High resilience, but low viability, of pine plantations in the face of a shift towards a drier climate

Rodriguez-Vallejo, Carlos; Navarro-Cerrillo, Rafael M.; Manzanedo, Rubén D.; Palacios-Rodríguez, Guillermo; Gazol, Antonio; Camarero, J. Julio

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2020.118537

Cited by 17 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Despite receiving far less scholarly attention than natural forests do, plantations play an essential role in rehabilitating endangered ecosystems ( Brockerhoff et al., 2008 ; Rodriguez-Vallejo et al., 2021 ). By combining resistance indices, iWUE, and canopy health score data, we have provided valuable field data to help predict tree mortality risk in these forests.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drought effects on tree growth, water use efficiency, vulnerability and canopy health of Quercus variabilis-Robinia pseudoacacia mixed plantation

et al. 2022

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Drought-induced forest canopy die-back and tree mortality have been commonly recorded in the lithoid mountainous regions of northern China. However, the capacity of trees to regulate their carbon and water balance in response to drought remains inadequately understood. We measured tree growth, intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE), vulnerability, and canopy health during drought events using dendrochronology, C isotope measurements, and a tree canopy health survey in a mixed plantation of Quercus variabilis and Robinia pseudoacacia. Resistance (Rt), recovery (Rc), resilience (Rs), and increased amplitude in iWUE compared to the indices 3 years before drought (iWUEr) were calculated for each species across the dominant tree (D), co-dominant tree (CD), and suppressed tree (S). Our results revealed that D and CD showed lower Rt, higher Rc, and higher iWUEr than S. After exposure to multiple sequential drought events, Q. variabilis showed an increasing trend in Rt, and R. pseudoacacia showed a decreasing trend in Rc. R. pseudoacacia exhibited a more conservative strategy towards drought, resulting in a negative SRt-iWUEr (slope of the linear model fitted to capture the trend between Rt and iWUEr) during drought events than Q. variabilis. For individual trees, lower Rc or positive SRt-iWUErQ. variabilis and negative SRt-iWUErR. pseudoacacia were more susceptible to canopy die-back. In conclusion, our study offers a new perspective for improved management practices in the design of silvicultural actions for forestry plantations in lithoid mountainous areas with increasing drought risk.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drought effects on tree growth, water use efficiency, vulnerability and canopy health of Quercus variabilis-Robinia pseudoacacia mixed plantation

et al. 2022

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“…The genus Pinus (family Pinaceae) is the most popular species in the Northern Hemisphere, with around 111 different sub-species [24]. It represents 10% of the total forest cover in the Mediterranean basin [25]. The southernmost European natural and planted pine forests are among the most vulnerable to warming-induced drought decline [26][27][28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Residual Forest Biomass in Pinus Stands: Accumulation and Biogas Production Potential

et al. 2022

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Lignocellulosic biomass is an abundant resource that can be valorized for the production of bioenergy. However, studies aiming to quantify the amount of biogas production potential per km forest road are scarce in the literature. In this study, fresh pine needles, pine needle litter, pine branches, and pine bark were digested in batch reactors under mesophilic conditions after a grinding/milling pre-treatment. All samples were collected from a low-altitude Mediterranean Pinus forest (North Greece) adjacent to a category G forest road with a gentle slope. The methane yield of fresh pine needles was between 115 and 164 NmL g−1 volatile solids (VS), depending on the Pinus tree size. Pine needle litter produced a significantly lower methane yield (between 58 and 77 NmL g−1 VS), followed by pine bark (85 NmL g−1 VS) and pine branches (138 NmL g−1 VS). Considering the quantity of pine needle litter accumulated on adjacent forest roads (600 ± 200 g m−2), it was possible to calculate the biomethane production potential per km of forest road (up to 500 Nm3 km−1) if the biomass collected was disposed of at an anaerobic digestion facility. The results of the study demonstrate that residual forest biomass represents an additional resource for bioenergy production. Moreover, harvesting residual forest biomass can decrease the incidence of devastating summer forest fires and their disastrous consequences for the environment, the economy, and the local populations.

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“…Diminished tree growth and leaf development have been commonly considered adaptative mechanisms to water shortage as they would help trees to improve the xylem's capacity to provide leaves with water (Maherali et al 2002, Rosas et al 2013). However, growth reductions usually occur as a drought legacy effect (Gazol et al 2018, Rodriguez-Vallejo et al 2021) and can impair drought recovery in conifers (Brodribb et al, 2010), which may lead to tree mortality in forthcoming years (Camarero 2021).…”

Section: Co-occurring Processes Linked With Population Weakeningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Post-drought conditions and hydraulic dysfunction determine tree resilience and mortality across Mediterranean Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) populations after an extreme drought event

et al. 2022

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Drought-related tree mortality is a global phenomenon that currently affects a wide range of forests. Key functional variables on plant hydraulics, carbon economy, growth and allocation have been identified and play a role in tree drought responses. However, tree mortality thresholds based on such variables are difficult to identify, especially under field conditions. We studied several Aleppo pine populations differently affected by an extreme drought event in 2014, with mortality rates ranging from no mortality to 90% in the most severely affected population. We hypothesized that mortality is linked with high levels of xylem embolism, i.e., hydraulic dysfunction, which would also lead to lower tree resistance to drought in subsequent years. Despite not finding any among-populations differences in the vulnerability curves to xylem embolism, there were large differences in the hydraulic safety margin and the hydraulic dysfunction level. High mortality rates were associated with a negative hydraulic safety margin when xylem embolism reached values over 60%. We also found forest weakening and post-drought mortality related to a low hydraulic water transport capacity, reduced plant growth, low carbohydrate contents and high pest infestation rates. Our results highlight the importance of drought severity and the hydraulic dysfunction level on pine mortality, as well as post-drought conditions during recovery processes.

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High resilience, but low viability, of pine plantations in the face of a shift towards a drier climate

Cited by 17 publications

References 42 publications

Drought effects on tree growth, water use efficiency, vulnerability and canopy health of Quercus variabilis-Robinia pseudoacacia mixed plantation

Drought effects on tree growth, water use efficiency, vulnerability and canopy health of Quercus variabilis-Robinia pseudoacacia mixed plantation

Residual Forest Biomass in Pinus Stands: Accumulation and Biogas Production Potential

Post-drought conditions and hydraulic dysfunction determine tree resilience and mortality across Mediterranean Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) populations after an extreme drought event

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