Forest Ecosystems最新文献

{"title":"Developing and evaluating satellite-derived phenology and physiology indicators for modeling annual gross primary productivity variability","authors":"Hanliang Gui ,&nbsp;Qinchuan Xin ,&nbsp;Xuewen Zhou ,&nbsp;Ying Sun ,&nbsp;Yongjian Ruan ,&nbsp;Wei Wu ,&nbsp;Zhenhua Xiong ,&nbsp;Yuhang Tian ,&nbsp;Kun Xiao","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100375","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100375","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vegetation annual gross primary production (AGPP), the total yearly carbon assimilation via photosynthesis, serves as a key indicator of ecosystem carbon uptake. While AGPP variations are jointly influenced by both vegetation phenology and physiology, the effectiveness of satellite-derived indicators in capturing these variations has not been fully evaluated. This study develops and evaluates the satellite-derived phenology and physiology indicators for modeling AGPP variability. We assessed the performance of satellite-derived metrics, including solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), leaf area index (LAI), and enhanced vegetation index (EVI), in capturing AGPP variations. Among these, SIF-based indicators exhibited the highest accuracy (Pearson's <em>r</em> ​= ​0.79; root mean square error ​= ​414.7 gC·m⁻²·year⁻¹), outperforming LAI- and EVI-based indicators. To further investigate the mechanisms driving AGPP variability, we used a structural equation model based on in situ observations to quantify the direct and indirect effects of climate on AGPP through phenology and physiology. Our results reveal that vegetation physiology, particularly the seasonal maximum gross primary production, plays a more dominant role in regulating AGPP than phenology. Furthermore, we found that globally, SIF-derived phenology indicators tend to be lower than those from LAI and EVI, whereas SIF-derived physiology indicators are elevated in tropical regions and the Southern Hemisphere. These findings highlight the potential of satellite-derived indicators in advancing AGPP modeling and emphasize the predominant role of vegetation physiology in regulating ecosystem carbon uptake. This study contributes to a refined understanding of global carbon cycle dynamics and provides insights for improving large-scale carbon assessments in the context of climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100375"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144867277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of forest management and habitat continuity on the genetic structure and ecological corridors of target epiphytic moss species: A landscape genetic study of Dicranum viride","authors":"Adrian Wysocki ,&nbsp;Sylwia Wierzcholska ,&nbsp;Jarosław Proćków ,&nbsp;Kamil Konowalik","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100373","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100373","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Habitat fragmentation in forest ecosystems poses a major threat to biodiversity, disrupting ecological corridors, limiting gene flow, and threatening persistence, especially for forest-dependent species. Among these species, woodland specialist bryophytes represent one of the most endangered groups, with <em>Dicranum viride</em>, an epiphytic moss of high conservation value protected under international regulations, exemplifying this conservation concern. Despite its legal status, the factors that influence its genetic connectivity and dispersal potential remain poorly understood. In this study, we integrated molecular analyses based on genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers with spatial modelling, including least-cost path (LCP) analyses and circuit-based connectivity models, to assess the impact of forest continuity and management on the genetic structure and ecological corridors of <em>D. viride</em> across temperate forest ecosystems of Central Europe. Our results revealed a complex dispersal dynamic that combines short-distance clonal propagation with rare long-distance dispersal events. Genetic clustering analyses indicated that long-term forest continuity supports unique genetic lineages. LCP analyses and circuit-based connectivity models demonstrated that naturally regenerating forests (reflecting management regime) and forests with long-term continuity (reflecting habitat age and historical stability) provide dispersal corridors with the highest habitat permeability. Our findings highlight the critical role of long-term habitat stability in maintaining the genetic diversity and population dynamics of <em>D. viride</em>. Conservation strategies should prioritise the protection of mature forests, the maintenance of ecological corridors, and the integration of retention forestry practices to support epiphytic bryophytes. Our study improves the understanding of how landscape connectivity influences the persistence of rare epiphytic bryophytes, offering practical insights for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable forest management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100373"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144842554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Predicting gross primary productivity of poplar plantations based on solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence using an improved machine learning model","authors":"Yiheng Wang ,&nbsp;Zhipeng Li ,&nbsp;Jinsong Zhang ,&nbsp;Joanna Simms ,&nbsp;Xin Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100368","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100368","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Gross primary production (GPP) is closely associated with processes such as photosynthesis and transpiration within ecosystems, which is a vital component of the global carbon–water–energy cycle. Accurate prediction of GPP in terrestrial ecosystems is essential for evaluating terrestrial carbon cycle processes. Machine learning (ML) models provide significant technical support in this domain. Presently, there is a deficiency of high-precision and robust GPP prediction variables and models. Challenges such as unclear contributions of predictive variables, extended model training durations, and limited robustness must be addressed. Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), optimized multilayer perceptron neural networks, and ensemble learning models show the potential to overcome these challenges. This study aimed to develop an optimized multilayer perceptron neural network model and an ensemble learning model, while objectively assessing the capacity of SIF to predict GPP. Identifying robust models capable of enhancing the accuracy of GPP predictions was the ultimate goal. This study utilized continuous observations of SIF and meteorological data collected from 2020 to 2021 ​at a designated research observation station within the &lt;em&gt;Populus&lt;/em&gt; plantation ecosystem of the Huanghuaihai agricultural protective forest system in Henan Province, China. By optimizing and evaluating the predictive accuracy and robustness of the models across different temporal scales (half-hourly and daily scales), a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) neural network optimization model based on the back propagation (BP) neural network (BPNN) algorithm (BP/MLP) and MLP and random forest (RF) integration (MLP-RF) ensemble models were constructed, utilizing SIF as the primary predictive variable for GPP. Both the BP/MLP (half-hourly scale model &lt;em&gt;R&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; ​= ​0.885, daily scale model &lt;em&gt;R&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; ​= ​0.921) and the MLP-RF (half-hourly scale model &lt;em&gt;R&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; ​= ​0.845, daily scale model &lt;em&gt;R&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; ​= ​0.914) models showed superior accuracy compared to the BPNN (half-hourly scale model &lt;em&gt;R&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; ​= ​0.841, daily scale model &lt;em&gt;R&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; ​= ​0.918) and the traditional RF (half-hourly scale model &lt;em&gt;R&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; ​= ​0.798, daily scale model &lt;em&gt;R&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; ​= ​0.867) models, with the BP/MLP model consistently outperforming the MLP-RF model. The BP/MLP model, which was optimized through particle swarm optimization (PSO), significantly enhanced the robustness of GPP predictions on a half-hourly scale and daily scale. Considering both half-hourly scale and daily scale in the PSO-BP/MLP modeling, the four indicators, light-use efficiency (LUE), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR), and the variation in SIF with NIR&lt;sub&gt;v&lt;/sub&gt;P (&lt;em&gt;f&lt;/em&gt;&lt;sub&gt;SIF&lt;/sub&gt;(NIR&lt;sub&gt;v&lt;/sub&gt;P)), exhibited the potential for enhancing the accuracy of GPP pred","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100368"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Up-to-date high-resolution understory terrain extraction based on satellite stereo photogrammetry and spaceborne LiDAR","authors":"Hao Xiong,&nbsp;Bingtao Chang,&nbsp;Xiaodong Lan,&nbsp;Huizhou Zhou,&nbsp;Yang Chen,&nbsp;Wuming Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100372","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100372","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Accurate digital terrain models (DTMs) are essential for a wide range of geospatial and environmental applications, yet their derivation in forested regions remains a significant challenge. Existing global DTMs, typically generated from satellite stereo photogrammetry or interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), fail to accurately capture understory terrain due to limited penetration capabilities, resulting in elevation overestimation in densely vegetated areas. While airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) can provide high-accuracy DTMs, its limited spatial coverage and high acquisition cost hinder large-scale applications. Thus, there is an urgent need for a scalable and cost-effective approach to extract DTMs directly from satellite-derived digital surface models (DSMs).</div><div>In this study, we propose a simple, interpretable understory terrain extraction method that utilizes canopy height data from Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) and Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) to construct a tree height surface model, which is then subtracted from the stereo-derived DSM to generate the final DTM. By directly incorporating LiDAR constraints, the method avoids error propagation from multiple heterogeneous datasets and reduces reliance on ancillary inputs, ensuring ease of implementation and broad applicability. In contrast to machine learning-based terrain modeling methods, which are often prone to overfitting and data bias, the proposed approach is simple, interpretable, and robust across diverse forested landscapes. The accuracy of the resulting DTM was validated against airborne LiDAR