The coppice-with-standards silvicultural system as applied to Eucalyptus plantations-a review

We review the management of Eucalyptus species under a coppice-with-standards （CWS） silvicultural system. CWS management results in product diversification, permitting production of small and large scale timber from the same stand. Eucalyptus species are suitable candidates for CWS management because： there are large worldwide plantation areas, sprouting capacity is high, and eucalypts are multipur- pose species. We discuss （1） short rotation Eucalyptus coppice manage- ment for energy and pulping and （2） Eucalyptus seedling management for solid wood products. We review the literature and discuss experi- ences with Eucalyptus managed under the CWS system. We also assess projects dealing with Eucalyptus coppice management, stand density regulation, pruning, and stand and wood quality. The growth environ- ment of the standard trees （heavy competition up to the first harvest, free growth afterwards） coupled with long rotations （〉20 years） results in high quality logs for solid wood products. Early pruning should be ap- plied to enhance wood quality. We propose a system for the silvicultural management of Eucalyptus under the CWS system, elaborating on the consequences of initial planting density, site productivity, and standard tree densities as well as timing of basic silvicultural applications.

Carbon sink potential and allocation in above-and below-ground biomass in willow coppice

This research estimates carbon sink and allocation in above-and below-ground biomass of a 12-year-old willow coppice plantation on fl uvisol soil near the Vistula River(southern Poland).The plantation showed high C sink potential and sequestration rates.C sequestration by aboveground biomass was estimated at 10.8 Mg C ha^−1 a^−1.Accumulation in coarse roots was estimated at 1.5 Mg C ha^−1 a^−1 and in fi ne roots at 1.2 Mg C ha^−1 a^−1.Total C sequestered(above-ground biomass,coarse roots and fi ne roots)was estimated at 13.5 Mg C ha^−1 a^−1.These results confi rm the potential of fast-growing plantations of willow to mitigate,over a short time span,the eff ects of high CO 2 concentrations.

Black locust coppice stands homogenize soil diazotrophic communities by reducing soil net nitrogen mineralization

Background:Black locust(BL,Robinia pseudoacacia)is considered a promising tree species for reforestation due to its great ability to fix nitrogen.However,after two or three coppice-harvesting rotations,the productivity of BL declines.Whether soil microbial communities are affected and how these groups correlate with the nitrogen mineralization process across multi-generation stands remains unclear.Methods:We investigated the composition and structure of free-living nitrogen-fixing microorganisms(diazotrophs)by sequencing the marker gene nifH and compared these results to levels of soil nitrogen mineralization in the bulk soil and rhizosphere in black locust plantations on Mount Tai,China.Results:The results showed multi-generation BL coppice plantations decreased the total soil nitrogen(N),soil phosphorus(P),soil microbial biomass N(MBN),soil microbial biomass C(MBC),soil nitrification rate(Rn),soil ammonification rate(Ra),and net soil N mineralization rate(Rm),but significantly increased the concentration of soil NH_(4þ)-N to maintain sufficient NO_(3)^(-)N.The dominant species in bulk soil and rhizosphere changed from Rhodopseudomonas(22.62%and 15.76%),unclassified_c_Alphaproteobacteria(22.37%and 29.28%),unclassified_o_Rhizobiales(15.40%and 13.31%),Bradyrhizobium(12.00%and 11.74%)in seedling plantations to Bradyrhizobium(45.95%and 47.86%)and Rhodopseudomonas(43.56%and 41.84%)in coppice plantations,respectively.Mantel test and Redundancy analysis(RDA)revealed that Rn,Ra,and Rm were the most important factors shaping the diazotrophic communities.Conclusions:Our results suggest that the multi-generation BL coppice plantation can homogenize soil diazotrophic communities,which is mainly regulated by the available N loss caused by nitrogen mineralization.Strengthening the management technology of coppice plantations will provide more beneficial external consumption.

