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The article presents the results of a 40 years study of the reforestation of undergrowth and the dynamicsof the plant community after conditionally clear cutting of the larch forest of Eastern Khentey. In the conditionally clearcutting of the mesophyte herbs subtaiga larch forest the regenerative succession goes through 5 serial stages: 1) Herbssheep fescue community (2–6 years), 2) Grass-herbs-sheep fescue community (8–15 years), 3) Sedge-sheep fescue-herbsbirch-larch young stands (22–28 years old), 4) Sheep fescue-herbs larch-birch young stands (37 years old), 5) Grass-herbsbirch-larch young stands (40 years old).

This article discusses the spatial and temporal aspects of hydrological processes in catchments after logging for different landscape conditions of Central Siberia. For this discussion, the results of our own research in the Sayan Mountains, the Yenisei Ridge, the Angara River basin, the Khamar-Daban ridge and literature data were involved. It analyzed the impact of felling area to change the river flow and development of the erosion at the catchment area. The annual runoff, its seasonal structure and sediment discharge change significantly in dependence on as area of clearcutting so area of river basin. The authors analyzed the results of observations of the restoration of the water balance in the experimental logging sites of small catchments and the dynamics of runoff in large rivers. Research has shown the vegetation cover structure changes continuously on logged sites during post-logging forest regeneration and future post-cutting hydrologic regime scenarios are determined both by further climatic changes and by vegetation succession trajectories. The role of the time as a factor to decrease erosion at watershed after logging depends of many regional and local features of landscapes and of initial soil mineralized by logging. For the forests of Khamar-Daban mountainous in Baikal basin the model of soil erosion at watersheds after logging was developed.

Clear cutting is the main source of timber production of plantation forest management in Indonesia, but this activity disrupts the lives of ground ants. It is rarely known how clear cutting affects the ground ant community in the Indonesian plantation forest. The study aimed to analyze the impacts of clear cutting on the diversity of ground ants in the pine plantation forest of Sukabumi, West Java. The study compared the community structure of ground ants before clear cutting and after clear cutting. Ground ants were collected using a pitfall trap. Trapping of ground ants was carried out six days before the clear cutting and six days after the clear cutting. The ground ants were identified to the morphospecies level and classified into their functional role. The results showed that clear cutting alters the community indices of ground ants. Abundance, morphospecies composition, diversity index, richness index, and evenness index of ground ants after clear cutting was lower compared with those before clear cutting. The clear-felled area due to clear cutting provided favorable habitat for the generalist groups of ground ants, but negatively affected the predator and forager groups of ground ants. These findings can be used as an important factor in the development of environmenllyt-friendly forest harvesting systems in Indonesian plantation forests.

Amphibians are among the most threatened taxa in the world. Anthropogenic habitat alteration is possibly the most important driver of their population decline and can occur through many different f...

Good environmental management needs evidence-based conservation measures, and those measures need both faunistical and ecological information. Following this path, for the first time in Serbia, a faunistical research of spiders at Subotica Sandland was organised in 2014 as a base for ecological arguments in landscape management of the area. The spiders were collected at ten different habitats on sandy soil, in the period from 27th April till 30th October by pitfall trapping and sweep netting. A total of 16304 adult and 7246 juvenile individuals were captured, and 225 species from 27 families were determined. Thirty species represent new records for Serbia. Diversity and species compositions provided an insight into the quality of the habitats and the influence of the conservation and development measures that were already applied. The main endangerment factors are outlined. Conclusions and suggestions according to the analysis of the spider fauna, are mostly in correlation with those made earlier based on other groups of organisms. Within the scope of nature protection, wet and sandy meadows are prioritised over the woods. For future monitoring, two flagship and umbrella species are suggested: Argiope lobata (Pallas, 1772) for the sandy area and Dolomedes plantarius (Clerck, 1757) for the wetlands.

Fingerprinting techniques were incorporated into a paired catchment investigation in southern Chile to quantify the contribution of three fine sediment sources (catchment surfaces, forest roads and stream channels) to catchment suspended sediment yields during forest harvesting and replanting operations. Optimum composite fingerprints for use in sediment source discrimination and apportionment comprised137Cs and210Pbexfor the control catchment (LUC) throughout the study and for the treatment catchment (LUT) during the pre-harvest period, and137Cs and soil organic matter during harvest and post-harvest periods for LUT. Prior to harvesting, the dominant sediment source to the sediment load in both catchments was the stream channel and remained relatively constant throughout the study for LUC. For the entire study period the total suspended sediment yield from LUT (3,160 kg ha-1) approximately doubled that from LUC (1,650 kg ha-1). Most of this difference is accounted for by the increase in sediment output during the rainy months following clearcutting. The disturbance associated with forest operations in LUT caused the contributions to the load from the catchment slopes and forest roads to increase markedly (total contributions 835 and 795 kg ha-1, respectively). However, the total contribution from the stream channel for LUT during the study period (1,530 kg ha-1) remained similar to that from LUC. The results of the investigation demonstrated that any attempt to reduce sediment loading from forest harvesting would require adopting best management practices to reduce sediment mobilization from catchment surfaces and forest roads., Técnicas de trazadores fueron incorporadas a una investigación de cuencas pareadas en el sur de Chile para cuantificar la contribución de tres fuentes de sedimentos finos (superficie de las cuencas, caminos forestales y cauces) a la carga total de sedimentos en suspensión durante las operaciones de cosecha y reforestación. La composición óptima de trazadores para discriminar y calcular la participación de cada fuente de sedimentos comprendió137Cs y210Pbexpara la cuenca control (LUC) durante todo el estudio y para la cuenca de tratamiento (LUT) durante el período previo a la cosecha, y137Cs y la materia orgánica del suelo durante los períodos de cosecha y post-cosecha para LUT. Antes de la cosecha, la fuente dominante de sedimentos a la carga total de sedimentos en ambas cuencas fue la red de drenaje, y permaneció relativamente constante a lo largo del estudio para LUC. Durante el periodo estudiado, la carga total de sedimentos desde LUT (3.160 kg ha-1) fue aproximadamente el doble que desde LUC (1.650 kg ha-1). Gran parte de esta diferencia se explica por el aumento de la carga de sedimentos durante los meses lluviosos luego de la cosecha. La alteración por las operaciones forestales en LUT generó que las contribuciones desde las laderas y los caminos forestales aumentaran considerablemente (contribuciones totales de 835 and 795 kg ha-1, respectivamente). Sin embargo, la contribución total desde el cauce para LUT durante el periodo estudiado (1.530 kg ha-1) permaneció similar a la de LUC. Los resultados de esta investigación demostraron que todo intento para reducir el impacto de las operaciones forestales en las cargas de sedimentos en cuencas en el área de estudio deben focalizarse en adoptar buenas prácticas de manejo para reducir la movilización de sedimentos desde las laderas y los caminos forestales.

