring width variables, especially in P. sylvestris . Reconstruction models for SPEI at the 3-month scale were developed for July–August and September–October using principal components regression. The best models included anatomical and width variables of both pine species suggesting that tracheid chronologies can be useful for drought reconstructions especially at mesic sites or with species that encode a mixed drought and temperature-precipitation signal. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0652-3 Authors Dario Martin-Benito, Tree-ring Laboratory, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, 61 Route 9 W, Palisades, NY 10964, USA Hans Beeckman, Laboratory for Wood Biology and Xylarium, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Leuvensesteenweg 13, 3080 Tervuren, Belgium Isabel Cañellas, Dpte. of Silviculture and Forest Management, INIA, Forest Research Centre, Avd. A Coruña km.7.5, 28040 Madrid, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    The purpose of this research is to study the avoidable damage from forest fires in the most affected European Union (EU) Member States (MS) using a quantitative model based on a non-parametric efficient frontier technique, namely data envelopment analysis (DEA). The procedure allows the comparison of forest fire damage in EU countries by computing relative efficiency scores and quantifying improvement targets. The proposed DEA model evaluates a slacks-based measure of efficiency and considers two non-discretionary variables (the forest area of the countries and fire weather index). Data from the most affected EU countries over the period 2005–2010 have been used. An input-oriented model has been considered in order to take into account the number of fire events and total burned area as the fire management targets. The study finds evidence that there is a considerable excess of forest area affected by fire in most of the EU countries. The empirical results also suggest that the mean relative damage efficiency in Southern European MS and Other MS is not significantly different. From the efficiency scores, different clusters, with clear characteristic features, emerge. The next step is to extend the best practices of the efficient EU countries. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0650-5 Authors Ester Gutiérrez, Department of Industrial Management, Escuela Superior de Ingenieros, University of Seville, Camino de los Descubrimientos, s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain Sebastián Lozano, Department of Industrial Management, Escuela Superior de Ingenieros, University of Seville, Camino de los Descubrimientos, s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description: Water and carbon in forests: challenges for forest management under the pressures of climate change Content Type Journal Article Category Introduction Pages 1-4 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0655-0 Authors Michael Bredemeier, Forest Ecosystems Research, Center for Biodiversity and Sustainable Land Use (CBL), University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany Agustin Merino, Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, University of Santiago de Compostela, 27002 Lugo, Spain Juan F. Gallardo Lancho, Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), IRNAS, Apartado 257, 37071 Salamanca, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Properties of individual trees can be estimated from airborne laser scanning (ALS) data provided that the scanning is dense enough and the positions of field-measured trees are available as training data. However, such detailed manual field measurements are laborious. This paper presents new methods to use terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) for automatic measurements of tree stems and to further link these ground measurements to ALS data analyzed at the single tree level. The methods have been validated in six 80 × 80 m field plots in spruce-dominated forest (lat. 58°N, long. 13°E). In a first step, individual tree stems were automatically detected from TLS data. The root mean square error (RMSE) for DBH was 38.0 mm (13.1 %), and the bias was 1.6 mm (0.5 %). In a second step, trees detected from the TLS data were automatically co-registered and linked with the corresponding trees detected from the ALS data. In a third step, tree level regression models were created for stem attributes derived from the TLS data using independent variables derived from trees detected from the ALS data. Leave-one-out cross-validation for one field plot at a time provided an RMSE for tree level ALS estimates trained with TLS data of 46.0 mm (15.4 %) for DBH, 9.4 dm (3.7 %) for tree height, and 197.4 dm 3 (34.0 %) for stem volume, which was nearly as accurate as when data from manual field inventory were used for training. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0642-5 Authors Eva Lindberg, Department of Forest Resource Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umeå, Sweden Johan Holmgren, Department of Forest Resource Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umeå, Sweden Kenneth Olofsson, Department of Forest Resource Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umeå, Sweden Håkan Olsson, Department of Forest Resource Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183 Umeå, Sweden Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    In managed forests, the occurrence of deadwood (DW) can be regarded as a stochastically rare event with strong clumping and high local variability (Meyer in Forstwissenschaftliches Centralblatt 118:167–180, 1999 ). Traditional sampling techniques, such as Fixed Area Sampling, Angle Count Sampling and Line Intersect Sampling, do not regard this fact and may be inefficient for surveys of DW, because of limited search areas. A sampling technique that should remedy this shortcoming is Point Transect Sampling (Buckland et al. in Introduction to distance sampling: estimating abundance of biological populations. