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Past failures of monocultures, caused by wind-throw or insect damages, and ongoing climate change currently strongly stimulate research into mixed-species stands. So far, the focus has mainly been on combinations of species with obvious complementary functional traits. However, for any generalization, a broad overview of the mixing reactions of functionally different tree species in different mixing proportions, patterns and under different site conditions is needed, including assemblages of species with rather similar demands on resources such as light. Here, we studied the growth of Scots pine and oak in mixed versus monospecific stands on 36 triplets located along a productivity gradient across Europe, reaching from Sweden to Spain and from France to Georgia. The set-up represents a wide variation in precipitation (456–1250 mm year−1), mean annual temperature (6.7–11.5 °C) and drought index by de Martonne (21–63 mm °C−1). Stand inventories and increment cores of trees stemming from 40- to 132-year-old, fully stocked stands on 0.04–0.94-ha-sized plots provided insight into how species mixing modifies stand growth and structure compared with neighbouring monospecific stands. On average, the standing stem volume was 436 and 360 m3 ha−1 in the monocultures of Scots pine and oak, respectively, and 418 m3 ha−1 in the mixed stands. The corresponding periodical annual volume increment amounted to 10.5 and 9.1 m3 ha−1 year−1 in the monocultures and 10.5 m3 ha−1 year−1 in the mixed stands. Scots pine showed a 10% larger quadratic mean diameter (p < 0.05), a 7% larger dominant diameter (p < 0.01) and a 9% higher growth of basal area and volume in mixed stands compared with neighbouring monocultures. For Scots pine, the productivity advantages of growing in mixture increased with site index (p < 0.01) and water supply (p < 0.01), while for oak they decreased with site index (p < 0.01). In total, the superior productivity of mixed stands compared to monocultures increased with water supply (p < 0.10). Based on 7843 measured crowns, we found that in mixture both species, but especially oak, had significantly wider crowns (p < 0.001) than in monocultures. On average, we found relatively small effects of species mixing on stand growth and structure. Scots pine benefiting on rich, and oak on poor sites, allows for a mixture that is productive and most likely climate resistant all along a wide ecological gradient. We discuss the potential of this mixture in view of climate change.

In this paper we present a review of forest models developed in Spain in recent years for both timber and non timber production and forest dynamics (regeneration, mortality). Models developed are whole stand, size (diameter) class and individual-tree. The models developed to date have been developed using data from permanent plots, experimental sites and the National Forest Inventory. In this paper we show the different sub-models developed so far and the friendly use software. Main perspectives of forest modeling in Spain are presented.Key words: timber production; non-wood production; recruitment; modeling; forest. Resumen Modelos de crecimiento y producción en España: historia, ejemplos contemporáneos y perspectivasEn el presente trabajo se presenta una revisión sobre los modelos forestales desarrollados en España durante los úl-timos años, tanto para la producción maderable como no maderable y, para la dinámica de los bosques (regeneración, mortalidad). Se presentan modelos tanto de rodal completo como de clases diamétricas y de árbol individual. Los modelos desarrollados hasta la fecha se han desarrollado a partir de datos procedentes de parcelas permanentes, ensayos y el Inventario Forestal Nacional. En el trabajo se muestran los diferentes submodelos desarrollados hasta la fecha,

Natural regeneration faces increasing difficulties in dry forests from the Mediterranean basin, including for normally well-regenerating species such as maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Aiton). In this paper, we studied female fertility, seed dispersal and spread rates in P. pinaster from the Spanish Northern Plateau, where natural regeneration failure is a main concern for forest managers. For this purpose we periodically collected data from seed traps and trees located at two core locations across several years. We found sig-nificant variation in interannual cone production, with the best seed trees being the same across years. In addition, we found highly skewed distributions of female reproductive effort and large fertility differ-ences across stands located few kilometres away. Annual seed dispersal kernels fitted lognormal or 2Dt models depending on the stand analysed, with median dispersal distances between 14 and 25 m. Kernels fitted for maximum dispersal periods showed an outstanding intraseasonal variation of median dispersal distances, from 10 to 54 m, in association to variable patterns of rainfall and maximum wind speed.The amount of seed produced appeared to be enough to guarantee the natural regeneration of the stands during the typical 20-year regeneration period. Colonisation simulations concluded that Med-iterranean maritime pine has a notable dispersion capacity, which is strongly influenced by levels of fecundity and, especially, by the number and frequency of long-distance dispersal events. The latter play a key role in tree dispersion processes through enlarging the occupied area and fostering the invasion of abandoned crop land.Mating system Seed rain Dispersal kernel Dispersion Sortie-ND Mediterranean region

National Forest Inventories (NFI) are a basic tool for forestry planning at the National level. A new two-step system for predicting ingrowth compatible with NFI data is presented in order to improve long-term estimation of stand condition. In growth and yield models, an ingrowth submodel is a key feature for long-term estimation. An accurate projection of ingrowth is needed to avoid model projection bias and inaccuracy. A two-step approach was used, which consisted of (I) estimating the probability of ingrowth occurrence on a sample plot and (II) quantifying the ingrowth in terms of basal area. Logistic regression was used for step I, while linear regression was used for step II. A good performance of the joint ingrowth model for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and Mediterranean Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait. Ssp mesogeensis) stands was observed. Logistic model include quadratic mean diameter as independent variables for both species while basal area is only included for Mediterranean Maritime. Quadratic mean diameter is the only independent variable in linear model for both species. The presented two-step modeling methodology for ingrowth is applicable to data from National Forest Inventories with concentric plots.Key words: concentric plot, Upgrowth, Recruitment, National Forest Inventory. ResumenModelo de masa incorporada en pinares mediterráneos: Un caso de estudio en rodales de pino silvestre (Pinus sylvestris L.) y pino negral (Pinus pinister Ait.) en España Los Inventarios Forestales Nacionales (IFN) son un instrumento básico para la planificación forestal a nivel nacional. Con el objeto de predecir la masa incorporada, se presenta un nuevo sistema bietápico compatible con los datos del IFN para de esta forma mejorar las estimaciones a largo plazo. En los modelos de crecimiento y producción, un modelo de masa incorporada es clave para la proyección a largo plazo dado que se precisa una adecuada estimación de la masa incorporada para evitar sesgos e imprecisiones. Se utilizó un método bietápico basado en (I) estimar la probabilidad de presencia de masa incorporada en la parcela y (II) cuantificar la masa incorporada en área basimétrica. Para el paso I se utilizó la regresión logística mientras que para el paso II se utilizó regresión lineal. Se observó un buen comportamiento del modelo conjunto tanto para pino silvestre (Pinus sylvestris L.) como para pino negral (Pinus pinaster Ait. Ssp mesogeensis). El modelo logístico incluye el diámetro medio cuadrático como variable independiente para ambas especies mientras que el área basimétrica solo es significativa en el caso del pino negral. En el modelo lineal, el diámetro medio cuadrático es significativo para las dos especies. El método bietápico presentado para estimar la masa incorporada es aplicable a los datos de Inventarios Forestales Nacionales basados en parcelas concéntricas.