The communities of middle taiga spruce forests (ass. Linnaeo borealis–Piceetum abietis dryopteridetosum var. typica) and secondary communities formed after winter clearcuttings are described (Fig. 1) and classified according Braun-Blanquet (1964) approach using 81 relevés. Ellenberg ecological values (Ellenberg et al., 1991) were used to assess lighting (L), soil moisture (F), acidity (R) and nitrogen (N). The ordination was carried out using the NMS method. Both primary forest and secondary communities are classified as the alliance Piceion excelsae Pawłowskiet al. 1928 within the order Piceetalia excelsae Pawłowski et al. 1928 in the class Vaccinio–Piceetea Br.-Bl. in Br.-Bl.et al. 1939. We described 2 associations (incl. 1 new), 3 subassociations (2 new), 2 varieties (1 new), 2 subvarieties, and 2 communities. Ass. Aulacomnio palustris–Calamagrostietum purpureae ass. nov. hoc loco (Table 2). Nomenclature type (holotypus hoc loco): relevé 16 (field № 26p/20), Komi Republic, Ust-Kulom district, two-year cutting place, swath (61.84083° N 54.33778° E, 16.07.2020, author I. A. Likhanova. Diagnostic species (DS): Aulacomnium palustre, Calamagrostis purpurea, Carex globularis, Chamaenerion angustifolium, Polytrichum commune, Sphagnum angustifolium. The association includes «young» (succession stage 1(2)-17(18) years after cutting) secondary communities, formed at the swaths and skidding trails. The absence of tree stand results in the increased lighting and soil moisture, which explains an invasion of heliophile and water-resistant species of vascular plants and mosses. After cutting, DS of the primary association and subassociation almost disappear, but those of class and order remain. Species number — 23–54, average — 38. There are 2 subassociations within aasociation. Subass. A. p.–C. p. typicum subass. nov. hoc loco (Table 2 relevés 1–16, Fig. 3). Nomenclature type (holotypus hoc loco): relevé 16 (field № 26p/20), Komi Republic, Ust-Kulom district, two-year cutting of spruce herb-bilberry-green moss forest at the swath (61.84083° N 54.33778° E , 16.07.2020, author I. A. Likhanova. No own DS. The subassociation includes communities at the swath and skidding trails of 1(2)-year cutting place with poor species richness in comparison with primary forests. Number of species 20–27, average – 24. Subass. A. p.–C. p. avenelletosum flexuosae subass. nov. hoc loco (Table 2, relevés 17–27, Fig. 4). Nomenclature type (holotypus hoc loco), relevé 25 (field № 13-УК), Komi Republic, Ust-Kulom district, 17-year cutting place, swath (61.99389° N, 54.14778° E , 17.09.2019, author I. A. Likhanova. DS: Avenella flexuosa, Gymnocarpium dryopteris, Rubus arcticus.The subassociation includes communities of swaths and skidding trails at 17(18)-year cutting place enriched by heliophile and water-resistant species. The forming forest environment is the reason of high abundance of forest species and emergence of several diagnostic species of primary association and subassociation. The cutting remains are overgrown by epigeous mosses and lichens. Species number — 24–45, average — 33. Community Carex brunnescens (Table 3, relevés 1–12, Fig. 5). DS: Carex brunnescens (dominant), C. canescens, Ceratodon purpureus, Dicranella cerviculata (dominant). Syntaxon includes communities at the main skidding trail at 1(2)-year cutting place. Despite high abundance of diagnostic species of the ass. Aulacomnio palustris–Calamagrostietum purpureae, we can’t include the relevés into the association due to high diversity of early succession species and low abundance of DS of both the class Vaccinio–Piceetea sylvestris and the order Piceetalia excelsae. There are numerous undergrowth of Betula pubescens (18 thousand ind./ha). Herb-dwarf shrub and moss layers are formed by pioneer, heliophile and water-resistant species. Forest dwarf shrubs, herbs and mosses occur on the litter remnants. Species number — 20–34, average — 27. Community Salix caprea. (Table 3, relevés 13–22, Fig. 6). DS: Agrostis gigantea, A. tenuis, Carex rhynchophysa, Deschampsia cespitosa, Epilobium palustre, Juncus filiformis, Populus tremula, Salix caprea (dominant), S. myrsinifolia, S. phylicifolia, Sphagnum russowii. The syntaxon includes communities at the main skidding trail of 17(18)-year cutting place. The presence of DS of ass. Aulacomnio palustris–Calamagrostietum purpureae and subass. A. p.–C. p. avenelletosum flexuosae as well as the prevalence of water resistant and early succession species and low abundance of DS of class Vaccinio–Piceetea sylvestris and order Piceetalia excelsae are character. Tree stand is formed by young trees of Betula pubescens (mean density is 21 thousand ind./ha). Shrub layer is formed by wiilows. Herb-dwarf shrub layer is dominated by species, preferring water logging, and species of disturbed habitats. Species number — 36–45, average — 40. Subass. Linnaeo borealis–Piceetum abietis dryopteridetosum var. Betula pubescens (Table 1, relevés 13–22). DS: Betula pubescens (dominant), Milium effusum, Rhytidiadelphus triquetrus. The variant includes communities at 48(49)-year cutting place. The tree lyer height and crown density are comparable to those of the indigenous spruce forest, however, the proportion of birch is higher. Vascular plant DS of ass. Linnaeo borealis–Piceetum abietis and subass. dryopteridetosum are registered, but the abundance of moss DS is low. Many forest species become abundant in the herb-dwarf shrub layer. Moss layer is inhibited by leaf litter. Species number — 29–45, average — 36. There are 2 subvarieties: typica (communities at the swath and skidding trails) and Calamagrostis purpurea (main skidding trail). The scheme of vegetation succession after clearcuttings of spruce small herb-bilberry-green moss forests (Linnaeo borealis–Piceetum abietis dryopteridetosum var. typica) (Fig. 10) is made on the results of NMS-ordination (Fig. 9) and the data on the restoration period and preferences of syntaxa to the certain technological elements of the cutting place. The following succession series are described: at the swaths and skidding trails — Aulacomnio palustris–Calamagrostietum purpureae typicum → A. p.–C. p. avenelletosum flexuosae → Linnaeo borealis–Piceetum abietis dryopteridetosum var. Betula pubescens subvar. typica → L. b.–P. a. dryopteridetosum var. typica; at the skidding trails – community Carex brunnescens →community Salix caprea → Linnaeo borealis–Piceetum abietis dryopteridetosum var. Betula pubescens subvar. Calamagrostis purpurea → L. b.–P. a. dryopteridetosum var. typica. In communities of different ages at swaths and skidding trails, the species richness of vascular plants (16–18 species/100 m2) and mosses (8–10 species/100 m2) is lower compare to the primary spruce forest (19 and 14 species/100 m2 respectively). The species richness of vascular plants at 17-year and 48-year communities of the main skidding trails (27 species/100 m2) is higher than in the primary forest due to the invasion of pioneer, meadow and mire species; that of mosses is lower (8–12 species/100 m2). Thus, the cutting has a negative impact on species diversity, which is expressed in forest species loss. The floristic composition of the disturbed forest community is not restored even fifty years after anthropogenic impact.

This note reports some concerns about the conservation of the boreal forest in Europe. In the Fennoscandia, there has been a significant increase in forest clearcutting in recent years, likely affecting even the remnants of natural forest. In Sweden, due to the long-term application of plantation forestry, a small fraction of the original boreal forest remains: its further fragmentation may jeopardize forest biodiversity and forest’s ability to cope with ongoing climatic changes. Outside protected areas, clearcutting followed by soil scarification, plantation, forest vegetation management, etc. grants financial profitability and large volumes of wood products, but not the conservation of biodiversity. Negative effects might be also expected on the ecosystem carbon balance due to large carbon-dioxide emissions for long years after clearcutting. It is good that these issues are being brought to the forefront of the environmental and scientific debate.

Despite the key role played by soil organisms in the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems and provisioning of ecosystem services (Barrios 2007, Bardgett and Putten 2014), available open data on soil biodiversity are incongruously scarce (Eisenhauer 2017, Cameron 2018). This is especially true for Russia, but contrasts long traditions of soil zoological research and large volumes of data that were collected during the second half of the 20th century for the territory of the former USSR. Last year, 41,928 georeferenced occurrences of soil-dwelling arthropods Collembola were digitised and published through GBIF.org. This work continues these activities. The article combines descriptions of three new sampling-event datasets about the various types of anthropogenic load on the diversity and the abundance of Collembola, small arthropods involved in the destruction of organic residues in the soil: Collembola of winter wheat fields in the Kaluga Region: conservation treatment versus conventional one (Kuznetsova et al. 2020). The following variants were studied: 1) treatment with organic fertilisers and tillage, without mineral fertilisers and pesticides, 2) the same, but without tillage, only discing; 3) with mineral fertilisers, pesticides and tillage. Special multi-scale sampling design was used. The material was collected on 24-26 July 2019 in Kaluga Region, European part of Russia. Data on 2226 records on 7302 specimens of 32 species in six fields in 486 soil cores are presented. Collembola of broadleaved forests along gradient of urbanisation in Moscow (Kuznetsova and Ageeva 2020). Sampling plots were placed in oak and lime forests located at different distances from the centre of Moscow. The material was collected in different seasons of 1990–1991. Data on 1737 records on 6873 specimens of 64 species (17 series of sampling, 720 soil cores) are presented. Collembola in clear cutting areas of Arkhangelsk Region: spatial and temporal series of the data (Kuznetsova and Klyueva 2020). Sampling plots were in birch forests of different ages with spruce underbrush and in old spruce forest. The study was carried out in July of 1970–1971 and 1984 in Arkhangelsk Region, European part of Russia. In 1970, cores were taken at sites where the forest was restored 15, 30 and 80 years after clear cuttings, as well as in a 180-year-old spruce forest. In 1984, sampling was repeated in two plots. Data on 1468 records on 18788 specimens of 47 species (seven series of sampling, 720 soil cores) are presented. Collembola of winter wheat fields in the Kaluga Region: conservation treatment versus conventional one (Kuznetsova et al. 2020). The following variants were studied: 1) treatment with organic fertilisers and tillage, without mineral fertilisers and pesticides, 2) the same, but without tillage, only discing; 3) with mineral fertilisers, pesticides and tillage. Special multi-scale sampling design was used. The material was collected on 24-26 July 2019 in Kaluga Region, European part of Russia. Data on 2226 records on 7302 specimens of 32 species in six fields in 486 soil cores are presented. Collembola of broadleaved forests along gradient of urbanisation in Moscow (Kuznetsova and Ageeva 2020). Sampling plots were placed in oak and lime forests located at different distances from the centre of Moscow. The material was collected in different seasons of 1990–1991. Data on 1737 records on 6873 specimens of 64 species (17 series of sampling, 720 soil cores) are presented. Collembola in clear cutting areas of Arkhangelsk Region: spatial and temporal series of the data (Kuznetsova and Klyueva 2020). Sampling plots were in birch forests of different ages with spruce underbrush and in old spruce forest. The study was carried out in July of 1970–1971 and 1984 in Arkhangelsk Region, European part of Russia. In 1970, cores were taken at sites where the forest was restored 15, 30 and 80 years after clear cuttings, as well as in a 180-year-old spruce forest. In 1984, sampling was repeated in two plots. Data on 1468 records on 18788 specimens of 47 species (seven series of sampling, 720 soil cores) are presented. These datasets contribute to filling gaps in the global biodiversity distribution of the Collembola. All datasets present new information about effects of agricultural treatments, urbanisation and clear cutting on springtail diversity and abundance in ecosystems of the European part of Russia.