Effect of moisture on physical parameters of timber from Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) coppice in Central Italy

This study aims to investigate wood density at different levels of moisture, basic density and shrinkage of timber from Turkey oak （Quercus cerris L.） coppice forests growing in Central Italy. We also studied the variability in density in the trees within and among sites. Density shows no significant statistical differences in the tested population. A higher variability in the shrinkage than in the density was found. Wood moisture is referred to as dry mass and fresh mass, which is related to many performance characteristics of wood, i.e., energy production. Trends in moisture and water content were studied because these physical parameters play an important role in the specific area of firewood which requires an accurate estimation of mass, volume and energy content. This work is a contribution to improve xylo-energy estimates of small and medium forestry issues.

Stumpage value in the short wood system for the conversion into high forest of a oak coppice

This study aims to analyze the factors affecting the costs of different logging systems, in particular considering three different bunching-extraction methods. Moreover the stumpage value of each plot was calculated, and a comparison analysis of the results is presented. The work was carried out in Central Italy, in an aged Quercus cerris L. coppice in hill zones, with a 45% average slope. Short wood system harvesting was applied. Felling and processing were performed by chainsaw, while extraction with three different methods： plot No. 1 with mules, plot No. 2 with a tractor with winch, plot No. 3 with polyethylene chute line. Transport of firewood from the forest track to the landing was made by a tractor loaded as a mule. In the plot No. 1 the costs per unit mass （30.76 ∈·t33% ^-1） were higher despite having the lower cost per hour （39.99∈·th^- 1）. The reason was the lower productivity （1.3 t33%·h^-1）. The plot No. 2 had the highest cost per hour （66.79 ∈·h^-1）. However, productivity was the highest （2.7 t33%·h^- 1）. This aspect was notable from the financial point of view （24.74 ∈·t33%^-1）. Plot No. 3 was the less expensive （23.92 ∈·t33%^-1）. Comparing the three methods, a reduction of the costs through more appropriate extraction systems may increase the stumpage value from 8.3 to 9.65 ∈·t33%^- 1.

The Effect of Willow Short Rotation Coppice Cultivation on the Biodiversity Quality of Ground-Layer Invertebrates

The biodiversity quality of ground-layer invertebrates within the cropped area of a plantation of the biomass crop willow short-rotation coppice (SRC) grown within a floodplain was compared to the biodiversity quality of the neighbouring plots of floodplain grassland and a mixed deciduous woodland plantation. Pitfall traps were used to collect ground beetles (Carabidae) and arachnids (Araneae and Opiliones) in the plots over a period of two years. A range of biodiversity indices was used to assess the biodiversity quality of each of the three plots, and the willow SRC was compared to each of the controls using Mann-Whitney tests. The willow SRC transitioned from almost bare ground to young woodland during the two years of the study, which affected comparisons with alternative land uses as the habitat during the second year was very different from the habitat at the start of the study. Compared to plantation woodland, in the first year, the effect was mostly positive, but this declined in the second year. Compared to grassland there was a largely negative effect in both years. However, when in combination with other habitats, willow SRC cultivation on floodplain land may have an overall positive effect on invertebrate biodiversity quality.

Effects of different land-use systems (grazing and understory cultivation) on growth and yield of semi-arid oak coppices

The present study examines the extent of negative eff ects of traditional multiple land-use systems on oak coppices,from a forest management point of view.The study area was located in approximately 10,000 ha of hilly Brant’s oak(Quercus brantii Lindl.)woodlands in the central Zagros Mountains.In the same site-quality class,three land-use systems were compared:simple coppice(Co),coppice in conjunction with small ruminant grazing(CoG),and coppice with understory rain-fed wheat cultivation plus grazing(CoCG).Data on total wood volume of trunk and major branches,and annual ring growth,were collected and analyzed from 74 stands in 15 coppiced woodland patches.The results showed the advantage of Co over CoG and CoCG land-uses by 43 and 60 m 3 of mean accumulated wood volume per hectare,respectively.The diameter growth analysis also revealed an annual increase in wood production of trees in Co land-uses over 43 years,with an exception of the recent decade,when growth coincided with a severe drought.Using a back-extrapolation method,the minimum rotation age of woodlands in Co land-use was found to be 23.6 years,5 and 7 years shorter than those of CoG and CoCG land-uses,respectively.Unlike CoCG,woodlands located in Co and CoG land-use systems demonstrated a high level of agreement with self-thinning rule of−3/2.Values for the stand density index for coppiced oak woodlands were between more than 1000 for the least disturbed(Co)and less than 400 for the most disturbed woodlands(CoCG).The structure and growth rate of the coppiced oak woodlands were irreversibly disrupted by understory tillage plus grazing and in less extent by grazing alone.It was concluded that ending undergrowth cultivation in semi-arid oak coppices should be addressed as a priority by adopting minimum regulations.

