Long-term cumulative impacts of windthrow and subsequent management on tree species composition and aboveground biomass: A simulation study considering regeneration on downed logs

Hotta, Wataru; Morimoto, Junko; Haga, Chihiro; Suzuki, Satoshi; Inoue, Takahiro; Matsui, Takanori; Owari, Toshiaki; Shibata, Hideaki; Nakamura, Futoshi

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2021.119728

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…In addition, different requirements of microsites for establishment between conifer and broad‐leaved trees could play a role. In Hokkaido, nearly all trees of Picea jezoensis and P. glehnii establish on decayed downed logs or stumps, where seedlings can escape from snow blight disease and shading by a dense layer of dwarf bamboo ( Sasa spp., hereafter referred as Sasa ), while other tree species also establish on the forest floor (Hiura et al, 1996; Hotta et al, 2021; Iijima et al, 2006, 2017). Sasa species are common understory plants in temperate and boreal forests of northern Asia, and downed logs and stumps provide restricted regeneration sites for some tree species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing spatiotemporal dynamics of mixed conifer and broad‐leaved forests with a spatially explicit individual‐based dynamic vegetation model

Sato

Shibuya

Hiura

2023

Ecological Research

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A dynamic vegetation model was adapted to a mixed forest of deciduous broad-leaved trees and evergreen conifers in Hokkaido, the northernmost main island of Japan, located within a transition zone between cooltemperate and sub-boreal forest ecosystems. In this forest, elevation and a terrestrial-wetness index affect tree biomass and the percentage of conifers. We maximized agreement between this observed pattern and model output by calibrating parameters that control drought and excessive soil-moisture tolerance, establishment rate, and background mortality rate. In the simulation, biomass increased as a single peak curve with simulation year, while the percentage of conifers increased until the end of 200 simulation years.The 75-year simulated forest was most comparable to the adapted forest, consistent with the average frequency of catastrophic storm disturbances in Hokkaido. The model also reconstructed a reasonable succession pattern based on temperature and soil moisture. Therefore, the model mechanistically reconstructed the mixed forest via spatial niche segregation and succession after catastrophic disturbances. However, the model did not reconstruct the percentages of broad-leaved trees and conifers of forests prior to the disturbance in independent validation plots, demonstrating that additional processes should be considered in future models.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstructing spatiotemporal dynamics of mixed conifer and broad‐leaved forests with a spatially explicit individual‐based dynamic vegetation model

Sato

Shibuya

Hiura

2023

Ecological Research

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“…If these two requirements were satis ed, cohorts were established in the grid cell. Additionally, tree species requiring dead wood for regeneration could be established only in grid cells that had well-decayed downed logs (Hotta et al 2021). Two species of Picea spp., including P. jezoensis and P. glehnii, were set as dead wood-dependent species in this study.…”

Section: Study Landscapementioning

confidence: 99%

Leaving disturbance legacies conserves boreal conifers and maximizes net CO2 absorption under climate change and more frequent and intense windthrow regimes.

Hotta

Haga

Morimoto

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Context Forest landscape management practices that conserve species composition and maximize carbon sequestration despite changes in climate and disturbance regimes are required to achieve social and environmental targets. Although post-windthrow management, such as salvage logging, can reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions within ecosystems by removing downed logs, it can result in major changes in tree species composition. Additionally, the net effects of salvage logging on CO2 emissions may become negative based on a cradle-to-grave analysis (i.e., all aspects of wood processing including manufacturing and the disposal of wood products made from windthrow-damaged trees). Objectives Our objective was to assess the effects of climate change, changes in windthrow regimes, and post-windthrow management on tree species composition, as well as on the carbon balance in the forest sector by combining forest landscape simulations and life cycle assessments at the forested landscape in northern Japan. Methods We simulated forest dynamics in 36 scenarios based on features of the climate, windthrow regime, and post-windthrow management using the LANDIS-II forest landscape model. We also estimated CO2 emissions related to post-windthrow management using a life cycle assessment approach. Results Increases in the windthrow area, which is more vulnerable to climate warming, resulted in the development of temperate broadleaf-dominant forests and a decrease in aboveground biomass. The removal of advanced seedlings and dead woods due to post-windthrow management accelerated changes in the aboveground biomass and species composition due to the increase in windthrow frequency and intensity and temperature. The cumulative net CO2 absorption of the forest sector over 115 years, including the carbon balance within ecosystems and the CO2 emissions related to the management, manufacturing, and disposal of products, greatly decreased due to salvage logging and scarification after logging. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that leaving downed logs and advanced seedlings is recommended to conserve species composition and carbon sink function and maximize net CO2 absorption despite a warming climate and more frequent and intense windthrow regimes.