This study is about clearcutting sizes, their spatial distribution, and how this affects the structure of the whole landscape when they are assessed over time. We introduced the concept of "extended clearcutting patches" (ECPs), which are formed aggregating adjacent patches harvested in consecutive years. The main purpose of the study was to evaluate the spatiotemporal pattern of clearcutting and ECPs at landscape level. The chosen landscape was the coastal commune of Constitución, Maule Region, in Chile, dominated by Pinus radiata D. Don plantations with a high land cover dynamic due harvesting activities. We used Landsat 5, 7 and 8 images (Surface Reflectance Tier 1) to produce yearly land cover maps from 1999 to 2016 and the approach proposed by Zhao et al. (2016) to classify them. We used 32,516 control points in the classification step obtaining a mean global accuracy of 0.94. The spatial distribution of the harvested patches is aggregated in single o accumulate years showing the long-term spatiotemporal pattern if this forestry practice. In average, ECPs have double the size than yearly harvested parches but they can be much bigger in same cases. This intensive forestry practices creates some spatiotemporal harvested complex, or extended clearcutting patches, that can have a bigger impact in functional aspects of the landscape and the wildlife present in this type of landscapes.

Riparian tree planting is increasingly being used as a strategy to shade river corridors and offset the impact of climate change on river temperature. Because the circumstances under which tree planting generates the greatest impact are still largely unknown, researchers are increasingly using process‐based models to simulate the impacts of tree planting (or felling) on river temperature. However, the high‐resolution data on existing riparian tree cover needed to parameterise these models can be difficult to obtain, especially in data‐sparse areas. In this paper, we compare the performance of a river temperature model parameterised with a range of different tree cover datasets, to assess whether tree cover data extracted from readily available GIS databases or coarser (i.e., 2–5 m) digital elevation products are able to generate river temperature simulations approaching the accuracy of higher resolution structure from motion (SfM) or LiDAR. Our results show that model performance for simulations incorporating these data is generally degraded in relation to LiDAR/SfM inputs and that tree cover data from “alternative” sources can lead to unexpected temperature model outcomes. We subsequently use our model to simulate the addition/removal of riparian tree cover from alongside the river channel. Simulations indicate that the vast majority of the “shading effect” is generated by tree cover within the 5‐m zone immediately adjacent to the river channel, a key finding with regards to developing efficient riparian tree planting strategies. These results further emphasise the importance of incorporating the highest possible resolution tree cover data when running tree planting/clearcutting scenario simulations.

Although saproxylic beetles use deadwood in industrial exotic forest plantations, deadwood and historical land use patterns may interact among each other making difficult the implementation sustainable management intended to conserve saproxylic beetle diversity. We assessed the additive and interactive effects of deadwood and landscape-scale variables on alpha (α) and gamma (γ) diversity of saproxylic beetles. We installed 1034 traps in 80 stands of pine/eucalyptus plantations, clear-cuts and native forest distributed in 29 1-km radius landscape units. Deadwood amount/diversity and composition (native vs. exotic) were estimated for each habitat. A 14-year image time series was used to estimate the cover of native forest and the temporal coefficient of variation of clear-cut cover, CV(CC), an indicator of how extensive clear-cut areas have been in each landscape. The amount/diversity of deadwood affected positively the α-diversity of all species, but its effect turned negative in clear cut stands. Exotic deadwood had an overall negative effect on α diversity of fungivores and was more marked as the cover of native forest increased within landscapes. The γ diversity of all species and predators responded negatively to CV(CC), while fungivores responded negatively to the current native forest cover. Deadwood and landscape-scale management had nonlinear effects on γ diversity, with the deadwood composition effect being dependent on clear-cut cover. All species and predators were less diverse as the proportion of exotic deadwood increased, but this effect turned positive within landscapes with high CV(CC). Landscape-scale forest management has long- and short-term effects on saproxylic beetles that are modulated by deadwood and propagate through species functional dimensions.

Retention forestry implies that biological legacies like dead and living trees are deliberately selected and retained beyond harvesting cycles to benefit biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. This model has been applied for several decades in even-aged, clearcutting (CC) systems but less so in uneven-aged, continuous-cover forestry (CCF). We provide an overview of retention in CCF in temperate regions of Europe, currently largely focused on habitat trees and dead wood. The relevance of current meta-analyses and many other studies on retention in CC is limited since they emphasize larger patches in open surroundings. Therefore, we reflect here on the ecological foundations and socio-economic frameworks of retention approaches in CCF, and highlight several areas with development potential for the future. Conclusions from this perspective paper, based on both research and current practice on several continents, although highlighting Europe, are also relevant to other temperate regions of the world using continuous-cover forest management approaches. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-019-01190-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Retention approaches in forest management are today common in several North European countries, integrated into the clearcutting practice as a way to promote biodiversity and maintain ecosystem functions. Individual green trees and retention patches (tree groups) are retained at final harvest, and deadwood is left at site or created. Here, we review research on retention in Sweden, Finland, Norway, the Baltic States, and NW Russia, with special focus on biodiversity. Following the first publication in 1994, about 180 peer-reviewed articles have been published. We present results from a systematic search of the retention literature, separated into the following topics: buffer zones, retention patches, high stumps, other types of deadwood, European aspen Populus tremula, and cost-efficiency. Russian literature is synthesized separately since studies from this region have so far almost exclusively been published in the Russian language. Furthermore, we describe six ongoing large-scale, replicated experiments with varying retention levels, five in Finland and one in Sweden, and summarize their main results. Among main conclusions for practice from the literature and experiments are that retention patches as large as 0.5 ha and 10-m-wide buffers to watercourses are not enough to maintain pre-harvest species composition but survival of forest species is still larger than on conventional clearcuts. Deadwood on clearcuts may present important habitats to saproxylic species, including rare and red-listed ones and a prioritization of tree species per stand is recommended. We identify several important future research directions including switch of focus towards the landscape as well as the species population level. Surveys in parts of European Russia where retention has been unintentionally implemented already for a century would indicate possible future trajectories of biodiversity and their drivers in other regions of Northern Europe. A stronger link to ecological theory would help in study designs and in the formulation of predicted outcomes.

This paper focuses on the compatibility between forest management and soil conservation with reference to chesnut (Castanea sativa Mill.), holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) and especially Manna Ash (Fraxinus ornus L.) mixed hop Hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia Scop.) coppices stands, located on slopes of Campania and characterized by intensely pedogenised pyroclastic coverage, but unstable when facing intense rainy events. Based on the Corine Land Cover system (2012), we divided the areas into the three physiognomic types; thus, the proportion of surfaces falling under the pyroclastic coverage, which are the more instable, were obtained by overlapping the land systems and soil map produced by the Campania region (2014). For each type of coppice, we examined all the different structural conditions (traditional coppices, coppices past traditional rotation age and coppice in conversion to high forest) and underlined the most important critical issues due to clearcutting, We summarized the different types of silvicultural interventions to improve the forest management sustainability, especially in those areas which are vulnerable to hydrogeological instability. We also stressed that forest planning is the essential tool for sustainable management of coppices, together with the catchment area and the fire-fighting planning.

Given the changing market conditions and uncertainty arising from climate change, forest management tends to focus on the financial functioning of forest holdings. The objective of this work is to study the financial performance of forest districts using ratio analysis, synthetic financial indicators, as well as the relationship between synthetic indicators and forest district categories defined in terms of forest site type, site fertility, compatibility stand species composition, species composition, harvesting system, harvesting intensity, fragmentation of forest complexes and management difficulty level. The study material consists of financial documentation from 82 forest districts of the State Forests National Forest Holding (SFNFH) in eastern Poland from the years 2015–2019 and 2005–2009 (for comparison purposes). Synthetic indicators were calculated using two sets of financial ratios as well as two variants of accounting data. In the study period, forest districts were found to differ in terms of their financial performance, which was affected by the natural and economic factors. The synthetic indicators were significantly higher (p &gt, 0.05) for forest districts operating on low-fertility lowland sites, those managing stands with dominant pine, and those implementing a clearcutting regeneration system. The findings concerning the effects of selected natural and economic factors on the financial condition of forest districts may be used for financial planning and management by SFNFH, in particular in decision-making processes to optimize forest management. The applied methods may stand as a basis for the construction of a sectoral evaluation tool.