reference data and compared with both the Copernicus Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and the forest and buildings removed DEM (FABDEM), a global bare-earth elevation model corrected for vegetation bias. The results indicate that the proposed DTM consistently outperforms the Copernicus DEM (CopDEM) and achieves accuracy comparable to FABDEM. In addition, its finer spatial resolution of 1 ​m, compared to the 30 ​m resolution of FABDEM, allows for more detailed terrain representation and better capture of fine-scale variation. This advantage is most pronounced in gently to moderately sloped areas, where the proposed DTM shows clearly higher accuracy than both the CopDEM and FABDEM. The results confirm that high-resolution DTMs can be effectively extracted from DSMs using spaceborne LiDAR constraints, offering a scalable solution for terrain modeling in forested environments where airborne LiDAR is unavailable.</div><div>To illustrate the potential utility of the proposed DTM, we applied it to a fire risk mapping application based on topographic parameters such as slope, aspect, and elevation. This case highlights how improved terrain representation can support geospatial hazard assessments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100372"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144842553","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Slope mediates drought sensitivity but does not affect drought recovery for young trees along elevation gradients in temperate planted larch forests","authors":"Jinglei Liao ,&nbsp;Xianliang Zhang ,&nbsp;Tim Rademacher ,&nbsp;Chen Xu ,&nbsp;Mingchao Du ,&nbsp;Fangqin Guo ,&nbsp;Weixin Li ,&nbsp;Jianwei Zheng ,&nbsp;Yuewei Wu ,&nbsp;Rubén D. Manzanedo","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100371","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100371","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate warming causes mountainous species to shift their distributions towards higher elevations. How elevation influences growth–climate relationship in mountain regions has been intensively investigated. However, how microtopography shapes tree growth and its drought resistance along the elevation gradient remains poorly understood. We used a network of <em>Larix principis-rupprechtii</em> tree-ring data comprising 1,918 trees from different age classes and mountain slopes, along an elevation gradient ranging from 970 to 1,869 ​m, to investigate how slope gradients mediate the growth and drought resilience of larch trees along an elevation gradient in North China. Growing season drought and temperature were the major limiting climatic factors for larch trees across the study region. Larch trees younger than 40 years exhibited a stronger positive correlation between basal area increment (BAI) and elevation on steep slopes (10°–35°) than on flat (0°–5°) or gentle (5°–10°) slopes. At low-elevation steep slopes, the growth of larch trees younger than 40 years showed a stronger correlation with the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI). Both resistance and resilience were found to increase along the elevation gradient on steep slopes for young larch trees but not for old larch trees. No significant differences were observed in the drought recovery ability of larch trees across all age groups at increasing elevation. Our results highlight that drought events may particularly affect the growth of young larch trees on low-elevation steep slopes, with potential repercussions on mortality rates.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100371"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144827145","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drought intensity affects radial growth and recovery of P. schrenkiana at varying elevations in the Western Tianshan Mountains, China","authors":"Qiaoling Yang ,&nbsp;Guili Sun ,&nbsp;Guangyu Wang ,&nbsp;Kexiang Liu ,&nbsp;Zhinian Yang ,&nbsp;Li Qin ,&nbsp;Arman Abula ,&nbsp;Fan Xie ,&nbsp;Ruibo Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100370","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100370","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As climate change intensifies, forests increasingly face the challenges posed by more frequent and severe droughts. However, the impacts of drought intensity on post-drought growth recovery and compensatory growth in trees remain poorly understood. Understanding the mechanisms through which drought influences tree radial growth and accurately assessing how growth responds to different drought intensities is essential for forecasting forest dynamics. In this study, we used correlation analysis to identify the climatic limiting factors for the radial growth of <em>P. schrenkiana</em> Fisch. &amp; C. A. Mey. (<em>P. schrenkiana</em>) across three elevations in the Western Tianshan Mountains of China. We assessed the impact of drought intensity on radial growth. By analyzing the growth resistance, recovery, and resilience of <em>P. schrenkiana</em> in relation to drought intensity, we quantified post-drought growth trajectories. Our key findings are as follows: 1) Drought stress is the primary factor limiting the radial growth of <em>P. schrenkiana</em>. 2) Tree growth responses vary significantly with elevation and drought intensity. As drought intensity increased, both resistance and recovery decreased. 