Forest Ecosystem Restoration

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forests are precious resources that provide us with food, shelter, oxygen, fuel, and other means of livelihood. It also acts as home to many living organisms. However, forests around the world are under threat. Nearly half of the world’s forests are at high risk of deforestation or degradation. Both deforestation and degradation modify the structure and function of forests enormously. Forest loss and degradation are both causes and effects of our changing climate. Forest restoration is one of the best ways for facing the critical ecological and societal challenges of our time. Forest restoration is not just planting trees but also building ecological balance on multiple scales, such as population, ecosystem, landscape, and region. The goal of forest restoration is not only to restore the structure of forest ecosystems but also to recover the functions and services they provide. Given the growing interests in protecting biodiversity, restoring degraded forests, and promoting multiple ecosystem services, sharing knowledge from the relevant theories, techniques, and practices will guide future restoration attempts. The topic of “Forest Ecosystem Restoration” targets research that deals with restoring destroyed and degraded forests. This includes the regeneration of key species in various forest ecosystems, practices to modify the structure of existing forest ecosystems, as well as forest landscape reconstruction, or promoting the multiple services they used to provide.

Dr. Lin Qi
Dr. Dominick A. DellaSala
Dr. Wangming Zhou
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Diversity diversity	2.1	3.4	2009	15.4 Days	CHF 2100
Forests forests	2.4	4.4	2010	16.9 Days	CHF 2600
International Journal of Plant Biology ijpb	-	2.0	2010	19.2 Days	CHF 1200
Land land	3.2	4.9	2012	17.8 Days	CHF 2600
Plants plants	4.0	6.5	2012	18.2 Days	CHF 2700

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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25 pages, 8875 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Utilizing Comprehensive Criteria and Indicators for Post-Fire Forest Restoration in Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSS)

by Rahaf Alayan and Zoltán Lakner

Forests 2024, 15(2), 386; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15020386 - 19 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1313

Abstract

Amidst the increasing frequency and severity of forest fires globally, the imperative of effective post-fire forest restoration has gained unprecedented significance. This study outlines a comprehensive approach to post-fire forest restoration and discusses its implementation through spatial decision-making systems. The methodology involves utilizing [...] Read more.

Amidst the increasing frequency and severity of forest fires globally, the imperative of effective post-fire forest restoration has gained unprecedented significance. This study outlines a comprehensive approach to post-fire forest restoration and discusses its implementation through spatial decision-making systems. The methodology involves utilizing multi-criteria analysis (MCA) to identify and prioritize criteria based on their relative importance. This allows for the creation of easily assessable alternatives and their application to spatial maps, providing local officials with valuable information. To achieve optimal decision-making, the study utilized the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) methods along with Spatial Decision Support Systems (SDSS) to generate a suitability map. The results highlight that 28% of the study area is well-suited for post-fire forest restoration, with 44% moderately appropriate, while 3% is deemed unsuitable for restoration until the end of 2023 due to severe soil loss or inherent geographical challenges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Forest Ecosystem Restoration)

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15 pages, 3831 KiB  

Open AccessReview

Trends and Hotspots in Riparian Restoration Research: A Global Bibliometric Analysis during 1990–2022

by Jie Zheng, Lei Wang and Changxiao Li

Forests 2023, 14(11), 2205; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14112205 - 7 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1999

Abstract

Human activities and climate change have increased damage to riparian forest and their functions, stimulating interest in riparian restoration research and resulting in a surge of related publications. However, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of riparian restoration research has been lacking until recently. To [...] Read more.

Human activities and climate change have increased damage to riparian forest and their functions, stimulating interest in riparian restoration research and resulting in a surge of related publications. However, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of riparian restoration research has been lacking until recently. To understand trends and hotspots in riparian restoration research, we performed a literature search of riparian restoration publications from 1990 to 2022 based on the Web of Science database. We found 2121 peer-reviewed articles, and then each paper was bibliometrically researched, analyzing authors, institutions, countries, citations, journals, publication years, and keywords. The results showed a growing number of annual articles during 1990–2022, but declining average citations. Environmental science, ecology, biodiversity conservation, engineering, and forestry were popular fields in riparian restoration. Publications on the riparian restoration field were widely dispersed in different journals, but Restoration Ecology and Ecological Engineering have higher influence and more publications and citations than other journals. Lorenz A. W., Nilsson C., and Kondolf G. M. were the most competitive authors because of their high number of publications and citations. The USA had the greatest research output and the most citations. American scientists preferred national collaboration, while Switzerland scientists engaged more in international collaborations. Research focus shifted from ecosystems and rivers before the 21st century to management topics after 2001 and biodiversity and conservation after 2011. This study provides valuable insights into the progress of riparian restoration research globally. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Forest Ecosystem Restoration)

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18 pages, 2468 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Genetic Uniqueness and Genetic Structure of Populations of Picea obovata Ledeb. and Larix sibirica Ledeb. in the Northern and Middle Urals

by Andrei Zhulanov, Nikita Chertov, Yulia Nechaeva, Viktoriia Pechenkina, Larisa Zhulanova, Svetlana Boronnikova and Ruslan Kalendar

Forests 2023, 14(9), 1822; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14091822 - 6 Sep 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1256

Abstract

Establishing sustainable plantations with genetic diversity equivalent to that of natural populations is vital for successful reforestation efforts. In this study, we present an innovative approach for selecting populations suitable for reforestation, taking into account their genetic uniqueness using Inter Simple Sequence Repeats [...] Read more.

