Forest Ecosystem Function Research Articles

Spatial-Temporal Evolution, Trade-Offs and Synergies of Ecosystem Services in the Qinba Mountains

A scientific understanding of the trade-offs and synergies of ecosystem services is the prerequisite for maintaining the structure, function and health of forest ecosystems, which is conducive to promoting the “win-win” goal of economic development and ecological protection. As an important ecological function area in China, the Qinba Mountain region is responsible for important ecological services such as biodiversity conservation and water conservation, and exploring the trade-offs and synergistic relationships of ecosystem services is important for ecological conservation and high-quality development in this region. This paper analyzes the spatial and temporal characteristics of water conservation, soil conservation, carbon sequestration, and habitat quality services and their synergistic/balancing relationships in the Qinba Mountain region from 1990 to 2020 using tools such as the InVEST model, ArcGIS, and Matlab. The results showed that (1) the overall trend of water connotation, soil conservation and carbon sequestration in the Qinba Mountains is increasing, while the trend of habitat quality is fluctuating and decreasing. The spatial distribution pattern of water conservation and soil conservation services was “high in the southwest and low in the northeast”, while the spatial pattern of habitat quality services was the opposite; the spatial distribution pattern of carbon sequestration services was “low in the middle and high around”. (2) Habitat quality in the Qinba Mountains has a trade-off relationship with water connotation and soil conservation, as water connotation–soil conservation is a synergistic relationship, while carbon sequestration is unrelated to water connotation–soil conservation and habitat quality. (3) The area of habitat quality–water conservation showed a decreasing trend; the area of habitat quality–soil conservation showed an increasing trend; the area of habitat quality-water conservation showed a decreasing trend; the area of habitat quality-soil conservation showed an increasing trend; the area of water conservation-soil conservation service synergistic relationship showed a decreasing and then increasing trend; while the area of carbon sequestration service and In most of the regions, carbon sequestration, soil conservation and habitat quality services are not related to each other.

Effects of pre-commercial thinning on soil respiration and some soil properties in black pine (Pinus nigra) stands

Forestry practices may cause significant changes in soil characteristics as related to their properties and size. Although chemical attributes of the soil respond to the applications in the mid- or long-term while changes in soil respiration can react rapidly to forestry practices. Therefore, determining changes in soil attributes is needed to identify how the management practices would affect forest ecosystem function. Although there is much information on the effect of thinning practices on tree growth, there is a lack of knowledge on the impacts of pre-commercial thinning on soil properties, especially soil respiration. We aimed to determine pre-commercial thinning effects on some soil attributes in black pine sites. Four treatments with different intensities were applied to the stands studied. These practices were control (no pre-commercial thinning), 2000 (heavy), 4000 (moderate), and 6000 (light) individuals per hectare left, respectively. Measurements of soil respiration and soil temperature were carried out between 2014 and 2017 in spring, summer, autumn, and winter months. Soil characteristics, including pH, organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphor content, were measured just after and three years after the thinning. As a result, thinning increased soil respiration rate and soil temperature while decreased soil pH values. Results of the study showed that carbon balance in the ecosystem was significantly affected by thinnings, and adjusting the thinning intensity may be an efficient carbon management tool for reducing carbon emission from the soil.

Состояние лиственничников и перспективы выращивания лиственницы сибирской в подзоне хвойно-широколиственных лесов

For the sustainable development of society, timely and high-quality reproduction of forests is necessary with the preservation of ecosystem functions at the expense of economically valuable species, such as Larix sibirica Led. The aim of the work is to study the composition and structure of artificially created larch forests in the subzone of broadleafconiferous forests of the Kirov Region to find out the possibility, expediency and features of them for the conservation and maintenance of biodiversity, as well as timber resources. Communities were characterized from these positions by traditional silvicultural, geobotanical, ecological, and cenotic characteristics. The state of the stand was evaluated in comparison with normal stands according to M.M. Orlov. It was found that: 1) Larch stands mainly correspond to the values of normal stands of this age and are distinguished by a greater stock of wood than forests of the main forest-forming species of the region. 2) There is a tendency of natural transformation of larch forests into forests with greater participation of spruce: large undergrowth of Picea abies L., Abies sibirica Ledeb., Betula pendula L.; presence of boreal species in underbrush: Sorbus aucuparia L., Rubus idaeus L.; prevalence of boreal ecological and cenotic group (EEC) among herbs; moss cover of taiga species. 3) The main reason for community change is high density of stands. 4) Presence of non-moral ECG species, including Convallaria majalis L., which is protected in Kirov region. Increase of resource, supporting and preserving functions of forest ecosystems in the sub-zone of broadleaf-coniferous forests of Kirov region is possible and expedient by using L. sibirica in forest reproduction. To prevent transformation of larch forests into forests with spruce it is necessary to maintain illumination, for which purpose it is expediente carry out a full complex of forest maintenance cuts, especially thinning and pass logging.

