Pine Plantation Forest Research Articles

Recycled alkaline paper waste influenced growth and structure of Pinus taeda L. forest

Alkaline residues of recycled paper production (ARRP) can be an alternative for correcting soil acidity and adding bases to Pinus taeda L. systems. Our aim was to investigate the effect of increasing doses of ARRP on tree, forest floor (litter and root), and soil composition in a 3-year-old Brazilian pine forest plantation. In 2007, ARRP treatments of 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 T ha−1 were imposed. Tree growth and needle elemental composition were evaluated in 2008 and 2018; elemental composition of the trunk was evaluated in 2018. In 2017, accumulation and composition of litter layers were assessed: new litter, old litter, first and second sublayers of fragmented litter (Fr and Fm), and the humified layer (H); roots present in F and H layers were quantified (amount and elemental composition). In addition, soil chemical properties at different depths were evaluated in 2008, 2012, and 2017. The application of ARRP improved growth by ~ 16% up to 20 T ha−1 after 10 years. Also, ARRP increased Ca concentration in needles, trunks, roots, and all litter fractions since Ca was a major component of ARRP. There was no change in total litter accumulation with ARRP application, but an increase in the humidified fraction was observed. Root growth was enhanced by ARRP, leading to great changes in root composition in Fr and H fractions. Changes in soil pH, Ca2+, and Al3+ were observed in the 0–10 cm soil layer. Findings suggest that application of ARRP to established pine forests has the potential for improving productivity.

Sentinel-2 Leaf Area Index Estimation for Pine Plantations in the Southeastern United States

Leaf area index (LAI) is an important biophysical indicator of forest health that is linearly related to productivity, serving as a key criterion for potential nutrient management. A single equation was produced to model surface reflectance values captured from the Sentinel-2 Multispectral Instrument (MSI) with a robust dataset of field observations of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) LAI collected with a LAI-2200C plant canopy analyzer. Support vector machine (SVM)-supervised classification was used to improve the model fit by removing plots saturated with aberrant radiometric signatures that would not be captured in the association between Sentinel-2 and LAI-2200C. The resulting equation, LAI = 0.310SR − 0.098 (where SR = the simple ratio between near-infrared (NIR) and red bands), displayed good performance ( R 2 = 0.81, RMSE = 0.36) at estimating the LAI for loblolly pine within the analyzed region at a 10 m spatial resolution. Our model incorporated a high number of validation plots (n = 292) spanning from southern Virginia to northern Florida across a range of soil textures (sandy to clayey), drainage classes (well drained to very poorly drained), and site characteristics common to pine forest plantations in the southeastern United States. The training dataset included plot-level treatment metrics—silviculture intensity, genetics, and density—on which sensitivity analysis was performed to inform model fit behavior. Plot density, particularly when there were ≤618 trees per hectare, was shown to impact model performance, causing LAI estimates to be overpredicted (to a maximum of X i + 0.16). Silviculture intensity (competition control and fertilization rates) and genetics did not markedly impact the relationship between SR and LAI. Results indicate that Sentinel-2’s improved spatial resolution and temporal revisit interval provide new opportunities for managers to detect within-stand variance and improve accuracy for LAI estimation over current industry standard models.

Study on the Coupling Relationship Between Arbor Layer Structure and Shrub Layer Diversity of Chinese Pine Plantation Forests

Study on the Coupling Relationship Between Arbor Layer Structure and Shrub Layer Diversity of Chinese Pine Plantation Forests

Terrestrial laser scanning‐derived canopy interception index for predicting rainfall interception

AbstractRainfall interception (RI) by forest canopies is an important process in hydrological cycling in forest ecosystems. However, accurately predicting RI is a challenging topic. In this study, a dimensionless descriptor, canopy interception index (CII), for predicting RI was defined. The terrestrial laser scanning was used to estimate CII in four temperate forest types, including Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) plantation forest (KPF) stands, larch (Larix spp.) plantation forest (LPF) stands, mixed broadleaved forest (MBF) stands and Mongolian oak (Quercus mongolica) forest (MOF) stands. Using the measured RI values over the rainy seasons in 2017 and 2018, CII's performance for predicting RI was tested and also compared with several other indices (LAI: leaf area index, PAI: plant area index and ACH: average canopy height). The results indicated that CII was significantly and strongly related with RI for the four forest types together (R2 = 0.79), as well as for an individual forest type (R2 = 0.55–0.63). More importantly, its performance was better than those from LAI (R2 = 0.33–0.43), PAI (R2 = 0.40–0.53) and ACH (R2 = 0.35). All those results demonstrated that CII was an efficient index for accurately predicting RI. The potential applications of CII were also discussed.