Wilderness areas are not immune to changes in land use, land cover, and/or climate. Future changes will intensify the balancing act of maintaining ecological conditions and untrammeled character within wilderness areas. We assessed the quantitative and spatial changes in land use, land cover, and climate predicted to occur in and around wilderness areas by (1) quantifying projected changes in land use and land cover around wilderness areas; (2) evaluating if public lands surrounding wilderness areas can buffer future land-use change; (3) quantifying future climate conditions in and around wilderness areas; and (4) identifying wilderness areas expected to experience the most change in land use, land cover, and climate. We used projections of land use (four variables), land cover (five variables), and climate (nine variables) to assess changes for 707 wilderness areas in the contiguous United States by mid-21st century under two scenarios (medium-low and high). We ranked all wilderness areas relative to each other by summing and ranking decile values for each land use, land cover, and climate variable and calculating a multivariate metric of future change. All wilderness areas were projected to experience some level of change by mid-century. The greatest land-use changes were associated with increases in agriculture, clear cutting, and developed land, while the greatest land cover changes were observed for grassland, forest, and shrubland. In 51.6% and 73.8% of wilderness areas, core area of natural vegetation surrounding wilderness was projected to decrease for the medium-low and high scenarios, respectfully. Presence of public land did not mitigate the influence of land-use change around wilderness areas. Geographically, projected changes occurred throughout the contiguous U.S., with areas in the northeast and upper Midwest projected to have the greatest land-use and climate change and the southwestern U.S. projected to undergo the greatest land cover and climate change. Our results provide insights into potential future threats to wilderness areas and the challenges associated with wilderness stewardship and climate adaptation. Despite the high degree of protection and remoteness of wilderness areas, effective management and preservation of these lands must consider future changes in land use, land cover, and climate.

Forest harvesting has been shown to effect water quantity and water quality parameters, highlighting the need for comprehensive forest practice rules. Being able to understand and predict these impacts on stream temperature is especially critical where federally threatened or endangered fish species are located. The goal of this research was to predict responses in stream temperature to potential riparian and forest harvest treatments in a maritime, mountainous environment. The Distributed Hydrology Soil Vegetation Model (DHSVM) and River Basin Model (RBM) were calibrated to measured streamflow and stream temperatures in the South Fork of the Caspar Creek Experimental Watersheds during critical summer periods when temperatures are highest and flows are low for hydrologic years 2010–2016. The modeling scenarios evaluated were (1) varying percentages of stream buffer canopy cover, (2) a harvest plan involving incrementally reduced stand densities in gauged sub-watersheds, and (3) an experimental design converting dominant riparian vegetation along set reaches. The model predicted a noticeable rise in stream temperatures beginning when stream buffer canopy cover was reduced to 25 and 0% retention levels. Larger increases in Maximum Weekly Maximum Temperatures (MWMT), compared to Maximum Weekly Average Temperatures (MWAT), occurred across all scenarios. There was essentially no difference in MWAT or MWMT between altering buffers along only fish bearing (Class I) watercourses and altering buffers along all watercourses. For the scenario with stream buffers at 0% retention, MWMTs consistently rose above recommended thermal limits for coho salmon(Oncorhynchus kisutch). Predictions when clearcutting the entire watershed showed less of an effect than simulations with 0% buffer retention, suggesting groundwater inflows mitigate stream temperature rises in the South Fork. The harvest simulation showed a small but consistent increase in MWATs (avg. 0.11°C), and more varied increases in MWMTs (avg. 0.32°C). Sensitivity analyses suggest potentially unrealistic tracking of downstream temperatures, making the vegetation conversion simulations inconclusive. Additional sensitivity analyses suggest tree height and monthly extinction coefficient (a function of leaf area index) were most influential on temperatures in the South Fork, which was consistent with other modeling studies suggesting management focus on tall, dense buffers compared to wider buffer widths.

Many regions of Central America have undergone wide-scale habitat change as land has been converted for cultivation or grazing. Clearing for agriculture often leaves a variety of regenerating and remnant patches of wooded vegetation. Of particular importance is arroyo vegetation, or strips of trees or tall shrubs growing along streams. Although it is widely acknowledged that tropical arroyo vegetation supports high densities of birds, as avian habitat it remains poorly studied. We used point counts to study populations of migrant and resident songbirds in the arroyo vegetation of settled areas of the Selva Lacandona adjacent to the Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve of southeastern Mexico. Two study areas were established on lands that had been cleared and settled 20–35 and 10 years previously. Our objectives were to asses the value of arroyo vegetation to the conservation of avian species diversity and abundance in agricultural landscapes and to compare the composition and abundance of songbirds in cleared areas settled at different times over a 35-year period. Arroyo vagetation had a wide diversity of songbird species that, in overall terms, differed little between those landscapes cleared recently and those cleared up to 35 years previously. In both areas we found a high abundance of habitat generalists and a smaller number of forest-dependent species, particularly migrants. Loss of forest specialists occurs rapidly, with little further loss as the arroyos become increasingly isolated. Our data also suggest that birds do not crowd into limited habitat as the surrounding vegetation is eliminated, implying that the overall carrying capacity of the agricultural landscape is greatly enhanced as larger areas of arroyo vegetation are protected. Protection of arroyo vegetation will increase the diversity of birds living in agricultural areas and can be achieved simply by expanding upon land-use practices currently in use. Use de galerias boscosas por aves cantoras en paisajes recientemente clareados y en paisajes poblados con anterioridad de la Selva Lacandona en Chiapas, Mexico Resumen: Muchas regiones de Meso-America han pasado por camabios a gran escala en sus habitats, debido a que las tierras han sido transformadas para el cultivo o pastoreo. Los clareos para la agricultura dejan a menudo una variedad de parches de vegetacion lenosa en regeneracion y remanentes. De particular importancia resulta la vegetacion de los arroyos, o fajas de arboles o arbustos altos que crecen a lo largo de los arroyos. Si bien es ampliamente reconocido que la vegetacion de arroyos tropicales mantienen altas densidades de pajaros, la misma sigue siendo poco estudiada como habitat para aves. Utilizamos conteos puntuales para estudiar poblaciones de aves cantoras residentes y migratorias, en la vegetacion de los arryos de areas pobladas de la Selva Lacandona adyacentes a la Reserva de la Biosfera de los Montes Azules en el sureste de Mexico. Se establecieron dos areas de estudio en tierras que han sido clarladas y pobladas hace 20–35 y 10 anos. Nuestros objectivos eran evaluar el valor de la vegetacion de los arroyos para la conservacion de la diversidad especifica y la abundancia de las aves en paisajes agricolas y comparar la composcion y abundancia de las aves cantoras en areas clareadas que fueron pobladas en distintos momentos a lo largo de un periodo de 35 anos. La vegetacion de los arroyos tuvo una amplia diversidad de especies de aves cantoras que en terminos generales, diferian poco entre los paisajes clareados recientemente y aquellos clareados hasta 35 anos antes. En ambas areas encontramos una alta abundancia de generalistas del habitat y un menor numero de especies dependientes de los bosques, particularmente especies migratorias. La perdida de los especialistas de los bosques ocurre rapidamente y es seguida de una perdida menor a medida que los arroyos se hacen mas aislados. Nuestros datos sugieren tambien que las aves no se apinan dentro de un habitat limitado a medida que la vegetacion que la rodea es eliminada, lo que implica que la capacidad de carga total del paisaje agricola aumenta considerablemente con la proteccion de areas mas grandes de vegetacion de los arroyos. La proteccion de la vegetacion de los arroyos incrementara la diversidad de aves que viven en areas agricolas y puede ser alcanzada simplemente mediante la extension de las practicas de uso de la tierra actualmente en uso.

Las aves especialistas, como las rapaces forestales, son mas propensas a sufrir los impactos producidos por la industria forestal a gran escala. Una de las principales caracteristicas de la industria forestal es la tecnica de cosecha mediante tala rasa, lo cual genera un mosaico de distintos tipos de cobertura forestal altanamente contrastante al interior de las plantaciones con zonas con una alta cobertura forestal y otras zonas practicamente desprovistas de vegetacion. En este estudio exploramos el efecto de la cobertura forestal sobre la abundancia de aves rapaces de habitos generalistas y especialistas forestales que habitan en la zona centro-sur de Chile. Durante las temporadas reproductivas de 2016 a 2018 realizamos 584 llamadas acusticas en 149 puntos de muestreo centrados en cuadrantes de 3x3 km dentro de paisajes de 9x9 km. La abundancia del carabo bataraz Strix rufipes, un buho especialista forestal tambien llamado concon, presento una relacion positiva con la cobertura forestal a escala local, sin embargo, no encontramos relaciones significativas para el resto de las especies. La mayoria de las especies generalistas presentaron una asociacion negativa y no lineal con la cobertura forestal y altas abundancias en paisajes con coberturas similares de bosque y areas abiertas. Los modelos con el mayor soporte estadistico incluyeron la cobertura forestal total (bosque nativo + plantacion), sugiriendo que las especies generalistas no discriminaron significativamente entre los bosques naturales y las plantaciones exoticas. En general, nuestros resultados sugieren que tanto las especies generalistas como las especialistas pueden utilizar los paisajes forestales dominados por plantaciones exoticas en el centro-sur de Chile

Intensification of agricultural land use leads to riparian clear cutting, which disrupts stream aquatic-terrestrial linkages through the loss of terrestrial particulate organic matter (POM)...

