Abstract
Mixed-species forests may deliver more forest functions and services than monocultures, as being considered more resistant to disturbances than pure stands. However, information on wood quality in mixed-species vs. corresponding pure forests is poor. In this study, nine plots grouped into three triplets of pure and mixed-species stands of European beech and Calabrian pine (three dominated by European beech, three dominated by Calabrian pine, and three mixed-species plots) were analysed. We evaluated tree growth and wood quality through dendrochronological approaches and non-destructive technologies (acoustic detection), respectively, hypothesizing that the mixture might improve the fitness of each species and its wood quality. A linear mixed model was applied to test the effects of exogenous influences on the basal area index (BAI) and the dynamic modulus of elasticity (MOEd). The recruitment period (Rp) was studied to verify whether wood quality was independent from stem radial growth patterns. Results showed that the mixture effect influenced both wood quality and BAI. In the mixed-species plots, for each species, MOEd values were significantly higher than in the corresponding pure stands. The mixture effect aligned MOEd values, making wood quality uniform across the different diameter classes. In the mixed-species plots, a significant positive relationship between MOEd and Rp, but also significantly higher BAI values than in the pure plots, were found for European beech, but not for Calabrian pine. The results suggest the promotion of mixing of European beech and Calabrian pine in this harsh environment to potentially improve both tree growth and wood quality.
Highlights
Mixed-species forests may deliver forest functions and services more effectively than monocultures [1,2], in threatened mountain environments [3] and in man-made mixed-species forests
We focused on two important tree species, European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Calabrian pine (Pinus nigra Arnold subsp. calabrica), widespread in mountainous forest ecosystems of Southern Italy; European beech is a late-successional broadleaved tree species, here occurring in its southernmost ecological limit, whereas Calabrian pine is an early-successional conifer, providing timber of high quality
Our study comprises nine plots grouped into three triplets of pure and mixed-species stands of European beech and Calabrian pine, in the Aspromonte National Park
Summary
Mixed-species forests may deliver forest functions and services more effectively than monocultures [1,2], in threatened mountain environments [3] and in man-made mixed-species forests. Their spread is an important option to adapt European mountain forests and forestry to future disturbances and extreme events [4]. Mixed-species forests may show less temporal variation in growth and more stable productivity in comparison with pure stands, due to reduced tree species competition for resources [5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13]. An increase in the frequency and severity of drought events, as predicted for the coming decades [18,19], will have dramatic implications for the resilience of Mediterranean mountain ecosystems, in the case of forest stands with a simplified vertical structure [20]
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