Joint production of wood, resin, and carbon from pine plantation forest in Java

Pine (Pinus merkusii) plantation forest has been developed in Java Island under Perhutani management with clear-cutting and artificial regeneration silviculture system. The main products of pine plantation forests are wood and resin. Although the Indonesian government has committed to reduce the greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission for 26% by 2020 with voluntary efforts, pine plantation forest may contribute to reduce GHGs emission through enhancing carbon stock. The additional income from carbon sales might or might not change the optimal rotation of the pine forest. This study aims to analyze the effects of additional income from resin and carbon benefits on the optimal rotation of pine plantation forest in Java. The modified Faustmann model is used to determine the optimal rotation. The results of this study show that (1) the inclusion of resin benefits may lengthen the optimal rotation age, (2) the optimal rotation of timber and resin production of pine forest in Java for size class III, IV, V, and VI are 34, 33 32, and 30 years respectively, (3) additional income from carbon sales may increase carbon stock by 8%, and lengthen optimal rotation for 3 years. Perhutani may change the optimal rotation due to additional benefits from resin and carbon.

Global warming implications from increased forest biomass utilization for bioenergy in a supply-constrained context

This article analyzes different forest management strategies to meet the increasing demand of biomass for bioenergy and assesses the resulting global warming implications. Applied to maritime pine forest plantations in Portugal, the assessed strategies are: full harvest of residues (FULL); sustainable and proactive management (SMART); expansion of forest plantations on abandoned farmland (EXP); and biomass import (IMP). A dynamic CO2 inventory was obtained for each scenario using a parametric stand-level C-flux model adapted to Portuguese conditions, which was then extended to the landscape-level and coupled to a dynamic climate model. The time-adjusted absolute global warming potential (AGWP) was then calculated at both stand and landscape levels, considering the timing of all CO2 emissions and uptakes (both fossil and biogenic). To test the robustness of the findings, a sensitivity analysis was performed. Results show that, in a supply-constrained context like Portugal, SMART and EXP management strategies can provide important global warming mitigation benefits (GWPbio < 0), although their supply-response is slow (long-term strategies). On the other hand, FULL and IMP management strategies show moderate to null AGWP reduction potential (0 < GWPbio < 1), while involving other possible risks (e.g., exacerbated soil erosion, nutrient depletion or uncertain impacts abroad), but their supply-response is fast (short-term strategies). National forest regulations and energy policies should be revised to address the drawbacks related to all management strategies and to unleash the multiple environmental benefits they can provide in the short- and long-term.

Soil microbial diversity in adjacent forest systems - contrasting native, old growth kauri (Agathis australis) forest with exotic pine (Pinus radiata) plantation forest.

ABSTRACTGlobally, the conversion of primary forests to plantations and agricultural landscapes is a common land use change. Kauri (Agathis australis) is one of the most heavily impacted indigenous tree species of New Zealand with <1% of primary forest remaining as fragments adjacent to pastoral farming and exotic forest plantations. By contrasting two forest systems, we investigated if the fragmentation of kauri forests and introduction of pine plantations (Pinus radiata) are significantly impacting the diversity and composition of soil microbial communities across Waipoua kauri forest, New Zealand. Using next generation based 16S rRNA and ITS gene region sequencing, we identified that fungal and bacterial community composition significantly differed between kauri and pine forest soils. However, fungal communities displayed the largest differences in diversity and composition. This research revealed significant shifts in the soil microbial communities surrounding remnant kauri fragments, including the loss of microbial taxa with functions in disease suppression and plant health. Kauri dieback disease, caused by Phytophthora agathidicida, currently threatens the kauri forest ecosystem. Results from this research highlight the need for further investigations into how changes to soil microbial diversity surrounding remnant kauri fragments impact tree health and disease expression.