Peatlands are characterized by their large carbon (C) storage capacity and represent important C sinks globally. In southern Chile, young peatlands (few centuries old) have originated due to clearcutting or fire at forest sites with high precipitation on poorly drained soils. These novel ecosystems are called anthropogenic peatlands here. Their role in the regional C cycle remains largely unknown. Here, we present 18 months of eddy covariance measurements of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon dioxide (CO2) in an anthropogenic peatland in northern Chiloe Island, part of which is kept undisturbed for 30–40 years, by excluding human uses, and another section of the same peatland that has been disturbed by cattle grazing and Sphagnum moss extraction. Gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Reco) were modeled from NEE, based on measured photosynthetically active radiation and air temperature, separately for each section of the peatland. Uncertainties of the annual flux estimates were assessed from the variability of modelled fluxes induced by applying different time-windows for model development between 10 and 20 days. The undisturbed area of the peatland was on average (± SD) a larger net CO2 sink (NEE = − 135 ± 267 g CO2 m−2 year−1) than the disturbed area (NEE = − 33 ± 111 g CO2 m−2 year−1). These NEE CO2 balances are small even though GPP and Reco were larger compared with other peatlands. Reco had a direct relationship with water table depth (from soil surface) and a negative relationship with soil water fraction. Our results show that the disturbance by moss extraction and cattle grazing is likely to reduce the CO2 sink function of many anthropogenic and natural peatlands on Chiloe Island, which are subjected to the same impacts.

In arid zones, riparian corridors serve as important habitats, offering water, nutrients, shelter and optimal microclimate conditions to many organisms. In the northern Negev desert of Israel, several large rivers cross through the arid landscape, with Saltcedar ( Tamarix spp. ) being the climax vegetation. Although these rivers have been continuously subjected to management, human control became much more frequent and thorough since the early 2000s. Current management involves vegetation clear-cutting of long riverbed sections. In arid zones such as the Negev, where trees are scarce and restricted to streams, such activity may affect wildlife at all hierarchical levels. Being one of the most successful invasive trees in North America, many aspects of Saltcedar management along rivers have been explored around the USA. Notably, how riparian Saltcedar forests in the old world, where it is native, influence wildlife, has not been studied. We explored the effects of vegetation clear-cutting on bird communities at three sites in the Northern Negev of Israel, comparing bird abundance, richness and diversity between natural and managed riparian transects. All three variables were significantly lower in managed sites. Species composition shifted from tree-dwelling species in natural transects to ground-dwelling species in clear-cut sections. Natural sections were characterized by lower ambient temperature, lower radiation, and higher relative humidity. Our findings may explain the long-term reduction observed in local bird populations in the northern Negev. They also indicate the importance of the Saltcedar forests along major watersheds in the Northern Negev for bird populations.

Bottomland hardwoods (BLH) and wet mineral flats (WMF) are common forested wetlands in the southeastern U.S. coastal plain (Virginia to Texas) that are often manipulated silviculturally, yet silvicultural forest operations are infrequently reported. This document summarizes forest operations in wetlands, consolidates reviews of silvicultural effects, and summarizes long-term research. BLH typically receive lower intensity management. Forest operations involve planning silvicultural operations and adapting harvest operations to wet site conditions. Clearcutting with natural regeneration is favored for BLH, but alternative silvicultural systems may be viable options, depending on stand characteristics and landowner objectives. WMF are frequently managed intensively as pine plantations. Following clearcut harvests, WMF may be mechanically and chemically site-prepared and planted. Intermediate silvicultural operations may include chemical competition control, fertilization, prescribed burning, and thinning operations. Reviews of effects in forested wetlands indicate wet-site harvesting can cause significant soil disturbances. Long-term research on effects of harvest disturbances on BLH and WMF are limited, but indicate effects of wet site harvests are ephemeral and sites recover due to natural factors and artificial amelioration. Overall, silvicultural operations in these forested wetlands are compatible with long-term sustainability when appropriate silvicultural systems, forest operations, and forestry best management practices (BMPs) are applied.

Recovery of understory vegetation after clearcut harvesting has received much attention but little is known about the recovery of riparian vegetation after forest harvesting along headwater streams, despite the critical role vegetation plays in the protection of biodiversity and water quality. We investigated the impacts of clearcut harvesting on riparian plant communities and their recovery along headwater streams in boreal mixedwood forests of northwestern Ontario, Canada. We studied 30 headwater streams (width 1–3 m), 24 in clearcut sites harvested 3–23 years previously and 6 streams in reference 90–100 year-old mature (unharvested) forests. Each stream was studied at two locations: (i) within clearcut areas and (ii) within the downstream unharvested locations (at the buffer zones) of the larger stream into which the headwater streams flow. We quantified species richness, abundance, diversity and evenness of riparian understory vegetation at each site. We used a nested model and Nonmetric Multidimensional Scaling (NMS) to examine the effect of years since clearcut (age) on understory plant community change. We assessed the number of original, newly recruited and locally eliminated species based on species presence/absence data from the sampled quadrats in clearcuts, downstream unharvested forests and reference forests. We found that clearcut harvesting had no immediate impact on overall species richness or diversity, but it was associated with changes in species composition. The post-harvest habitats were often dominated by ruderal invasive species. Some late-seral species were locally eliminated and showed no sign of recovery 23 years after harvesting. We conclude that although clearcutting along headwater streams does not affect the overall species diversity, it changes species composition by locally eliminating some understory plants, which in turn may cause significant change in the ecological services they provide. Hence, it is important to recognize the sensitivity of headwater systems during forest harvesting and subsequent vegetation recovery. Avoiding ground disturbance in head water systems during forest management, careful selective/partial harvesting in riparian areas and seeding of fast growing native plants immediately after clearcutting may help mitigate potential adverse effects of forest management in headwater systems.

Human impacts can affect the soil properties through erosion and leaching, the ecosystem functions and, consequently, the capacity of a forest to regenerate. Here, we determine the effects of forest disturbance and succession on selected soil chemical properties using two different approaches, before‐after‐control‐impact (BACI) and space‐for‐time (SFT) substitution, and the threatened Atlantic Forest biome as model. We assessed with BACI the long‐term (37‐year) effects of clear cutting on soil properties by comparing data from two topsoil surveys (1978–2017) divided into two treatments: a preserved old growth forest (control) and an adjacent forest that was experimentally cleared with full tree removal (clear‐cut). We examined with SFT the relationship between stand age and soil properties using soil data from three old growth and 13 s growth forests ranging from 7 to 33 years. We found no significant differences between treatments for any soil property or significant changes in phosphorus, potassium, and calcium + magnesium over time. In contrast, pH increased and aluminum decreased in both areas. No relation was found between forest age and most of soil properties, with the exception of potassium which returned to old growth forest levels after 20 years of natural succession, and pH. BACI indicated that deforestation of old growth forest caused no significant effects on soil chemical properties after 37 years of regeneration. SFT demonstrated that soil properties did not change significantly during forest regeneration on formerly disturbed lands. Our findings indicate that natural nutrient‐depleted lowland forests were overall resistant to deforestation followed by passive regeneration at landscape scale. Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.

Deepened knowledge on response of biota and ecological processes following fire is essential for a future with warmer climate and more disturbances. In 2014 the first mega-fire (13,100 ha) for at least a century in Scandinavia hit south-central Sweden, in a production forest landscape shaped by clearcutting forestry. Ecological dynamics is followed in >20 projects from universities, authorities and citizen science initiatives, rapidly accumulating substantial amounts of data. We outline projects and summarize their results during the first four years, demonstrating a rapid succession of fungi, lichens, vascular plants, birds, mammals, ticks, butterflies, beetles, and drastically altered carbon dynamics. We characterize forest operations including regeneration measures and point to patterns in pest and pathogen infestations. 8,000 ha is set aside for natural succession, with the rest harvested and managed for forest production, offering excellent opportunities for studies on salvage logging effects, already evident for birds. We demonstrate a strong regrowth of deciduous trees, and the protected part will in some decades likely develop into the largest deciduous-dominated area in boreal north Europe outside Russia. Continued studies of biodiversity and ecological processes are urgent for this unique area.

Significance The Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) ended clearcutting of old-growth forest on federal land across western Washington, Oregon, and California in the early 1990s. We provide a test of how this dramatic change affected bird populations—a commonly used biodiversity indicator. Although the NWFP greatly reduced losses of older forests to logging, losses to wildfire have increased, and declines in birds associated with older forests have amplified. The area of early-seral ecosystems with broadleaf trees stabilized on federal land, but declines continue for some associated species. Creation of early-seral vegetation may be justified in some landscapes where wildfires are mostly suppressed, but should not impede development of older forests, the gradual recovery of which remains critical for the long-term success of the NWFP., The Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) initiated one of the most sweeping changes to forest management in the world, affecting 10 million hectares of federal land. The NWFP is a science-based plan incorporating monitoring and adaptive management and provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the influence of policy. We used >25 years of region-wide bird surveys, forest data, and land-ownership maps to test this policy’s effect on biodiversity. Clearcutting decreased rapidly, and we expected populations of older-forest–associated birds to stabilize on federal land, but to continue declining on private industrial lands where clearcutting continued. In contrast, we expected declines in early-seral–associated species on federal land because of reduced anthropogenic disturbance since the NWFP. Bayesian hierarchical models revealed that bird species’ population trends tracked changes in forest composition. However, against our expectations, declines of birds associated with older forests accelerated. These declines are partly explained by losses of older forests due to fire on federal land and continued clearcutting elsewhere. Indeed, the NWFP anticipated that reversing declines of older forests would take time. Overall, the early-seral ecosystem area was stable, but declined in two ecoregions—the Coast Range and Cascades—along with early-seral bird populations. Although the NWFP halted clearcutting on federal land, this has so far been insufficient to reverse declines in older-forest–associated bird populations. These findings underscore the importance of continuing to prioritize older forests under the NWFP and ensuring that the recently proposed creation of early-seral ecosystems does not impede the conservation and development of older-forest structure.

