Abstract
The deadwood (DW) of the forest is in the following two forms: standing (snag) and fallen (log). The DW categories and decay stage are important functional and structural components of forest ecosystems. We used a field-based assessment to quantify how the relative contribution of deadwood to total above-ground carbon stock changes across a silvicultural method and stand altitude gradient in mixed broadleaves stands. The characteristics of DW and carbon stock in selection-cutting managed stands (Sc), shelter-wood managed stands (Sh) and protected stands (Pr) were examined in three altitude ranges (low, <600; medium, 600–1200; and high, >1200 m a.s.l.) in a mixed broadleaves high forest. The results showed that with increasing altitude, the volume of DW increased. The volume of DW in Pr stands was about three times higher than Sh stands and twice higher than Sc stands. The volume of the standing DW was greater than that of the fallen DW in all stands. The highest volume ratio of fallen DW to standing DW was found in the medium altitude in the Sc stand. The amount of carbon stock by DW in the Sh, Sc, and Pr stands was 1.53–2.22, 2.29–3.19, and 5.03–6.80 t ha−1, respectively. The DW share of C-stock of above ground biomass was 4%–4.6% in Sh stand, 4.3%–4.8% in Sc stand, and 7.4%–7.9% in the Pr stand. Deadwood assessment and management, in terms of volume, type, species composition, diameter distribution, spatial allocation and decay stage, is one of the new challenges for a proper sustainable forest management.
Highlights
The deadwood (DW) of a forest includes standing dead trees, snags, fallen logs, branches and stumps [1,2]
The results showed that the volume of fallen, standing, and total DW in the protected stands (Pr) stand was significantly higher than in the selection cutting (Sc) stand, and in the Sc stand it was significantly higher than the shelter wood (Sh) stand in all DW decay classes (Table 5)
The results showed that the amount of C-stock in DW in the Pr stand was more than three times that of in the Sh, and more than twice that in the Sc stand (Table 6)
Summary
The deadwood (DW) of a forest includes standing dead trees, snags, fallen logs, branches and stumps [1,2]. The DW has an extensive ecological role during and throughout the decomposition stages in forests These are as follows: sustaining biodiversity [3,4], providing a wide range of habitats for saprotrophic and heterotrophic organisms [5], regulation of nutrient cycling [6,7], regulation of hydrologic processes [8], as well as the provision of habitat for a wide diversity of organisms [9,10], including tree seedlings [11,12]. DW provides a habitat for wildlife such as wood-feeding termites [13,14], cavity-nesting birds [15,16], saproxylic beetles [17] and bats [18] It facilitates tree regeneration by providing ‘nurse logs’ [19].
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