Impacts of thinning on diversity of Hymenoptera in pine plantation forest of Sukabumi, West Java, Indonesia

Partial cutting technique (thinning) of pine tree to improve pine growth and timber quality causes disturbances to the forest which can affect forest fauna, especially the order Hymenoptera. This study aimed to analyze how the species abundance and richness of Hymenoptera is influenced by thinning in pine plantation forest. The study compared Hymenopteran abundance before and after thinning of the pine forest. Intensity of forest thinning was at 20%. The plot used in this study was cluster plot for forest health and monitoring. The number of plots was 4 plots, which was placed systematically in the thinning area of 7.85 ha. The Hymenopterans caught using 80 pitfall traps before thinning and after thinning. Insects were identified to morphospecies level. Non parametric statistics (Mann-Whitney and Friedman test) were used to analyze the difference in abundance and species richness of Hymenoptera before thinning and after thinning at the significant level of 5%. The number of individual Hymenopterans before thinning was 2,369 individuals, consisting of 3 families, 27 genera and 44 morphospecies. After thinning, the number of individual Hymenoptera was 2,400 individuals, consisting of 4 families, 24 genera and 45 morphospecies. The abundance of Hymenopterans before thinning and after thinning was not significantly different whereas the morphospecies composition of Hymenoptera before thinning and after thinning was significantly different.

Assessment of molecular detection of Fusarium circinatum in insects and passive spore traps in Pinus radiata plantations

AbstractFusarium circinatum is the causal agent of pitch canker, a destructive disease that threatens natural and planted pine forests around the world. Although pitch canker has caused problems in Spain and Portugal, concerning Europe as a whole, the fungus is not established across the pine distribution area. Its dispersion by wind and/or insect vectors could nevertheless play a role in the colonization of currently uninfected stands. It is therefore crucial to develop monitoring tools for its detection. To this end, we assessed the molecular detection of the pathogen in environmental samples of bark beetles and passive spore traps, collected in two infected Pinus radiata plantations in Basque country, Spain. The spread pattern of F. circinatum was assessed by an experimental design that included insect and spore traps installed at the centre, at the edge and outside the plots. Our results showed that F. circinatum was detected in both types of samples, at almost all collection dates. In both type of samples, positive detections were mainly found at the centre of the plots, a lower proportion at the edge, and very few outside. This suggests that long‐distance dispersion of Fusarium circinatum does not rely on wind spore dispersal neither on insect flight. Our study also shows that molecular methods are a powerful tool to monitor the pathogen in environmental samples.

ОПЫТ РЕКУЛЬТИВАЦИИ РАЗЛИЧНЫХ ВИДОВ НАРУШЕННЫХ ЗЕМЕЛЬ

The paper touches upon the analysis of disturbed lands various methods of reclamation on linear and site objects that make possible to minimise spending for recultivation work carrying out to achieve a desirable effect. It is noted the inexpediency of plank roads and wooden covering dismantling followed by the former road recultivation. It is suggested to use these roads as antifire ones; it will play a positive role in forest antifire protection. It is underlined the necessity of the highest possible potential possibilities utilisation of some disturbed lands for self-healing. The latter refers, in particular to seismic profiles, sites for wastes of saw-mills and woodworking as well as sand and clay extracting pits when their area is rat her small and when there exists no reliable source of their seed producing. Sometimes for the process of grass vegetation formation speeding and fertile soil layer formation, it is recommended grass sowing, leguminous plants in particular. The surface of the disturbed lands covering with a layer of sewage deposit is an effective method of recultivation as well. The latter is not only promoted fertile layer formation on the surfaces of dumps and some other types of disturbed lands but improves conditions of plants water nutrition playing the role of mulch. As the primary trend of reclamation in the Ural region, it is recommended to consider forestry main during the biological stage of ordinary pine forest plantations.

Carвon absorption ability of pine forest plantations in Zhytomyr Polissya

Carвon absorption ability of pine forest plantations in Zhytomyr Polissya

Individual Tree Parameters Estimation for Plantation Forests Based on UAV Oblique Photography

The parameters of individual trees in forests are important for accurate forestry inventory and sustainable management. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) oblique photogrammetry technology plays an important role in forest surveys because of its flexibility, low cost, high spatial data resolution. Few studies have committed to extract individual tree parameters and estimate individual tree biomass using oblique photography data. In this study, images of larch( Larix gmelinii ) and Chinese pine( Pinus tabuliformis ) plantations with different ages were acquired by UAV oblique photogrammetry. Then, three dimension (3D) point clouds were constructed recovered by the structure from motion (SFM) algorithm and than normalized. The watershed segmentation, point cloud segmentation (PCS) and object-oriented multiresolution segmentation (MRS) methods were used to delineate individual trees and extract tree height and crown area. Finally, stepwise regression was used to fitting individual tree biomass models based on the point cloud metrics, crown area obtained from individual tree segmentation and measured biomass. The results indicated that: most suitable segmentation method are determined for different tree species at different ages; optimal prediction models of individual tree biomass can be constructed by combining the point cloud metrics with the tree crown area obtained by segmentation, accuracy of the models are all greater than 0.8. The results show that UAV oblique photography technology can be used to accurately extract the individual tree parameters of larch and Chinese pine plantation forests in northern China and can meet the requirements of large-scale and low-cost forestry inventory.