Mechanical properties of coppiced and non-coppiced Pterocarpus erinaceus boles and their industrial application

Rosewood(Pterocarpus erinaceus Poir.)is valued for flooring,ornaments,musical instruments and furniture-making due to its durability,strength,beauty and acoustic properties.It coppices easily which could boost its continual supply.Compression parallel to grain,Modulus of Elasticity(MOE)and Modulus of Rupture(MOR)within coppiced and non-coppiced boles were determined.These properties decreased along both types of boles.Strength values for the heartwood were also greater than those for the sapwood of each type of bole.MOE,MOR and compression for non-coppiced stems were greater than those from the coppiced stems.The differences were significant(p<0.05).Mechanical properties from the coppiced and non-coppiced boles are comparable.Both have strength properties comparable with those of species widely used for railway sleepers,structural supports,flooring,veneer,furniture,cabinetry,truss and mine props.Therefore,coppiced wood could supplement non-coppiced wood for industrial applications which require strength.

Nebkha （coppice dune） formation and significance to environmental change reconstructions in arid and semiarid areas

Environments in arid and semiarid regions are extremely sensitive to climate changes. High wind activity in these regions has resulted in an extensively developed arid geomorphology, but past environmental changes are poorly understood because of the absence of relatively high-resolution proxies. The accumulation characteristics of nebkhas, which have developed extensively in these regions, can be used as a method of reconstructing environmental changes. Here we summarized recent advances in research on the formation, development, and sediment characteristics of nebkhas and their significance to environmental changes in arid and semiarid regions. Based on the studies of our colleagues, we suggested that research on nebkha formation can provide distinct clues about environmental changes in arid and semiarid regions; however, continued studies are needed.

Eucalyptus grandis plantations:effects of management on soil carbon,nutrient contents and yields

The expansion of fast-growing tree plantations is a worldwide process,with consequences on soil fertility and soil carbon storage.Disparate results were found on the effects of afforestation with Eucalyptus on soil carbon and other nutrient contents.These discrepancies are usually caused by differences in climate,land use history,soil texture as well as by management related factors such as plantation age,number of rotations,method of establishment(plantation or coppice),harvest residue management and soil preparation.We studied the effect of plantation age,number of rotations,and method of establishment on soils and plant nutrient concentrations in Eucalyptus grandis plantations in NE Argentina on different textured soils.We also determined if yields changed with nutrient variations in soils,and compared soils under plantations to soils under grasslands they replaced.Thirty-one E.grandis stands of different ages,number of rotations and method of establishment were evaluated as well as eight grassland sites.Levels of carbon,nitrogen,phosphorus,potassium,calcium and magnesium were determined for soils and plants.Soil carbon and nitrogen decreased over the number of rotations and were more pronounced in soils with 50-60%sand than soils with>75%sand.Coppice stands showed higher soil carbon and nitrogen levels than plantations,suggesting a negative effect of site preparation before planting on soil nutrient conservation,especially in fine-textured soils.Foliar nutrient concentrations did not follow the trends observed for soil nutrients nor did they reflect nutrient limitations.There was no evidence of decreased yields over successive rotations.Soil carbon and nitrogen contents decrease when grasslands are replaced by E.grandis plantations,and therefore a yield limitation may occur in a medium to long-term frame,especially in stands re-established for short-rotation management.Harvest residue management and site preparation must be specifically designed for improving soil nutrient management.

