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Coastal forests in the eastern United States are increasingly threatened by hurricanes; however, monitoring their initial impacts and subsequent recovery is challenging across scales. Understanding disturbance impacts and responses is essential for sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, and climate change adaptation. Using Sentinel-2 imagery, we calculated the annual Normalized Difference Vegetation Index change (∆NDVI) of forests before and after Hurricane Michael (HM) in Florida to determine how different forest use types were impacted, including the initial wind damage in 2018 and subsequent recovery or reactive management for two focal areas located near and far from the coast. We used detailed parcel data to define forest use types and characterized multi-year impacts using sampling and k-means clustering. We analyzed five years of timberland logging activity up to the fall of 2023 to identify changes in logging rates that may be attributable to post-hurricane salvage efforts. We found uniform impacts across forest use types near the coast, where winds were the most intense but differences inland. Forest use types showed a wide range of multi-year responses. Urban forests had the fastest 3-year recovery, and the timberland response was delayed, apparently due to salvage logging that increased post-hurricane, peaked in 2021–2022, and returned to the pre-hurricane rate by 2023. The initial and secondary consequences of HM on forests were complex, as they varied across local and landscape gradients. These insights reveal the importance of considering forest use types to understand the resilience of coastal forests in the face of potentially increasing hurricane activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife damage to forests has become an increasingly serious problem in recent years, and its impact is exacerbated by ongoing climate change. Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, uneven precipitation distribution, and other factors affect forest ecosystems, which, in turn, affect cloven-hoofed animal populations, their food preferences, and ultimately, the extent of damage they cause. Based on 133 references, this review article focuses on the relationships between wildlife damage and climate change and presents possible strategies to address this issue in the Czech Republic. Wildlife damage includes not just browsing and fraying in natural and artificial regeneration but also damage to trees from bark stripping and the lesser-known rooting of seedlings. Concerning tree species, browsing is most damaging to silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) and sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus L.). The enticement to wildlife increases as the proportion of the tree species in the stand decreases. Browse damage is more severe at the edge of the stand. Bark stripping and secondary rot cause the most damage to the production quality of Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.). Total wildlife damage increases with elevation. Combined with the progress of climate change, game-induced damage significantly restricts close-to-nature forest management practices and limits the use of adaptive measures in response to climate change. In addition, mixed forests with species that attract wildlife and the rapid increase in the number of clearings following bark beetle salvage logging significantly increase game pressure. This is primarily the result of the overpopulation of native and introduced game species and the considerable inconsistency between forest and hunting management practices, with the latter not respecting the principle of ecologically tolerable game damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disturbances catalyse change in forest ecosystems, and a climate-driven increase in disturbance activity could accelerate forest reorganization. Here, we studied post-disturbance forests after the biggest pulse of tree mortality in Central Europe in at least 170 years, caused by drought and bark beetle (Scolytinae) outbreaks in 2018–2020. Our objectives were to characterize the early state of tree regeneration after mortality, quantify patterns of reorganization relative to undisturbed reference conditions and assess how management and patch size affect forest reorganization after disturbance. We surveyed 1244 plots in 120 patches under managed (salvage-logged, often planted) and unmanaged (deadwood remaining on site, no planting) conditions in Germany. We found that regeneration density on disturbed sites was high (median 11 897 stems ha−1), resulting from a cohort of advance regeneration. Disturbances were strong drivers of change, with indications for resilience on only 36.3% of patches. Reassembly (i.e. a change in species composition) was the dominant pattern of reorganization (61.5%), and Picea abies forests changed most strongly. Post-disturbance management facilitated forest change, particularly promoting a change in species composition. The strength of reorganization increased with patch size. We conclude that the recent wave of tree mortality will likely accelerate forest change in Central Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Wildfires may cause serious injuries to the anatomical structure of trees that can lead to tree death or long-lasting injury recovery, limiting their growth and vitality for several years. Post-fire management involves a wide range of measures aimed at recovering and restoring burnt areas. Usually, the first step is "salvage logging", i.e., the removal of irremediably injured trees. The burn severity depends on several parameters and is variable within the burnt area. For this reason, in some areas, the death of apparently healthy individuals has often been observed even after several years. This study aims to assess delayed/latent mortality by analyzing glucose like a tracer in wood by using a blood glucometer and HPLC. Results. The glucose in the phloem, cambium, and last xylem rings was measured using a glucometer developed for measuring glucose in the blood. The adopted approach detected glucose concentrations that were recognizable for different functional levels of the trees. Conclusions. The glucometer was suitable to detect the glucose in wood and phloem in order to define the death or health of the disturbed and undisturbed trees post-fire. Further investigations are required to find new solutions for a rapid evaluation of the abiotic and biotic factors that influence tree functionality in the forest. This approach will be used to predict the probability of the death of the individuals injured, which would improve the efficiency and the economy of recovery operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Forest disturbances are projected to increase in intensity and frequency in the upcoming decades. The projected change in disturbance regimes is expected to alter the provision of ecosystem services and affect biodiversity. Both are critical for forest ecosystems to provide livelihoods for human societies. Forest management after natural disturbances shapes successional pathways of forest ecosystems. Therefore, the management of post-disturbance sites deserves critical attention to avoid negative effects of management interventions on ecosystem services and biodiversity. The two most common management interventions after natural disturbances are salvage logging (comparator: no salvage logging) and tree planting (comparator: natural regeneration). This planned systematic map of reviews aims to aggregate the existing evidence syntheses on the implications of common forest management interventions after natural disturbances on successional trajectories with regard to selected ecosystem services and biodiversity. Evidence-based post-disturbance management is highly relevant for protected area management as well as for the management of commercial forests. Methods We will systematically search the databases Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection and the Forest Science Collection of the CABI Digital Library for reviews and meta-analyses (after 2003). We will apply eligibility criteria for review selection and assess the evidence synthesis validity of selected reviews using the most recent version of CEESAT (Collaboration for Environmental Evidence Synthesis Assessment Tool). The results will be displayed in topic subgroups in summary of scope and summary of findings tables.

Post‐disturbance forest management is known to impair biodiversity, including bird communities, but most studies focus on short‐term effects of salvage logging, without recognition of the cumulative, lasting impact of collective post‐disturbance silvicultural practices. We tracked bird community succession in a temperate pine forest from 5 to 19 years after wind disturbance in managed and unmanaged windthrow areas, covering the period from gap creation to early canopy regeneration and comparing it to nearby production forest unaffected by wind disturbance. Bird communities of unmanaged windthrow were consistently the richest in terms of bird abundance and richness. They hosted comparable forest bird diversity to unaffected production stands throughout the study period, as well as a substantial diversity of farmland birds. Managed and unmanaged windthrows followed two distinct successional pathways and did not converge. Despite the bird communities in both windthrows gradually resembling those found in undisturbed forests as the canopy regenerated, each type of windthrow and the unaffected production forest maintained distinct communities until the end of the study. Synthesis and applications. Restraining from any active post‐windthrow management sets bird succession on a distinct pathway, leading to unique and diverse bird communities. We advocate viewing natural disturbances as cost‐effective ecosystem restoration tools, provided no active management is implemented. Furthermore, we advise against using the term ‘salvage logging’ to refer to collective post‐disturbance silvicultural practices, as its varying interpretation may lead to growing confusion as the number of