Tree species diversity mitigates disturbance impacts on the forest carbon cycle.

Biodiversity fosters the functioning and stability of forest ecosystems and, consequently, the provision of crucial ecosystem services that support human well-being and quality of life. In particular, it has been suggested that tree species diversity buffers ecosystems against the impacts of disturbances, a relationship known as the "insurance hypothesis". Natural disturbances have increased across Europe in recent decades and climate change is expected to amplify the frequency and severity of disturbance events.

Disturbance legacies increase the resilience of forest ecosystem structure, composition, and functioning.

Disturbances are key drivers of forest ecosystem dynamics, and forests are well adapted to their natural disturbance regimes. However, as a result of climate change, disturbance frequency is expected to increase in the future in many regions. It is not yet clear how such changes might affect forest ecosystems, and which mechanisms contribute to (current and future) disturbance resilience.

Neurellipes rhoko sp. n. from the Cross River Loop, Eastern Nigeria (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae).

A new species belonging to the recently revised Neurellipes mahota-group has been found in the Cross River Loop, Eastern Nigeria. It resembles the recently described Liberian N. georgiadisi Larsen, 2009, but differs from it by the wing shape and the extent and shape of orange patches on the hindwing, also on the forewing, especially in the discoidal cell.

Evaluating collaborative planning methods supporting programme-based planning in natural resource management.

Programme-based Planning of Natural Resources (PBPNR) is an evolving planning frame for solving complex land use, environmental and forest management problems within hierarchically administrated funding and decision-making schemes. PBPNR acknowledges that an effective planning process requires the combined consideration of environmental, technological, economic and socio-political factors. To reach acceptability, commitment and operability, PBPNR processes need to foster collaboration and learning.

Network analysis reveals ecological links between N-fixing bacteria and wood-decaying fungi.

Nitrogen availability in dead wood is highly restricted and associations with N-fixing bacteria are thought to enable wood-decaying fungi to meet their nitrogen requirements for vegetative and generative growth. We assessed the diversity of nifH (dinitrogenase reductase) genes in dead wood of the common temperate tree species Fagus sylvatica and Picea abies from differently managed forest plots in Germany using molecular tools. By incorporating these genes into a large compilation of published nifH sequences and subsequent phylogenetic analyses of deduced proteins we verified the presence of diverse pools corresponding to functional nifH, almost all of which are new to science.

[Physiological responses of mycorrhizal Pinus massoniana seedlings to drought stress and drought resistance evaluation].

A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to study the effects of inoculating Pisolithus tinctorius, Cenococcum geophilum, Cantharellus cibarius, and Suillus luteus on the physiological characteristics of Pinus massoniana seedlings under the conditions of drought stress and re-watering, with the drought resistance of the mycorrhizal seedlings evaluated. Under drought stress, the MDA content and membrane' s relative permeability of P. massoniana seedlings increased, but these two indices in the inoculated (mycorrhizal) seedlings were significantly lower than these in the un-inoculated (control) seedlings.

Carbon pools of an intact forest in Gabon.

Unlabelled: Quantitative and qualitative loss of tropical forests prompted international policy agendas to slow down forest loss through reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD)+, ensuring carbon offset payments to developing countries. So far, many African countries lack reliable forest carbon data and monitoring systems as required by REDD+. In this study, we estimate the carbon stocks of a naturally forested landscape unaffected by direct human impact.

Selecting the best performing fire weather indices for Austrian ecoregions.

The interpretation and communication of fire danger warning levels based on fire weather index values are critical for fire management activities. A number of different indices have been developed for various environmental conditions, and many of them are currently applied in operational warning systems. To select an appropriate combination of such indices to work in different ecoregions in mountainous, hilly and flat terrain is challenging.

Two new Aphnaeus (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Theclinae) species from Liberia.

Two new butterfly species belonging to the genus Aphnaeus (Lycaenidae: Theclinae), A. mirabilis sp. n.

Forest management under climatic and social uncertainty: trade-offs between reducing climate change impacts and fostering adaptive capacity.

The unabated continuation of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and the lack of an international consensus on a stringent climate change mitigation policy underscore the importance of adaptation for coping with the all but inevitable changes in the climate system. Adaptation measures in forestry have particularly long lead times. A timely implementation is thus crucial for reducing the considerable climate vulnerability of forest ecosystems.

Biogeographical patterns and determinants of invasion by forest pathogens in Europe.

A large database of invasive forest pathogens (IFPs) was developed to investigate the patterns and determinants of invasion in Europe. Detailed taxonomic and biological information on the invasive species was combined with country-specific data on land use, climate, and the time since invasion to identify the determinants of invasiveness, and to differentiate the class of environments which share territorial and climate features associated with a susceptibility to invasion. IFPs increased exponentially in the last four decades.

Interactions of thinning and stem height on the drought response of radial stem growth and isotopic composition of Norway spruce (Picea abies).