Impact of Robinia pseudoacacia stand conversion on soil properties and bacterial community composition in Mount Tai,China

Background:Robinia pseudoacacia is a widely planted pioneer tree species in reforestations on barren mountains in northern China.Because of its nitrogen-fixing ability,it can play a positive role in soil and forest restoration.After clearcutting of planted stands,R.pseudoacacia stands become coppice plantations.The impacts of shifting from seedling to coppice stands on soil bacterial community and soil properties have not been wel described.This study aims to quantify how soil properties and bacterial community composition vary between planted seedling versus coppice stands.Methods:Nine 20 m×20 m plots were randomly selected in seedling and coppice stands.The bulk soil and rhizosphere soil were sampled in summer 2017.Bulk soil was sampled at 10 cm from the soil surface using a soil auger.Rhizosphere soil samples were col ected using a brush.The soil samples were transported to the laboratory for chemical analysis,and bacterial community composition and diversity was obtained through DNA extraction,16 S r RNA gene amplification and high-throughput sequencing.Results:The results showed that,compared to seedling plantations,soil quality decreased significantly in coppice stands,but without affecting soil exchangeable Mg^(2+) and K^(+).Total carbon(C)and nitrogen(N)were lower in the rhizosphere than in bulk soil,whereas nutrient availability showed an opposite trend.The conversion from seedling to coppice plantations was also related to significant differences in soil bacterial community structure and to the reduction of soil bacterialα-diversity.Principal component analysis(PCA)showed that bacterial community composition was similar in both bulk and rhizosphere soils in second-generation coppice plantations.Special y,the conversion from seedling to coppice stands increased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Rhizobium,but reduced that of Actinobacteria,which may result in a decline of soil nutrient availability.Mantel tests revealed that C,N,soil organic matter(SOM),nitrate nitrogen(NO^(-)+(3)-N)and available phosphorus positively correlated with bacterial community composition,while a variation partition analysis(VPA)showed that NO^(-)+(3)-N explained a relatively greater proportion of bacterial distribution(15.12%),compared with C and SOM.Surprisingly,N showed no relationship with bacterial community composition,which may be related to nitrogen transportation.Conclusions:The conversion from seedling to coppice stands reduced soil quality and led to spatial-temporal homogenization of the soil bacterial community structure in both the rhizosphere and bulk soils.Such imbalance in microbial structure can accelerate the decline of R.pseudoacacia.This may affect the role of R.pseudoacacia coppice stands in soil and forest restoration of barren lands in mountain areas.

Effect of Indole 3-Butyric Acid and Media Type on Adventitious Root Formation in Sheanut Tree (<i>Vitellaria paradoxa</i>C. F. Gaertn.) Stem Cuttings

Shea nuts play an important role in food security for rural folks within sub-Sahara Africa, serving as the main source of income for many people living in Northern Ghana. Unfortunately, the full economic potential of the Sheanut tree has not been fully realized due to the difficulty involved in its domestication. This difficulty in vegetatively propagating sheanut trees has greatly hindered its cultivation and the realization of its true economic potential. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of rooting media and varying indole 3-butyric acid (IBA) concentrations on adventitious root formation in cuttings taken from coppiced sheanut trees. Results indicated that 3000 ppm produced significantly (p 0.05) better rooting (57.5%) than 5000 ppm (30%), 7000 ppm (45.0%) and the control (7.5%). Although the levels of soluble sugars (SS) and total free phenols (TFP) in the cutting were significantly (p 0.05) higher at the end of the experiment (after IBA treatment) compared to the start (prior to IBA treatment), the SS and TFP trends observed did not clearly explain the rooting differences found between the IBA levels investigated. Callus formation was significantly (p 0.05) higher (35.0%) in the control (no IBA). Generally, callus formation decreased with increasing IBA concentration. In the rooting media experiment, rooting was significantly (p 0.05) higher in the rice husk medium (35.0%) compared to that in the palm fiber (18.3%), saw dust (14.1%) and top soil (16.7%) media.

