Sergio Rossi

Achim Bräuning

Andreas Bolte

Cristina Nabais

Ute Sass-Klaassen

Trees are among the longest-living organisms. They are sensitive to extreme climatic events and document the effects of environmental changes in form of structural modifications of their tissues. These modifications represent an integrated signal of complex biological responses enforced by the environment. For example, temporal change in stem increment integrates multiple information of tree performance, and wood anatomical traits may be altered by climatic extremes or environmental stress. Recent developments in preparative tools and computational image analysis enable to quantify changes in wood anatomical features, like vessel density or vessel size. Thus, impacts on their functioning can be related to climatic forcing factors. Similarly, new developments in monitoring (cambial) phenology and mechanistic modelling are enlightening the interrelationships between environmental factors, wood formation and tree performance and mortality. Quantitative wood anatomy is a reliable indicator of drought occurrence during the growing season, and therefore has been studied intensively in recent years. The variability in wood anatomy not only alters the biological and hydraulic functioning of a tree, but may also influence the technological properties of wood, with substantial impacts in forestry. On a larger scale, alterations of sapwood and phloem area and their ratios to other functional traits provide measures to detect changes in a tree’s life functions, and increasing risk of drought-induced mortality with possible impacts on hydrological processes and species composition of plant communities. Genetic variability within and across populations is assumed to be crucial for species survival in an unpredictable future world. The magnitude of genetic variation and heritability of adaptive traits might define the ability to adapt to climate change. Is there a relation between genetic variability and resilience to climate change? Is it possible to link genetic expression and climate change to obtain deeper knowledge of functional genetics? To derive precise estimates of genetic determinism it is important to define adaptive traits in wood properties and on a whole-tree scale. Understanding the mechanisms ruling these processes is fundamental to assess the impact of extreme climate events on forest ecosystems, and to provide realistic scenarios of tree responses to changing climates. Wood is also a major carbon sink with a long-term residence, impacting the global carbon cycle. How well do we understand the link between wood growth dynamics, wood carbon allocation and the global carbon cycle? Papers contribution to this Research Topic will cover a wide range of ecosystems. However, special relevance will be given to Mediterranean-type areas. These involve coastal regions of four continents, making Mediterranean-type ecosystems extremely interesting for investigating the potential impacts of global change on growth and for studying responses of woody plants under extreme environmental conditions. For example, the ongoing trend towards warmer temperatures and reduced precipitation can increase the susceptibility to fire and pests. The EU-funded COST Action STREeSS (Studying Tree Responses to extreme Events: a SynthesiS) addresses such crucial tree biological and forest ecological issues by providing a collection of important methodological and scientific insights, about the current state of knowledge, and by opinions for future research needs.

Studying Tree Responses to Extreme Events

Christian Ammer

Hermann Spellmann

Torsten Vor

Eine nachhaltige, multifunktionale Forstwirtschaft hat den Anspruch, Wälder so zu pflegen und zu nutzen, dass deren Produktivität, Verjüngungsfähigkeit, Vitalität und biologische Vielfalt erhalten bleiben. In der Vergangenheit hat sich gezeigt, dass weder im Kielwasser der Rohholzerzeugung noch in jenem des Naturschutzes alle Waldfunktionen angemessen erfüllt werden. Die Integration eingeführter Baumarten in einen Waldbau auf ökologischen Grundlagen erfordert daher Kompromisse, die sich auf der Basis wissenschaftlicher Erkenntnisse in der Regel auch finden lassen. Konkret bedeutet dies, dass der Anbau nicht invasiver eingeführter Baumarten in gewissem Umfang vom Naturschutz ebenso akzeptiert wird, wie seitens der Forstwirtschaft naturschutzfachliche Interessen berücksichtigt werden, indem bei ihrem Anbau auf eine räumliche Ordnung geachtet wird und bestehende Vorkommen invasiver Baumarten zurückgedrängt werden. Ziel dieser Ausarbeitung ist es vor diesem Hintergrund, die Potenziale und Risiken von 15 eingeführten Baumarten auf der Grundlage wissenschaftlicher Literatur und langjähriger Forschungsarbeiten auf Versuchsflächen der verschiedenen Forschungseinrichtungen und Anbauflächen der Forstbetriebe aufzuzeigen, um die zwischen Naturschutz und Forstwirtschaft aufgekommene Diskussion zu versachlichen. Behamdelte Baumarten: Eschenahorn (Acer negundo), Götterbaum (Ailanthus altissima), Rotesche (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) Spätblühende Traubenkirsche (Prunus serotina), Douglasie (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Küstentanne (Abies grandis), Japanlärche (Larix kaempferi), Roteiche (Quercus rubra), Hybridpappel (Populus x canadensis), Gleditschie (Gleditsia triacanthos), Essigbaum (Rhus typhina) und die Robinie (Robinia pseudoacacia). Zitierte Vorschriften und Urteile u.a.: § 40 BNatSchG; OVG Münster vom 04.06.1993, Az.: 7 A 3157/91; VGH München, Urteil vom 20.11.2007, Az.: 1 N 05.2571

Baumartenportraits mit naturschutzfachlicher Bewertung

Potenziale und Risiken eingeführter Baumarten

Nicole Wellbrock

This book is an open access publication. Forest ecosystems in Central Europe are changing as a result of anthropogenic influences and changing climate conditions. As such, a large-scale monitoring programme was undertaken in order to understand the influence of site modification, deposition of air pollutants, and climate. This book presents the scientific findings of this study for Germany, including the major challenges with regard to the future preservation and management of forest ecosystems under environmental change. In addition, it addresses a number of central questions: what are the main factors affecting forest stands and soil integrity? How, and how rapidly, are forest ecosystems changing? How diverse are the changes across Germany? What will be the main risks in sustainable forest management in the future? And how can policy support the development and maintenance of adaptive and resilient forests that provide essential ecosystem services, today and in the future? Helping readers understand the importance of soils and related ecosystem processes for future sustainable forestry, and sharing essential findings on environmental change and related changes in forest status and dynamics, the book is a valuable resource for researchers and policymakers interested in science-based decisions.

Results of the National Forest Monitoring

Status and Dynamics of Forests in Germany

Andreas Bolte

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