New records and barcode sequence data of wood-inhabiting polypores in Benin with notes on their phylogenetic placements and distribution.

Wood-inhabiting fungi (WIF), such as polypores, are extremely species-rich and play vital roles in the functioning of forest ecosystems as decomposers. Despite the importance of polypores, our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of these fungi is still poor in general and especially for West Africa. To advance our knowledge we here summarise results from field collections between 2017 and 2021 and present (i) a taxonomic overview, (ii) phylogenetic placements and (iii) an illustrated catalogue of wood-inhabiting polypore fungi with colour pictures. During the field sampling campaigns, we collected 647 specimens. Based on morphological characteristics and molecular barcode data, 76 polypore species belonging to six orders, 15 families and 39 genera were identified. Of the 76 species, 30 are new to the West Africa, 69 new to Benin, and two new combinations Fuscoporia beninensis and Megasporia minuta are proposed. With this summary, we provide new data for further research. Citation: Olou BA, Langer E, Ryvarden L, Krah F-S, Hounwanou GB, Piepenbring M, Yorou NS (2023). New records and barcode sequence data of wood-inhabiting polypores in Benin with notes on their phylogenetic placements and distribution. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 11: 11-42. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2023.11.02.

The Time of Emergence (ToE) of the Andean Mediterranean sclerophyllous forest of Quillaja saponaria (Mol.) and Lithraea caustica (mol.) Hox. & Arn

Climate change has intensified in recent decades, leading to increasingly severe droughts. This trend will continue due to the emissions and increasing concentration of greenhouse gas (GHG). One of the main direct climate change consequences is the modification and alteration of the dynamics and function of forest ecosystems, having effects ranging from physiological alterations in plants to definitive changes in their geographical distribution. Mediterranean ecosystems are particularly threatened, where the sclerophyllous forest of central Chile that is considered a biodiversity hotspot, is no exception. Despite that sclerophyllous species present drought adaptation mechanisms, there is no certainty of the climatic minimum thresholds in which it develops, or when climate changes will exceed these thresholds, causing definitive changes in its distribution. To evaluate these changes on the Andean Mediterranean Sclerophyllous Forest vegetation belt of Quillaja saponaria and Lithraea caustica, the forest was divided into six quadrants with similar climates. In each quadrant, a critical threshold ​​of a simplified water balance (SWB) was defined where the forest has historically developed. The SWB is considered to be a limiting factor in the forest development. Then, the Time of Emergence (ToE) of the forest is estimated, as the time when climate change projections exceed the critical thresholds, by using CMIP6 General Circulation Models (GCM), under SSP2-4.5 (moderate) and SSP5-8.5 (pessimistic) scenarios. Results indicate that the forest would begin to be displaced between 2060 and 2080 under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, particularly in the Talagante, Isla de Maipo, Paine, and Doñihue area, while no distribution changes are presented under SSP2-4.5 scenario.

The turnover dynamics of woody plants in a tropical lowland rain forest during recovery following anthropogenic disturbances

An important indicator of forest dynamics is the forest community turnover rate, which was defined as the relative change in a variable of interest (e.g., basal area or stem abundance) to its maximum or total in the community over a certain period. Community turnover dynamics in part explain the community assembly process and give insights for understanding forest ecosystem functions. Here, we assessed how anthropogenic disturbances (shifting cultivation, clear cutting) affect turnover relative to old growth forests in a tropical lowland rainforest. Using two censuses over 5 years of twelve 1-ha forest dynamics plots (FDPs), we compared turnover dynamics of woody plant, then analyzed the influencing factors. We found that community turnover dynamics of FDPs that experienced shifting cultivation were significantly higher than those experienced clear cutting or no disturbance, but little difference between clear cutting and no disturbance. Stem mortality and relative growth rates were the highest contributors to stem and basal area turnover dynamics of woody plants, respectively. Both stem and turnover dynamics of woody plants were more consistent by the dynamics of trees (DBH≥5 cm). Canopy openness, as the most important drivers, was positively correlated with turnover rates, while soil available potassium and elevation were negatively correlated with turnover rates. We highlight the long-term impacts of major anthropogenic disturbances on tropical natural forests. Different conservation and restoration strategies should be adopted for tropical natural forests experienced different disturbance types.

