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Forests
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Silviculture and Management Strategy in Coniferous Forests
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Silviculture and Management Strategy in Coniferous Forests

A special issue of Forests (ISSN 1999-4907). This special issue belongs to the section "Forest Ecology and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2024) | Viewed by 6709

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Daesung Lee

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Latokartanonkaari 9, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
Interests: growth response to silvicultural practices; forest management scenarios; growth models; growth and yield research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jungkee Choi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Forest Science, College of Forest and Environmental Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea
Interests: forest resource measurements; forest growth models; forest environmental statistics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Major coniferous forests such as those with pine, larch, fir, and spruce species are popular forest types and important in forestry, playing a pivotal role in yielding valuable timber productions. These forests can be artificially or naturally regenerated depending on the management goals and strategies and have been studied for their optimal growth and yield, considering not only profitability but also other forest management effects from various breeding trials, nursery, silvicultural treatments, and fertilization. Past studies have faced changing environments due to issues occurring from climate change, socio-economic interests, biodiversity, changing habitats, and forest damage due to insects and pests. Nonetheless, the studies on managing major coniferous forests have dealt with such problems by updating their strategies.

Major coniferous forests provide quality timber and forest products. In addition, these forests have significant potential for carbon storage. Consequently, the silvicultural treatment and stand management of forests are of great interest in forestry and relevant industries.

This Special Issue aims to discuss the current status of major coniferous forests with different species across the world in order to share better strategies for forest stand management.

Potential topics include (but are not limited to):

  • Stand structure and growth characteristics of coniferous forests with long-term monitoring;
  • Comparison of economic, social, and environmental value in management between naturally regenerated and artificially regenerated coniferous forests;
  • Effect of silvicultural treatments including planting spacing, cleaning, pruning, and thinning on coniferous forests;
  • Regeneration methods and studies in coniferous forests;
  • Growth and yield models of coniferous forests;
  • Studies on breeding for improved materials on coniferous forests;
  • Effects of fertilizer, edaphic characteristics, and site- or climate-driven variables on coniferous forests;
  • Current status, challenging issues, and potential solutions when it comes to managing coniferous forests (e.g., disease, fire, social resistance, or policy);
  • Future of coniferous forests and the expected environments in terms of forestry and timber production;
  • Social impacts and/or questionnaire with stakeholders in coniferous forests;
  • Pros and cons of coniferous forests compared to broadleaved forests in management at the regional, national, and/or international level;
  • Opportunity or threat of carbon issues in coniferous forests;
  • Woody and non-woody products from coniferous forests;
  • Practical management strategies in coniferous forests.

Dr. Daesung Lee
Prof. Dr. Jungkee Choi
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Forests is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • artificially regenerated coniferous forests
  • naturally regenerated coniferous forests
  • silvicultural treatments
  • growth and yield models
  • stand density management
  • regeneration
  • forest carbon
  • climate change