long‐term studies increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polygraphus proximus Blandford (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), a non‐aggressive bark beetle, has caused mortality of Abies spp. in Western Siberia, Central Asia, European Russia as well as Japan. Removing dead trees (e.g. salvage logging) and thinning stands are considered one of the best practices to reduce the risk of bark beetle outbreaks. However, salvaging or removing dead and thinned trees requires significant effort. Thus, to determine whether cutting trees into shorter logs would reduce P. proximus infestation, we exposed A. sachalinensis logs of various lengths on the ground in a forest stand. The attack density of P. proximus significantly decreased with shorter log lengths. It can be concluded that cutting into short logs and leaving them on the ground are effective practices to reduce the chance of P. proximus host location and outbreaks after natural disturbances and thinning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In pediatric multi-system high risk organs (RO +) Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), failing 1st line treatment has the highest mortality. We aim to present the outcome of failure of 1st line whether due to disease progression (DP) at end of induction or reactivation (REA) after initial better status response. Patients and methods: Sixty-seven RO + LCH patients with hemopoietic, hepatic or splenic involvement, treated between 2007 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The median follow-up (IQR) is 6 years (4–8.8 y).They were subjected to 2 eras of treatment; one with salvage by 2-Cda based regimen (2-CdABR) and another without. Results: Of 67 patients, M/F 40/27, median age 1.74 y (0.2–10 y), 42 failed 1st line (62.7%). Of them DP n = 22 (52%) and REA n = 20 (48%). Of those with DP, 9/22 patients received 2-CdABR, where 5 survived in better status. While the remaining 13 did not receive 2-CdABR and all of them died. Otherwise, of those with REA, 12/20 reactivated on RO + mode. Of them, 8/12 received 2-CdABR, where only one survived in better status and the remaining 4 received vinblastine-based regimen,where 2 died and 2 were rescued. RO + 5-year overall survival (OS) was 65% (CI 95% 54 -78) while the event free survival (EFS) 36% (26.3—50.1). The OS of DP 27% (14–54) versus REA 67% (49–93) p 0.004. OS of DP with 2-CdABR 56% (31–97.7) versus 8% without (2–51), p < 0.001. While OS of REA with 2-CdABR 38% (13–100) versus 74% without (53–100) p 0.7. Conclusion: Survival of RO + remains limited. Failure of 1st line in RO + due to DP carries worse prognosis in relation to REA. In DP those who were not salvaged by 2-CdABR, showed dismal outcome. This could not be shown when applied in REA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The very early herbaceous vegetation which established in the clearings following 2018 'Vaia' storm was investigated in some pre-Alpine areas of Northeast Italy, on calcareous as well as acidic substrata. Sixty-two original vegetation-plot records were executed in spruce or mixed beech-silver fir-spruce blowdown forests, within two years after the salvage logging had been completed. According to different origin and degree of soil disturbance, different communities were recognised. Galeopsis pubescens and G. tetrahit rich stands develop as ephemeral annual associations at the beginning of the regeneration succession where partially decomposed coniferous needles and twigs have accumulated in the litter. Soils with altered profiles due to forestry machineries harbour dominance of perennial herbaceous species (especially Senecio nemorensis agg., Atropa bella-donna, Epilobium angustifolium) which origin as many already recognised associations or vegetation types we ascribed to community level. All coenoses belong to Epilobietea angustifolii class, with the exception of Calamagrostis arundinacea-rich stands on undisturbed base-rich as well as base-poor soils, whose syntaxonomic positions are unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forest disturbances are projected to increase in intensity and frequency in the upcoming decades. The projected change in disturbance regimes is expected to alter the provision of ecosystem services and affect biodiversity. Both are critical for forest ecosystems to provide livelihoods for human societies. Forest management after natural disturbances shapes successional pathways of forest ecosystems. Therefore, the management of post-disturbance sites deserves critical attention to avoid negative effects of management interventions on ecosystem services and biodiversity. The two most common management interventions after natural disturbances are salvage logging (comparator: no salvage logging) and tree planting (comparator: natural regeneration). This planned systematic map of reviews aims to aggregate the existing evidence syntheses on the implications of common forest management interventions after natural disturbances on successional trajectories with regard to selected ecosystem services and biodiversity. Evidence-based post-disturbance management is highly relevant for protected area management as well as for the management of commercial forests. Methods: We will systematically search the databases Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection and the Forest Science Collection of the CABI Digital Library for reviews and meta-analyses (after 2003). We will apply eligibility criteria for review selection and assess the evidence synthesis validity of selected reviews using the most recent version of CEESAT (Collaboration for Environmental Evidence Synthesis Assessment Tool). The results will be displayed in topic subgroups in summary of scope and summary of findings tables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic climate change poses a major threat to ecosystems and their biodiversity. Forests, for example, are suffering from climate-amplified disturbances like droughts or pest outbreaks. Throughout Europe, such disturbances resulted in large-scale diebacks of managed spruce stands in recent years. While such stands are often salvage-logged to reduce economic losses, it is still rather unclear how post-disturbance management affects forest biodiversity in anthropogenic spruce stands. By comparing epigeal beetle communities among salvage-logged sites, standing deadwood patches, and succession areas, we show that spruce dieback can be a chance for biodiversity conservation. Even though individual beetle families responded partly differently to post-disturbance management, standing deadwood enhanced the overall diversity of ground-dwelling beetles compared to salvage logging, while succession sites were intermediate. We also show that community composition and functional guilds vary strongly between management categories. Implications for insect conservation: We suggest to set-aside areas of standing deadwood for natural succession to enhance beetle taxonomic and functional diversity, especially of deadwood-dependent species. As different types of management support different species assemblages, well-planned post-disturbance management, including a partial abandonment of salvage logging and a consideration of natural succession, may counter biodiversity losses in forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bark beetle outbreaks damage forests and kill trees worldwide, but many aspects of their dynamics remain unexplained. Our aim was to identify predictors for individual tree deaths within the small (0.7 km2) Plešné Lake catchment in the Šumava National Park in southwestern Czechia. Within this area, >60,000 trees were geo-referenced and categorized from ten aerial images (20 cm spatial resolution) between 2000 and 2015. For each year for which aerial images were available, we calculated tree densities of different categories and diameters. Tree height was evaluated by means of LiDAR in two terrestrial campaigns (2010 and 2011). A machine learning technique was then used to evaluate the most important variables. The resulting relationships were largely nonlinear and differed among years; however, individual trait tree height proved to be the most influential variable in each year. Higher trees were more likely to have died during either the undisturbed phase (2000 and 2003), the disturbed phase (2005–2011), or the recovery phase (2013). Our results indicate that salvage logging may not be the most effective measure for protecting trees in small catchments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The giant noctule is a rare European bat about which we have little ecological information, but it is a priority species for which we need to determine the best conservation measures. Acoustic monitoring followed by a radio-tracking survey resulted in the localisation of two maternity colonies in different forest areas in the Western Carpathians, one in protected mixed stands in a national park (Muránska planina Mts) and the other in disturbed secondary spruce forests (Balocké vrchy Mts). The 95% home-range polygon of the roosts was about 3.5 km2 for both colonies. Eurasian aspen (Populus tremula) accounted for 100% of roosts (n = 18 trees) in mixed stands. However, even in the spruce monocultures, bats roosted in cavities of this tree whenever possible, although 76% of roosts (n = 21 trees) were still in Norway spruce (Picea abies). Regardless of forest type, the bats preferred to roost at the edges of the stands and on steep slopes that offered a free exit from the roost into open space. Small-scale salvage logging during bark beetle outbreaks can also create suitable open roosting habitats. Our observations indicate that structured stands with a higher proportion of aspen will positively affect tree-dwelling bats in mountain forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryotherapy is an ablative therapy that can be used to treat localized prostate cancer. In case of recurrence, treatment options are not well-defined, and their outcomes are unknown. We therefore collected all patients treated with radiotherapy after cryotherapy for prostate cancer recurrence in Nantes (France) between 