Amount and distribution of coarse woody debris in pine ecosystems of north-western Spain, Russia and the United States

Abstract

© iForest -Biogeosciences and Forestry IntroductionCoarse woody debris (CWD) is one of the most important functional and structural components of forest ecosystems (Harmon et al. 1986, McComn & Lindenmayer 1999. CWD affects nutrient cycling, carbon storage and hydrological processes. It also serves as an essential substrate for a multitude of species, including numerous rare and endangered species (von Oheimb et al. 2007).Numerous studies have examined the role of CWD in maintaining biodiversity (Esseen et al. 1997, Angelstam 1998, estimating the decomposition rates of many important tree species (Yatskov et al. 2003), evaluating the effect of CWD in carbon and nutrient cycles (Krankina et al. 1999, Hyvonenn et al. 2000, Merganicôvá & Merganic 2010 and analyzing the quantity, structure and dynamics of CWD in managed and unmanaged forests (Green & Peterken 1997, Linder et al. 1997, Siitonen et al. 2000, Lombardi et al. 2008. In unmanaged forests, the amount of CWD is the result of tree mortality and dead wood decay rates, both of which are affected by climate, site productivity, tree species composition, disturbance regime, previous forest stand characteristics and the successional stage of the forest (Harmon et al. 1986, Spies et al. 1988. In managed forests, CWD quantities are typically kept very low, to avoid pest problems and fire hazards and to maximize the commercial value of the harvest. Where economics and accessibility allow, trees affected by insects, diseases, and fire are usually removed immediately, before they die or deteriorate (DeBell et al. 1997, Green & Peterken 1997. Plantation forests are typically managed on short rotations and are generally subject to intensive harvesting methods, resulting in structurally homogenous stands without significant amounts of CWD (Harmon et al. 1986, deMaynadier & Hunter 1995. However, silvicultural activities such as thinning, pruning and harvesting can create woody debris (Carlyle 1995). The increasing importance of biodiversity and carbon storage favors the maintenance and promotion of CWD in managed forests. Leaving some live and dead trees during logging operations, or even killing trees to create CWD, are some of the operational means for meeting biodiversity needs in managed forests (Esseen et al. 1997).The amount and distribution of CWD can be a criterion for assessing and determining baseline silvicultural practices. This type of data is available for different types of forests, but the geographic extent and focus of most studies is limited to one or a few specific stands. There is very little information on continental or global CWD quantities and distribution patterns or on how management affects these patterns. Comparison of different forest ecosystems makes it possible to examine the effects of site productivity and stand structure on CWD amounts and decomposition rates. It also improves understanding of how different management practices affect CWD as a resource, which is vital to formulating guidelines and strategies for increasing carbon storage ...

Carbon and Nitrogen Accumulation and Decomposition from Coarse Woody Debris in a Naturally Regenerated Korean Red Pine (Pinus densiflora S. et Z.) Forest

“…However, the amount of CWD was less than 12.56 Mg ha −1 in a 55-65-year-old secondary natural forest of Chinese red pine (P. tabulaeformis) [46]. In addition, the 5.7% of the CWD ratio (ratio of dead to live wood mass) was relatively small compared to the range from 2.8% to 126.6% in other pine ecosystems, including stands disturbed by fire or insect damage [12]. In regard to the contribution of CWD to N input in this study site, annual N input from CWD caused by annual tree mortality comprised approximately 11.1% of total N stock in CWD, and comprised less than 3.5% of 65.65 kg N ha −1 year −1 from total fine litterfall, indicating less contribution of CWD to N cycles than fine litter.…”

“…Global CWD contains approximately 36-72 Pg C, which may affect the total global forest C stock [10,11]. The CWD quantity and distribution is influenced by tree mortality and decomposition rate, which vary with climate, site characteristics, tree species, age, and disturbance dynamics [1][2][3][4][12][13][14][15].…”

Forest Carbon Sequestration: The Impact of Forest Management

“…Tree mortality contributes to coarse woody debris (CWD), a key carbon reservoir in mature and old-growth forests. Differences in CWD stocks have been found among forest types (Herrero et al, 2010 and2014a). The decomposition rates of dead woody materials varies with the species, size, type of material (i.e., bark, sapwood or heartwood), and site conditions (i.e., temperature, humidity, etc.).…”

Dead wood and stand structure - relationships for forest plots across Europe

“…However, protocols for dead wood assessment differ among European NFIs, and data are difficult to compare (Herrero et al 2013). Schuck et al (2004) analysed inventory methods for 22 countries and found differences among attributes measured, diameter thresholds and sampling design.…”