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2746 KiB  
Article
Effects of Stand Density on Tree Growth, Diversity of Understory Vegetation, and Soil Properties in a Pinus koraiensis Plantation
by Abdul-Qadir Iddrisu, Yuanqin Hao, Hamza Issifu, Ambachew Getnet, Nazmus Sakib, Xiubo Yang, Mutaz Mohammed Abdallah and Peng Zhang
Forests 2024, 15(7), 1149; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15071149 - 2 Jul 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1267
Abstract
The regulation of stand density has been studied in specific aspects of plantations with different age categories. A clearer understanding is still required of the extent to which stand density impacts multiple plantation attributes such as tree growth, understory vegetation diversity, and soil [...] Read more.
The regulation of stand density has been studied in specific aspects of plantations with different age categories. A clearer understanding is still required of the extent to which stand density impacts multiple plantation attributes such as tree growth, understory vegetation diversity, and soil properties in Korean pine (Pinus koraeinsis Sieb. et Zucc) plantations. This study utilized a 43-year-old middle-aged Korean pine plantation in Qingping Forest Farm in northeast China to answer the research question posed. Three stand density levels, low stand density (LSD, 716 trees/ha), medium stand density (MSD, 850 trees/ha), and high stand density (HSD, 916 trees/ha) were studied for their effects on plantation attributes enumerated above. The results revealed a significant (p < 0.05) effect of stand density on mean stand volume (m3). Medium stand density had the highest mean stand volume of 26.16 (±0.27) m3 while the lowest stand volume was recorded for the low stand density at 14.90 (±1.72) m3. Also, significant differences in total nitrogen, total potassium, available nitrogen, available potassium, and percentage soil moisture content were observed among stand density levels. Additionally, stand density was found to have significant effects on species richness, Shannon–Wiener, and Simpson’s diversity indexes for the shrub and herb layers of the plantation. This study shows that a medium stand density is the most optimal for promoting tree growth and understory biodiversity, as well as enhancing the status of certain soil nutrients. Thus, medium density achieves a balance between growth, nutrient availability, and biodiversity in middle-aged Korean pine plantations after a short period of thinning. These findings provide valuable knowledge for forest management, emphasizing the significance of continuous, long-term, and site-specific research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Silviculture and Management Strategy in Coniferous Forests)
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15 pages, 4846 KiB  
Article
Effects of Different Thinning Intensities on Carbon Storage in Pinus koraiensis Middle-Aged Plantations in Northeast China
by Nazmus Sakib, Tika Ram Poudel, Yuanqin Hao, Nathan James Roberts, Abdul-Qadir Iddrisu, Saraswoti Adhikari and Peng Zhang
Forests 2024, 15(5), 738; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15050738 - 24 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1644
Abstract
Forest ecosystems are essential to the global carbon cycle because they are the biggest terrestrial carbon reserves. In the management of forests, thinning is a commonly employed strategy, impacting the respiration and biomass loss of trees, thereby modifying forest carbon dynamics. However, there [...] Read more.
Forest ecosystems are essential to the global carbon cycle because they are the biggest terrestrial carbon reserves. In the management of forests, thinning is a commonly employed strategy, impacting the respiration and biomass loss of trees, thereby modifying forest carbon dynamics. However, there is a lack of scientific research to confirm the impacts of thinning intensities on carbon storage in trees, soil layers, shrubs, and ground vegetation layers as well as its impact on wood production and growth rate. The goal of this study was to find the optimal thinning levels for increasing carbon sequestration during the growth stage of the Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis) middle-aged plantations in Northeast China. In this study, thinning intensity (0, 10, 11, 16, 18, and 22%) affected the carbon storage of trees, tree growth, volume, and, we suspected, soil layer, shrubs, and vegetation (herbs, litter, and grass) also. Specifically, after four years of thinning, the 18% treatment significantly increased total carbon storage, individual organ storage, growth, and tree volume (p < 0.05). These results give us abundant information about how thinning affects the dynamics of carbon storage, wood production, and the interactions between soil and plants in P. koraiensis plantations, contributing to multi-objective management strategies for optimizing carbon sequestration, wood production, and ecosystem health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Silviculture and Management Strategy in Coniferous Forests)
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18 pages, 753 KiB  
Article
Neighborhood Tree Position and Size Had Hierarchical Effects on Korean Pine Growth at Different Opening Degree Levels
by Xiao Ma, Cunxue Lin, Ye Luo, Haibo Wu, Peng Zhang and Hailong Shen
Forests 2024, 15(2), 228; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020228 - 24 Jan 2024
Viewed by 937
Abstract
Certain fluctuations were found when using the opening degree index to evaluate the effects of the adjacent broadleaved trees on the under-canopy target Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.) trees in a mixed forest of planted Korean trees and natural broadleaved [...] Read more.
Certain fluctuations were found when using the opening degree index to evaluate the effects of the adjacent broadleaved trees on the under-canopy target Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc.) trees in a mixed forest of planted Korean trees and natural broadleaved trees. The fluctuations were probably caused by the different positions and sizes of the adjacent broadleaved trees over the target Korean pine trees. For the purpose of clarifying this issue, the effect of the position and size (marked by height and diameter) of the neighborhood broadleaved trees on the height and diameter growth of Korean pine trees under the canopy in a secondary forest at different opening degree levels was studied. Generally, the mean DBH (diameter at breast height) and mean height of P. koraiensis trees under the canopy were higher when the adjacent broadleaved trees were located on the north or east sides of the target P. koraiensis trees than when they were located on the south or west sides. This was the case at all opening degree levels except the 0.5 opening degree level, where no significant difference was observed among the growth indexes of Korean pine trees based on the different positions of neighborhood trees. The mean DBH and height of P. koraiensis trees under the canopy decreased with the increase in the DBH and height of the adjacent broadleaved trees at all orientations and at all opening degree levels, but only those of the Korean pine trees with adjacent broadleaved trees on the south side in the 12.6–13.5 m height range and those with adjacent broadleaved trees on most sides in the 18.6–21.0 cm and 13.6–14.5 m height ranges at opening degree levels of K = 2.0, 1.5, and 1.0 reached a significant level of difference; whereas those of most Korean pine trees with adjacent broadleaved trees on the south and west sides in the height range of 11.6–12.5 m and DBH ranges of 13.6–16 cm and 16.1–18.5 cm, as well as the ones with adjacent broadleaved trees on most sides in the DBH range of 18.6–21.0 cm and the height range of 13.6–14.5 m at the opening degree level of K = 0.5, reached a significant level of difference, with a few exceptions. In conclusion, the broadleaved trees with a large diameter, great height, and a south or west orientation of the target P. koraiensis trees had a negative impact on their growth, but influence intensities changed at different opening degree levels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Silviculture and Management Strategy in Coniferous Forests)