Carbon sequestration capability of Fagus sylvatica forests developing in the Majella National Park (Central Apennines,Italy)

Terrestrial ecosystems represent a major sink for atmospheric carbon(C) and temperate forests play an important role in global C cycling, contributing to lower atmospheric carbon dioxide(CO2) concentration through photosynthesis. The Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change highlights that the forestry sector has great potential to decrease atmospheric CO2concentration compared to other sectoral mitigation activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate CO2sequestration(CO2S)capability of Fag us sylvatica(beech) growing in the Orfento Valley within Majella National Park(Abruzzo,Italy). We compared F. sylvatica areas subjected to thinning(one high-forest and one coppice) and no-management areas(two high-forests and two coppices). The results show a mean CO2S of 44.3 ± 2.6 Mg CO2ha-1a-1,corresponding to 12.1 ± 0.7 Mg C ha-1a-1the no-managed areas having a 28% higher value than the managed areas. The results highlight that thinning that allows seed regeneration can support traditional management practices such as civic use in some areas while no management should be carried out in the reserve in order to give priority to the objective of conservation and naturalistic improvement of the forest heritage.

Biomass and carbon stocks in three types of Persian oak(Quercus brantii var.persica)of Zagros forests in a semi-arid area,Iran

Persian oak(Quercus brantii var.persica)is a dominant tree species of Zagros forests in a semi-arid area,western Iran.However,the capacity of biomass and carbon stocks of these forests is not well studied.We selected three types of oak,i.e.,seed-originated oak,coppice oak and mixed(seed-originated and coppice)oak of Zagros forests in Dalab valley,Ilam Province,Iran to survey the capacity of biomass and carbon stocks in 2018.Thirty plots with an area of 1000 m2 were systematically and randomly assigned to each type of oak.Quantitative characteristics of trees,such as diameter at breast height(DBH),height,crown diameter and the number of sprouts in each plot were measured.Then,aboveground biomass(AGB),belowground biomass(BGB),aboveground carbon stock(AGCS)and belowground carbon stock(BGCS)of each tree in plots were calculated using allometric equations.The litterfall biomass(LFB)and litterfall carbon stock(LFCS)were measured in a quadrat with 1 m×1 m in each plot.One-way analysis of variance and Duncan's test were performed to detect the differences in biomass and carbon stocks among three types of oak.Results showed that AGB,BGB and BGCS were significantly different among three types of oak.The highest values of AGB,AGCS,BGB and BGCS in seed-originated oak were 76,043.25,14,725.55,36,737.79 and 7362.77 kg/hm2,respectively.Also,the highest values of LFB and LFCS in seed-originated oak were 3298.33 and 1520.48 kg/hm2,respectively,which were significantly higher than those of the other two types of oak.The results imply the significant role of seed-originated oak for the regeneration of Zagros forests.Further conservation strategy of seed-originated oak is an important step in the sustainable management of Zagros forests in Iran.

陕西商南县栓皮栎林分评价与管理(英文)

The present study was conducted within the frame of the Sino-German project "Rehabilitation of degraded land ecosystems in the mountainous area of the Southern Shaanxi Province,China".The study deals with the assessment of the potential of oak coppices as well as the evaluation of the socioeconomic conditions in the Shangnan County.The ultimate objective of the study is to provide recommendations on the sustainable management of forest resources,which does not only aim to improve the environmental situation but also to satisfy the demands of the local rural residents.The study was based on 30 samples of oak coppices stands,which were randomly selected within an area of a size of 20 km × 20 km.In each selected stand,the mature stand and understory regeneration were investigated in depth.For the socio-economic survey,175 households from 11 villages were randomly selected.Results revealed that the stocking capacity of the cork oak coppices reaches 120 m3/ha in average at the older age classes(≥25 years) even after frequent timber harvest.High potential for productivity was indicated by the availability of sufficient vigorous individuals at different age classes.In addition,the understory regeneration was sufficient in density(19,000±133 individual/ha) and consisted of diverse valuable native-species(17 species within a survey area of 400 m2).The results of the assessment of the oak coppices provided possibilities for some practices that can be recommended towards sustainable management of such stands.On the other hand,results of the socioeconomic study showed a high degree of acceptance among the local inhabitants(79% of the total households) to change traditional land use,providing an enhancement of their economic situation.