Environmental effects of a management method used after fire on development of temperate Scots pine ecosystem: a 15-year study from Poland

Due to the ongoing climate changes, temperate forests are increasingly exposed to fires. However, until now the functioning of post-fire temperate forest ecosystems with regard to used forest management method has been weakly recognized. Here, we examined three variants of forest restoration after fire (two variants of natural regeneration with no soil preparation—NR, and artificial restoration by planting following soil preparation—AR) regarding their environmental consequences in development of post-fire Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) ecosystem. The study was conducted using a 15-year timespan in a long-term research site located in the Cierpiszewo area (N Poland) being one of the biggest post-fire grounds in European temperate forests in last decades. We focused on soil and microclimatic variables as well as on growth dynamics of post-fire pines generation. We found that the restoration rates of soil organic matter, carbon and most studied nutritional elements stocks were higher in NR plots than in AR. This could be primarily linked to the higher (p < 0.05) density of pines in naturally regenerated plots, and the subsequent faster organic horizon reconstruction after fire. The difference in tree density also involved regular differences in air and soil temperature among plots: consistently higher in AR than in both NR plots. In turn, lower water uptake by trees in AR implied that soil moisture was constantly the highest in this plot. Our study delivers strong arguments to pay more attention to restore post-fire forest areas with the use of natural regeneration with no soil preparation.

Distribution Pattern of Bacterial Community in Soil Profile of Larix principis-rupprechtii Forest in Luya Mountain

Microbial communities are the key component to maintaining the structure and function of forest soil ecosystems. The vertical distribution of bacterial communities on the soil profile has an important impact on forest soil carbon pools and soil nutrient cycling. Using Illumina MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology, we analyzed the characteristics of bacterial communities in the humus layer and 0-80 cm soil layer of Larix principis-rupprechtii in Luya Mountain, China, to explore the driving mechanisms affecting the structure of bacterial communities in soil profiles. The results showed that the α diversity of bacterial communities decreased significantly with increasing soil depth, and community structure differed significantly across soil profiles. The relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria decreased with increased soil depth, whereas the relative abundance of Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi increased with the increase in soil depth. The results of RDA analysis showed that soil NH+4, TC, TS, WCS, pH, NO-3, and TP were important factors determining the bacterial community structure of the soil profile, among which soil pH had the most significant effect. Molecular ecological network analysis showed that the complexity of bacterial communities in the litter layer and subsurface soil (10-20 cm) was relatively high, whereas the complexity of bacterial communities in deep soil (40-80 cm) was relatively low. Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Actinobacteria played important roles in the structure and stability of soil bacterial communities in Larch. The species function prediction of Tax4Fun showed a gradual decline in microbial metabolic capacity along the soil profile. In conclusion, soil bacterial community structure showed a certain distribution pattern along the vertical profile of soil, the community complexity gradually decreased, and the unique bacterial groups of deep soil and surface soil were significantly different.

Stand structural diversity and elevation rather than functional diversity drive aboveground biomass in historically disturbed semiarid oak forests