Radial stem growth and the isotopic composition of growth rings are commonly used to quantify the effects of droughts on trees. However, often these parameters are quantified only at one stem height, e.g.

The effect of tree species diversity on fine-root production in a young temperate forest.

The phenomenon of overyielding in species-diverse plant communities is mainly attributed to complementary resource use. Vertical niche differentiation belowground might be one potential mechanism for such complementarity. However, most studies that have analysed the diversity/productivity relationship and belowground niche differentiation have done so for fully occupied sites, not very young tree communities that are in the process of occupying belowground space.

Assessing the impacts of climate change and nitrogen deposition on Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) growth in Austria with BIOME-BGC.

The aim of this paper is to determine whether a detectable impact of climate change is apparent in Austrian forests. In regions of complex terrain such as most of Austria, climatic trends over the past 50 years show marked geographic variability. As climate is one of the key drivers of forest growth, a comparison of growth characteristics between regions with different trends in temperature and precipitation can give insights into the impact of climatic change on forests.

The influence of agroforestry and other land-use types on the persistence of a Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) population: an individual-based model approach.

The importance of preserving both protected areas and their surrounding landscapes as one of the major conservation strategies for tigers has received attention over recent decades. However, the mechanism of how land-use surrounding protected areas affects the dynamics of tiger populations is poorly understood. We developed Panthera Population Persistence (PPP)--an individual-based model--to investigate the potential mechanism of the Sumatran tiger population dynamics in a protected area and under different land-use scenarios surrounding the reserve.

Harnessing ecosystem models and multi-criteria decision analysis for the support of forest management.

The decision-making environment in forest management (FM) has changed drastically during the last decades. Forest management planning is facing increasing complexity due to a widening portfolio of forest goods and services, a societal demand for a rational, transparent decision process and rising uncertainties concerning future environmental conditions (e.g.

Solar radiation transmission in and around canopy gaps in an uneven-aged Nothofagus betuloides forest.

The transmission of direct, diffuse and global solar radiation in and around canopy gaps occurring in an uneven-aged, evergreen Nothofagus betuloides forest during the growing season (October 2006-March 2007) was estimated by means of hemispherical photographs. The transmission of solar radiation into the forest was affected not only by a high level of horizontal and vertical heterogeneity of the forest canopy, but also by low angles of the sun's path. The below-canopy direct solar radiation appeared to be variable in space and time.

Annual and seasonal variations in photosynthetic capacity of Fagus crenata along an elevation gradient in the Naeba Mountains, Japan.

Canopy photosynthetic capacity, measured as leaf maximum carboxylation rate (V (cmax)), is a key factor in ecosystem gas exchange models applied at different scales. We report seasonal and interannual variations in V(cmax) of natural beech stands (Fagus crenata Blume) along an altitudinal gradient in the temperate climate zone of Japan. Estimates are based on 6 years of gas exchange measurements.

Evaluating sustainable forest management strategies with the Analytic Network Process in a Pressure-State-Response framework.

Nowadays forestry faces a complex management situation; the understanding of sustainable forest management (SFM) has gone far beyond the original meaning of sustainable yield of timber. SFM strategies should fulfil ecological, economic and social functions without causing damage to other ecosystems. In this understanding, forest management actions cannot be seen as isolated or mono-causal.

Coupling a 3D patch model and a rockfall module to assess rockfall protection in mountain forests.

Many forests in the Alps are acknowledged for protecting objects, such as (rail) roads, against rockfall. However, there is a lack of knowledge on efficient silvicultural strategies and interventions to maintain these forests at optimal protection level. Therefore, assessment tools are required that quantify the rockfall protection effect of forest stands over time, and thereby provide the ability to evaluate the necessity and effect of management interventions.

Evaluating the accuracy and generality of a hybrid patch model.

Forest patch models have been used extensively to simulate vegetation development under current and changing environmental conditions. However, their physiological foundation is subject to criticism and recent validation experiments against long-term growth and yield data have shown major deficiencies in reproducing observed growth patterns of mixed-species forests. Here we describe the modified forest patch model PICUS Version 1.

Influences of environmental factors on the radial profile of sap flux density in Fagus crenata growing at different elevations in the Naeba Mountains, Japan.

Sap flux density was measured continuously during the 1999 and 2000 growing seasons by the heat dissipation method in natural Fagus crenata Blume (Japanese beech) forests growing between 550 and 1600 m on the northern slope of the Kagura Peak of the Naeba Mountains, Japan. Sap flux density decreased radially toward the inner xylem and the decrease was best expressed in relation to the number of annual rings from the cambium, or in relation to the relative depth between the cambium and the trunk center, rather than as a function of absolute depth. The relative influences of radiation, vapor pressure deficit and soil water on sap flux density during the growing season were similar for the outer and inner xylem, and at all sites.