Open Access Archive

6 Dec 2023

Post-fire forest recovery at high latitudes: tree regeneration dominated by fire-adapted, early-seral species increases with latitude

Key message Above 40° N/S, increasing latitude is linked to greater post-fire tree regeneration. However, species dominance shifts from conifers to short-lived deciduous trees, which may negatively impact flora, fauna, and ecosystem services dependent on coniferous forests.
1 Dec 2023

Participatory ground data are complementary to satellite bark beetle detection

Key message During pest outbreaks, mapping tools play an important role. Participatory projects can provide useful ground data, which have a high accuracy in detecting early-stage infestations and small spots of the European spruce bark beetle Ips
30 Nov 2023

Three systems of molecular markers reveal genetic differences between varieties sabina and balkanensis in the Juniperus sabina L. range

Key message Juniperus sabina var. balkanensis, that is of hybrid origin, and its maternal progenitor J. sabina var. sabina are genetically distinct with respect to cpDNA, SNP, and SilicoDArT loci. Mostly non-overlapping distributions of the sabina and
22 Nov 2023

Estimation of aboveground biomass and carbon stocks of Quercus ilex L. saplings using UAV-derived RGB imagery

Key message Crown area, sapling height, and biovolume extracted from UAV-acquired RGB images provided accurate estimates of aboveground biomass and carbon stocks in a 5-year-old holm oak (Quercus ilex L.) plantation. Our models regressing UAV-derived sapling variables
8 Nov 2023

Climate-smart forest management caught between a rock and a hard place

Key message The UNFCCC COP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh confirmed that climate policies too heavily rely on climate mitigation by forests rather than on de-fossilizing the energy system, to keep global warming within the safe 1.5 °C.
27 Oct 2023

Genetic variation of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Eurasia: impact of postglacial recolonization and human-mediated gene transfer

Key message The range-wide level of genetic variation of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is geographically structured. High admixture and low genetic structure of populations in Central Europe and Fennoscandia suggest past recolonization from multiple sources and
26 Oct 2023

Potential alternatives for Norway spruce wood: a selection based on defect-free wood properties

Key message The application of material selection principles uncovered eight possible alternative tree species (two deciduous and six coniferous species) to substitute Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) and potentially prevent economic loss in European forest.
23 Oct 2023

Effect of sample size on the estimation of forest inventory attributes using airborne LiDAR data in large-scale subtropical areas

Key message Sample size (number of plots) may significantly affect the accuracy of forest attribute estimations using airborne LiDAR data in large-scale subtropical areas. In general, the accuracy of all models improves with increasing sample size. However,
18 Oct 2023

Trade-offs among leaf toughness, constitutive chemical defense, and growth rates in oaks are influenced by the level of leaf mass per area

Key message Among the variety of leaf defensive strategies to counteract herbivory attacks, the oak species analyzed in this study maximize investment in no more than one, with high-LMA oaks developing very tough leaves and low-LMA oaks
17 Oct 2023

Limiting temperatures of embryo growth and seed germination of Fraxinus excelsior L. (Oleaceae): a threshold model approach

Key message We have examined thermal control for embryo growth and seed germination in European ash. Using historical data (span of 36 years) of embryo index in matured seeds, we showed that maturation is not influenced by