Dendrometric and Wood Anatomical Properties of Pinus sylvestris and Quercus petraea in Managed and Unmanaged Forests

ABSTRACT

Background:

Climate change is a serious problem in forest ecosystems and it is required to manage forest stability, resilience, and vitality truly sustainable in future climatic conditions. Particularly trees are one of the crucial components in the forest ecosystem since they are exposed to climate change-induced range shifts during their growth and development. The present study, therefore, investigated how dendrometric, tree ring widths and anatomical variables of Scots pine and Sessile oak trees showed variations between managed and unmanaged forests.

Results:

Both Scots pine and Sessile oak trees indicated great variance in their dendrometric, tree ring width, and anatomical properties between managed and unmanaged forests. In this study, Scots pine showed taller trees in unmanaged forests, while Sessile oak forests did not show the difference in stem heights between managed and unmanaged forests. Stand characteristics revealed different patterns between managed and unmanaged forests; unmanaged forests revealed greater stand stability than managed forests for both Scots pine and Sessile oak trees. Managed forests of both Scots pine and Sessile oak trees indicated greater stem diameters than unmanaged forests. Dendrometric results also showed differences in managed and unmanaged forests since tree ring widths of Scots pine and Sessile oak trees had more than 1.5 times wider tree rings in managed forests than in unmanaged forests.

Conclusion:

In this study, managed forests of Scots pine and Sessile oak showed greater stand characteristics and dendrometric traits than unmanaged forests. It may be suggested that managed forests can ensure better growth and development environment for particularly Scots pine and Sessile oak trees.

Keywords:
Wood anatomy; Tree stability; Managed forests; Unmanaged forests; Tree Ring Width

HIGHLIGHTS

This study brings first detailed investigation of the effect of forest management on dendrometric and anatomical traits of Scots pine and Sessile oak. Managed forests of Scots pine and Sessile oak showed greater stem diameters than unmanaged forests. Scots pine and Sessile oak trees indicated wider tree rings in managed forests than in unmanaged forests. Tracheid anatomical variables of Scots pine showed higher values in managed forests than in unmanaged forests.