2012 and 2019. We identified ten patients. After a median follow-up of 5 years, two patients presented late grade 3 toxicities; one patient presented a grade 3 rectal hemorrhage, and one had a grade 3 hematuria. Two patients relapsed at 61 and 62 months, and three patients died of other causes. Radiotherapy to treat local prostate cancer recurrence after cryotherapy seems feasible and effective in local control. These results do not allow us to recommend this technique in current practice but are encouraging for the conduct of prospective trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfire and postfire salvage logging are major drivers of forest succession in western North America. Although postfire landscapes support a variety of carnivore species, it is unclear how these animals respond to differing patterns and severities of burning, or to additional landscape change from postfire salvage logging. Open, early-seral habitats created by these disturbances are predicted to benefit generalists such as coyotes (Canis latrans) and weasels (Mustela spp.), but restrict the activity of forest specialists such as Canadaian Lynx (Lynx canadensis) and Pacific Marten (Martes caurina). We used winter track surveys, supplemented with remote cameras, to examine carnivore habitat use in and around large, mixed-severity burns in north-central Washington, United States (burned in 2006), and central British Columbia, Canada (burned in 2010, then partially salvage-logged; some areas reburned in 2017). At 10 to 13 years postfire, marten had similar detection rates across lightly and severely burned areas of the 2006 burn, as did coyotes. Marten selected lightly burned areas of the 2010 burn (6 to 9 years postfire) over higher burn severities, and selected burns over adjacent unburned forests. Weasels selected areas of higher burn severity on both landscapes, while Lynx selected lower burn severities. Weasels and coyotes selected areas with a greater proportion of salvage-logged habitat in the 2010 burn, while marten, lynx, and wolves (Canis lupus) avoided areas with salvage logging. Fishers (Pekania pennanti) showed no clear patterns of selection or avoidance in relation to burn severity or salvage logging. Burn severity strongly influences wildlife activity postfire; lightly burned residual habitats are critical for forest specialists. Postfire salvage logging alters carnivore communities and may hinder species that require structurally complex landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires are a natural part of the dynamics of Mediterranean forest ecosystems. The fire patterns in the Mediterranean basin have been altered mainly due to changes in land use and climate change. In 2017, a wildfire in Yeste (Spain) burned 3200 hectares of two Mediterranean pine forests. We investigated the effects of burn severity and postfire salvage logging practices on vegetation and soil properties in four experimental areas distributed within the wildfire perimeter. These areas included unburned, low, high, and high burn severity with salvage logging, all located under Pinus halepensis Mill and Pinus pinaster Aiton stands. Salvage logging was applied 18 months after the fire. We established 72 circular plots (nine per treatment and pine species). We collected soil samples to analyze physicochemical and biological soil properties, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic matter (SOM) content, carbon from microbial biomass (CBM), basal soil respiration (BSR), metabolic quotient (qCO2), and two enzymatic activities: β-glucosidase (GLU) and phosphatase (PHP). To understand how vegetation changed after fire, we implemented three linear transects per plot to calculate α-diversity indices (richness, Shannon, and Simpson), vegetation coverage (COBV), fraction of bare soil (BSOIL), the number of postfire seedlings (NSeed) and their average height (Hm), and we grouped vegetation into different postfire adaptive strategies: facultative seeder (R+S+), obligate resprouter (R+S−), obligate seeder (R−S+), and non-fire-adapted (R−S−). We ran ANOVA and Tukey's HSD post hoc tests to evaluate the differences between burn severity and salvage logging practices on the variables examined for each pine stand. We used PCA and correlation analysis to identify plant-soil interactions. Our results suggest that Pinus halepensis stands were more affected by the wildfire than Pinus pinaster stands due to the distinct characteristics of each species (morphology of the leaves, bark thickness, cone structure, etc.) and the significant differences observed in terms of pH, SOM, CBM, qCO2, GLU, PHP, and Nseed. The proportion of obligate resprouter species was higher in Pinus halepensis stands, and the obligate seeder species were higher in Pinus pinaster stands. The study highlighted the importance of monitoring burn severity and postfire management practices to promote forest recovery and reduce wildfire risk. Limiting the negative impact of postfire salvage logging practices can enhance the resilience of vulnerable ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the influence of fire severity, logging of burnt wood, local ecological factors and their interaction on the natural regeneration, survival and growth of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.), following a fire that took place in 2005. During the period 2006–2020, a sample of 1900 seedlings were monitored, in which three post-fire treatments were applied: (1) Early logging (before seedling emergence); (2) Delayed logging (after emergence); and (3) No management. Multivariate semi-parametric and non-parametric techniques were used to model seedling survival, estimated density and growth of natural pine regeneration. Seedling survival was 31% with a mean density of more than 2000 seedlings/ha at the end of the study period. Logging before seedling emergence was positively related with pine survival and density. Delayed logging resulted in the lowest seedling density and regeneration. Fire severity had a negative influence on regeneration density. The findings indicate that site conditions and fire severity have a stronger influence on natural regeneration of maritime pine than subsequent post-fire management treatments. In order to ensure the presence of maritime pine in pure or mixed stands, silvicultural work is required to control competition from other species and reduce the risk of new wildfires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest insect outbreaks cause large changes in ecosystem structure, composition, and function. Humans often respond to insect outbreaks by conducting salvage logging, which can amplify the immediate effects, but it is unclear whether logging will result in lasting differences in forest structure and dynamics when compared with forests affected only by insect outbreaks. We used 15 years of data from an experimental removal of Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carr. (Eastern hemlock), a foundation tree species within eastern North American forests, and contrasted the rate, magnitude, and persistence of response trajectories between girdling (emulating mortality from insect outbreak) and timber harvest treatments. Girdling and logging were equally likely to lead to large changes in forest structure and dynamics, but logging resulted in faster rates of change. Understory light increases and community composition changes were larger and more rapid in the logged plots. Tree seedling and understory vegetation abundance increased more in the girdled plots; this likely occurred because seedlings grew rapidly into the sapling‐ and tree‐size classes after logging and quickly shaded out plants on the forest floor. Downed deadwood pools increased more after logging but standing deadwood pools increased dramatically after girdling. Understory light levels remained elevated for a longer time after girdling. Perhaps because the window of opportunity for understory species to establish was longer in the girdled plots, total species richness increased more in the girdled than logged plots. Despite the potential for greater diversity in the girdled plots, Betula lenta L. (black birch) was the most abundant tree species recruited into the sapling‐ and tree‐size classes in both the girdled and logged plots and is poised to dominate the new forest canopy. The largest difference between the girdling and logging treatments—deadwood structure and quantity—will persist and continue to bolster aboveground carbon storage and structural and habitat diversity in the girdled plots. Human responses to insect outbreaks hasten forest reorganization and remove structural resources that may further alter forest response to ongoing climate stress and future disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent drought, wildfires and rising temperatures in the western US highlight the urgency of increasing resiliency in overstocked forests. However, limited valuation information hinders the broader participation of beneficiaries in forest management. We assessed how historical disturbances in California's Central Sierra Nevada affected live biomass, forest water use and carbon uptake and estimated marginal values of these changes. On average, low‐severity wildfire caused greater declines in forest evapotranspiration (ET), gross primary productivity (GPP) and live biomass than did commercial thinning. Low‐severity wildfires represent proxies for prescribed burns and both function as biomass removal to alleviate overstocked conditions. Increases in potential runoff over 15 years post‐disturbance were valued at $108,000/km2 for commercial thinning versus $234,000/km2 for low‐severity wildfire, based on historical water prices. Respective declines in GPP were valued at −$305,000 and −$1,317,000/km2, based on an average social cost of carbon. Considering biomass levels created by commercial thinning and low‐severity fire as more‐sustainable management baselines for overstocked forests, carbon uptake over 15 years post‐disturbance can be viewed as a benefit rather than loss. Realizing this benefit upon management re‐entry may require sequestering thinned material. High‐severity wildfire and