Structure and Dynamics of Deadwood in Pine and Oak Stands and their Role in CO2 Sequestration in Lowland Forests of Central Italy

Abstract

There are many data values describing deadwood in primary forests, however, there is much less information concerning managed forests, particularly in the Mediterranean area. Whole non-living woody biomass (deadwood) is the main component of forest types that plays a vital role in improving and maintaining biodiversity. The dynamics of deadwood and CO2 sequestration by deadwood were examined in three Mediterranean lowland forests: pine forest Pinus pinea L.), evergreen oak forest (Quercus ilex and Quercus suber L.), and deciduous oak forest (Quercus cerris L.). The aim of this study was to carry out a quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the deadwood to gather useful information for the Mediterranean forest management, and to provide some useful data that can be integrated into the methods of estimation for carbon stored in dead components of Mediterranean forest types. The investigations focused on the characterization of the deadwood, to determine which traits are dominant and their potentially functionality within the forest type. Results indicated the deciduous oak type had the highest amount of stand volume (379 m3/ha), deadwood volume (161.8 m3/ha), and C storage (31.43 t/ha). The major component of dead wood was the standing dead trees or snags. There was a higher volume of deadwood in the deciduous oak forest than in the pine and evergreen oak forests. In addition, the deciduous oak forest had a higher snag creation index, a higher fallen log creation index, and a higher past management index compared to pine and evergreen oak forest types. Deadwood volume increased as the decay class in the deciduous oak forest increased, while this trend decreased in the evergreen oak and pine forests. The amount of deadwood was affected by the forest type and forest management regime. Dynamic and past management of deadwood indices indicated that their structure was still in the initial phase of creation and decay in the pine and evergreen oak forests. A comparison with other studies on similar forest types brought out that the variation range of the main parameters for the management of deadwood fell within the variation of the parameters studied. However, the values of these parameters cover a broad range. The population of each forest type is extremely sensitive to the different evolutionary periods of the forest dynamics.

The Abundance and Structure of Deadwood: A Comparison of Mixed and Thinned Chinese Fir Plantations

“…Thinning often results in physical damage to retained trees, leading to a specific class of deadwood known as broken wood ( Ryall and Smith, 2005 ; Harvey and Brais, 2007 ; Chao et al, 2009 ). Damage to trees caused by thinning has been well-documented, but delayed mortality resulting from thinning remains poorly understood ( Thorpe and Thomas, 2007 ; Bladon et al, 2008 ; Martin et al, 2014 ; Monaco et al, 2020 ). In our study, a small percentage (about 3%) of broken wood was attributable to random thinning of Chinese fir ( Figures 2 – 7 ).…”

“…Natural forests, especially those in temperate regions, have an abundance of deadwood that supports the growth and vitality of retained and regenerating trees ( Martin et al, 2020 ). Deadwood also provides resources, such as food and habitat, for small animals (e.g., birds, insects, and arthropods) as well as saprophytes and parasitic plants (e.g., lichens, mosses, fungi, and mushrooms) ( Franklin et al, 1987 ; Dittrich et al, 2014 ; Kim et al, 2020 ; Monaco et al, 2020 ; Oettel et al, 2020 ), and has been analyzed in studies of forest carbon stocks, soil development, and climate change (e.g., Bölöni et al, 2017 ; Farahat et al, 2017 ; Zhang et al, 2020 ). During the past 40 years, mechanisms of deadwood formation in natural forests have been well-expounded (e.g., endogenous vs. exogenous interference, natural vs. human disturbance, biotic vs. abiotic factors, and density-dependence) ( Franklin et al, 2007 ; Laarmann et al, 2009 ; Iida et al, 2014 ; Zhang et al, 2017 ; Kweon and Comeau, 2019 ).…”

Forest Stand Management and Biomass Growth

“…The contribution to the Special Issue comprises 19 articles by authors involved in university, research institutions, and agencies, from nine countries from Asia, Europe, and America. The articles deal with agroforestry [1], natural forests [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12], and forest plantations [13][14][15][16][17][18][19].…”

“…A wide range of species is considered: Magnolia wufengensis L.Y.Ma and L.R.Wang [2], Fagus orientalis Lipsky and Acer velutinum Boiss. [4], Pinus pinea L. and Mediterranean oaks [5], Castanea sativa Mill. [6], Fagus orientalis Lipsky, Carpinus betulus L., Acer velutinum Boiss., Acer cappadocicum Gled., Tilia Begonifolia Stev., Quercus castanifolia C.A.…”

“…The collection provides an illustration of research activities on the impacts of stand management on the growth of stems and root systems [2][3][4]8,10,13] and on soil [4,[6][7][8]. The articles deal with damage to residual trees during thinning operations [14]; regeneration in a mixed deciduous forest [4] in a coppiced stand [6], and in a coniferous plantation [16]; carbon sequestration both in a protected lowland forest in Italy [5] and in a pine plantation in Korea [15]; and fertility in terms of maintenance of soil fertility in plantations [16] and fertilization management for seedling growing in greenhouse [2]. Quantitative and qualitative data on the deadwood in three types of lowland Mediterranean forest of a protected area provide useful information for sustainable management in production forests [5].…”