Forests provide biodiversity reservoirs and multiples ecosystem services such as global aboveground biomass dynamics and stock. Ecosystem functions varied according to biotic and abiotic factors, however, the effects of abiotic factors (e.g. elevation) on this relationship was rarely investigated, especially in areas impacted by human activities. We explored the relationships between aboveground biomass (AGB), a key proxy of ecosystem functioning, and plant species diversity in semiarid forests of western Iran submitted to a long history of past disturbances. Forty forest patches were sampled according to an elevation gradient (1700–2100 m) and to two types of forest cover: open cover indicating an intense past use or closed cover for more preserved forests. For each patch, the composition of woody species was recorded and woody species diversity indices (richness, Simpson, Shannon and Evenness) were calculated. We also estimated AGB and computed a wide set of community-weighted mean or functional divergence of ecological traits for woody species. We found that AGB sharply decreased with elevation (from 105.68 ± 10.29 ton/ha at 1700 m to 36.18 ± 6.43ton/ha at 2100 m) for the closed cover but variations were much less pronounced for the open cover (16.32 ± 2.97 ton/ha to 30.83 ± 1.96 ton/ha, respectively). Diversity indices (richness, Simpson, Shannon) increased with elevation for the closed cover and the other traits exhibited strong variations with elevation (either positive or negative) whereas no clear trend was visible in the open cover. Similar results were found when computing the linear relationships between AGB and the different diversity indices which were highly significant in the closed cover only. Surprisingly, the relationships were negative between AGB and most diversity indices (e.g., richness, Shannon, Simpson, Evenness). The dominant Persian oak was in fact the main contributor to AGB which was reduced in stands with a higher tree mixture, a result in line with the mass ratio hypothesis. Our results also illustrate the long-lasting effects of past conservation management on the forest cover and in shaping the relationships between forest ecosystem functions (AGB production) and biodiversity in semiarid areas.

A precise forest spatial structure investigation using the SLAM+AR technology

IntroductionForest spatial structures are the foundations of the structure and function of forest ecosystems. Quantitative descriptions and analyses of forest spatial structure have recently become common tools for digitalized forest management. Therefore, the accuracy and intelligence of acquiring forest spatial structure information are of great significance.MethodsIn this study, we developed a forest measurement system using a mobile phone. Through this system, the following tree measurements can be achieved: (1) point cloud of tree and chest diameter circle to measure tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and position coordinates of tree by using simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology, (2) virtual boundary creation of the sample plot, and the auxiliary measurement function of tree with the augmented reality (AR) interactive module, and (3) position coordinates and single-tree volume factor to calculate the spatial structural parameters of the forest (e.g., Mingling degree, Dominance index, Uniform angle index, and Crowdedness index).The system was tested in three 32 x 32 martificial forest plots.ResultsThe average DBH estimations showed BIAS of -0.47 to 0.45 cm and RMSEs of 0.57 to 0.95 cm. Its accuracy level met the requirements of forestry sample surveys. The tree position estimates for the three plots had relatively small RMSEs with 0.17 to 0.22 m on the x-axis and 0.16 to 0.26 m on the y-axis. The spatial structural parameters were as follows: the mingling degree of plot 1 was 0.32, and the overall mixing degree of tree species was low. The trees in plots 2 and 3 were all single species, and the mixing degree of both plots was 0. The dominance index of the three plots was 0.56, 0.51, and 0.51, indicating that the competitive advantage of the whole orest species was not obvious. The uniform angle index of the three plots was 0.55, 0.59, and 0.61, indicating that the positions of trees in the three plots were randomly distributed. The crowdedness index of plot 1 was 1.03, indicating that the degree of aggregation of the trees was low and showed a random distribution trend. The crowdedness index of the other plots were 1.36 and 1.40, indicating that the trees in the plots show a trend of uniform distribution, and the uniformity of plot 3 is higher than that of plot 2, but the overall uniformity is relatively weak.DiscussionThe findings of this study provide support for the optimization of forest structures and improve our conceptual understanding of forest community succession and restoration, in addition to the informatization and precision of forest spatial structure surveys.

Problems of legal regulation of the use and protection of swamps

The article discusses issues related to the existing legal regulation of relations related to the use and protection of swamps. The physical and geographical features of marshes as natural objects affecting the peculiarities of their use and protection, their hydrological classification, the ecological significance of marshes for the sustainable functioning of aquatic and forest ecosystems are shown. Based on the analysis of the current legislation defining the procedure for the use and protection of wetlands, the ecological and legal problems of ensuring the protection of wetland ecosystems are highlighted. Using official statistical data on swamps and the lands on which they are located, the legal and environmental aspects of determining the legal status of a swamp as a natural complex, as part of wetlands and specially protected natural territories are considered. Conclusions are drawn about the need to differentiate wetlands as a negative phenomenon and the concept of a swamp, as well as the need to recognize a swamp as a complex ecosystem and develop legal regulation that would ensure proper protection of all its natural elements, based on the harmonization of environmental and natural resource legislation.