clearcutting resulted in greater declines in ET and thus greater potential water benefits but also substantial declines in GPP and live carbon. These lessons from historical disturbances indicate what benefit ranges from fuels treatments can be expected from more‐sustainable management of mixed‐conifer forests and the importance of setting an appropriate baseline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forests mitigate climate change by reducing atmospheric CO 2 -concentrations through the carbon sink in the forest and in wood products, and substitution effects when wood products replace carbon-intensive materials and fuels. Quantifying the carbon mitigation potential of forests is highly challenging due to the influence of multiple important factors such as forest age and type, climate change and associated natural disturbances, harvest intensities, wood usage patterns, salvage logging practices, and the carbon-intensity of substituted products. Here, we developed a framework to quantify the impact of these factors through factorial simulation experiments with an ecosystem model at the example of central European (Bavarian) forests. Results: Our simulations showed higher mitigation potentials of young forests compared to mature forests, and similar ones in broad-leaved and needle-leaved forests. Long-lived wood products significantly contributed to mitigation, particularly in needle-leaved forests due to their wood product portfolio, and increased material usage of wood showed considerable climate benefits. Consequently, the ongoing conversion of needle-leaved to more broad-leaved forests should be accompanied by the promotion of long-lived products from broad-leaved species to maintain the product sink. Climate change (especially increasing disturbances) and decarbonization were among the most critical factors influencing mitigation potentials and introduced substantial uncertainty. Nevertheless, until 2050 this uncertainty was narrow enough to derive robust findings. For instance, reducing harvest intensities enhanced the carbon sink in our simulations, but diminished substitution effects, leading to a decreased total mitigation potential until 2050. However, when considering longer time horizons (i.e. until 2100), substitution effects became low enough in our simulations due to expected decarbonization such that decreasing harvests often seemed the more favorable solution. Conclusion: Our results underscore the need to tailor mitigation strategies to the specific conditions of different forest sites. Furthermore, considering substitution effects, and thoroughly assessing the amount of avoided emissions by using wood products, is critical to determine mitigation potentials. While short-term recommendations are possible, we suggest risk diversification and methodologies like robust optimization to address increasing uncertainties from climate change and decarbonization paces past 2050. Finally, curbing emissions reduces the threat of climate change on forests, safeguarding their carbon sink and ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing, implementing, and maintaining a multi-intelligent body collaboration system necessitates significant investments in finances, time, and expertise. While multi-intelligent body collaboration has the potential to enhance power system stability significantly, it also comes with challenges related to interoperability, security, system complexity, and resource allocation. Resource allocation and training costs can be substantial. Addressing these challenges is crucial to harnessing the full benefits of this approach and ensuring the reliable and efficient operation of power systems. Effective communication and coordination strategies among intelligent agents are integral to maintaining power system stability. Timely information exchange, load balancing, disturbance management, and the integration of AI contribute to a more resilient and adaptive energy grid. As technology advances, refining these strategies will be essential to meet the growing demands of an ever-evolving power landscape. As technology marches forward, it becomes increasingly evident that the refinement of these strategies is paramount. The dynamism of the power landscape, driven by technological advancements and evolving needs, necessitates an agile and adaptable power system. The fusion of multiintelligent bodies and modern technology stands as a testament to our collective pursuit of a more reliable, efficient, and sustainable energy future. In this ever-evolving landscape, the innovation and enhancement of these strategies are our compass, guiding us toward a brighter and more efficient future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LANDFIRE (LF) has been producing periodic spatially explicit vegetation change maps (i.e., LF disturbance products) across the entire United States since 1999 at a 30 m spatial resolution. These disturbance products include data products produced by various fire programs, field-mapped vegetation and fuel treatment activity (i.e., events) submissions from various agencies, and disturbances detected by the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS)-based Remote Sensing of Landscape Change (RSLC) process. The RSLC process applies a bi-temporal change detection algorithm to Landsat satellite-based seasonal composites to generate the interim disturbances that are subsequently reviewed by analysts to reduce omission and commission errors before ingestion them into LF's disturbance products. The latency of the disturbance product is contingent on timely data availability and analyst review. This work describes the development and integration of the Spatially Adaptable Filter for Error Reduction (SAFER) process and other error and latency reduction improvements to the RSLC process. SAFER is a random forest-based supervised classifier and uses predictor variables that are derived from multiple years of pre- and post-disturbance Landsat band observations. Predictor variables include reflectance, indices, and spatial contextual information. Spatial contextual information that is unique to each contiguous disturbance region is parameterized as Z scores using differential observations of the disturbed regions with its undisturbed neighbors. The SAFER process was prototyped for inclusion in the RSLC process over five regions within the conterminous United States (CONUS) and regional model performance, evaluated using 2016 data. Results show that the inclusion of the SAFER process increased the accuracies of the interim disturbance detections and thus has potential to reduce the time needed for analyst review. LF does not track the time taken by each analyst for each tile, and hence, the relative effort saved was parameterized as the percentage of 30 m pixels that are correctly classified in the SAFER outputs to the total number of pixels that are incorrectly classified in the interim disturbance and are presented. The SAFER prototype outputs showed that the relative analysts' effort saved could be over 95%. The regional model performance evaluation showed that SAFER's performance depended on the nature of disturbances and availability of cloud-free images relative to the time of disturbances. The accuracy estimates for CONUS were inferred by comparing the 2017 SAFER outputs to the 2017 analyst-reviewed data. As expected, the SAFER outputs had higher accuracies compared to the interim disturbances, and CONUS-wide relative effort saved was over 92%. The regional variation in the accuracies and effort saved are discussed in relation to the vegetation and disturbance type in each region. SAFER is now operationally integrated into the RSLC process, and LANDFIRE is well poised for annual updates, contingent on the availability of data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the influence of post‐disturbance forest management on tree regeneration is critical for assessing ecosystem recovery and guiding future responses. In particular, the influx of elevated coarse woody material (CWM) following wind disturbance, if left in situ, may impede herbivore access, thereby protecting saplings from browsing damage through a natural 'exclosure effect'.In 2013, a tornado in northcentral Maine, United States and subsequent salvage logging operations created three clear 'treatments' for evaluation of the exclosure effect: blowdown, blowdown plus salvage logging and an undamaged control. Nine years post‐tornado, we inventoried tree regeneration within these treatments to evaluate differences in sapling abundance, species composition, size structure and browsing intensity. We also inventoried CWM, including the height above forest floor.Results revealed significant differences in sapling composition and browsing intensity among treatments. The salvage treatment had the highest proportion of browsed saplings (56 ± 28%; mean ± standard error), followed by the control (9 ± 10%) and blowdown (5 ± 8%). Blowdown had by far the greatest mean (50 ± 9 cm) and average maximum (169 ± 43 cm) heights for CWM. Binomial generalized linear models revealed that browsing probability was a function of mean CWM height and an interaction between sapling density and proportion of sapling hardwoods. Thus, browsing damage was less likely in plots with greater CWM heights and more likely in plots with greater sapling density and more hardwood saplings.Synthesis and applications. This study furthers our understanding of ecosystem recovery following blowdown and salvage logging. Results suggest that salvage logging created important differences in coarse woody material (CWM) abundance and height distribution, when compared to un‐salvaged areas, and that these differences in turn altered sapling size structure and browsing intensity. These findings highlight the potential long‐term effects of successive disturbances, as the differences evident in these early stages may persist for decades or longer. Importantly, we provide evidence of the exclosure effect, suggesting that CWM retained in the un‐salvaged area protected saplings from moose browsing. Thus, in post‐disturbance areas where browsing threatens regeneration, we recommend that