Composition and structure of natural mixed-oak stands in northern and central Portugal

Carvalho, J.

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2011.04.020

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Compared with the findings reported here, abandonment of former agricultural areas that lacked woody species prior to the cessation of management practices usually results in the development of dense, homogeneous secondary woodland stands characterized by uniform age structure and a low number of woody species [65][66][67]. Following the abandonment of a wood-pasture, however, a natural, secondary woodland developed that is characterized by diverse stand structure [68,69].…”

Section: Changing Woodland Usementioning

confidence: 72%

The history and natural regeneration of a secondary oak-beech woodland on a former wood-pasture in Hungary

et al. 2015

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Characteristic features of European woodland include both a reduction in natural forest areas and an increase in former agricultural areas occupied by secondary woodland. The management of these areas is challenging in terms of nature conservation, agricultural and forestry management and policy. The aim of our study was to reconstruct the history and to document the current tree stand structure for a secondary oak-beech woodland in Hungary. Towards the end of the 1800s, this area which was once almost completely occupied by a continuous forest, had been transformed into a wood-pasture. As a result of its gradual abandonment, the closed forest stand of the pasture increased from 10 to 52% between 1963 and 2005. The most characteristic feature of this woodland is the abundance of large trees. Globally, the number of large and ancient trees is rapidly diminishing. Therefore preserving and maintaining such areas, where large trees could live, is an essential management task.

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Section: Changing Woodland Usementioning

confidence: 72%

The history and natural regeneration of a secondary oak-beech woodland on a former wood-pasture in Hungary

et al. 2015

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“…These two plots have also a low degree of CC, 20 % in SA-4 and 10 % in SB-4, which corresponds to the minimum threshold in discriminating a forest according to FAO (2001). The amount of CWD is equal to 0.9 m 3 ha -1 in SA-4 (Table 2), below the threshold of 134 m 3 ha -1 found in sessile oak woodlands (Petritan et al, 2012), 91.4 and 214.2 m 3 ha -1 (Schnitzler & Borlea, 1998;Wijdeven, 2004) in mixed woods with beech; in SB-4 is equal to 1 m 3 ha -1 (Table 2), even this less than 65.4 m 3 ha -1 (Carvalho, 2011) and 83 m 3 ha -1 reported by Manning et al (2013). Both plots do not exceed the minimum threshold of 10 m 3 ha -1 , indicated by Vallauri (2005) for the forests of the Central-Southern Italy.…”

Section: Plotmentioning

confidence: 73%

An index for the assessment of degraded Mediterranean forest ecosystems

2015

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Aim of study: Diagnosing the degradation degree of forest ecosystems is the basis for restoration strategies. However, there is no literature documenting how to quantify the forest degradation degree by using synthetic indicators, also because there is not a widely accepted definition for "forest degradation" and "degraded forest". Although there are many definitions of forest degradation that converge on the loss of ecosystem services, still today there are no largely accepted methods that give operational guidance to help in defining it. In the present research, with the aim to assess the degree of forest degradation, an integrated index -FDI, Forest Degradation Index -was developed.Area of study: In this first application, the FDI was applied and validated at stand level in two different Mediterranean forest types in two different case studies: Madonie and Nedrodi regional Parks (Sicily, Italy). The first dominated by sessile oak [Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. subsp. austrotyrrhenica Brullo, Guarino & Siracusa], the second dominated by cork oak (Quercus suber L.).Material and methods: FDI is a synthetic index structured starting from representative and relatively easily detectable parameters. Here, we propose a set of six indicators that should be assessed to determine the forest degradation: Structural Index (SI), Canopy Cover (CC), Natural Regeneration Density (NRD), Focal Species of Degradation (FSD), Coarse Woody Debris (CWD), and Soil Depth (SD). FDI, here proposed and discussed, has been based on a MCDA (Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis) approach using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique, and implemented in order to contribute in finding simple indicators useful for forest restoration purposes that have an eco-functional basis.Main results: An integrated index of forest degradation has been defined. FDI values are comprised in the closed interval [0, 10], ranging from class I (Higher ecological functionality) to class IV (Lower ecological functionality). A forest fallen in the FDI-IV class can be defined degraded. In this first application, degradation occurs in SA-4 and in SB-4 where the lowest values (qualitative and quantitative) of the indicators were recorded and the FDI reach the minimum value.Research highlights: FDI has proved to be a useful tool at stand level in identifying a threshold value below which a forest can be termed as 'degraded'. In turn, FDI assumes the meaning of descriptor of the ecological functionality. Future development of the FDI will provide an extension of the application at landscape scale exploiting the potential advantages in coupling MCDA and GIS (Geographical Information Systems) techniques.

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“…Concerning the species composition of the stand, the strong dominance of the three oak species was determinant in the tree layer (DBH  5 cm, 51% of stems, 94% of basal area, Table 1) in particular of in the thick class of the tree layer, where almost all admixing species were absent (relative density: 1% of stems, 1% of basal area, Table 4 between 58% and 83% (Carvalho, 2011). In North American dry-mesic oak stands the dominance of oak species is markedly lower in almost all cases compared to the Central European dry-mesic stands.…”

Section: Dominance Of Oak Species In the Canopy Layermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several stands in Europe are ceased to be managed from different reasons, like designation as conservation area, or economic considerations. Long-term research of the abandoned oak stands is crucial to provide useful information for the sustainable and close-to-nature forest management of oak dominated forests of Europe (Rahman et al 2008), active conservation supporting their structural and functional complexity and maintaining biodiversity (Carvalho 2011, Petritan et al 2013, and understanding of natural disturbance regimes and natural shifts in their tree composition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Well-documented old-growth forests on dry-mesic sites are the most relevant references, as the virgin Q. petraea dominated Boky National Nature Reserve in Slovakia (Saniga & Shütz 2002, Halamová & Saniga 2006, Saniga et al 2014, the mature Q. robur-Q. suber L. and Q. pyrenaica Willd.-Arbutus unedo L. mixed-oak forests in thermo-temperate, dry and sub-humid climate in Portugal (Carvalho 2011), and some of the drier Q. petraea-Q. cerris forest types (Luzulo-Quercetum typicum) in the old-growth Lange-Leitn Natural Forest Reserve, Austria (Rahman et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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First signs of old-growth structure and composition of an oak forest after four decades of abandonment

et al. 2017

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Composition and structure of natural mixed-oak stands in northern and central Portugal

Cited by 13 publications

References 53 publications

The history and natural regeneration of a secondary oak-beech woodland on a former wood-pasture in Hungary

The history and natural regeneration of a secondary oak-beech woodland on a former wood-pasture in Hungary

An index for the assessment of degraded Mediterranean forest ecosystems

First signs of old-growth structure and composition of an oak forest after four decades of abandonment

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