16 pages, 2945 KiB  
Article
Using Limit Value Constraint Theory to Better Understand the Self-Thinning Rule of Forest
by Shisheng Long, Siqi Zeng, Huashun Xiao, Zhaosong Gong and Shengyang Yang
Forests 2023, 14(12), 2378; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14122378 - 5 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1049
Abstract
Stand density management is important for decision-making regarding adaptive silviculture and thinning, growth modelling, and yield prediction in forests, especially plantations. Although substantial research related to the self-thinning rule and maximum size-density law has been conducted, there are still critical gaps that exist [...] Read more.
Stand density management is important for decision-making regarding adaptive silviculture and thinning, growth modelling, and yield prediction in forests, especially plantations. Although substantial research related to the self-thinning rule and maximum size-density law has been conducted, there are still critical gaps that exist in the biophysical explanation and validation of the relationships among stand variables and relevant parameters. In this study, time series observations from six plots of fully stocked Chinese fir plantations with different densities of planted trees were used to characterise the growth of stand basal area (G), average height (H), and diameter at breast height (D). The growth trends in the stand parameters and the relationships among them were analysed. As indicated by previous studies, in the fully stocked stands, there was a significant linear relationship between G and H. This study also resulted in the following new findings: (1) At the beginning, the growth rate of stand basal area (PG) was greater than the growth rate of average height (PH), but PG decreased quickly as the stands approached canopy closure and then became stable. Meanwhile, as the stands neared canopy closure, the rate of increase in the G/H ratio decelerated, ultimately resulting in a stable G/H value that approached the first limit value. This led to a stand growth balance status that continued until self-thinning took place. (2) Artificial thinning broke the growth balance status, but the stands returned to balance status if they were still young enough. Self-thinning also broke the growth balance status and lead to fluctuating growth rates of both G and H, but the fluctuations were very slight, which showed a trend in similar growth rates of G and H. (3) The findings implied that the stand G and H growths were allometric at the beginning but became isogonic as canopy closure and self-thinning were approached. On the other hand, the H growth rate was generally greater than that of D, but both growth rates showed a trend in similar values after the stands matured. Subsequently, the H/D ratio is anticipated to stabilize and gradually converge towards the second limit value once the stands reach maturity. The results implied that the stand growth balance status and two limit values can be used to identify and select fully stocked stands that are needed for the development of maximum size-density equations and self-thinning rules. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Silviculture and Management Strategy in Coniferous Forests)
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12 pages, 3114 KiB  
Article
Korean Pines Demonstrate Cold Resilience through Non-Structural Carbohydrate Concentrations despite Light Deprivation during the Growing Season
by Bei Li, Xiao Ma, Sudipta Saha, Haibo Wu, Peng Zhang and Hailong Shen
Forests 2023, 14(12), 2296; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14122296 - 23 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1320
Abstract
Carbon is the fundamental element of plant life. Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), synthesized using carbon dioxide through photosynthesis by plants, are essential for their growth and survival, which are also affected by light and temperature. However, few studies have investigated the effects of light [...] Read more.
Carbon is the fundamental element of plant life. Non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), synthesized using carbon dioxide through photosynthesis by plants, are essential for their growth and survival, which are also affected by light and temperature. However, few studies have investigated the effects of light conditions, season, and needle age together on field plants’ carbohydrates. We measured total carbon, glucose, sucrose, fructose, and starch concentrations in current and 1-year-old needles of Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc) growing under two distinct light conditions (dense canopy and full light) from early summer to cold winter. Total carbon, glucose, fructose, SS (soluble sugar, sucrose + glucose + fructose), NSC (soluble sugar + starch), starch, and SS/NSC all significantly (p < 0.05) related to the DOY (day of the year, 2021). Total carbon reached the maximum in September when the fresh needles were mature. Glucose, NSC, SS, and SS/NSC reached the maximum at the last sampling time, which provided protection for the cells in cold winter. The season showed a bigger impact on total carbon and NSC (all parameters except total carbon) than light and needle age. Two different-aged needles under two light conditions all had similar patterns of variation in total carbon and NSC, but twigs showed a more significant (p < 0.05) difference in NSC concentrations between two light conditions on 25 October (DOY 249). Needles of Korean pines stored soluble sugars (mainly glucose) and consumed starch in winter. Moreover, we found that needles had more glucose, while twigs had more sucrose, which may be a result of their different functions and may be helpful for future spring growth. Although lacking light during the growing season, understory Korean pines still had enough cold tolerance, similar to full-light ones, which indicated that low light during the growing season has little effect on cold tolerance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Silviculture and Management Strategy in Coniferous Forests)
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