A study focusing on the succession of soil Collembola communities was carried out in the High Tatra Mountains (Slovakia), five years after a windthrow. Two separate areas were studied within the mountain range: a peripheral foothill area and an inland mountain valley. Each area contained three stands (sites) under different management treatments: an intact reference forest stand, a non-extracted windthrown forest stand and an extracted windthrown forest stand. The impact of windthrow and the ensuing forestry practices in both areas was still apparent after the disturbance period. The communities in the inland mountain valley were affected by windthrow more negatively in terms of abundance. However, species richness seemed to remain better preserved there than in the foothills and was unaffected by colonisation by species from the surrounding habitats. A temporary increase in species richness observed early after the disturbance disappeared, and the negative effect of clear-cutting and subsequent extraction of the fallen wood on the communities, affecting their abundance, decreased in severity over time. The impact of both logged and unlogged regimes on Collembola communities was obvious, especially in the valley. Moreover, we observed the clear response of some species to windthrow and forest practices. Several considerably abundant species, e.g. Folsomia penicula and Tetracanthella fjellbergi, were sensitive to deforestation by windthrow and clear cutting. Our study documented that Collembola can be used as an indicator mesofauna group in assessments of disturbance-induced changes in soil environments of mountain spruce forests.

The effects of logging on forest ecosystems are severe and long-lasting. In addition, these effects are often paralleled with shifts in soil fungal community composition and functional guilds with potential feedbacks on ecosystem functioning. Clarifying how soil fungal communities are linked to the effects of historical logging could help us better understand the ecological consequences of logging. Here, we collected soils from 61 25 m × 25 m quadrats across a 160-km2 tropical rainforest in Hainan Island, China, which had been partially clear cut or selectively harvested and left to recover for up to 50 years. Soil fungal community composition and species co-variation networks were investigated in the selectively harvested (select cut) and clear cut forest stands and were compared to data from the primary stands without a history of logging. Historical logging shifted fungal community composition from Zygomycota towards Basidiomycota domination mainly through modifying vegetation composition and soil properties. The relative abundance of root associated fungi (i.e., ectomycorrhizal and ericoid mycorrhizal), animal pathogens and wood saprotrophs increased 50 years after logging, while the relative abundance of undefined saprotrophs decreased. In select cut stands, the fungal community was better organized with higher numbers of functionally interrelated operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and more generalist OTUs. In contrast, the number of functionally interrelated OTUs was lowest in the fungal network in clear cut stands. By comparing the topological roles of the shared OTUs among the three types of forest stands, we found role-shifts among fungal members from the specialists in the primary stands to the generalists in the select cut stands. Ascomycota and Basidiomycota were the major phyla involved in the role-shifts. Moreover, the fungal network in primary stands was positively associated with litter nutrients, while that in select cut stands was positively related to soil nutrients content. This indicated that the major drivers of fungal community organization shifted from litter nutrients content in the primary forest towards soil nutrients content in the selectively harvested forest. In the clear cut stands, however, the associations between fungal network and both litter and soil nutrients content decreased when compared with those in the primary and select cut stands. More than 60% of the total links among fungal members in clear cut stands were negative, implying a trend of niche partitioning among fungal groups with a half-century recovery after clearcutting in the tropical rainforest.

In Germany pine forests cover more than 2.4 Mio. ha, representing 22.3% of the land area covered by forest vegetation. According to the III. National Forest Inventory in Germany in 2012, the average annual increment of pine stands of the country is 9.5 m3/ha. Most common are pine forests in the Northeast Germany – many of them are still pure, even-aged forests. Scots pine stands were planted far beyond their natural distribution range due to the robustness and good growth of the species. Foresters, such as Cotta or Pfeil laid the scientific fundamentals for pine management and its extension already in the 19th century. The silvicultural goal in these stands today is the gradual conversion into mixed and structured stands with the participation of broadleaved species. There is evidence that mixed stands often show higher growth rates and stress resistance compared to pure Scots pine stands. Thus, mixed broadleaved pine stands are seen to be less vulnerable against climate change. In the process of conversion the pure pine stands are opened at the age of 50-70 years and under planted with the desired admixed tree species. In young stands so-called future crop trees are selected at a top height of 13-15 m; these trees are then continuously released until reaching the target diameter (40-60 cm at breast height). Intervention frequency in (mixed) pine stands is 5-10 years, and the average cutting intensity is around 40-70 m3/ha. The major silvicultural systems to regenerate pine stands are small-scale clear cutting (up to one ha) or strip cutting, shelter wood cutting or group selection cutting with the diameter of the group being 20-30 m. The duration of shelter wood or group selection cuttings (mostly with three interventions) is 15-20 years. In the final cutting operations fully mechanized systems dominate, especially on flat or slightly hilly terrain. Regeneration often requires slight soil preparation (with the so-called "Kulla cultivator") in order to increase the germination success of pine seeds. Furthermore, emphasis is laid on the monitoring of the sanitary status of the pine forests and fire prevention. Desiccated or dying trees are harvested in salvage cutting operations. The future of Scots pine management in Germany is the admixture of pine to other tree species (mostly broadleaved) of the natural vegetation with the aim of producing valuable timber in resilient multifunctional forests.

Riparian forest provides a relevant ecosystem services such as land protection, conservation of biodiversity and connotation of rural landscape and public fruition. The management should take place considering these particular aspects but it’s essential to avoid that vegetation itself turns into a hazard during floods, without forgetting the economic relevance of timber production in easily, accessible and often fertile areas. The European projects Interreg Alcotra, “EAU CONCERT I and II - Iniziative di coordinamento degli strumenti di gestione partecipata dell’acqua e azioni di valorizzazione degli eco-sistemi fluviali ”, an Italian and French partnership, introduced a new instrument for the management of vegetation along watercourses: the riparian vegetation management plan (PGV), which combines protection from hydraulic risks, protection of the river ecosystem and promotion of public fruition. PGVs have been drafted and experimentally applied to 5 Po river tributaries, with different characteristics: (Dora Baltea, Stura in Lanzo, Orba, Dora Riparia and Belbo). Based on the outcomes of the plans, which highlighted hydraulic needs, and biodiversity value, numerous forestry interventions have been designed and implemented for the main riparian and floodplain forest categories, allowing the further improvement of a multifunctional approach. The riparian poplar and willow groves are relevant from hydraulic risk and biodiversity conservation point of view aims, being the first interface with the stream and a Natura 2000 priority habitats (Habitat Directive). For the management of these pioneer, coetaneous and heliophilous species, subject to strong river dynamics, small-patch clearcutting were done, with an extension ranged from 1500-2000 m 2 , starting from stand with the larger diameter plants (average 25-35 cm). For black alder forest, also Natura 2000 habitats (priority), various management practices have been carried out according to the structure and the stage: mixed thinning, coppicing in adult populations and small-patch clearcutting (1,500-3,000 m 2 ). Cuttings in the riverside oak stand were made both by single tree selection or group selection, with collecting an high percentage of growing stock in the transition stand still rich in large poplars, sometimes declining and at risk of floating.

By now, most of the forests in the European part of Russia have been transformed by drastic fires and clear cutting. Significant areas of primary dark coniferous forests in the Northern Urals have been replaced by either birch or aspen stands. These communities pass different stages of secondary succession. They remain understudied despite their wide occurrence. We consider the composition and structure of the tree story and deadwood in two postfire communities (80- and 120-years old). Both fires were initiated from the slash-and-burn cultivation, as has been the practice up to the mid-20th century. The composition of the stands in these communities indicates the gradual replacement of early succession tree species—aspen and willow—by late succession spruce and fir. Weibull function was applied to fit the distribution of diameters of the trees. We show that these communities do not differ by most indicators of stand and deadwood structures and characterize the same successional stage.