Advances in the study of global forest wildfires

PurposeWildfire is one of the most important natural disturbances in forest and multi-vegetation ecosystems, directly or indirectly affecting the structural processes and functions of forest ecosystems with varying degrees. Wildfire releases vast amounts of carbon dioxide and other substances by destroying vegetation, making itself an important topic for the study of global change and environmental impacts. Therefore, a deeper understanding of this topic is particularly crucial for managing forest ecosystems.MethodsThis paper was based on a literature search of the Web of Science database for international forest wildfire research, utilizing bibliometric and quantity statistical analysis methods.ResultsThe results show that forest wildfire research has been rapidly growing over the last 20 years, with the number of relevant articles generally increasing yearly at an average annual growth rate of about 22.45%. The US tops the list in terms of total and independent publications, with a total of 3111 articles (49.88%). The key journals publishing on this topic include 12 journals, Stephens S.L., Bergeron Y., and Lindenmayer D.B. are the key contributing authors to the field, and research institutions are primarily concentrated in the US Forest Service. Keyword co-occurrence analysis shows that current forest wildfire research is focused on seven main areas. This paper systematically reviewed the progress and hotspots of international forest wildfire research in recent decades, mainly focusing on occurrences, severity, management, and warning techniques for wildfires, as well as the impact of climate change and human activities on wildfires.ConclusionsThe study concludes that research trends in this field have undergone a significant evolution in recent decades. The future forest wildfire research moves towards a combination of typical mechanisms and large-scale effects across spatial and temporal scales, deep integration of aerospace and earth observations and precise simulations, discipline fusion, and couplings research. We believe that this study provides a comprehensive and systematic overview for future forest wildfire observation, prediction, management, and investigation of ecological effects.

Environmental drivers of ground-floor bryophytes diversity in temperate forests.

Bryophytes play important role in forest ecosystem functioning and their distribution and diversity are driven by numerous environmental factors. The aim of the present study was to bring new insights in deeper understanding of terrestrial bryophytes diversity in temperate forests, as well as to determine the environmental factors which have predominant influence on ground-floor bryophytes. The survey was conducted in Fruška Gora Mountain (Serbia) across seven forest sites where ground-bryophytes were sampled. Soil moisture, temperature, and pH were measured as soil characteristics, while herbaceous cover, litter cover, stream distance, number of trees and shrubs were used as characteristics of stand structure. Species richness, Shannon diversity index, and evenness index were used as diversity measures. Generalised linear model and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were used to test the influence of environmental variables on bryophyte diversity. Litter cover was the most important explanatory variable, followed by soil moisture, stream distance and tree number, respectively. Overall, the stand structure was found to have a greater impact on ground-floor bryophyte diversity compared to soil characteristics. Identification of the most significant ecological factors affecting the diversity and distribution of bryophytes in forest ecosystems is of great importance in forest ecology with the aim of defining adequate management methods to preserve the biodiversity of forests, with particular emphasis on endangered and rare bryophyte species.

Dynamics of juvenile salmon and forage fishes in nearshore kelp forests

Abstract North‐east Pacific juvenile salmon and forage fishes, including the endangered salmon species Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), chum (Oncorhynchus keta), and pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), and the forage fishes species of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasi), surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus), and sand lance (Ammodytes hexapterus), utilize kelp environments. Many details of the kelp forest ecosystem function for these fishes are lacking. Kelp forests, salmon, and forage fishes are declining precipitously as the global climate shifts and developments along coastal shorelines expand. It is therefore essential to understand kelp forest function for these species. Analysis of 7 years of snorkelling survey videos indicates that both forage fishes and salmon use kelp forests throughout the outmigration season, and that their interactions occur in small and large groups, primarily along the outer edge of kelp beds. Over the course of outmigration, juvenile Chinook and coho salmon encounter sand lance first, followed by smelt and herring. The majority of interactions are intermingling, in which a subset proceed to predation, primarily on herring. It is important to develop and implement specific fishery and habitat conservation measures to preserve and restore these functions. Long‐term research has shown that intact, conserved nearshore habitats function better ecologically than restored habitats, and individual kelp forests can function differently for forage fishes and salmon. Therefore, conservation plans should be developed to conserve wild kelp forests which are documented to provide ecosystem function for salmon and forage fishes, by protecting them from various development impacts, including dredging, filling, and water‐quality decline. Coastal restoration is often only successful when ecosystem‐limiting factors that result in a loss of habitat are resolved. Kelp forest restoration, therefore, should be prioritized for regions of known high historical kelp forest importance, with restoration actions focused on correcting the limiting factors that caused loss and/or degradation.