Establishing sustainable plantations with genetic diversity equivalent to that of natural populations is vital for successful reforestation efforts. In this study, we present an innovative approach for selecting populations suitable for reforestation, taking into account their genetic uniqueness using Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) markers. Our investigation focused on six populations of Picea obovata Ledeb and six populations of Larix sibirica Ledeb, collected from the Northern and Middle Urals. We found that the indicators of genetic diversity were significantly higher in L. sibirica compared to P. obovata, while the number of rare alleles was greater in Siberian spruce (R = 19). Among the P. obovata populations, the Cherdyn’s forestry exhibited notably high genetic diversity, and for L. sibirica, the Gainy’s forestry stood out in this regard. Moreover, the genetic subdivision of the six P. obovata populations (G_ST = 0.331) was higher than that of the six L. sibirica populations (G_ST = 0.177). To ensure optimal seed selection considering the genetic originality coefficient (GOC) and population differentiation, we recommend utilizing the P. obovata population from Gainy’s forestry with a GOC of 0.554 and the L. sibirica population from Cherdyn’s forestry with a GOC of 0.372. These populations harbor typical alleles characteristic of the research region, making them ideal candidates for seed selection. Furthermore, the specific alleles identified can serve as valuable markers for determining the geographic origin of P. obovata and L. sibirica wood, aiding in efforts to trace the sources of these species in forestry and trade practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Forest Ecosystem Restoration)

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19 pages, 5171 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Role of Tree Vegetation and Associated Environmental Factors on the Understory Herb-Layer Composition in a Reforested Area: A Study from “Kulon Progo Community Forestry”

by Siswo, Chung-Weon Yun and Jeongeun Lee

Diversity 2023, 15(8), 900; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15080900 - 30 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1685

Abstract

We assessed the understory herb-layer species composition in response to tree vegetation and its associated environmental factors in the reforested area of the Kulon Progo Community Forestry, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The understory herb-layer composition among different stand types, including Pinus (PN), Aleurites-Swietenia (AS), Swietenia-Acacia [...] Read more.

We assessed the understory herb-layer species composition in response to tree vegetation and its associated environmental factors in the reforested area of the Kulon Progo Community Forestry, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The understory herb-layer composition among different stand types, including Pinus (PN), Aleurites-Swietenia (AS), Swietenia-Acacia (SA), Melaleuca-Acacia (MA) and Tectona-Dalbergia (TD), was compared using some comparison analyses. The influence of tree vegetation characteristics and associated environmental factors on the understory herb-layer species was analyzed by employing canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Our result showed variation in understory herb-layer species composition despite equality in richness and diversity indices. Among all stand types, the MA stand showed fewer shade-tolerant species, and the TD stand exhibited the smallest number of shade-intolerant species. Seedling availability also varied between AS and MA, which contained fewer seedling species. One of the main species in the two stands did not even regenerate. Moreover, all indicator species in MA were shade-intolerant species with invasive characteristics, while those in TD were shade-tolerant and semi-shade-tolerant species. CCA showed that stand types held an important role in the herb-layer species composition, where the number of shade-tolerant and seedling species commonly native to forest were directly proportional to tree canopy coverage, silt proportion in soil texture and concentration of soil organic carbon yet inversely proportional to below-stand utilization. In contrast, the number of shade-intolerant species had positive correlation to below-stand utilization and inversely to other correlated factors. Our study also indicated the possibility of tree vegetation controlling several environmental factors, where the increase in canopy coverage was followed by an increasing proportion of silt in soil texture and concentration of soil organic carbon, as well as a decreasing percentage of below-stand utilization. Accordingly, we recommend tree species enrichment with dense-canopy trees and adaptive management of below-stand utilization for better forest development and tree regeneration. This finding provides important knowledge for evaluation and improvement in the ecological restoration of degraded forests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Forest Ecosystem Restoration)

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14 pages, 2195 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Natural and Man-Made Forests on Community Assembly and Species, Functional, and Soil Microbial Diversity

by Xiaoni Wu, Xudong Ma, Lianyu Hu, Chunjie Shen and Denggao Fu

Forests 2023, 14(5), 888; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14050888 - 26 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1521

Abstract

Although an increasing amount of attention is being paid to how human activities alter plant communities, little is known about the consequences of these changes on species’ assemblages and biodiversity patterns. Using three forest types (a Pinus yunnanensis man-made forest; Eucalyptus smithii man-made [...] Read more.