3) Compensatory growth occurred following moderate and severe droughts at all elevations. However, this was not observed in the first year after extreme droughts. These findings highlight the importance of the first post-drought year in determining the recovery trajectory of <em>P. schrenkiana</em> radial growth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100370"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144664709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel method for ULS-TLS forest point cloud registration based on height context descriptor","authors":"Xusong Dai ,&nbsp;Hanwen Qi ,&nbsp;Xiaochen Wang ,&nbsp;Yaozhan Xu ,&nbsp;Qinghu Jiang ,&nbsp;Qingjun Zhang ,&nbsp;Xu Wang ,&nbsp;Jianchang Chen ,&nbsp;Guangzu Liu ,&nbsp;Xinlian Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100369","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100369","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Unmanned aerial vehicle laser scanning (ULS) and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) systems are effective ways to capture forest structures from top and side views, respectively. The registration of TLS and ULS data is a prerequisite for a comprehensive forest structure representation. Conventional registration methods based on geometric features (e.g., points, lines, and planes) are likely to fail due to the irregular natural point distributions of forest point clouds. Currently, automatic registration methods for forest point clouds typically rely on tree attributes (such as tree position and stem diameter). However, these methods are often unsuitable for forests with diverse compositions, complex terrains, irregular tree layouts, and insufficient common trees. In this study, an automated method is proposed to register ULS and TLS forest point clouds using ground points as registration primitives, which operates independently of tree attribute extraction and is estimated to reduce processing time by over 50%. A new evaluation method for registration accuracy evaluation is proposed, where transformation parameters from each TLS scan to the ULS obtained by the proposed registration algorithm are used to derive transformation parameters between TLS scans, which are then compared to reference parameters obtained using artificial spherical targets. Conventional ULS-TLS registration evaluation methods mostly rely on the manual corresponding points selection that is subject to inherent subjective errors, or control points in both TLS and ULS data that are difficult to collect. The proposed method presents an objective and accurate solution for ULS-TLS registration accuracy evaluation that effectively eliminates these limitations. The proposed method was tested on 12 plots with diverse stem densities, tree species, and altitudes located in a mountain forest. A total of 124 TLS scans were successfully registered to ULS data. The registration accuracy was assessed using both the conventional evaluation method and the proposed new evaluation method, with average rotation errors of 2.03 and 2.06 ​mrad, and average translation errors of 7.63 and 6.51 ​cm, respectively. The registration accuracies demonstrate that the proposed algorithm effectively and accurately registers TLS to ULS point clouds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100369"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144664762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Scale-dependent variations in photosynthetic processes mediate net primary productivity in temperate forests","authors":"Xuerui Wang ,&nbsp;Xuetao Qiao ,&nbsp;Senxuan Lin ,&nbsp;Qingmin Yue ,&nbsp;Minhui Hao ,&nbsp;Jingyuan He ,&nbsp;Rihan Da ,&nbsp;Chunyu Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiuhai Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100366","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100366","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The net primary productivity (NPP) of forest ecosystems plays a crucial role in regulating the terrestrial carbon cycle under global climate change. While the temporal effect driven by ecosystem processes on NPP variations is well-documented, spatial variations (from local to regional scales) remain inadequately understood. To evaluate the scale-dependent effects of productivity, predictions from the Biome-BGC model were compared with moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) and biometric NPP data in a large temperate forest region at both local and regional levels. Linear mixed-effect models and variance partitioning analysis were used to quantify the effects of environmental heterogeneity and trait variation on simulated NPP at varying spatial scales. Results show that NPP had considerable predictability at the local scale, with a coefficient of determination (<em>R</em>²) of 0.37, but this predictability declined significantly to 0.02 ​at the regional scale. Environmental heterogeneity and photosynthetic traits collectively explained 94.8% of the local variation in NPP, which decreased to 86.7% regionally due to the reduced common effects among these variables. Locally, the leaf area index (LAI) predominated (34.6%), while at regional scales, the stomatal conductance and maximum carboxylation rate were more influential (41.1%). Our study suggests that environmental heterogeneity drives the photosynthetic processes that mediate NPP variations across spatial scales. Incorporating heterogeneous local conditions and trait variations into analyses could enhance future research on the relationship between climate and carbon cycles at larger scales.