managers consider retaining CWM to serve as a natural exclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent observations of tree regeneration failures following large and severe disturbances, particularly under warm and dry conditions, have raised concerns about the resilience of forest ecosystems and their recovery dynamics in the face of climate change. We investigated the recovery of temperate forests in Europe after large and severe disturbance events (i.e., resulting in more than 70% canopy loss in patches larger than 1 ha), with a range of one to five decades since the disturbance occurred. The study included 143 sites of different forest types and management practices that had experienced 28 disturbance events, including windthrow (132 sites), fire (six sites), and bark beetle outbreaks (five sites). We focused on assessing post‐disturbance tree density, structure, and composition as key indicators of forest resilience. We compared post‐disturbance height‐weighted densities with site‐specific pre‐disturbance densities to qualitatively assess the potential for structural and compositional recovery, overall and for dominant tree species, respectively. Additionally, we analyzed the ecological drivers of post‐windthrow tree density, such as forest management, topography, and post‐disturbance aridity, using a series of generalized additive models. The descriptive results show that European temperate forests have been resilient to past large and severe disturbances and concurrent climate conditions, albeit with lower resilience to high‐severity fire compared with other disturbance agents. Across sites and disturbance agents, the potential for structural recovery was greater than that of compositional recovery, with a large proportion of plots becoming dominated by early‐successional species after disturbance. The models showed that increasing elevation and salvage logging negatively affect post‐windthrow regeneration, particularly for late‐successional species, while pioneer species are negatively affected by increasing summer aridity. These findings provide a key baseline for assessing future recovery and resilience following the recent occurrence of widespread disturbance in the region and in anticipation of future conditions characterized by increasing heat and drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This correction notice addresses an error in the original article titled "Fire severity influences large wood and stream ecosystem responses in western Oregon watersheds." The error affected the calculations of fish and amphibian densities at certain sites, resulting in incorrect data in Figure 7. The correction only affects the fish and amphibian density and biomass density results, but does not impact the overall conclusions or interpretation of the article. The corrected figures and table of corrections can be found in the notice. The article focuses on the response of in-stream large wood and riparian coarse wood to wildfire. [Extracted from the article]

Forestation can contribute to climate change mitigation. However, an increasing frequency and intensity of climate extremes is posed to have profound impact on forests, and consequently on the mitigation potential of forestation efforts. In this perspective, we critically assess forestation-reliant climate mitigation scenarios from five different Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) by show-casing the spatially explicit exposure of forests to fire weather and the simulated increase in global annual burned area. We provide a detailed description of the feedback from climate change to forest carbon uptake in IAMs. Few IAMs are currently accounting for feedback mechanisms like loss from fire disturbance. Consequently many forestation areas proposed by IAM scenarios will be exposed to fire-promoting weather conditions and without costly prevention measures might be object to frequent burning. We conclude that the actual climate mitigation portfolio in IAM scenarios is subject to substantial uncertainty and that the risk of overly optimistic estimates of negative emission potential of forestation should be avoided. As a way forward we propose how to integrate more detailed climate information when modeling climate mitigation pathways heavily relying on forestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical coastal freshwater forested wetlands in coastal regions are rapidly disappearing as a result of various disturbance agents, mainly wildfires caused by high accumulations of forest fuels. The objective of this study was to characterize the structure and composition of fuel beds in tropical coastal freshwater forested wetlands with three levels of disturbance at El Castaño, La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve. Seventeen sampling units were used to describe the structure of the forest's fuel beds (canopy, sub-canopy, and understory). Fallen woody material and litter (surface and fermented) were characterized using the planar intersection technique. Diversity comprised eight species of trees, two shrubs, five lianas, and two herbaceous species. The vertical strata were dominated by trees between 2 and 22 m in height. The horizontal structure had a higher percentage of trees with normal diameter between 2.5 and 7.5 cm (61.4%) of the total. Sites with low disturbance had the highest arboreal density (2686 ind. ha−1). Diversity of species showed that the Fisher, Margalef, Shannon, and Simpson α indices were higher in the low disturbance sites. The Berger–Parker index exhibited greater dominance in the sites with high disturbance. Pachira aquatica Aubl. Showed the highest importance value index and was the largest contributor to fuel beds. Sites with the highest disturbance had the highest dead fuel load (222.18 ± 33.62 Mg ha−1), with woody fuels of classes 1, 10, and 1000 h (rotten) being the most representative. This study contributes to defining areas prone to fire in these ecosystems and designing prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eurasian Spruce Bark Beetle (Ips typographus) (L. 1758) (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) poses a significant threat to Eurasia's Norway spruce (Picea abies) (L.) Karst, forests. Early detection of infested trees is crucial to control beetle outbreaks and allow salvage logging before the next generation emerges. Besides traditional methods, new approaches focus on monitoring volatile organic compounds, mainly monoterpenes, emitted by infested trees. Using analytical chemistry, we studied the distribution of these compounds, particularly α-pinene, around infested trees. In lab trials, we optimized α-pinene detection using dynamic absorption and solid-phase microextraction (SPME), analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID). We conducted forest trials, revealing varying α-pinene abundance due to changing conditions. However, consistent trends emerged: levels were highest near the infested tree stem and 1.3 m above ground in the first trial and at a 1 m distance from the infested stem in the second. We generated a three-dimensional cloud depicting the distribution of α-pinene around infested trees in their natural habitat. These findings open avenues for detecting bark beetles on a large scale by mapping elevated concentrations of volatile organic compounds emitted by infested trees, potentially leading to alternative pest management methods. Scanning methods, such as electronic sensors combined with remote sensing, hold promise for this application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arboreal ant diversity is typically higher in tropical forests, particularly in the canopy, where they constitute approximately 90% of the total arthropod population in the crowns of tropical trees. Unfortunately, activities such as forest fragmentation, leading to isolated islands of remaining forest, can impact the species richness, diversity, and composition of arboreal ants. In this study, the responses of arboreal ants to experimental forest fragmentation were investigated across a range of fragment sizes (1 ha - 100 ha) and in salvage logged matrix habitat. The study recorded a total of 13,358 individuals belonging to 171 morphospecies Notably, Polyrhachis, Camponotus, and Crematogaster emerged as the most diverse genera. The ant composition exhibited significant variation with forest fragment size (ANOSIM: Global R = 0.0683; p = 0.0306). However, the species richness (Kruskal-Wallis test: x² = 1.242, df = 3, p = 0.743) and abundance (Kruskal-Wallis test: x² = 3.76, df = 3, p = 0.287) of arboreal ants did not exhibit significant differences across various forest fragment sizes. These alterations in the composition of arboreal ants within fragment areas may be attributed to differences between species in social behavior, nesting habits, movement patterns, and niche preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Here we develop a practical framework (Mosaico) and report a real-world example of early implementation of a Fire-Smart Territory (FST) in Sierra de Gata-Las Hurdes region of central Spain. Objectives: We aimed to assess the impact of landscape changes induced by Local Land Managers (LLM; indirect prevention) on simulated fire spread under different governance scenarios developed in 2016–2021. Methods: Following a participatory process in the region, we received 250 proposals for intervention (49.6% from agriculturalists, 22.8% from forest producers-mainly resin tappers-, and 27.6% from shepherds). From the 94 (37.6%) proposals implemented by the end of the study, we quantified changes in fuel models over the whole territory (Scenario 1, S1). Then, we simulated fires in 20 ignition points to estimate area burned in S1 and three other governance scenarios. Results: To date, the sole intervention of LLMs results in a low to moderate impact (current mean 10.5; median 1.8), which can be explained by the high frequency of small-scale interventions (agriculture) and the comparatively modest impact on fuel reduction of large-scale interventions (livestock grazing). A combination of LLM and public actions is needed to reach a more substantial reduction of