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“…Although forest ecosystems have the resilience to historical disturbance regimes (Turner 2010), increases in disturbance frequency and intensity, which have already been predicted and observed on a global scale, can damage forests to such a great extent that original forest structures and functions cannot recover (Johnstone et al 2016;Ratajczak et al 2018). In particular, windthrow is the major natural disturbance in Europe, the East Coast of North America, and East Asia, but studies of the effects of changes in windthrow regimes on forests have been limited (e.g., Hlásny et al 2021;Hotta et al 2021; Wu et al 2019). Among different types of natural disturbances, the frequency and intensity of windthrow is predicted to increase the most in warmer and wetter climate conditions (Seidl et al 2017); therefore, the effects of the changes in the windthrow regime on forest ecosystems should be examined.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, these management practices destroy advanced seedlings, which would delay aboveground biomass recovery (Donato et al 2006; Greene et al 2006;Morimoto et al 2011) and increases the ratio of early-successional species (Fischer and Fischer 2012;Ilisson et al 2007). The removal of dead wood due to salvage logging decreases the regeneration of spruce and hemlock (Weaver et al 2009;Hotta et al 2021) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions within ecosystems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leaving disturbance legacies conserves boreal conifers and maximizes net CO2 absorption under climate change and more frequent and larger windthrow regimes

et al. 2023

Self Cite

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ContextForest landscape management practices that conserve species composition and maximize carbon sequestration despite changes in climate and disturbance regimes are required to achieve social and environmental targets. Although post-windthrow management, such as salvage logging, can reduce carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions within ecosystems by removing downed logs, it can result in major changes in tree species composition. Additionally, the net effects of salvage logging on CO 2 emissions may become negative based on a cradle-to-grave analysis (i.e., all aspects of wood processing including manufacturing and the disposal of wood products made from windthrow-damaged trees). ObjectivesOur objective was to assess the effects of climate change, changes in windthrow regimes, and postwindthrow management on tree species composition, as well as on the carbon balance in the forest sector by combining forest landscape simulations and life cycle assessments at the forested landscape in northern Japan. MethodsWe simulated forest dynamics in 36 scenarios based on features of the climate, windthrow regime, and postwindthrow management using the LANDIS-II forest landscape model. We also estimated CO 2 emissions related to post-windthrow management using a life cycle assessment approach. ResultsIncreases in the windthrow area, which is more vulnerable to climate warming, resulted in the development of temperate broadleaf-dominant forests and a decrease in aboveground biomass. The removal of advanced seedlings and dead woods due to post-windthrow management accelerated changes in the aboveground biomass and species composition due to the increase in windthrow frequency and intensity and temperature. The cumulative net CO 2 absorption of the forest sector over 115 years, including the carbon balance within ecosystems and the CO 2 emissions related to the management, manufacturing, and disposal of products, greatly decreased due to salvage logging and scari cation after logging. ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that leaving downed logs and advanced seedlings is recommended to conserve species composition and carbon sink function and maximize net CO 2 absorption despite a warming climate and more frequent and intense windthrow regimes.

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Long-term cumulative impacts of windthrow and subsequent management on tree species composition and aboveground biomass: A simulation study considering regeneration on downed logs

Cited by 10 publications

References 51 publications

Reconstructing spatiotemporal dynamics of mixed conifer and broad‐leaved forests with a spatially explicit individual‐based dynamic vegetation model

Reconstructing spatiotemporal dynamics of mixed conifer and broad‐leaved forests with a spatially explicit individual‐based dynamic vegetation model

Leaving disturbance legacies conserves boreal conifers and maximizes net CO2 absorption under climate change and more frequent and intense windthrow regimes.

Leaving disturbance legacies conserves boreal conifers and maximizes net CO2 absorption under climate change and more frequent and larger windthrow regimes

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