Effects of land cover type on carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) of the Canterbury foothills, New Zealand

Background: Land cover changes during the recent history of New Zealand have had a major impact on its largely endemic and iconic biodiversity. As in many other countries, large areas of native forest have been replaced by other land cover and are now in exotic pasture grassland or plantation forest. Ground beetles (Carabidae) are often used as ecological indicators, they provide ecosystem services such as pest control, and some species are endangered. However, few studies in New Zealand have assessed the habitat value for carabid beetles of natural forest, managed regenerating natural forest, pine plantation forest and pasture.&#x0D; Methods: We compared the carabid beetle assemblages of natural forest of Nothofagus solandri var solandri (also known as Fuscospora solandri or black beech), regenerating N. solandri forest managed for timber production, exotic pine plantation forest and exotic pasture, using pitfall traps. The study was conducted at Woodside Forest in the foothills of the Southern Alps, North Canterbury, New Zealand, close to an area where the critically endangered carabid Holcaspis brevicula was found.&#x0D; Results: A total of 1192 carabid individuals from 23 species were caught during the study. All but two species were native to New Zealand, with the exotic species present only in low numbers and one of these only in the pasture habitat. Carabid relative abundance and the number of species was highest in the pine plantation, where a total of 15 species were caught; however, rarefied species richness did not differ significantly between habitats. The sampled carabid beetle assemblages were similar across the three forested habitat types but differed significantly from the pasture assemblages based on unconstrained and canonical analyses of principal coordinates. Holcaspis brevicula was not detected in this area.&#x0D; Conclusions: Our results show that managed or exotic habitats may provide habitat to species-rich carabid assemblages although some native species occur only in natural, undisturbed vegetation. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge the potential contribution of these land uses and land cover types to the conservation of native biodiversity and to consider how these can be managed to maximise conservation opportunities.

Carbon absorption ability of pine forest plantations in Kyiv Polissya

Purpose. Develop mathematical dependences of conversion coefficients to establish the accumulation of phytomass and volumes of absorbed carbon by pine forest plantations of Kyiv Polissya by age, using the methods of domestic and foreign scientists.&#x0D; Methods. In order to establish the carbon absorption capacity of pine plantations Kyiv Polissya in state-owned enterprises: Ivankov Forestry, Polissya Forestry, Teterysh Forestry temporary plots have been laid. According to the procedures P.I. Lakida, A.A. Storochinskogo, A.I. Poluboyarinov, A.C. Atkin, A.J. Bard phytomass pinetums installed in an absolutely dry state and obtained conversion coefficients are allowed to evaluate the difference between the CO2 emissions and carbon absorption.&#x0D; Results. Among thirty main forming species in Ukraine Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is the dominant tree species, particularly in the Kiev Polissya an area of 211.2 thousand hectares (61% of all tree plantations). According to the analysis of the distribution of areas of forest land areas for pine plantations in Kyiv Polissya, the overwhelming majority is occupied by pine forests of IІ and IV category (operational, recreational and health) are their share — 78%, so their carbon absorption capacity is significant. The resulting empirical equation exponential regression established that pine forests Kiev Polissya operating in its phytomass accumulated 1.21 million tons of carbon, and recreation and fitness — 1.17 million tons.&#x0D; Conclusion. Pine forests Kiev Polissya annually absorb carbon 16.0—21.0 tons of air that is approximately 0.3—0.7% of the annual carbon emissions.

Effects of freeze-thaw cycles and initial soil moisture content on soil aggregate stability in natural grassland and Chinese pine forest on the Loess Plateau of China

