Assessing and promoting old-growthness of forest stands: Lessons from research in Italy

Barbati, Anna; Salvati, Riccardo; Ferrari, Barbara; Santo, Daniele Di; Quatrini, Alessandro; Portoghesi, Luigi; Travaglini, Davide; Iovino, Francesco; Nocentini, Susanna

doi:10.1080/11263504.2011.650730

Cited by 34 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 39 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Following management suspension these plantations have developed some peculiar characteristics: wherever stand density has not diminished after the death of single trees or small groups of trees, fir stands reached a high standing volume (over 1000 m 3 ha -1 at age 120+), which alone is not a typical feature of oldgrowth (Barbati et al 2012); wherever fir density was lower, a layer of trees with DBH < 15 cm filled in the structure. Fifteen different broadleaved species were recorded in this layer, in varying proportions and usually mixed with fir.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stand dynamics and natural regeneration in silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) plantations after traditional rotation age

Bottalico¹,

Travaglini²,

Fiorentini³

et al. 2014

iForest

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

© iForest -Biogeosciences and Forestry IntroductionIn the last decades forest management has shifted the focus from wood production to the provision of multiple environmental services and biodiversity conservation. Following this trend the conversion of forest plantations into naturally regenerating and more diverse and complex systems has become one of the aims of the sustainable forest management, often trying to revert a process which had instead transformed vast areas of natural forests into plantations across Europe since the XIX century (Johann 2006, Bolte et al. 2007.Silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) has frequently received attention from foresters and researchers, partly because there has been a long tradition of forest management in central and southeast Europe in areas where the natural share of fir is significant (e.g., Kramer 1992, Brändli 1996, but mainly because of fir's economic, environmental and social significance. Signs of decline in fir presence have also been investigated (e.g., Elling et al. 2009, Ficko et al. 2011). Recently, Volarik & Hedl (2013 suggested that periods of both decline and expansion have underpinned silver fir dynamics. While natural mixed beech-fir forests were largely converted to spruce plantations in central European mountains and in many Alpine areas (Johann 2007, Volarik & Hedl 2013, in the Apennine Mountains (Italy) fir -naturally present in beech dominated mixed hardwood forests -was generally disfavoured by forest exploitation and has become relatively rare (Nocentini 2009). Today silver fir is an important species of five Natura 2000 habitats in the Apennines, three being priority habitats (*): 9130: Asperulo-Fagetum beech forests; 9210*: Apennine beech forests with Taxus and Ilex; 9220*: Apennine beech forests with Abies alba and beech forests with Abies nebrodensis; 9410: Acidophilous Picea forests of the montane to alpine levels (Vaccinio-Piceetea); 9510*: Southern Apennine Abies alba.Fir had often been preserved in small areas around monasteries, such as Vallombrosa and Camaldoli (Tuscan Apennines) where fir cultivation has been documented at least from the XVI century (Senni 1955, Gabbrielli 2003. Since late XVIII century fir planting started in various forests in the Tuscan Apennines, and this trend continued until the middle of the XX century. Most fir plantations are on State property and until the 1970s they were managed following the traditional model based on area regulation methods with clear cutting and 100 year rotation age (Vazzano et al. 2011.In the 1970s and 1980s pure fir stands in the Apennines started showing symptoms which recalled fir decline and dieback observed in central Europe (Larsen 1986, Kandler & Innes 1995, raising some concern about the future of this species. Together with these symptoms, Heterobasidion annosum (later identified as H. abietinum -Niemela & Korhonen 1998) also caused some damage, consisting mainly in the death of individual or small groups of trees (Farina et al. 1990, Barzanti & Capretti 1996, Capretti 1998.At the end ...

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stand dynamics and natural regeneration in silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) plantations after traditional rotation age

Bottalico¹,

Travaglini²,

Fiorentini³

et al. 2014

iForest

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This result seems to underline the importance of nationally enacted recent but also historic forest legislations. For instance, in many Mediterranean countries stand cleaning after harvesting is strictly recommended as a measure to prevent wildfire by reducing the amount of dead wood (Montes & Cañellas 2006, Barbati et al 2012. As none of the geographically or ecologically relevant factors like latitude (mainly a proxy for climatic differences) or pH (as an indicator for soil properties) are correlated to this axis, such factors seem to be of minor importance against national forest legislations and respective management practices.…”