Food Conditioning Affects Expression of Insect Resistance in Diploid Willows(Salix spp.)

The high energy quota and versatility of use make willows (Salix spp.) attractive as bioenergy crops. Insect defoliation constitutes a threat to the profitability of willow growers. Hitherto, the breeding for resistance against the main insect pests has been hampered by the fact that all known resistant willow clones are polyploids, and existing molecular breeding tools work most effectively for diploids. Here, we firstly report diploid willows highly resistant to the main insect defoliator, the leaf beetle (Phratora vulgatissima), offering new opportunities for breeding resistance. Leaf beetles exposed to three resistant clones (two S. purpurea one S. eriocephala) laid three to 27 times fewer eggs than females on a susceptible S. viminalis clone. Secondly, we show that beetles laid significantly more eggs on resistant clones if they were fed the susceptible clone prior to the oviposition monitoring test compared to when they prefed on resistant clones. Nevertheless, the differences observed between resistant and susceptible clones were pronounced in all cases. The food conditioning effect means that small differences in resistance among clones may be undetected.

Charcoal production through selective logging leads to degradation of dry woodlands:a case study from Mutomo District,Kenya

Provision of woodfuel is an important ecosystem service of dry forests and woodlands. However, charcoal production through selective logging of preferred hardwood species has the potential to alter the physiognomic composition of the residual or re-growth woodlands and may lead to their deterioration and degradation. This study, conducted through forest inventory in Mutomo District in Kenya, assessed the impact of charcoal production on unprotected dry woodlands in terms of tree density, targeted species basal area, species richness, evenness and Shannon diversity. The parameters of the disturbed woodlands were evaluated for significant differences with those of the neighbouring protected Tsavo East National Park, which served as a reference for an ecologically undisturbed ecosystem. By evaluating a consequence of tree harvesting for charcoal production, this study confirmed the overall significant differences between the protected and unprotected woodlands in all the tested parameters. To confirm if the differences in the land-covers of the woodlands had any influence on their degradation, all mentioned parameters were compared between the four differentiated classes and their respective control plots in the protected areas. At the ＂land-cover level＂, the statistically significant difference in the basal area of tree species preferred for charcoal production between the protected and unprotected open trees confirms that the class with a high density of large mature trees is the prime target of charcoal producers. In addition, there seems to be a general trend of lower values of tree species richness, evenness and Shannon diversity for the unprotected woodlands subjected to charcoal production. On the other hand, the disturbed woodlands display the potential to recover through their comparably high saplings density. The findings make an important contribution to the discourse on the impact of charcoal production in dry woodlands, a topic that is highly controversial among researchers.

Investigating the Impact of Climate Changes on Qualitative and Quantitative Growth of Oak Trees (Case Study: Central Zagros)

The present study is an attempt to investigate the impact of climate changes on quantitative and qualitative growth of oak trees in central Zagros region. After we selected the study region, 35 discs were taken from trees felled in each height class (e.g. 1400 - 1600, 1600 - 1800, 1800 - 2000 m above the sea level). We used climate index spi. For the data analysis, we employed SPSS software and inferential statistics tests of Kolmogroff Smirnov and the one-way ANOVA. During the recent 15 years, rainfall has shown a decreasing trend and amount of haze and frequency of occurring haze has been increased. The ANOVA results indicated that diameter growth of trees in three height classes revealed a significant difference. The average annual diameter growth in the first, second and third classes were 1.8 mm, 2.5 mm, and 2.2 mm, respectively. Additionally, the results indicated that hillsides and slope aspect has a statistically meaningful effect on the size of canopy area, basal area and number per hectare. Several different studies have reported that during the recent 15 years, qualitative and quantitative growth of central Zagros oak trees strongly correlate with climate parameters in the three habitats.