European Journal of Forest Research 

About: European Journal of Forest Research is an academic journal published by Springer Science+Business Media. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Beech & Forest management. It has an ISSN identifier of 1612-4669. Over the lifetime, 1679 publications have been published receiving 39408 citations. The journal is also known as: Forest research (Berlin).

Tree growth as indicator of tree vitality and of tree reaction to environmental stress: a review

Abstract: The intensive monitoring plots (Level II) of ICP Forests serve to examine the effects of air pollution and other stress factors on forest condition, including tree vitality. However, tree vitality cannot be measured directly. Indicators, such as tree growth or crown transparency, may instead be used.

A review of habitat thresholds for dead wood: a baseline for management recommendations in European forests.

Abstract: In contemporary forest management, also of commercial forests, threshold values are widely used for consideration of biodiversity conservation. Here, we present various aspects of dead-wood threshold values. We review published and unpublished dead-wood threshold data from European lowland beech–oak, mixed-montane, and boreo-alpine spruce–pine forests separately to provide managers of European forests with a baseline for management decisions for their specific forest type. Our review of dead-wood threshold data from European forests revealed 36 critical values with ranges of 10–80 m3 ha−1 for boreal and lowland forests and 10–150 m3 ha−1 for mixed-montane forests, with peak values at 20–30 m3 ha−1 for boreal coniferous forests, 30–40 m3 ha−1 for mixed-montane forests, and 30–50 m3 ha−1 for lowland oak–beech forests. We then expand the focus of dead-wood threshold analyses to community composition. We exemplify the two major statistical methods applied in ecological threshold analysis to stimulate forest researchers to analyze more of their own data with a focus on thresholds. Finally, we discuss further directions of dead-wood threshold analysis. We anticipate that further investigations of threshold values will provide a more comprehensive picture of critical ranges for dead wood, which is urgently needed for an ecological and sustainable forestry.

Admixing broadleaved to coniferous tree species: a review on yield, ecological stability and economics

Abstract: For several reasons the conversion of mono-species into mixed-species forests is presently a major concern of forest management and policy in Central Europe. Although it is possible to show a clear trend in favour of mixed-species forests, private forest owners and some forest economists have often not favoured mixed forests, assuming that they are less profitable. The trend towards mixed forests seems mainly for ecological reasons, while sound economic analysis of mixed forests is still rare. Based on this background the objective of the study is to answer the following four questions: (1) Does the yield of mixed-species forests differ from that of pure forests? (2) Does the mixing of tree species influence the ecological stability of forests? (3) Is the economic value of a mixed forest less than that of a monoculture? (4) How do forest economic models integrate the findings on yield and ecological stability of mixed forests? To answer these questions a literature review was conducted on the possible impacts of mixed-species forests. In comparison to pure stands a greater yield is not necessarily given in mixed stands. Yet, mixed-species stands are better able to compensate disturbances than monocultures. Moreover, there is substantial evidence that mixed-species stands are more resistant against biotic and abiotic disturbances. Applying an extended forest economic model, it was possible to demonstrate that mixing large blocks of native broadleaf species into pure conifer forests may lead to a significant reduction of financial risk. From a risk-averse perspective the economic value of a mixed-species forest may thus be greater than that of a mono-species forest. Yet, it became clear that forest economists do not often integrate the research findings on yield and ecological stability of mixed stands in modelling, but rather apply simple bioeconomic modelling. Moreover, in the context of mixed forests economists also largely ignore even classical financial approaches, which consider risk and risk preferences. We concluded that forest economics has to close substantial research gaps. Firstly, the knowledge of how to integrate biophysical properties of mixed forests in bioeconomic modelling is still an open question. Secondly, forest economists have to adopt the modern approaches of financial theory and management science to value mixed forests.

Retrieval of forest structural parameters using LiDAR remote sensing

Abstract: In this paper, a literature overview is presented on the use of laser rangefinder techniques for the retrieval of forest inventory parameters and structural characteristics. The existing techniques are ordered with respect to their scale of application (i.e. spaceborne, airborne, and terrestrial laser scanning) and a discussion is provided on the efficiency, precision, and accuracy with which the retrieval of structural parameters at the respective scales has been attained. The paper further elaborates on the potential of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data to be fused with other types of remote sensing data and it concludes with recommendations for future research and potential gains in the application of LiDAR for the characterization of forests.

Wood-decaying fungi in the forest: conservation needs and management options

Abstract: Wood-decaying fungi are essential for the functioning of forest ecosystems. They provide habitat for many other organisms and enable the regeneration of forests throughout the world. Since wood decomposition is a decisive process in nutrient recycling, soil formation and the carbon budget of forest ecosystems, it is receiving increasing attention from forest ecologists, pathologists and managers. Research has focussed on the factors driving the species-richness of wood-decomposing organisms and is moving on to analyse the effects of this species-richness on ecosystem functioning. Coarse woody debris (CWD) and its associated wood-decaying organisms have been drastically reduced in abundance and diversity by forestry and so these features often have potential as conservation indicators. Protective measures at a landscape level are needed for threatened wood-inhabiting fungi. These include restricting salvage operations in windthrow stands, actively encouraging the accumulation of deadwood in forests, and facilitating decay in standing trees by inoculating them with fungi. Here, we aim to collect and summarize recently produced work on deadwood ecology, pointing out research gaps and perspectives.