Meta-analysis of 21st century studies shows that deforestation induces profound changes in soil characteristics, particularly soil organic carbon accumulation
April 2025
Deforestation is one of the most serious environmental problems facing humankind. It continues to escalate rapidly across many regions of the world, thereby deteriorating the forest soil quality. This...
Potential for improved groundwater recharge and dry-season flows through forest landscape restoration on degraded lands in the tropics
December 2025
As interest in tropical forest restoration accelerates, understanding its hydrological implications is increasingly urgent. While concerns persist that reforestation will reduce annual water yields—particularly...
Biotic and abiotic factors jointly drive the temperature sensitivity of soil respiration in forests worldwide
December 2025
The sensitivity of soil respiration (Rs) to temperature (Q10) is a key parameter for benchmarking the carbon (C) cycle and climate feedbacks in the context of global warming. However, previous studies...
The origin and beginnings of modern Continuous Cover Forestry in Europe
December 2025
Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) is a type of forest management that is based on ecological, environmental, and biological principles. Specific definitions of CCF greatly vary and the concept usually...
Leaf morphological trait integration and modularity provide insights into ecological adaptation in evergreen oaks
December 2025
The integration and modularity of leaf morphological traits are fundamental to plant adaptations, yet their responses to diverse environmental pressures remain unclear. In this study, we investigate...
Disentangling drivers of organic layer and charcoal carbon stocks in boreal pine and spruce forests with different fire histories
December 2025
A key property of the boreal forest is that it stores huge amounts of carbon (C), especially belowground in the soil. Amounts of C stored in the uppermost organic layer of boreal forest soils vary greatly...
Biodiversity in primary vs. managed forests: Biological legacies of old living and large dead trees drive lichen diversity
December 2025
Anthropogenic activities have significantly contributed to the loss and fragmentation of primary forests across the globe, which has accelerated biodiversity decline, particularly among highly specialised...
Contrasting controls on symbiotic and asymbiotic nitrogen fixation rates along altitudinal gradients in subtropical forests
December 2025
Symbiotic and asymbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF and ANF), two forms of biological nitrogen (N) fixation, are the main pathways for external N inputs into natural terrestrial ecosystems. However, the...
Topographic complexity drives trait composition as well as functional and phylogenetic diversity of understory plant communities in microrefugia: New insights for conservation
April 2025
Topographic complexity supports the maintenance of a high diversity of microhabitats, which may act as important ‘safe havens’ – or microrefugia – for biodiversity. Microrefugia are sites with specific...
The patterns of forest soil particulate and mineral associated organic carbon characteristics with latitude and soil depth across eastern China
April 2025
Forest ecosystems function as the largest carbon (C) sink in terrestrial ecosystems, and nearly half of the C in forest ecosystems is stored in forest soils. However, the patterns of two main fractions...
Allometric equations quantify accelerated growth and carbon fixation in trees of northeastern north America
December 2025
A tree's basal area (BA) and wood volume scale exponentially with tree diameter in species-specific patterns. Recent observed increases in tree growth suggest these allometric relationships are shifting...
Microbial life strategies-mediated differences in carbon metabolism explain the variation in SOC sequestration between Kandelia obovata and Sonneratia apetala
December 2025
Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays a crucial role in mangrove blue carbon formation, yet the differences in microbe-mediated underlying SOC sequestration between introduced and native mangroves remain...
Both composition and configuration of forests and urban development shape bat activity and diversity in North American temperate forests
December 2025
Temperate forest ecosystems are important habitats for many bat species. However, these habitats are increasingly affected by anthropogenic disturbances, particularly urban development, leading to landscapes...
Tree community composition modulates early-stage decomposition of standard litter through chemical and physical engineering
April 2026
Litter decomposition is an essential ecosystem process influenced by multiple factors, including substrate quality, climate, edaphic environment, and decomposer communities. However, the role of canopy...
Recreational and aesthetic values of forest landscapes (RAFL): Quantifying management impacts and trade-offs with provisioning and regulatory ecosystem services
August 2025
Cultural ecosystem services (CES), which encompass recreational and aesthetic values, contribute to human well-being and yet are often underrepresented in forest management planning due to challenges...
How to determine the leaf area index (LAI) of forests: A comparison of forest inventory versus satellite-driven estimates
August 2025
Leaf area index (LAI) is a key measure of forest stand physiology and biomass production, and is essential within ecosystem modeling. There are two common approaches to obtaining LAI: (i) terrestrial...
Patterns and impacts of an unprecedented outbreak of bark beetles in Central Europe: A glimpse into the future?
2024
Natural disturbances have significantly intensified across European forests, with bark beetle outbreaks being the most rapidly escalating disturbance type. Since 2018, the Czech Republic (Central Europe)...
Causes of co-existence of cool-temperate Fagus and warm-loving evergreen Quercus forests in central Italy during the Holocene thermal maximum
December 2025
Mediterranean forest communities are particularly diverse but at risk due to their sensitivity to global warming. Understanding the long-term vulnerability of Mediterranean vegetation to climate change...
Allometry-based estimation of forest aboveground biomass combining LiDAR canopy height attributes and optical spectral indexes
2022
Accurate estimates of forest aboveground biomass (AGB) are essential for global carbon cycle studies and have widely relied on approaches using spectral and structural information of forest canopies...
Quantifying spatiotemporal inconsistencies in runoff responses to forest logging in a subtropical watershed, China
December 2025
Global forest cover is undergoing significant transformations due to anthropogenic activities and natural disturbances, profoundly impacting hydrological processes. However, the inherent spatial heterogeneity...
Relationship between topographic variables and live aboveground tree biomass on a large temperate forest plot
December 2025
Understanding local variation in forest biomass allows for a better evaluation of broad-scale patterns and interpretation of forest ecosystems’ role in carbon dynamics. This study focuses on patterns...
Estimating area, standing carbon stock, and potential carbon stock of degraded forests in China
August 2025
With the rapid economic development and continuous expansion of human activities, forest degradation—characterized by reduced forest stock within the forest including declining carbon storage—poses...
Context-dependent effects of woody layer complexity on arthropod biomass and abundance in deciduous forests
December 2025
Forest structural complexity influences arthropod communities by shaping habitat availability, microclimatic conditions, and resource distribution. However, the extent to which structural complexity...
Dynamics of fine root biomass and morphology of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest stands along a soil moisture gradient
December 2025
Increasing evidence suggests that fine roots are particularly sensitive to environmental changes, making them essential in responding and adapting forest ecosystems to climate change. However, we still...
Classification and clustering analysis of standing dead trees and associated park asset wildfire vulnerability in Yellowstone National Park
April 2025
In the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest regions of the United States, forests include extensive portions of standing dead trees. These regions showcase an intriguing phenomenon where the combined...