Ongoing global warming is decreasing the thickness of snow covers and increasing initial soil moisture content (SMC), which increase the number of freeze-thaw cycles (FTCs) at mid-high latitudes and high elevations, especially at temperate regions. FTCs substantially affect the stability of soil aggregates, which may increase soil erosion. A comprehensive understanding of aggregate stability under different types of vegetation restoration in response to FTCs, however, has not yet been attained. We evaluated the effects of number of FTCs (0, 1, 3, and 9) and initial SMC (40, 60, and 80% field capacity) on aggregate distribution and stability in cropland, natural grassland, and Chinese pine forestland, the three typical types of vegetation on the Loess Plateau in China. The experiment was conducted under simulated conditions in the laboratory using disturbed soil samples. Most aggregate-size fractions and mean weight diameters (MWDs) were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by FTCs, initial SMC, and vegetation types. FTCs significantly decreased MWD by 3.6–18.1% through disrupting larger macro-aggregates, which increased with SMC. Increased SMC increased MWD by 2.0–53.0% through binding soil particles, the effect of which was much larger than the disruptive effects under the freeze-thaw conditions, especially at high SMC. MWD was in the order of cropland < Chinese pine forestland < natural grassland under each freeze-thaw condition. The results indicated that natural vegetation succession was better than Chinese pine forest plantation for resisting seasonal FTCs and that aggregate stability may increase due to increased initial SMC under scenarios of future global warming.

Assessing Vegetation Composition and the Indicator Species around Water Source Areas in a Pine Forest Plantation: A Case Study from Watujali and Silengkong Catchments, Kebumen, Indonesia

This research aimed to assess vegetation composition and the indicator species around water source areas of pine forest plantation. Data were collected through interview and vegetation survey. Vegetation communities were first compared using multi-response permutation procedure (MRPP) analysis. Indicator species analysis was then employed to determine the indicator species for each condition by considering historical data from the interview. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and simple correlation analysis were also included. The result showed significant differences in species composition between water source areas in Watujali (lower low flow) and Silengkong (higher low flow) catchments, indicated by T = −5.104, p = 0.000. Pinus merkusii was dominant in Watujali (important value = 78%, D′ = 0.62) compared to Silengkong (important value = 41%, D′ = 0.21), and in becoming an indicator species (value = 52.1, p = 0.042) for Watujali. Meanwhile, Laportea sinuata, as the specific tree of water source areas, was an indicator for Silengkong (value = 29.4, p = 0.004). At a smaller level, indicator species differentiated the two catchments, even though they shared similar in D′ and H′. Among specific plants of water source areas, only Ficus septica was an indicator for Watujali (value = 29.4, p = 0.004), given its adaptability. Specific plants of water source areas, including Laportea sinuata, Coctus spicatus, and Calocassia gigantea, were significant indicators for Silengkong catchments, illustrated by 34.6, 35.9, and 33.0 of indicator values, respectively. These results also reflected the relationship among tree vegetation change, environmental features, and the growth of smaller species, as implied by both CCA and simple correlation. This finding could be used as basic information for early assessment of environmental change and environmental restoration efforts around water source areas on pine forest plantations. Repetition of this study is suggested to be carried out in other pine forest areas, as each region sometimes has its own specific native and natural species.

Quantifying the Relationship among Impact Factors of Shrub Layer Diversity in Chinese Pine Plantation Forest Ecosystems

Shrub layer diversity is an essential component of the forest ecosystem diversity, that contributes significantly to structuring the community and maintaining diversity, especially in plantation forests. In previous studies, researchers have reported the strong relationship among various factors (i.e., soil composition, mean annual temperature, etc.) and shrub diversity. However, how these factors jointly influence shrub diversity and which factors could be considered the key factors is still unknown. In this study, we attempted to quantify the effect among environmental factors, soil factors and forest stand factors on shrub diversity. Twenty-seven variables were selected from 57 Chinese pine plantation plots in Huanglong Mountain, Yanan City, Shaanxi Province, China. The path models showed that latent variable of soil properties is the main effective factor of latent variable of shrub diversity (directly effect, path coefficient = 0.344) and the latent variable of site conditions is another effective factor of latent variable of shrub diversity (indirectly effect, path coefficient = 0.177); Besides, the latent variable of site conditions and forest properties directly affect the latent variable of soil properties (path coefficient = 0.514 and 0.326, respectively). Among the latent variable of soil properties, soil water content (SWC) has the biggest weight of 0.666, which indicated the most significant contribution of SWC to latent variables of shrub diversity. Total nitrogen, weighted 0.375, and total phosphorus, weighted 0.308, are also important factors and make a similar contribution to latent variable of shrub diversity. Soil organic matter (SOM) has a minimal impact (lowest weight, 0.059); among the objective variables of site condition, altitude contributes the most and is followed by litter thickness, weighted at 0.722 and 0.448, respectively. Furthermore, among all the variables affecting the latent variable of forest properties, forest age is recognized as the maximum impactor of soil property change, which weighted −0.941; and is followed by forest stock volume and diameter at breast height (DBH), weighted 0.795 and 0.788, respectively. The crowding index (C) has the lowest weight (−0.235) and demonstrated that spatial distribution and crowding of trees have minimal impact on the latent variable of Soil properties. diversity Overall, our study provides new insights into quantifying the relationships among different driving factors that potentially play a significant role in determining shrub layer diversity within the plantation forest.