Section: Dead Woodmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As the volume or density of dead wood pieces are under the recent conditions of forest in Europe largely independent from natural drivers and strongly influenced by management practices, dead wood related parameters (exclusive cut stumps) could substantially contribute to or could even be used directly as an indicators of naturalness (Schuck et al 2004, Lombardi et al 2010, Barbati et al 2012. In contrast, the density (and volume) of cut stumps might be taken as an indicator or become part of an indicator of forest management intensity , McElhinny et al 2006.…”

Section: Predictantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dead wood and stand structure - relationships for forest plots across Europe

Seidling¹,

Travaglini²,

Meyer³

et al. 2014

iForest

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Citation: Seidling W, Travaglini D, Meyer P, Waldner P, Fischer R, Granke O, Chirici G, Corona P, 2014. Dead wood and stand structure -relationships for forest plots across Europe. iForest 7: 269-281 [online 2014-04-14] URL: http://www.sisef.it/iforest/ contents/? id=ifor1057-007 Communicated by: Enrico MarchiSeidling Environment and Development (UNCED) held in 1992, the concept of sustainable multi-purpose forest management is internationally recognized and fostered. On the European level, the implementation of sustainable forest management by specific criteria and indicators is strongly promoted by the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE, now Forest Europe). Within this context, dead wood and certain features of stand structure are recognized as important preconditions for biological diversity of forests at stand level (Schäfer 2001, Larsson 2001, MCPFE 2003. In the last decades, biodiversity-oriented management practices have been proposed to increase the quantity of dead wood and the presence of veteran trees; these include prolonging the rotation period, leaving dead trees in forests or even creating artificial high stumps from living trees (e.g., Jonsell et al. 2004, Ranius et al. 2005, Abrahamsson & Lindbladh 2006, Keeton 2006, Bauhus et al. 2009).Because of its ecological importance and its role in C sequestration, surveys of dead wood have recently been included in most National Forest Inventories (NFIs) and monitoring programmes (e.g., Geburek et al. 2010, Corona et al. 2011, Weggler et al. 2012). However, protocols for dead wood assessment differ among European NFIs, and data are difficult to compare (Herrero et al. 2013). Schuck et al. (2004) analysed inventory methods for 22 countries and found differences among attributes measured, diameter thresholds and sampling design. Furthermore, there is also a need for standardized indices of stand structure, that have been shown by Neumann & Starlinger (2001) to be suitable indicators to asses biodiversityrelated aspects of forest management. Since, similar investigations with the aim of proposing methods for harmonizing results from NFIs and probably adjusting NFIs' field methods have been undertaken. These activities resulted in bridging functions for parameters among NFIs , McRoberts et al. 2009, Woodall et al. 2009, Rondeux et al. 2012.Up to now, the relationships between silviculture, stand structure, dead wood and other aspects of biodiversity have rarely been studied in an integrated manner on a large scale. This study investigates the relationships between dead wood and stand structure based on a survey at 90 intensive monitoring plots across Europe. The survey was carried out in 2004 on plots in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, and Ukraine. The objectives of this large-scale evaluation were to: (i) identify a sets of variables suitable to characterise dead wood structures and a set to characterise stand structures; (ii) detect the relations...

show abstract

“…Only a small part of the forests was subjected to systems based on mixed unevenaged stands but, also in these systems, wood production was the main purpose. As a consequence, structural attributes typical of later developmental stages are strongly under-represented and, if present, restricted to small and remote forest reserves (Barbati et al 2012 ;Peterken 1996 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of old-growth characteristics in uneven-aged forests of the Italian Alps

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

During the last millennia, all forests of the Italian Alps have been heavily affected by human land-use. Consequently, forest structures have been modified, and there are no old growth remains. In the last decades, however, many forests have been withdrawn from regular management, because wood production was unprofitable, and left to develop naturally. At the same time, in currently managed forests, silvicultural systems able to develop or maintain old-growth characteristics are being required.

show abstract

Assessing and promoting old-growthness of forest stands: Lessons from research in Italy

Cited by 34 publications

References 39 publications

Stand dynamics and natural regeneration in silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) plantations after traditional rotation age

Stand dynamics and natural regeneration in silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) plantations after traditional rotation age

Dead wood and stand structure - relationships for forest plots across Europe

Development of old-growth characteristics in uneven-aged forests of the Italian Alps

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About