burned area (S2-S3, mean % impact 14.1–18.9; median 6.9–10.8). Relaxing legal/administrative constraints to allow large private intervention would result in the greatest attainable impact on burned area (S4, mean 25.0; median 17.8). Adaptive management of Mosaico approach must be focussed on improving LLM capacity to modify larger portions of the territory and prioritizing critical areas such as fire propagation nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Finland, wind-induced forest damage is expected to increase in the future. Demand exists for timely and precise first-hand information about the main impact area of windstorms. Locating potential damage areas quickly is essential for effective operational planning of salvage loggings, aiming to reduce monetary losses of timber and risk for secondary damage caused by insects. This study presents an approach for mapping the potential damage areas immediately after a windstorm, by using high-resolution forest vulnerability data and information on the spatial distribution of maximum wind gust speed derived from weather station observations using kriging with external drift interpolation. The new method is evaluated by analyzing damage caused by nine major windstorms of the 2010s in Finland. Our results show that including roughness length information as an auxiliary variable in the interpolation improved the results and produced wind maps with more plausible structure and better separation between forested and non-forested land areas. The forest vulnerability data were most strongly linked to damage, whilst wind gust speed had weaker results. However, for future storms with unknown damage areas, we consider maximum wind gust speed still essential for defining the main impact area, whereas forest vulnerability data could then be used for more detailed damage predictions. Further advancements of wind interpolation approaches, preferably towards higher resolution and, if possible, based on a denser and more diverse observation network, is needed to fully exploit the potential of combined wind and forest vulnerability data. Albeit we recognize multiple uncertainties, room for improvements and benefits that additional data sources would bring, our study demonstrates a simple approach for rapid mapping of potential forest wind damage areas, which could be further developed into an operational tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the pressing environmental problem of the emissions of ecotoxic heavy metals from high-temperature waste combustion processes, including incineration and pyrolysis. Such emissions pose a serious threat to ecosystems and human health. This study investigated the behaviour of the heavy metals Cu, Ni, and Pb during the combustion of various waste materials such as plastic waste, pharmaceutical waste, and pesticide waste. To limit the release of heavy metals into the exhaust gas stream, various additives were used: divanadium pentoxide (V2O5), borax (Na2B4O7), and their mixtures with calcium oxide (CaO). Additionally, this study examined the impact of the content of chlorine heteroatoms (Cl) in burned waste materials on the emission levels of Cu, Ni, and Pb. The findings shed light on the mobility of ecotoxic heavy metals in high-temperature waste incineration processes (1273, 1373 K) and offer insight into strategies to improve their immobilisation in grate residues. At a temperature of 1273 K, V2O5 with CaO reduced Pb emissions by ~65% for plastic waste and by ~40% for pesticide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires have nearly become a guaranteed annual event in most western National Forests. Severe fire effects can be mitigated with a goal of minimizing the hydrologic response and promoting soil and vegetation recovery towards the pre-disturbance condition. Sometimes, post-fire actions include salvage logging to recover timber value and to remove excess fuels. Salvage logging was conducted after three large wildfires on the Lolo National Forest in Montana, USA, between 2017 and 2019. We evaluated detrimental soil disturbance (DSD) on seven units that were burned at low, moderate, and high soil burn severity in 2022, three to five years after the logging occurred. We found a range of exposed soil of 5%–25% and DSD from 3% to 20%, and these values were significantly correlated at r = 0.88. Very-high-resolution WorldView-2 imagery that coincided with the field campaign was used to calculate Normal Differenced Vegetation Index (NDVI) across the salvaged areas; we found that NDVI values were significantly correlated to DSD at r = 0.87. We were able to further examine this relationship and determined NDVI threshold values that corresponded to high-DSD areas, as well as develop a model to estimate the contributions of equipment type, seasonality, topography, and burn severity to DSD. A decision-making tool which combines these factors and NDVI is presented to support land managers in planning, evaluating, and monitoring disturbance from post-fire salvage logging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite the existence of various treatment options, the prognosis for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) remains unfavorable. One potential therapeutic approach is the use of [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617, a targeted alpha therapy (TAT) that administers alpha-particle radiation specifically to prostate cancer cells expressing PSMA. In this study, we report the long-term survival outcomes of this novel therapy in a series of patients with mCRPC who have exhausted all standard treatment options. Methods: The study enrolled patients with mCRPC who had shown resistance to standard lines of therapies, including next-generation anti-androgen therapies and taxane-based chemotherapies. These eligible patients received treatment with [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617 at 100-150 kBq/kg doses administered every 8 weeks. The primary objective of the study was to assess overall survival (OS), while secondary objectives included evaluating radiological progression-free survival (rPFS), monitoring serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels as a measure of biochemical response, and assessing adverse events using the CTCAE v5.0 grading system. Results: Among the 63 initially enrolled patients, a total of 56 patients who had completed at least two cycles of [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617 were included in this study. The mean age was 67 years (range, 39-87) and patients received a total of 204 cycles of [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617 TAT. 91% of patients exhibited any PSA decline, with 67.8% experiencing a decline of 50% or more. The median follow-up was of 22 months (range: 6-59 months). Imaging-based disease progression was observed in 68% of patients, and 66% of patients succumbed to the disease. The median OS was 15 months (95% CI: 10-19). In univariate analysis, factors such as lack of >50% PSA decline (P=0.031), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 2 or higher (P=0.048), and radiological progression (rPD) (P<0.001) were found to be predictors of poor OS. However, in multivariate analysis, only rPD emerged as an independent prognostic factor with a hazard ratio (HR) of 8.264 (95% CI: 1.429-16.497, P=0.004). The estimated median rPFS was 9 months (95% CI: 7-15). Moreover, patients who demonstrated any PSA decline had a median rPFS of 10 months compared to only 3 months in patients without any PSA decline (multivariate HR: 6.749; 95% CI: 1.949-23.370; P=0.002). Fatigue was one of the most common treatment-emergent adverse events, with grades 1/2 occurring in 70% of patients and grades 3 or higher in 3.5% of patients. This fatigue was transient and resolved before the next treatment cycle. Additionally, approximately one-third of patients experienced xerostomia (grades 1/2: 32.1%). Conclusion: [225Ac]Ac-PSMA-617 targeted alpha therapy, was found to be well-tolerated with acceptable adverse events and effective in the treatment of patients with end-stage mCRPC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rodents respond quickly to changes in habitat structure after wildfires. They constitute important prey items for vertebrate predators and influence vegetation structure and regeneration. Assessing the population dynamics of rodents in burnt areas, whether individuals originate from in situ survival or from ex situ immigration, is therefore a key question in understanding the recovery of trophic networks after disturbance. This study aimed to identify the recovery strategies of rodent populations in recently burnt forests in the Mediterranean basin using body condition, reproductive output, sex ratios, and distance covered by wood mice and Algerian mice. Sampling stations were set up at increasing distances from the perimeter of recently burnt areas. Rodents were captured using Sherman traps and measured. Wood mice and Algerian mice lived syntopically within the recently burnt areas studied, the former species being more abundant and the second one selecting drier areas. Results indicated that time since fire, shrub cover, and distance to the perimeter of the burnt area influenced wood mice and Algerian mice population structures. Adult female wood mice mainly remained close to the burnt area perimeter, due to this species' matriarchal structure, while juvenile males dispersed farther into the burnt area. Adult females were also recaptured more frequently than other age and sex categories over time, whereas males covered greater distances. These findings suggest that the recovery strategy of these widespread Mediterranean rodents is mainly driven by ex situ immigration from unburnt areas. These results will be useful for post‐fire management decisions such as non‐intervention, salvage logging or the conservation of open areas, given that mice are a fundamental component of the ecosystem. Results also suggest that management should focus on maintaining good connectivity between burnt and adjacent unburnt areas to support mice populations and facilitate other longer‐term conservation benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Windstorms and salvage logging lead to huge soil disturbance in alpine spruce forests, potentially affecting soil-living arthropods. However, the impacts of forest loss and possible interactions with underlying ecological gradients on soil microarthropod communities remain little known, especially across different environmental conditions. Here we used DNA metabarcoding approach to study wind-induced disturbances on forest communities of springtails and soil mites. In particular, we aimed to test the effect of forest soil disturbance on the abundance, richness, species composition, and functional guilds of microarthropods. We sampled 29 pairs of windfall-forest sites across gradients of elevation, precipitation, aspect and slope, 2 years after a massive windstorm, named Vaia, which hit North-Eastern Italy in October 2018. Our results showed that wind-induced disturbances led to detrimental impacts on soil-living communities. Abundance of microarthropods decreased in windfalls, but with interacting effects with precipitation gradients. Operative Taxonomic Units (OTU) richness strongly decreased in post-disturbance sites, particularly affecting plant-feeder trophic guilds. Furthermore, species composition analyses revealed that communities occurring in post-disturbance sites were different to those in undisturbed forests (i.e., stands without wind damage). However, variables at different spatial scales played different roles depending on the considered taxon. Our study contributes to shed light on the impacts on important, but often neglected arthropod communities after windstorm in spruce forests. Effects of forest disturbance are often mediated by underlying large scale ecological gradients, such as precipitation and topography. Massive impacts of stronger and more frequent windstorms are expected to hit forests in the future; given the response we recorded, mediated by environmental features, forest managers need to take site-specific conservation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shipbreaker, a game where players disassemble ships to enrich the coffers of a ruthless corporation, is a canny satire of the modern corporate doublespeak that positions corporations as bastions of freedom and social responsibility even as they systematically immiserate their highly skilled 'independent contractors' and strip them of their basic rights. However, the game crossed a line for some players in that it loudly and unapologetically advocates for unionization and collective industrial action as a counter to corporate greed and exploitation. While this player hostility is simply a reflection of the long-term success of anti-labour initiatives, particularly in North America, it is also fair to ask how seriously we should regard a pro-union message from within an industry whose exploitative treatment of workers is legendary. More problematically, the game not only fails to deliver on its satirical premise, but manages to reinscribe in its gameplay some of the very elements the satire sets out to challenge. This may be due in part to a widespread cultural confusion concerning the nature of satire, but the example of Shipbreaker also suggests that the Early Access development model may itself place severe limits on the satirical potential of games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting the evolution of burned area, smoke emissions, and energy release from wildfires is crucial to air quality forecasting and emergency response planning yet has long posed a significant scientific challenge. Here we compare predictions of burned area and fire radiative power from the coupled weather/fire‐spread model WRF‐Fire (Weather and Research Forecasting Tool with fire code), against simpler methods typically used in air quality forecasts. We choose the 2019 Williams Flats Fire as our test case due to a wealth of observations and ignite the fire on different days and under different configurations. Using a novel re‐gridding scheme, we compare WRF‐Fire's heat output to geostationary satellite data at 1‐hr temporal resolution. We also evaluate WRF‐Fire's time‐resolved burned area against high‐resolution imaging from the National Infrared Operations aircraft data. Results indicate that for this study, accounting for containment efforts in WRF‐Fire simulations makes the biggest difference in achieving accurate results for daily burned area predictions. When incorporating novel containment line inputs, fuel density increases, and fuel moisture observations into the model, the error in average daily burned area is 30% lower than persistence forecasting over a 5‐day forecast. Prescribed diurnal cycles and those resolved by WRF‐Fire simulations show a phase offset of at least an hour ahead of observations, likely indicating the need for dynamic fuel moisture schemes. This work shows that with proper configuration and input data, coupled weather/fire‐spread modeling has the potential to improve smoke emission forecasts. Plain Language Summary: Predicting wildfire growth and smoke behavior is an important and historically difficult task. Here we compare a coupled fire‐weather model to current practices used in air quality forecasting in their ability to predict daily wildfire spread and fire intensity for the 2019 Williams Flats Fire. We also evaluate the fire‐weather model against high‐resolution satellite and aircraft measurements in ways previously unexplored. We find that including fire‐fighting efforts in our model makes the biggest improvements toward accurate wildfire forecasting. When we account for fire‐fighting efforts, fuel moisture maps, and increased fuel loads, our coupled fire‐weather model significantly outperforms simpler methods with reasonable computational time. Despite this, modeled fire intensity tends to lead observations by at least an hour. Optimal configuration options and avenues for forecasting improvements are discussed. Key Points: Adding containment lines into our wildfire model made the biggest difference in improving accuracy of daily burned area predictionsAccounting for containment, fuel moisture content maps, and increased fuel density consistently increased prediction skill above persistenceModeled fire radiative power leads observations by at least an hour, but with similar accuracy to prescribed diurnal cycles [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied two Eucalyptus globulus salvage clearcuts—after a wildfire and a Gonipterus attack—and a strong thinning on a dense Pinus pinaster stand which was regenerated 20 years after a wildfire and also affected by a Matsococcus pest. Biomass harvesting was performed using the feller-bundler Fixteri FX-15a, which was time-studied during several weeks using GNSS combined with an automatic weight/time registration system (WNexus-2®). Detailed in situ time studies were applied during shorter periods as well. The productivity equations found as main explanative factors for the salvage clearcuts the unit weight per tree and the felling reason (wildfire vs. pest); for the thinning, besides the unit weight, the percentage of extracted basal area explained the productivity. Biomass collection did not allow an economic positive balance: in the Gonipterus-affected plantation the cost was reduced to 125 €·ha−1, reaching a zero balance for unit weights greater than 33 kg (dry matter) per tree; the restoration cost in the pine stand was 265 €·ha−1, much lower than the cost without biomass harvesting. In the burned eucalypt, the zero cost would be achieved for a dry unit weight much greater than the observed values. Although Fixteri performance and utilization were remarkable, recommendations about possible improvements of its design and operation were concluded from the detailed time studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After large and severe wildfires, the establishment of tree regeneration, particularly for species without specific fire-adaptive traits, can be challenging. Within harsh environments, the presence of favorable microsites, as those provided by deadwood, enhancing microclimatic conditions, is crucial to the re-establishment of forest cover and thus to foster recovery dynamics. Active restoration strategies can have an impact on these dynamics, altering or hindering them. The main hypothesis of this study is that manipulating deadwood in terms of quantity and spatial arrangement can result in differences in natural regeneration density and composition. Post-disturbance regeneration dynamics and the role played by deadwood over time in the creation of safe sites for seedling establishment were investigated in an area affected by a high-severity wildfire that underwent different post-fire restoration treatments along a gradient of increasing deadwood manipulation, spanning from salvage logging to non-intervention. Two inventories were performed 5 and 11 years after the fire. Ground cover proportion was significantly different among treatments, with lower values of lying deadwood in salvaged sites. A higher probability of regeneration establishment close to deadwood was found in both surveys, confirming the facilitating role of deadwood on post-fire forest regeneration. Microsite dynamics resulting from deadwood facilitation were highlighted, with establishment probability and anisotropic relationships between deadwood elements and seedlings changing over time, as recovery processes slowly improved environmental conditions. In dry mountain areas affected by stand-replacing wildfires, by removing deadwood, salvage logging reduces the number of safe sites for regeneration, further impairing the ecosystem recovery. Passive management should be the ecologically preferred management strategy in these conditions, although intermediate interventions (e.g., felling without delimbing, leaving deadwood on the ground) could be effective alternatives, accelerating snag fall dynamics and immediately increasing favorable microsite availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires are a natural part of the dynamics of Mediterranean forest ecosystems. The fire patterns in the Mediterranean basin have been altered mainly due to changes in