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001 ; Advanced distance sampling: estimating abundance of biological populations. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2004 ), where as a matter of principle, all objects that are sighted from a fixed location are counted. We compare Point Transect Sampling with the other well-established sampling approaches for the estimation of volume, necromass and carbon storage in terms of precision and sampling effort. It is shown that Point Transect Sampling is the superior method for sampling standing DW regarding efficiency, whereas for sampling downed DW, it is clearly outperformed by Line Intersect Sampling. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-12 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0637-2 Authors Tim Ritter, Department Ecoinformatics, Biometrics and Forest Growth, Georg-August-Universität, Büsgenweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany Joachim Saborowski, Department Ecoinformatics, Biometrics and Forest Growth, Georg-August-Universität, Büsgenweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Although wildfires are identified as an important source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and PAHs are well-known for their pernicious properties, the toxicity of runoff from recently burnt areas has received little research attention. This knowledge gap was addressed here through laboratory assays in which four aquatic species from distinct trophic levels were exposed to different dilutions of ash-loaded runoff. The runoff was collected in a recently burnt eucalypt stand in north-central Portugal on two occasions, immediately after the wildfire and about 1 year later. The total PAH load was about four times higher at the first than second sampling occasion (1194 vs. 352 ng l −1 ) but even the latter value was considerably higher than those reported by prior studies on burnt areas. In addition, the two runoff samples differed noticeably in PAH composition, with a clear predominance of naphthalene in the second sample. Both runoff samples produced significant inhibitory effects on the three species representing the lower trophic levels, that is, the bacteria Vibrio fischeri , the algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and the macrophyte Lemna minor . The invertebrate Daphnia magna was not significantly affected but chronic tests are needed to discard the probable propagation of toxic effects from the lower trophic levels. Surprisingly, the runoff collected 1 year after the wildfire was the most toxic to V. fischeri , P. subcapitata and L. minor. Possibly, this was due to predominance of naphthalene in this sample. Surely, however, this demonstrated that detrimental off-site effects of wildfires are not necessarily limited to the immediate post-fire situation. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0640-7 Authors I. Campos, CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), Department of Environment, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal N. Abrantes, CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), Department of Environment, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal T. Vidal, CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal A. C. Bastos, CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal F. Gonçalves, CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal J. J. Keizer, CESAM (Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies), Department of Environment, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    In montane cloud forests (MCF), the main soil organic carbon (SOC) pool is believed to be constituted by organic debris accumulated on soil surface and, to a lesser extent, by the organic fraction associated with the mineral matrix. The vertical distribution of SOC within soil has strong implications on the composition, stabilization and turnover of the soil organic matter (SOM). In ecosystems like MCF, where the climatic and edaphic conditions varied with altitude, the SOM accumulation and stabilization mechanisms possibly respond to these changes. For that reason, we studied the vertical distribution, accumulation and chemical composition of SOM in five montane cloud forest communities located between 1,500 and 2,500 m a.s.l. Two main SOC accumulation patterns were found: one at 1,500, 1,950 and 2,400 m a.s.l., with SOC content gradually decreasing with depth (cumulative); and another at 2,050 and 2,500 m a.s.l. where SOC had a strong maximum in the surface horizon and a less pronounced increase the spodic horizon (eluviation–illuviation pattern). The total SOC pool in soil decreased in inverse relation to altitude from 227 C ha −1 at 1,500 m a.s.l. down to 143 mg C ha −1 at 2,500 m a.s.l. About 40–60 % of total SOC content corresponded to the surficial organic horizon. The chemical fractionation of the SOM denoted in general predominance of the fulvic acid fraction, and high content of humin and humic acid fractions. We considered that the main SOC vertical distribution processes were related to the raw humus accumulation, decomposition in situ, podzolization in the eluviation–illuviation pattern soils mainly. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-9 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0643-4 Authors Gustavo Álvarez-Arteaga, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cd. Universitaria, Mexico, DF, Mexico Pavel Krasilnikov, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cd. Universitaria, Mexico, DF, Mexico Norma Eugenia García-Calderón, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, UMDI-J, Querétaro, Mexico Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    We analyzed an ice disturbance event of deciduous forests in Hungary by Generalized Linear Models (GLM). Two statistical models were generated: the first model was based on a disturbance map created from a series of aerial photographs, and the second model was based on a map created by half-year-long intensive field work. The second map was considered as the reference map of ice disturbance. Our hypothesis was that the predictive power of the field-based statistical model would be significantly higher than that of the aerial photo-based model on the reference map. Elevation, slope, aspect, mixture ratio of beech, height of the dominant tree species and their interactions were used in the two (aerial photo- and field-based) GLMs as explanatory variables. The accuracy of the models was measured by the AUC (Area under the ROC curve) values. Sensitive area maps of ice disturbance were generated by both models. Our hypothesis was definitely rejected. Both models performed high predictive accuracy (median AUC 〉 0.9) with no significant difference in the prediction capacity regarding the reference ice disturbance pattern. Our study demonstrates that ice damage can effectively be predicted if remote sensing interpretation is coupled with GLM as predictive model. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0641-6 Authors Réka Aszalós, Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Institute of Biology, L. Eötvös University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/c, 1117 Budapest, Hungary Imelda Somodi, Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Institute of Biology, L. Eötvös University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/c, 1117 Budapest, Hungary Kata Kenderes, Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Institute of Biology, L. Eötvös University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/c, 1117 Budapest, Hungary János Ruff, Királyrét Forest Directorate, Ipoly Erdő Inc., Királyrét 6, 2624 Szokolya, Hungary Bálint Czúcz, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Alkotmány u. 2-4, 2163 Vácrátót, Hungary Tibor Standovár, Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Institute of Biology, L. Eötvös University, Pázmány P. sétány 1/c, 1117 Budapest, Hungary Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Conversion of monoculture plantations to mixed stands with greater diversity is an important aim of sustainable forest management, and in Britain, this is concentrated on the restoration of native broadleaved woodland on ancient woodland sites that were planted with conifers. Current British guidelines for this restoration have rarely been examined, and this study is the first to test their value for natural regeneration. The survival and growth of naturally regenerating ash ( Fraxinus excelsior L.) seedlings was observed in thinned, selectively felled and clearfelled plots within a c . 40-year-old stand of Corsican pine ( Pinus nigra Arnold ssp. laricio Maire). After felling in 2001, the ground flora in all treatments became dominated by bramble (Rubus fruticosus L. agg.) and its cover 5 years after felling was 75–95 % at a height of 0.9–1.2 m. During the study, seedling numbers declined 80–90 %. Although bramble had some adverse effects, seedling survival was unaffected by felling treatment. Seedling growth varied between treatments with those in the clearfell being tallest. Mean height of seedlings was always less than that of bramble, but by 2006 65 % of quadrats in the clearfelled plots had well-established individuals taller than the bramble compared with 35 % in the thinned plots. Models that described the relationships between seedling growth, basal area and bramble were complex, but results clearly indicate that maintaining canopy cover during restoration is probably an ineffective method of suppressing bramble on sites where it grows well. Results do not support the current British advice on conversion, but this may reflect the characteristics of pine canopies and the maintenance of canopy cover during conversion may be appropriate in stands of species, which cast more shade. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0636-3 Authors Ralph Harmer, Forest Research, Alice Holt Lodge, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4LH, UK Andrea Kiewitt, Forest Research, Alice Holt Lodge, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4LH, UK Geoff Morgan, Forest Research, Alice Holt Lodge, Farnham, Surrey GU10 4LH, UK Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Forest fragmentation has led to a decline in the population of many forest specialists, especially those with limited dispersal abilities. However, some of these species also occur in fragmented forests, and their response to fragmentation is crucial to understand the impact of this process in maintaining forest biodiversity. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of habitat quality, quantity and configuration on the occurrence of Hazel Grouse as the model species. Studies were performed in the Carpathian Foothills (900 km 2 , 15 % forested). Between 2000 and 2010, Hazel Grouse were detected in 25 out of 53 forest patches with high repeatability over time. Among the indices of habitat quality, the most important factors were the presence of bilberries, clearings and pioneer trees. Greater number and length of valleys also had a positive effect on the occurrence of grouse. All habitat quantity and landscape configuration variables influenced the presence of grouse positively (related to forest connectivity) or negatively (related to forest isolation). Among the explanatory variables considered, habitat quantity and landscape variables were much more important in explaining the occurrence of Hazel Grouse than variables related to habitat quality. The study shows that habitat acreage and its connectivity are crucial for the conservation and management of Hazel Grouse populations in fragmented landscapes, and therefore, it is necessary to sustain wooded corridors between larger forest patches. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-13 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0632-7 Authors Łukasz Kajtoch, Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016 Kraków, Poland Michał Żmihorski, Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, 00-679 Warsaw, Poland Zbigniew Bonczar, Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture, Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Kraków, Poland Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description: Erratum to: Biomass, basic density and biomass expansion factor functions for European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.) in Denmark Content Type Journal Article Category Erratum Pages 1-1 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0635-4 Authors Jens Peter Skovsgaard, Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 230 53 Alnarp, Sweden Thomas Nord-Larsen, University of Copenhagen, Forest & Landscape, 23 Rolighedsvej, 1958 Frederiksberg C, Denmark Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    During the last decades, ectomycorrhiza has been identified to be of major importance for ecosystem carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling and tree growth. Despite this importance, mycorrhiza has largely been neglected in ecosystem models or regarded only implicitly by a static mycorrhiza term. In order to overcome this limitation, we integrated the dynamic mycorrhiza model MYCOFON (Meyer et al. in Plant Soil 327:493–517, 2010a , Plant Soil 327:519, 2010b ) into the ecosystem modelling framework MoBiLE (Modular Biosphere simuLation Environment) and coupled it to available forest growth and development process models. Model testing was done for different beech and spruce forest sites in Germany. Simulation results were compared to a standard model set-up, that is, without explicit consideration of mycorrhiza. Parameters were set in order not to violate previous findings about C partitioning into aboveground and belowground biomasses. Nevertheless, the explicit consideration of mycorrhiza let to considerable differences between sites and deposition scenarios with respect to simulated root biomass, plant nitrogen supply, and gaseous soil C and N emissions. The latter was mainly a result of differences in soil N concentration and dynamics. Our simulation results also show that the C supply to mycorrhizal fungi by plants as well as the importance of mycorrhizal fungi for plant N uptake, that is, the allocation of C and N between plants and fungi, depends on the magnitude of N deposition. This effect is neglected by standard model approaches so far. Therefore, explicit consideration of mycorrhiza in ecosystem models has a high potential to improve model simulations of ecosystem C and N cycling and associated biosphere–hydrosphere–atmosphere exchange processes and consequently simulation of soil CO 2 and N trace gas emissions from forest sites. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-23 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0634-5 Authors Astrid Meyer, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, PO Box 461, Göteborg, Sweden Rüdiger Grote, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany Klaus Butterbach-Bahl, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research, Kreuzeckbahnstr. 19, 82467 Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    As one cause for biodiversity loss, invasive alien species are a worldwide threat. In forests, however, invasive tree species can also have an enormous biomass potential which can be harvested while taking measures against the species. Allometric equations help estimating the biomass but are often only available for the native range of the species. This lack on information complicates the management of invaded stands, and the equations presented here should help fill this gap. The above-ground biomass for single trees of black cherry ( Prunus serotina Ehrh.) and black locust ( Robinia pseudoacacia L.) in Ticino/Italy was estimated with differing explanatory variables as total, stem, crown, and leaf biomass. Regression equations of P. serotina were compared with equations from North America. The methods to derive biomass estimates from fresh weight and volumetric measurements in combination with wood densities were critically examined. The biomass could be estimated well by using “diameter” as explanatory variable. The productivity of P. serotina was lower here compared to its range of origin. Biomass estimates from volumetric measurements combined with the truncated cone formula have lead to systematic overestimations. Also the use of volumetric measurements combined with wood density measurements has overestimated comparable estimates from fresh weight measurements. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-17 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0629-2 Authors Peter Annighöfer, Department Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany Inga Mölder, Energieagentur Region, Göttingen e.V., Berliner Str. 2, D-37073 Göttingen, Germany Stefan Zerbe, Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, piazza Università 5, 39100 Bolzano, Italy Heike Kawaletz, Department Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany André Terwei, Faculty of Science and Technology, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, piazza Università 5, 39100 Bolzano, Italy Christian Ammer, Department Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, University of Göttingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077 Göttingen, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    Persistently high activity concentrations of radioactive Cs-137 ( T 1/2  = 30.17 a) in various animals and fruits originating from Bavarian forest ecosystems suggest that the contamination of soils in these ecosystems is still critical even decades after the severe inputs following the Chernobyl nuclear accident. Aware of the fact, that such inputs are a global threat that can re-emerge at any time, a new monitoring network was established in cooperation with the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Public Health, to enhance the value of long-term radioprotection strategies in forests. Based on the investigation of 48 forest sites throughout the entire state territory, the project delivers a total of 889 gamma spectrometric records and demonstrates the current Cs-137 contamination situation of Bavarian forest soils, providing a valuable update on the residual contamination levels and thus a comprehensive inventory for any future radioprotection management. First results of this project are presented hereby. The total Cs-137 areal activity densities in Bavarian forest soils currently vary between 640 and 61,166 Bq m − ², with the peak areal activity density of each profile being located in the uppermost, humus rich mineral A-horizon in 68 % of all cases. Moreover, the results detect a positive correlation of humus thickness and relative areal Cs-137 activity density in humus horizons ( R ² = 0.50), validating previous findings on that topic by means of a very comprehensive data set across 2.56 Mio ha forest stands by showing that humus bodies 〉7.5 cm still contain at least 50 % of the total areal topsoil activity density. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-15 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0626-5 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 Kerstin Hürkamp, Institute of Radiation Protection, Helmholtz-Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, München-Neuherberg, Germany Rudolf Dehos, Department of Radioprotection and Radioecology, Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Public Health, Munich, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description: Erratum to: Classification of the oldgrowthness of forest inventory plots with dissimilarity metrics in Italian National Parks Content Type Journal Article Category Erratum Pages 1-1 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0622-9 Authors Ugo Chiavetta, Silviculture Research Centre, Agriculture Research Council (CRA-SEL), Viale Margherita 80, 52100 Arezzo, AR, Italy Lorenzo Sallustio, Forest Ecology and Geomatics Laboratory, University of Molise (EcoGeoFor), Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090 Pesche, IS, Italy Vittorio Garfì, Forest Ecology and Geomatics Laboratory, University of Molise (EcoGeoFor), Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090 Pesche, IS, Italy Mauro Maesano, Forest Ecology and Geomatics Laboratory, University of Molise (EcoGeoFor), Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090 Pesche, IS, Italy Marco Marchetti, Forest Ecology and Geomatics Laboratory, University of Molise (EcoGeoFor), Contrada Fonte Lappone, 86090 Pesche, IS, Italy Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    We lack information regarding the main factors driving growth responses to drought in tree species with different vulnerability against this stressor and considering sites with contrasting climatic conditions. In this paper, we identify the main drivers controlling growth response to a multi-scalar drought index (Standardized Precipitation Index, SPI) in eight tree species ( Abies alba , Pinus halepensis , Quercus faginea , Pinus sylvestris , Quercus ilex , Pinus pinea , Pinus nigra , Juniperus thurifera ). We sampled forests growing across a pronounced climatic gradient under Mediterranean conditions in north-eastern Spain. To summarize the patterns of growth responses to drought, we used principal component analysis (PCA). To determine the main factors affecting growth responses to drought, correlation and regression analyses were carried out using a set of abiotic (climate, topography, soil type) and biotic (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Enhanced Vegetation Index, tree-ring width, diameter at breast height) predictors and the PCs loadings as response variables. The PCA analysis detected two patterns of growth responses to drought corresponding to xeric and mesic sites, respectively. The regression analyses indicated that growth responses to drought in xeric forests were mainly driven by the annual precipitation, while in mesic sites the annual water balance was the most important driver. The management of Mediterranean forests under the forecasted warmer and drier conditions should focus on the main local factors modulating the negative impacts of drought on tree growth in xeric and mesic sites. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0633-6 Authors Edmond Pasho, Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, 50080 Zaragoza, Spain J. Julio Camarero, ARAID, Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, 50080 Zaragoza, Spain Martín de Luis, Departamento de Geografía y O.T., Universidad de Zaragoza, C/Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain Sergio M. Vicente-Serrano, Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (CSIC), Avda. Montañana 1005, 50080 Zaragoza, Spain Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    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

Description: 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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description: 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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    The dimorphism in reproductive allometry has received much attention, while rather little is known about the sexual dimorphism in the vegetative allometry of a dioecious species. This study presents vegetative and reproductive allometries for two dioecious tree species of the genus Rhamnus in north-eastern China. A power function and a linear model were found suitable for describing different components of the vegetative allometry. In addition, a linear regression was used to estimate the number of flowers and/or fruits based on observed stem size. R. davurica being the taller species of the two shows highly significant correlations for all selected combinations of different vegetative components. These correlations are much less pronounced and sometimes even nonsignificant in R. schneideri , which occupies a great variety of niches at the understory with diverse crown shapes. Component biomass was highly correlated with tree diameter for both sexes, but the allometries changed with sex and species. Both females and males show consistent patterns of reproductive size dependency. However, the slope of the linear relations differs between the sexes again indicating gender-related differences in reproductive size. According to theory, females allocate more biomass to reproduction than males, which negatively affects their vegetative growth. However, in this study, flowering females did not show less vegetative growth than males suggesting that the two Rhamnus species behave contrary to expectation. Further studies are required to test the assumption that photosynthesis by reproductive organs may substantially contribute to vegetative growth. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-10 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0598-5 Authors Chunyu Zhang, The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Forest College, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083 China Juan Wang, The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Forest College, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083 China Xiuhai Zhao, The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Forest College, Beijing Forestry University, No. 35 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100083 China Fucai Xia, Forestry College, Beihua University, Jilin, 132013 China Klaus V. Gadow, Faculty of Forestry and Forest Ecology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, Büsgenweg 5, 37077 Göttingen, Germany Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    A cross-correlation time-of-flight method for measuring the sound speed in a seedling in a non-destructive and non-damaging way is described. The method uses two miniature accelerometers coupled to the bark of a growing seedling stem to record the acoustic signals and a small striker to generate an acoustic pulse. The two acoustic signals are then time-windowed and cross-correlated in order to calculate the speed of the acoustic pulse. The method measures the sound speed of the seedling stem as a whole and does not selectively measure the fastest path. The method was tested on 1- and 2-year-old Pinus radiata clones. A comparison of the results of the method with a destructive acoustic resonance test showed that the sound speed results are unbiased. Repeatability tests give a standard deviation of the sound speed of less than 2%. The method shows good promise as a rapid and cost-effective tool for early screening of wood quality in clonal trials. Content Type Journal Article Category Original Paper Pages 1-11 DOI 10.1007/s10342-012-0614-9 Authors Grant Emms, New Zealand Forest Research Institute, 49 Sala St., Private Bag 3020, Rotorua, 3046 New Zealand Bernadette Nanayakkara, New Zealand Forest Research Institute, 49 Sala St., Private Bag 3020, Rotorua, 3046 New Zealand Jonathan Harrington, New Zealand Forest Research Institute, 49 Sala St., Private Bag 3020, Rotorua, 3046 New Zealand Journal European Journal of Forest Research Online ISSN 1612-4677 Print ISSN 1612-4669

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description: 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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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

Description:    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