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100366"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144664764","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Context-dependent effects of woody layer complexity on arthropod biomass and abundance in deciduous forests","authors":"Bram Catfolis ,&nbsp;Tosca Vanroy ,&nbsp;Kris Verheyen ,&nbsp;Lander Baeten ,&nbsp;An Martel ,&nbsp;Frank Pasmans ,&nbsp;Luc Lens ,&nbsp;Diederik Strubbe","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100367","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100367","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Forest structural complexity influences arthropod communities by shaping habitat availability, microclimatic conditions, and resource distribution. However, the extent to which structural complexity and specific structural components drive arthropod abundance and biomass remains poorly understood in temperate forests. This study examined how local and landscape-scale forest characteristics influence arthropod communities across vertical strata (forest floor (FF), herb layer (HL), and shrub layer (SL)) in 19 temperate deciduous forests in Belgium, dominated by pedunculate oak, European beech, or Canadian poplar. At the local scale, we assessed dominant tree species identity, overall forest structural complexity, and its components (vertical and horizontal structure, woody layer, herbal layer, and deadwood). At the landscape scale, we evaluated forest area, edge length, forest cover, and vegetation greenness (normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)). Contrary to expectation, arthropod biomass and abundance did not consistently increase with higher structural complexity. Instead, woody layer complexity, dominant tree species, and NDVI emerged as key drivers, with effects varying by context and stratum. Arthropod abundance and biomass were the highest in oak- and poplar-dominated forests and the lowest in beech forests, likely due to differences in litter quality, microhabitat availability, and understory development. Woody layer complexity positively influenced forest floor arthropods in poplar forests but had a negative effect in oak forests. At the landscape scale, NDVI unexpectedly showed negative relationships with arthropod abundance across strata and with arthropod biomass in the herb layer, likely reflecting dense canopy suppression of understory productivity. Arthropod biomass on the forest floor increased with forest cover, while abundance in the shrub layer decreased with forest cover but increased with forest area. These findings highlight the complex interplay between forest structural attributes, dominant tree species, and landscape factors in shaping arthropod communities. By identifying the key drivers of arthropod abundance and biomass, this study contributes to a better understanding of biodiversity patterns in temperate forests and their ecological dynamics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100367"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144664802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Old-growthness level assessed by structural heterogeneity indices in Mediterranean Quercus pubescens forests","authors":"Emilio Badalamenti ,&nbsp;Donato Salvatore La Mela Veca ,&nbsp;Massimiliano Costa ,&nbsp;Giovanni Giardina ,&nbsp;Tommaso La Mantia ,&nbsp;Andrea Laschi ,&nbsp;Federico Guglielmo Maetzke ,&nbsp;Serena Petroncini ,&nbsp;Giovanna Sala ,&nbsp;Rafael Silveira Bueno","doi":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100365","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fecs.2025.100365","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Old-growth forests are of major importance for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation, as well as being a benchmark for the implementation of sustainable forest management. Although dedicated studies have significantly increased in the last decades, there is still limited knowledge of Mediterranean forests, especially those dominated by <em>Quercus pubescens</em> and related taxa. To fill this knowledge gap, we primarily studied in the field two downy oak forests possessing old-growth traits, localized in Sicily (Mediterranean, Italy). Second, we used a structural heterogeneity index (SHI) to assess their old-growthness level, in comparison with the downy oak stands surveyed in the Regional Forest Inventory (RFI) of Sicily. Third, we tested the effect of different sets of structural parameters on SHI scores, thus assessing whether their choice could affect the final score and the stand assessment. SHI was well proven to discriminate these two stands from the others, both showing, on average, a SHI score just higher than 80, whilst SHI in RFI plots was just under 50, a significantly lower value. The methodological approach used in our study highlights the need to standardize the parameters used to characterize the old-growthness level of Mediterranean forests in order to allow more reliable comparisons. Most of the structural parameters were higher in the two selected stands, except for the attributes related to standing deadwood, suggesting a still limited contribution of standing dead trees and snags in the potential old-growth stands under investigation. The application of a structural index has proven effective for the purpose it was tested for, demonstrating its usefulness in discriminating between two potential old-growth stands from ordinary stands of the same forest type. We believe that both forests deserve primary attention and tailored management measures, as well as inclusion in the recently established Italian Network of old-growth forests.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":54270,"journal":{"name":"Forest Ecosystems","volume":"14 ","pages":"Article 100365"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144613363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}