Boreal forest areas in the Russian Far East contained very large intact forests. This particular area is considered one of the most productive and diverse forests in the boreal biome of the world, and it is also home to many endangered species. Zeya State Nature Reserve is located at the southern margin of the boreal forest area in the Russian Far East and has rich fauna and flora. However, the forest in the region faced large-scale forest fires and clearcutting for timber recently. The information of disturbances is rarely understood. This study aimed to explore the effects of disturbance and forest dynamics around the reserve. Our study used two-year overlaid Landsat images from Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI), to generate forest-cover-change maps of 1988–1999, 1999–2010, and 2010–2016. In this paper, we analyze the direction of forest successional stages, to demonstrate the effectiveness of this protected area in terms of preventing human-based deforestation on the vegetation indices. The vegetation indices included the normalized burn ratio (NBR), the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and the normalized difference water index (NDWI). The study provided information on the pattern of forest-cover change and disturbance area around the reserve. The NDWI was used to differentiate between water and non-water areas. The mean values of NBR and NDVI were calculated and determine the forest successional stages between burn, vegetation recovery, grass, mixed forest, oak forest, and birch and larch forest. The accuracy was assessed by using field measurements, field photos, and high-resolution images as references. Overall, our classification results have high accuracy for all three periods. The most disturbed area occurred during 2010–2016. The reserve was highly protected, with no human-disturbance activity. However, large areas from fire disturbance were found (137 km2) during 1999–2010. The findings also show a large area of disturbance, mostly located outside of the reserve. Mixed disturbance increased to almost 50 km2 during 2010–2016, in the buffer zone and outside of the reserve. We recommend future works to apply our methods to other ecosystems, to compare the forest dynamics and disturbance inside and outside the protected area.

The population dynamics of Hazel Grouse were studied by presence/absence recording at stationary sites along fixed routes (110 km) in the central part of Šumava (Bohemian Forest, Czech Republic) from 1972 to 2019. The 100 km2 study area covered altitudes between 600 m (Rejštejn) and 1253 m above sea level (Mt. Sokol). Our database contained indices of Hazel Grouse occupancy: positive sites/visited sites for a yearly increasing number of Hazel Grouse occurrence sites (n = 134) for 48 years. We used a loglinear Poisson regression method to analyze the long-term population trend for Hazel Grouse in the study area. In the period from 1972 to 2006 we found a stable Hazel Grouse population (p = 0.83). From 2006–2007 to 2019, the population index dropped (−3.8% per year, p &lt, 0.05). This decline is assumed to be influenced by habitat loss due to succession, resulting in older, more open forest stands, by strongly increasing forestry and windstorm “Kyrill”, followed by clear cutting, bark beetle damage, and the removal of pioneer trees in spruce plantations, which diminished buds and catkins, the dominant winter food of Hazel Grouse. The influence of disturbance by increasing tourist activities and/or predation is also discussed. Our results could help to optimize the conservation efforts for Hazel Grouse in the Bohemian Forest.

A growing proportion of the boreal biome consists of managed even-aged secondary forest stands regenerated after clear-cutting. Many disturbance-intolerant species may not be able to recolonize or reach their original abundance in these stands before the next clear-cutting, potentially causing large-scale biodiversity losses. Boreal bryophytes (mosses and liverworts) include many species intolerant to clear-cutting, and at small spatial scales species richness and occupancy has been shown to remain changed in secondary stands half a century after logging. To assess if such persistent changes occur also at the stand scale, we listed and estimated cover of all bryophyte species in 1-ha plots, comparing 14 secondary stands originating from clear-cutting 40–60 years earlier with 14 older semi-natural stands. The large plots also made it possible to assess differences in occupancy and abundance for more bryophyte species than in previous studies. Species composition differed significantly for both mosses and liverworts, but unlike earlier studies, we could not detect any significant difference between stand types in species numbers. Thirteen species were significantly associated with semi-natural stands and the total cover of liverworts was less than half in secondary stands. Secondary stands had significantly fewer species typically occurring under shady conditions and/or mostly growing on “tree substrates” (dead wood and/or bases and stems of living trees). Ordination analysis further emphasized the importance of shade and suitable deadwood substrates; the among-plot variation in bryophyte species composition was related to amount of coarse deadwood as well as to gradients from shady spruce dominated to open pine dominated stands and from polar- to equator-facing slopes. Besides lack of suitable habitat conditions in secondary stands, dispersal limitation may have caused a colonization time lag for some species. The clear importance of stand scale habitat conditions for bryophyte species composition calls for management adaptions to facilitate life boating and/or recolonization by ensuring availability of shade, coarse decomposing logs, and specific deciduous tree species (Populus, Salix, Sorbus) in secondary stands.

1. Forest clearance is a pervasive disturbance worldwide, but many of its impacts are regarded as transient, diminishing in intensity as forest recovers. However, forests can take decades to centuries to recover after severe disturbances, and temporal lags in recovery of ecosystem properties for different forest habitats are mostly unknown. This includes forest streams, where most studies of the impacts of forest clearance are restricted to the first years of recovery, typically finding that temporary increases in light and nutrient run-off diminish as forest recovers. Implications of longer term changes remain little investigated. 2. In a space-for-time substitution experiment, we assessed changes in organic matter processing and in the functional and taxonomic composition of litter-consuming detritivores along a riparian forest age gradient ranging from 1 to 120 years since last timber harvesting. 3. Variation in organic matter processing and detritivore functional diversity along the forest succession gradient were both expressed as second-order polynomial relationships (peaking at ~50 years along the forest age gradient). Decomposition rates were lowest in both the more recently clear-cut and older riparian forest streams. 4. Variation of litter decomposition rates among litter bags within streams, meas ured by the coefficient of variation, was lowest in recent clear-cuts and increased linearly along the succession gradient. This result indicates higher within-stream heterogeneity in decomposition rates in older forest streams. 5. Synthesis and applications. We found that the decomposition of leaf litter, a com ponent of carbon cycling in forests, was higher in streams flowing through inter mediately aged forest, and that several key attributes of the organisms regulating litter decomposition also varied systematically with forest age. These findings highlight the longer term consequences of forest succession following forest clear-cutting for stream habitats. Our findings further illustrate complications arising from the use of forested sites as references for newly cleared sites without properly accounting for forest age, given conclusions regarding biotic responses will depend on the age of the reference forests. Finally, our results emphasise the potential of intensive forest management centred on vast, one-time clear-cutting events to drive long-term homogenisation not only in forest age structure but also in the functioning of associated forest stream habitats.. clear-cutting, detritivores, disturbance legacy, forest succession, forestry, functional diversity, litter decomposition, space-for-time substitution

At the mid-twentieth century the pace of the transformation of the Swedish forest increased. New methods; large-scale clearcutting, mechanization of logging and planting of seedlings were developed. Chemicals were used to control insects and unwanted tree species. The aims of this study were to elucidate the timing, chain of events and the spatial extent of the large-scale spraying of phenoxy acids in Swedish forests and the drivers for this practice. More than 700 000 hectares of productive forest land was sprayed and the main driving force was a strong will to transform the forest into high-yield coniferous forest plantations. We conclude that; (1) the use of herbicides in forestry in Sweden was done on a very large scale in the period 1948–1984, (2) the ecosystem legacy of herbicide spraying must be investigated and (3) a homogenous cadre of like-minded professionals working across commercial companies, state agencies and universities is dangerous.

Forest soils in Northern Europe are generally trafficked by forest machinery on several occasions during a forest rotation. This may create ruts (wheel tracks), which could increase sediment transport to nearby surface water, reduce recreational value, and affect tree growth. It is therefore important to reduce soil disturbance during off-road forest transportation. In this study, rut depth was measured following forwarder traffic on study plots located along four harvested till hillslopes in Northern Sweden with drier soil conditions uphill and wet conditions downhill. The treatments included driving 1) using no ground protection, 2) on logging residue (on average, 38–50 kg m–2) and 3) on logging mats measuring 5×1×0.2 m. The hillslopes contain areas with a high content of boulders, stones, and gravel as well as areas with a significant content of silt. Six passes with a laden forwarder with four bogie tracks were performed. On the plots with ground protection, the application of logging residue and the application and removal of logging mats necessitated additional passes. Rut depth was measured using two methods: 1) as the difference in elevation between the interpolated original soil surface and the surface of the rut using GNSS positioning (Global Navigation Satellite Systems), and 2) manually with a folding rule from an aluminium profile, placed across the rut, to the bottom of the rut. The two methods generally gave similar results. Driving without ground protection in the upper part of the hillslopes generated ruts with depths

We analyzed the main trends of the change in the species richness of plant communities after catastrophic natural (beetle outbreaks, windfalls) and anthropogenic (clear cutting) disturbances. We examined the dynamics of the structural diversity of species richness of herb-dwarf scrubs layer with different reforestation technologies after the death of spruce stands. The study of similarity and ordination of vegetation showed the proximity of the undamaged forest to the unharvested stand, and the difference of these plant communities from clear-cut. The main determining factor of species richness was the intensity of plant community disturbance after catastrophes. We analyzed the reforestation dynamics of plant communities after catastrophic disturbances. Clear cutting led to the formation of grassy communities with a sharp increase in the species and structural diversity of plant community.