land use and climate change. In 2017, a wildfire in Yeste (Spain) burned 3200 hectares of two Mediterranean pine forests. We investigated the effects of burn severity and postfire salvage logging practices on vegetation and soil properties in four experimental areas distributed within the wildfire perimeter. These areas included unburned, low, high, and high burn severity with salvage logging, all located under Pinus halepensis Mill and Pinus pinaster Aiton stands. Salvage logging was applied 18 months after the fire. We established 72 circular plots (nine per treatment and pine species). We collected soil samples to analyze physicochemical and biological soil properties, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), soil organic matter (SOM) content, carbon from microbial biomass (CBM), basal soil respiration (BSR), metabolic quotient (qCO2), and two enzymatic activities: β-glucosidase (GLU) and phosphatase (PHP). To understand how vegetation changed after fire, we implemented three linear transects per plot to calculate α-diversity indices (richness, Shannon, and Simpson), vegetation coverage (COBV), fraction of bare soil (BSOIL), the number of postfire seedlings (NSeed) and their average height (Hm), and we grouped vegetation into different postfire adaptive strategies: facultative seeder (R+S+), obligate resprouter (R+S−), obligate seeder (R−S+), and non-fire-adapted (R−S−). We ran ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD post hoc tests to evaluate the differences between burn severity and salvage logging practices on the variables examined for each pine stand. We used PCA and correlation analysis to identify plant-soil interactions. Our results suggest that Pinus halepensis stands were more affected by the wildfire than Pinus pinaster stands due to the distinct characteristics of each species (morphology of the leaves, bark thickness, cone structure, etc.) and the significant differences observed in terms of pH, SOM, CBM, qCO2, GLU, PHP, and Nseed. The proportion of obligate resprouter species was higher in Pinus halepensis stands, and the obligate seeder species were higher in Pinus pinaster stands. The study highlighted the importance of monitoring burn severity and postfire management practices to promote forest recovery and reduce wildfire risk. Limiting the negative impact of postfire salvage logging practices can enhance the resilience of vulnerable ecosystems.

Featured Application: This study is based on the successful salvage of the Korean "Sewol" ferry in 2017. The approach delineated in the manuscript—the arrangement of two lifting barges in symmetrical disposition to retrieve a large-tonnage shipwreck—is increasingly being employed. The manuscript expounds the dynamic response of the salvage system and the technique employed to assess the safety of the system. Moreover, the manuscript articulates technical details, such as selecting the appropriate wave direction interval before initiating the salvage operation, selecting suitable intership connecting cables, and analyzing potential risks arising after the failure of the lifting cables. These elucidations can proffer insights to salvage engineers for optimizing design schemes. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) emphasizes that shipwreck accidents frequently occur at sea and advocates for the safe recovery of shipwrecks. This paper examines the case of the Korean "Sewol" ferry salvage, where two lifting barges were symmetrically utilized to retrieve a substantial shipwreck. The dynamic analysis of the salvage operation is based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. The main investigation covers two fundamental physical parameters: the motion response of the lifting barges and shipwreck and the tension response of the lifting cables. Using the parameters of the maximum absolute value (MA), root mean square (RMS), and coefficient of variation (CV), a unified criterion is established to quantitatively evaluate the safety of the salvage operation under different working conditions. The study demonstrates that by carefully considering the enhancement of safety and stability for the three vessels involved in the salvage process and by optimizing the safety performance of the lifting cables, suitable operating windows are determined at wave intervals of (115°, 155°) and (205°, 245°). Under most working conditions, curves illustrating the maximum tensions of lifting cables No. 1–15 and No. 16–30 show a distribution with a "middle part drooping" shape. The placement of connecting cables on the water's surface at 1.1–1.2 times the salvage spacing between the two lifting barges or the arrangement of inclined lifting cables underwater proves advantageous in constraining the motion response of the three vessels. Reinforcing the lifting cables at the bow and stern ends is recommended. This study presents a methodology for salvaging a shipwreck using two lifting barges, which can be used as a reference for designing related salvage approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socio-demographic changes in recent decades and fire policies centered on fire suppression have substantially diminished the ability to maintain low fuel loads at the landscape scale in marginal lands. Currently, shepherds face many barriers to the use of fire for restoring pastures in shrub-encroached communities. The restrictions imposed are based on the lack of knowledge of their impacts on the landscape. We aim to contribute to this clarification. Therefore, we used a dataset of burned areas in the Alto Minho region for seasonal and unseasonal (pastoral) fires. We conducted statistical and spatial analyses to characterize the fire regime (2001–2018), the distribution of fuel types and their dynamics, and the effects of fire on such changes. Unseasonal fires are smaller and spread in different spatial contexts. Fuel types characteristic of maritime pine and eucalypts are selected by seasonal fires and avoided by unseasonal fires which, in turn, showed high preference for heterogeneous mosaics of herbaceous and shrub vegetation. The area covered by fuel types of broadleaved and eucalypt forest stands increased between 2000 and 2018 at the expense of the fuel type corresponding to maritime pine stands. Results emphasize the role of seasonal fires and fire recurrence in these changes, and the weak effect of unseasonal fires. An increase in the maritime pine fuel type was observed only in areas burned by unseasonal fires, after excluding the areas overlapping with seasonal fires. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose : To develop a CT-based radiomic signature to predict biochemical recurrence (BCR) in prostate cancer patients after sRT guided by positron-emission tomography targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA-PET). Material and methods: Consecutive patients, who underwent 68Ga-PSMA11-PET/CT-guided sRT from three high-volume centers in Germany, were included in this retrospective multicenter study. Patients had PET-positive local recurrences and were treated with intensity-modulated sRT. Radiomic features were extracted from volumes of interests on CT guided by focal PSMA-PET uptakes. After preprocessing, clinical, radiomics, and combined clinical-radiomic models were developed combining different feature reduction techniques and Cox proportional hazard models within a nested cross validation approach. Results: Among 99 patients, median interval until BCR was the radiomic models outperformed clinical models and combined clinical-radiomic models for prediction of BCR with a C-index of 0.71 compared to 0.53 and 0.63 in the test sets, respectively. In contrast to the other models, the radiomic model achieved significantly improved patient stratification in Kaplan-Meier analysis. The radiomic and clinical-radiomic model achieved a significantly better time-dependent net reclassification improvement index (0.392 and 0.762, respectively) compared to the clinical model. Decision curve analysis demonstrated a clinical net benefit for both models. Mean intensity was the most predictive radiomic feature. Conclusion: This is the first study to develop a PSMA-PET-guided CT-based radiomic model to predict BCR after sRT. The radiomic models outperformed clinical models and might contribute to guide personalized treatment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Forest management practices that conserve biodiversity and maximize carbon sequestration under climate change are needed. Although post-windthrow salvage logging and scarification can reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions within ecosystems by removing downed logs, they can greatly affect species composition. Additionally, salvage logging may increase CO2 emissions based on a cradle-to-grave analysis of salvaged wood. Objectives: We aimed to assess the effects of changes in climate, windthrow regimes and post-windthrow management on aboveground biomass, species composition, and carbon balance in the forest sector by combining forest landscape simulations and life cycle assessment (LCA). Methods: The study landscape is a 12,169 ha hemiboreal forest located in northern Japan. We simulated 115 years (2015–2130) of forest dynamics in 36 scenarios based on features of the climate, windthrow regime, and management using the LANDIS-II forest landscape model. CO2 emissions related to management and salvaged wood were estimated by LCA. Results: Increases in the windthrow area, which was more vulnerable to climate warming, caused a shift to temperate broadleaved forests and a decrease in aboveground biomass. These were accelerated by the removal of advanced seedlings and dead wood, which greatly reduced the recruitment of Picea species. The 115-year cumulative net CO2 absorption of the forest sector, including carbon balance within ecosystems and CO2 emissions estimated by LCA, greatly decreased due to salvage logging (maximum 81%) and scarification (maximum 114%). Conclusions: Leaving downed logs and advanced seedlings is recommended to conserve boreal conifers and carbon sinks and maximize net CO2 absorption under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]