A Review of Sampling and Modeling Techniques for Forest Biomass Inventory

Forest biomass is the energy base and material source of forest ecosystem cycle, which is expressed by the dry matter weight or energy accumulated per unit area and time. It is also an important index to study the structure and function of forest ecosystem, and is the premise and basis of scientific management of forest ecosystem. In this paper, the concept, development history, and research status of forest biomass were reviewed. The sampling methods, model construction methods of forest biomass survey were analyzed. Finally, the research prospects and summaries of key technologies of forest biomass inventory and monitoring were put forward.

Thinning alters the network patterns and keystone taxa of rhizosphere soil microbial communities in Chinese fir plantation

The composition and structure of microorganisms, which are affected by management practices, play a crucial role in controlling the function of forest ecosystems. Although the response of microbial communities to thinning has been well studied, the effect of thinning on the cooccurrence patterns of soil bacteria and fungi, especially in rhizosphere soil, remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the bacterial and fungal communities in rhizosphere and bulk soil of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata [Lamb.] Hook) plantations under different thinning intensities, including control (CK, 0 %), light-intensity thinning (LIT, 30 %), moderate-intensity thinning (MIT, 50 %), and high-intensity thinning (HIT, 70 %). Fungi were more sensitive to thinning than bacteria, with their diversity in bulk soil being decreased after thinning. Thinning-sensitive operational taxonomic units (tsOTUs) were taxonomically diverse, with each thinning intensity harboring a specific tsOTU subset. The top 3 modules in the meta-cooccurrence network were dominated by the phyla Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Ascomycota, and Basidiomycota, which showed little overlap and were affected by thinning. In addition, we identified 16 and 3 thinning-sensitive keystone taxa in the rhizosphere and bulk soil, respectively. The highest abundance of these 16 keystone taxa was detected in the rhizosphere soil after HIT. Overall, we demonstrated that thinning altered the composition, cooccurrence network, and keystone taxa of soil bacteria and fungi. These findings indicated detectable thinning-induced changes of largely unknown consequences in the composition of the rhizosphere soil communities, suggesting that rhizosphere soils should be considered in future studies.

Regional variation in deadwood decay of 13 tree species: Effects of climate, soil and forest structure

Deadwood provides important ecological and biogeochemical functions in forest ecosystems. These functions rely on tree species-specific decay dynamics, but only few studies investigated how exogenous parameters affected the decay of deadwood at the regional scale. Here, we explore the influence of climate, soil traits and forest structure on decay dynamics and mass loss of logs of 13 tree species in 29 plots across three regions in Germany. This long-term experiment (BELongDead) comprises 1,066 logs of 9 angiosperms and 4 gymnosperms and covers a decay time of almost 10 years. Mass loss of logs was relatively high for the temperate climate with partly different half-lives ranging from 6 to 13 years (mean 8.9 ± 2.2 years). Diffuse-porous angiosperms lost 70 ± 13 % of their initial mass, followed by gymnosperms (49 ± 16 %) and ring-porous angiosperms (46 ± 12 %) within the study period. We applied three different mathematical models to fit mass loss in time and found that a linear model is most appropriate for 10 tree species. A sigmoidal model best described the mass loss of Fraxinus, Quercus and Pinus logs. A multivariate analysis revealed a significant effect of soil, temperature and precipitation on mass loss at the plot level. Mass loss increased with decreasing soil nutrient content, possibly as a result of enhanced bidirectional element translocations between nutrient-poor soils and logs by fungal hyphae. Temperature had a positive effect on mass loss, whereas increasing precipitation and soil moisture were negatively related to mass loss. The region with warmer, moderately humid climate and unfavourable soil properties led to overall higher mass loss (66 ± 4 %) whereas the other two regions were indifferent (both 57 ± 3 %). Forest structure, including canopy cover, share of coniferous trees and the stock of deadwood in the vicinity of the logs explained only a small part of the variability in mass loss. High variability within individual tree species suggests that other factors such as organismic diversity and microbial activity have stronger impact on the decay process at the regional scale than exogenous factors.