Although an increasing amount of attention is being paid to how human activities alter plant communities, little is known about the consequences of these changes on species’ assemblages and biodiversity patterns. Using three forest types (a Pinus yunnanensis man-made forest; Eucalyptus smithii man-made forest; and natural secondary forest) in mid-Yunnan, China, we investigated the distribution patterns of species and traits and analyzed diversity patterns and relationships, including those between species diversity, functional diversity, and soil microbial diversity. We found that species co-occurrence patterns in the Pinus yunnanensis man-made forest and natural secondary forest were non-random. The specific leaf area in the Eucalyptus smithii man-made forest and leaf nitrogen concentration in the Pinus yunnanensis man-made forest were both over-dispersed according to the mean Euclidean neighbor distance in the trait space. The natural secondary forest had higher values of species diversity, functional diversity, community-weighted means, and soil microbial diversity than the man-made forest types did. An overall low covariation between species diversity and community-weighted means suggested that the coexistence of many species does not necessarily support functional differentiation among these species. Variance partitioning revealed that soil microbial diversity was mainly regulated by community-weighted means. In conclusion, our results suggest that the naturally recovering forest was better than man-made plantations based on biodiversity patterns. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Forest Ecosystem Restoration)

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34 pages, 29185 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Patterns of Change and Successional Transition in a 47-Year Period (1973–2020) in Rangelands of the Tamaulipan Highlands, Northeastern Mexico

by Lucas Hernández-Hernández, Pedro Almaguer-Sierra, Ludivina Barrientos-Lozano, Uriel Jeshua Sánchez-Reyes, Aurora Y. Rocha-Sánchez and Juan Flores-Gracia

Forests 2023, 14(4), 815; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14040815 - 15 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2414

Abstract

Rangelands in arid and semi-arid regions are the main source of livestock feed. The fragmentation of these ecosystems by continuous grazing gives rise to the modification of ecological processes, which alters the structure and functionality of plant communities. Therefore, the use of geographic [...] Read more.

Rangelands in arid and semi-arid regions are the main source of livestock feed. The fragmentation of these ecosystems by continuous grazing gives rise to the modification of ecological processes, which alters the structure and functionality of plant communities. Therefore, the use of geographic information systems and the analysis of satellite images are important to monitor spatial changes and to evaluate these areas in the Tamaulipan Highlands of northeastern Mexico. This work aimed to evaluate the current state of the rangelands and to determine the percentage of modified areas as well as propose the time of permanence, succession, or recovery of five different areas destined for rangelands. For the analysis, Landsat satellite scenes from the period 1973–2020 were used: they were classified into four categories using segmentation and maximum likelihood analysis, as well as a cross-tabulation method to determine the degree of succession. An increase in rangelands was found in three of the five areas analyzed in the period from 1973 to 2020. As rangeland areas increase, the coverage of pine–oak forests, submontane–thorny scrub, and anthropogenic areas, decreases. The disturbance processes were not linear, and the increase in rangeland areas was greater in xerophilous scrub and secondary vegetation. This work is the first contribution that evaluates the changes in land use and cover in grazing areas compromised by continuous grazing in the Tamaulipan Highlands and Mexico. In addition, the results indicate the importance of performing studies based on the coexistence of wildlife and livestock as well as the interaction between soil degradation and plant diversity with the increase in rangelands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Forest Ecosystem Restoration)

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19 pages, 3183 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Linking Microbial Decomposition to Dissolved Organic Matter Composition in the Revegetation of the Red Soil Erosion Area

by Wenxin Chen, Huaying Hu, Kate Heal, Saran Sohi, Mulualem Tigabu, Weijuan Qiu and Chuifan Zhou

Forests 2023, 14(2), 270; https://doi.org/10.3390/f14020270 - 31 Jan 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2561

Abstract

Studying the changes and linkages between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and microorganisms in soils during vegetation restoration will help to understand the role of vegetation restoration in soil carbon sequestration and thus improve the understanding of the global soil carbon cycle. Soil DOM [...] Read more.

Studying the changes and linkages between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and microorganisms in soils during vegetation restoration will help to understand the role of vegetation restoration in soil carbon sequestration and thus improve the understanding of the global soil carbon cycle. Soil DOM molecules were characterized by Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS) and the results showed that the soil DOM consisted mainly of lignin/carboxylic rich alicyclic molecule (CRAM)-like structures, while the ratios of lipids and aliphatic/protein decreased in sequence with recovery time. Lipids and aliphatic/proteins with high H/C DOM (labile DOM) degrade preferentially, while lignin/CRAM-like structures and tannins with low H/C DOM (recalcitrant DOM) are recalcitrant during vegetation restoration. With the restoration of vegetation, DOM molecules tend to be diversified and complicated, and DOM compounds with low double bond equivalent (DBE), low aromatic, and low alkyl structures will be converted into persistent organic matter with high carbon numbers and high DBE. The diversity of soil microorganisms was determined by high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that the abundance and diversity of soil bacteria increased significantly after revegetation, while the abundance and diversity of soil fungi began to increase when the ecosystem became a more mature coniferous forest. The soil microbial community exhibited complex connectivity and strong interaction with DOM molecules during vegetation restoration. As most of the DOM molecules are recalcitrant, vegetation restoration facilitates C sequestration in the soil, thereby contributing to climate change mitigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Forest Ecosystem Restoration)

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