Model application in evaluating land suitability for OAK and PINE forest plantations in Northeast of Iran

ABSTRACTIn the present study, land suitability evaluation by parametric and AHP approaches was evaluated for two forest plantations including oak (Quercus robur) and pine (Pinus silvestris) in Toroq watershed, northeast of Iran. Over 416 grid points were studied by exact climate, soil and terrain requirements of tree species. The land suitability indices by parametric approach ranged from 23.49 to 72.02 and 28.27 to 69.67 for oak and pine, while by AHP approach the values varied between 34.48–87.11 and 37.98–78.20, respectively. The most limiting factors for developing plantation of two species in the study area were altitude, aspect, soil depth, and soil texture. The spatial distribution of land suitability demonstrated a similar pattern for the two species, where from the east toward the west of the plain the values of limitations increase and the suitability classes persistently decrease. The regression coefficient (R2) of land suitability indices by two models varied between 0.876 and 0.753 for oak and pine species, respectively.

Impact of different habitat parameters on carabid beetle assemblages in selected areas of a forest-field landscape in Poland – 10 years of data

Species diversity in a given landscape depends to a high degree on its habitat diversity. However, the specificity of different environmental factors may play a different role and individual habitats may undergo changes in time (succession). Moreover, some large-scale environmental factors may affect the habitats in the same way but differ from year to year. A long-term study was carried out with the aim to study the impact of selected environmental factors on the carabid assemblages of individual study site over the years and the impact of selected environmental factors on the carabid assemblages of the set of all study sites in selected years. the impact of selected environmental factors on the carabid assemblages of individual study site over the years and the impact of selected environmental factors on the carabid assemblages of the set of all study sites in selected years. In order to deal with this task, the carabid beetles assemblages on different study sites in a forest-field landscape in Poland were collected using pitfall traps over a period of ten years (2009-2018). The sites were a planted pine forest (12 years old in 2009), a planted pine forest (31 years old in 2009), a naturally-regenerated pine stand (about 10 years old in 2009), a naturally-regenerated pine forest (about 67 years old in 2009), an naturally regenerated pine forest with a share of oak, beech and birch (about 82 years old in 2009), two irregularly-mown sites without biomass removal, and a regularly-mown site with biomass removal. With respect to individual study sites the impact of the factors age (year of the study), temperature and rainfall in the year of inventory, and temperature and rainfall in the preceding year was tested. The impact of the factors age (stand age in the respective year), carbon in the organic layer, carbon in the mineral soil and distance from the nearest forest was analyzed for the set of all study sites in the years 2011 and 2015. Altogether, 9208 individuals belonging to 77 species were collected. Redundancy Analyses (RDA) indicated that on the individual study sites the year of study was generally positively correlated with temperature and negatively with rainfall, indicating increasing temperatures and decreasing amount of rainfall over the years. For study sites in forest stands in most cases the rainfall was a significant factor, especially the rainfall in the year before the inventory. For study sites in open areas both rainfall and temperature showed significant results. Using Canonical Correspondence Analyses (CCA) for analyzing the impact of the factors on carabid assemblages of the full set of study sites in 2011 and 2015, it was shown that age was positively correlated with carbon in the organic layer, but not with carbon in the mineral soil. Significant factors were carbon in the organic layer and distance from the nearest forest. The results of the study enlarge our knowledge on the impact of different predictable and stochastic environmental factors on the formation of carabid beetle assemblages in rural landscapes.

Understory vegetation in planted pine forests governs bird community composition and diversity in the eastern Mediterranean region

BackgroundManaged forests can become a seminatural habitat by allowing natural vegetation to establish under the tree canopy. The aim of this study was to examine how this natural understory vegetation in pine plantations affects bird community composition and diversity. We compared bird communities in three types of pine forest plantations that differed in the composition of their understory vegetation.ResultsOne thousand four hundred seventy-six birds of 33 species were observed in the three different forest habitats over two years. We found that the presence and composition of understory vegetation had a major role in determining bird community composition, richness, complexity and diversity.ConclusionsTo ensure pine forest with high biodiversity in the eastern Mediterranean region, the understory needs to be rich in shrubs that are attractive to birds and other natural fauna.