Developing a more complete understanding of tropical montane forest disturbance ecology through landslide research

Landslides are a central component of tropical montane forest disturbance regimes, including in the tropical Andes biodiversity hotspot, one of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world. Technological developments in remote sensing have made landscape-scale landslide studies possible, unlocking new avenues for understanding montane biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and the future effects of climate change. Here, we outline three axes of inquiry for future landslide ecology research in Andean tropical montane forest. We focus exclusively on the Andes due to the vast floral diversity and high endemicity of the tropical Andes biodiversity hotspot, and its importance for global biodiversity and regional ecosystem service provisioning; the broad elevational, latitudinal, and topographic gradients across which landslide dynamics play out; and the existence of long-term plot networks that provide the necessary baseline data on mature forest structure, composition, and functioning to contextualize disturbance impacts. The three lines of study we outline, which draw heavily on remote sensing data and techniques, will deepen scientific understanding of tropical montane forest biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, and the potential impacts of climate change on both. They are: (1) tracking landslide biodiversity dynamics across time and space with high spatial and temporal resolution satellite and unoccupied aerial vehicle imagery; (2) assessing the ecological influence of landslides through the lens of plant functional diversity with imaging spectroscopy; and (3) understanding current and predicting future landslide regimes at scale by building a living landslide inventory spanning the tropical Andes. The research findings from these three axes of inquiry will shed light on the role of landslides and the process of forest recovery from them in both the Andes and worldwide.

Functions of dead wood in forest ecosystem services

The article analyzes the functions and role of dead wood in the context of forest ecosystem services. The research was carried out by an analytical review of literary sources. A classification of the functions of dead wood is proposed, according to which the following main groups of functions are distinguished: supporting, habitat-providing, protective, resource and informational. Supporting — functions related to the main ecosystem processes. These include functions in the biological cycle of substances and energy, accumulation of nutrients and water, carbon deposition, regulation of ecosystem processes, and participation in soil-forming processes. The ecological functions of dead wood consist in providing habitats for species of flora and fauna, forming a substrate and a favorable environment for development, and preserving the biodiversity of forest ecosystems. Protective — functions aimed at the protection and preservation of certain components and processes of the ecosystem. They include control of surface runoff, soil protection, prevention of erosion and water protection functions. The resource functions of dead wood are the provision of natural resources that are used for human needs, including in industry, construction, other branches of production, as well as a fuel and energy source. The informational functions of dead wood are to provide opportunities for cognitive development, which are realized in a person’s acquisition of scientific and educational, cultural and artistic, spiritual and historical information. The proposed classification is schematic, since the division into function groups is based on the main functions of forest ecosystems in general. The ecological and protective functions of dead wood are interconnected, influencing each other, performing another new function. In the conditions of today’s global environmental challenges and awareness of the importance of dead wood as an important component of forest ecosystems, we consider the research of habitat-providing and informative functions of dead wood to be promising. At the same time, taking into account the current trend of switching to renewable energy sources, the importance of the resource functions of dead wood and its role in carbon deposition will be no less relevant. Ensuring a balance in the provision of deadwood ecosystem services is an important aspect of sustainable development.

Vertical Patterns of Soil Bacterial and Fungal Communities along a Soil Depth Gradient in a Natural Picea crassifolia Forest in Qinghai Province, China

Soil bacterial and fungal communities play different roles in maintaining the ecosystem structure and functions. However, these differences, which are related to soil depths, remain unclear and are the subject of this study. We selected six sample plots (20 m × 50 m) in a natural Picea crassifolia forest in an alpine meadow to determine the vertical patterns (0~10 cm, 10~20 cm, 20~30 cm, and 30~50 cm) of soil bacterial and fungal communities, and to predict their potential functions. The phyla Verrucomicrobia, Acidobacteria, and Proteobacteria dominated the soil bacteria, with more than 50% of the relative abundance, while the fungi Basidiomycota and Ascomycota dominated the soil fungi. The potential functions of bacteria, including metabolism and transcription, increased with soil depth, and corresponded to specific bacterial taxa. The functional guilds of fungi, including endophytes, arbuscular mycorrhiza, and ectomycorrhiza, did not change with soil depth. The structural equation modeling analysis revealed that soil organic carbon (SOC) and pH were the key drivers shaping the soil bacterial communities and potential functions in the 0–50 cm soil layer. SOC was also a key driver of soil fungal α diversity. The sample plot, namely, its geographic locations, was another key driver shaping soil fungal β diversity and potential functions, but soil depth was not. Our results differentiate the importance of SOC and geographic location in shaping soil bacterial and fungal communities, respectively, and indicate that examining soil microbial composition and corresponding functions concomitantly is important for the maintenance and management of forest ecosystem functions.