The aim of the study was evaluation of clear-cutting effect on water regime in a tree harvesting area. The results were made based on the study carried out in the Rakowski Ditch catchment, in Wielkopolska lowland in Poland. It was found that a more useful method to establish the effects of clear-cutting is to compare the groundwater level (GWL) in the post-clear-cutting area with that in a control area than to analyse the GWL changes in the same area before and after the clear-cutting. Regression analysis is a particularly useful tool in groundwater regime analyses. The results obtained in this study indicated that the groundwater regime changes in the post-clear-cutting area that were manifested as an increase in the mean GWL. The major changes in the groundwater regime after clear-cutting were observed in the minimum levels, while the lowest changes took place in the maximum GWL. The variation in GWL was higher in the period after clear-cutting than in the period before it. The analysis of linear regression of GWL in the well located in the clear-cutting area and that in the control area confirmed the change in the groundwater regime in the post-clear-cutting area. Stronger relations in the period before clear-cutting were observed. Key words: clear-cutting, groundwater, forest catchment, swampy habitats

The southern extent of the boreal forest in North America has experienced intensive human disturbance in the past decades. Among these, forest harvesting leads to the substantial loss of late-successional stands that include key habitat attributes for several avian species. The American Three-toed Woodpecker, Picoides dorsalis, is associated with continuous old spruce forests in the eastern part of its range. In this study, we assess the influence of habitat characteristics at different scales on the occupancy of American Three-toed Woodpecker in a heavily managed boreal landscape of northeastern Canada, and we inferred species occupancy at the regional scale. We conducted 185 playback stations over two breeding seasons and modelled the occupancy of the species while taking into account the probability of detection. American Three-toed Woodpecker occupancy was lower in stands with large areas recently clear-cut, and higher in landscapes with large extents of old-growth forest dominated by black spruce. At the regional scale, areas with high probability of occupancy were scarce and mostly within protected areas. Habitat requirements of the American Three-toed Woodpecker during the breeding season, coupled with over-all low occupancy rate in our study area, challenge its long-term sustainability in such heavily managed landscapes. Additionally, the scarcity of areas of high probability of occupancy in the region suggest that the ecological role of old forest outside protected areas could be compromised.

Con el propósito de incrementar la producción y productividad de los bosques en el estado de Durango, se realizaron cortas a matarrasa en rodales naturales de Pinus y Quercus que fueron sustituidos por plantaciones con dos especies de Pinus. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de las cortas de matarrasa con plantaciones inmediatas en la diversidad arbórea de la regeneración. El estudio se realizó en tres plantaciones comerciales dentro del ejido La Ciudad, Pueblo Nuevo, Durango; en cada una se establecieron 20 sitios de 150 m2 en donde se registró la especie y el diámetro a la base de cada brinzal. Para comparar la diversidad de las plantaciones con la de los rodales adyacentes, que representan la condición original, se ubicaron diez sitios de 0.1 ha en los que se identificó la especie y se midió el diámetro normal de cada árbol presente. Para evaluar la diversidad alfa y beta se utilizaron los índices de riqueza, abundancia proporcional de Shannon-Wiener, similitud de Jaccard y Sörensen, así como el valor de importancia ecológica. Los cambios significativos en la riqueza y diversidad, se compararon con un análisis de rarefacción; el cual mostró cambios significativos en la riqueza de especies en una de las tres plantaciones, mientras que la diversidad evidenció diferencias significativas en dos de ellas, con respecto a los rodales adyacentes. Las cortas de matarrasa con plantación inmediata mantienen la riqueza de especies, pero modifican la diversidad.

A rapid regeneration survey within twenty-four deepwater swamps between stand ages 2 and 14 years in the North Carolina coastal plain was conducted by using a narrow rectangular inventory technique (&ldquo, strip cruise&rdquo, ). Inventoried tracts predominantly contained cypress (Taxodium distichum) and tupelo (Nyssa species) before being harvested via clearcutting methods. Single transects on each tract began at coordinates located in the interior of the harvest areas in locations representing general tract conditions. Each transect was perpendicular to the flow of the major stream drainage associated with the harvest area. Counts and measures of dead and live stumps and seed-sourced regeneration were recorded. About 52 percent of desirable timber species stumps tallied had coppice growth. However, coppice alone was not sufficient on any tract to exceed 1112 trees ha&minus, 1. Seventy-one percent of tracts had stocking levels (coppice and seed source) at least 1112 trees ha&minus, 1 of desirable timber species or black willow (Salix nigra). Across 24 tracts, 42 percent regenerated cypress and/or tupelo to levels exceeding 1112, trees ha&minus, 1. This assessment revealed that forest regeneration success was limited on sites with altered hydrology, rampant invasive species, and/or lack of seed source. In some cases, active forest management may improve the regeneration cohort. Overall, shovel logging methods that were used on evaluated sites appear to be compatible with adequate regeneration of desirable timber species if the proper conditions exist. Additionally, we assessed species&rsquo, composition within a harvested stand measured at age eight years (a previous study) and age 68 years (measured for this study), for a comparison perspective. Results revealed a species composition change from willow at age eight years to a mixed stand of desirable timber species at age 68 years. This finding supports other studies that have recorded the successional pattern of pioneering willow shifting to desirable timber species as willow stagnates and diminishes in abundance due to natural mortality.

The extent of shrubland and young forest in the Northeast, USA, has declined rapidly since the mid-1900’s. Accordingly, the abundance of wildlife that depends on young forest has also declined. For example, American woodcock (Scolopax minor), an upland shorebird species, require an appropriate spectrum and spatial configuration of young forest to thrive and their populations have declined significantly since at least 1968. Active forest management is required to conserve populations of American woodcock and other young forest wildlife, but the importance of young forest management to some aspects of the ecology of key wildlife are not fully understood. I investigated three aspects of American woodcock ecology in relation to young forest management in Rhode Island, USA. First, I monitored the daytime locations of radiomarked American woodcock to assess habitat selection at multiple scales in relation to young forest management. Second, I also monitored American woodcock movements between daytime and nighttime locations and quantified food availability and predator activity at these sites to test the foraging-benefit and predation-risk hypotheses that were proposed to explain American woodcock commuting behavior. Third, I compared landbird communities at managed forest openings used by breeding American woodcock and nearby random forest sites to determine whether American woodcock habitat management benefits non-target landbirds and so verifies adopting American woodcock as an umbrella species useful for conservation. Daytime habitat selected by American woodcock comprised areas of younger forest where the biomass of preferred food (i.e., earthworms [Haplotaxida]) was 1.7 – 3.1 times greater, and the density of shrub and sapling stems was two times greater, compared to random sites. American woodcock home ranges were typically

Despite their long history as a forest dominant, the importance of Quercus (oak) species is declining under contemporary disturbance regimes in many parts of the world. This is cause for concern considering the great economic and ecological value of this genus. While many chronosequence studies have shown that clearcutting has accelerated the loss of Quercus species in forests of eastern North America, long-term repeated measures studies are needed to understand how topo-edaphic variables and disturbance history influence the persistence of the genus in post-harvest stands. In 1988, a study was implemented on the Hoosier National Forest (HNF) in southern Indiana, USA to examine the fate of Quercus species and their competitors within developing stands following clearcut harvests. Permanent plots were established in six harvest units in Quercus-Carya (oak-hickory) forests using a stratified design to capture a variety of physiographic and edaphic conditions. Pre-harvest plot data were collected in 1988 and plots were resampled in 2011, allowing documentation of shifts in species composition over a 23-year period (1988–2011). Aerial photos from the 1930s were used to determine canopy cover and likely historic land-use within each stand prior to incorporation into the HNF. To characterize edaphic conditions, soil samples were collected and analyzed for chemical characteristics in 2011. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) and multiple linear regression using fixed and mixed-effect models were used to examine species composition along topo-edaphic and historic canopy cover gradients. We observed drastic declines in the importance of Quercus alba (white oak), Quercus velutina (black oak), and Quercus prinus (chestnut oak) across all stands following harvest. During the same time period, we observed large increases in the importance of other species, with Acer rubrum (red maple) showing large increases on the driest sites and Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip-poplar) displaying the greatest increase across all sites. In pre-harvest stands, Q. prinus was confined to the poorest sites and displayed the strongest association of all species with historically closed canopies in both pre and post-harvest stands. In post-harvest stands, the diminished importance of Q. alba was associated with low soil nitrogen levels and historically open canopies. L. tulipifera and Prunus serotina (black cherry) were associated with more nutrient-rich mesic sites in post-harvest stands. Populus grandidentata (bigtooth aspen) in post-harvest stands was associated with historically closed canopies and low cation exchange capacity.

Oil and gas development is changing the landscape in many regions of the United States and globally. However, the nature, extent, and magnitude of landscape change and development, and precisely how this development compares to other ongoing land conversion (e.g. urban/sub-urban development, timber harvest) is not well understood. In this study, we examine land conversion from oil and gas infrastructure development in the upper Susquehanna River basin in Pennsylvania and New York, an area that has experienced much oil and gas development over the past 10 years. We quantified land conversion in terms of forest canopy geometric volume loss in contrast to previous studies that considered only areal impacts. For the first time in a study of this type, we use fine-scale lidar forest canopy geometric models to assess the volumetric change due to forest clearing from oil and gas development and contrast this land change to clear cut forest harvesting, and urban and suburban development. Results show that oil and gas infrastructure development removed a large volume of forest canopy from 2006 to 2013, and this removal spread over a large portion of the study area. Timber operations (clear cutting) on Pennsylvania State Forest lands removed a larger total volume of forest canopy during the same time period, but this canopy removal was concentrated in a smaller area. Results of our study point to the need to consider volumetric impacts of oil and gas development on ecosystems, and to place potential impacts in context with other ongoing land conversions.