Preliminary Comparative Effects of Close‐to‐Nature and Structure‐Based Forest Management on Carbon Sequestration in Pinus tabuliformis Plantations of the Loess Plateau, China
ABSTRACT Pinus tabuliformis plantations on the Loess Plateau face challenges such as poor quality and high mortality rates due to high initial value density and improper thinning practices. To prevent further deterioration of these forests, it is essential to identify suitable forest management meth...
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Wiley
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71809 |
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| author | Jie Zhang Huiyuan Yang Youding Zeng Sakib Al Hassan Mahmuda Akter Jui Li Gu |
| author_facet | Jie Zhang Huiyuan Yang Youding Zeng Sakib Al Hassan Mahmuda Akter Jui Li Gu |
| author_sort | Jie Zhang |
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| description | ABSTRACT Pinus tabuliformis plantations on the Loess Plateau face challenges such as poor quality and high mortality rates due to high initial value density and improper thinning practices. To prevent further deterioration of these forests, it is essential to identify suitable forest management methods as soon as possible. Within Pinus tabuliformis plantations under different management methods (structure‐based forest management [SBFM], close‐to‐nature forest management [CNFM], and unmanaged), after 5 years of investigation, we analyzed the changes in forest structural complexity and growth partitioning using size inequality (Gini), size–growth relationship (SGR), and growth dominance coefficient (GDC). A linear mixed‐effects model was applied to evaluate the impact of these practices on forest stands. We also compared the trends of the average annual breast height area increment (BAI) and projected the net‐zero timeline after thinning. The results showed that: (1) thinning management temporarily reduced the Gini due to the removal of a certain number of trees. However, the Gini rebounded significantly, and the forest structure became increasingly complex again, and the rebound of SBFM stands was greater than that of CNFM; (2) in the unmanaged stands, larger trees contribute more to stand growth. In the managed stands, the changes in GDC and SGR reflected an increasing contribution of smaller trees to overall growth; and (3) thinning management increased BAI, and this effect became more pronounced over time. Notably, carbon neutrality was projected to be achieved 7.8 years in CNFM stands, which was earlier than the 8.7 years in SBFM stands. These research results will provide a theoretical basis for managing and determining the trees to be harvested for high‐density, low‐quality Pinus tabuliformis plantations of the Loess Plateau. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e33c7532b4904812b7d033ae8920e535 |
| institution | DOAJ |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-e33c7532b4904812b7d033ae8920e5352025-08-20T02:46:14ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-07-01157n/an/a10.1002/ece3.71809Preliminary Comparative Effects of Close‐to‐Nature and Structure‐Based Forest Management on Carbon Sequestration in Pinus tabuliformis Plantations of the Loess Plateau, ChinaJie Zhang0Huiyuan Yang1Youding Zeng2Sakib Al Hassan3Mahmuda Akter Jui4Li Gu5College of Forestry Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi ChinaCollege of Forestry Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi ChinaCollege of Forestry Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi ChinaCollege of Forestry Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi ChinaCollege of Forestry Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi ChinaCollege of Forestry Northwest A&F University Yangling Shaanxi ChinaABSTRACT Pinus tabuliformis plantations on the Loess Plateau face challenges such as poor quality and high mortality rates due to high initial value density and improper thinning practices. To prevent further deterioration of these forests, it is essential to identify suitable forest management methods as soon as possible. Within Pinus tabuliformis plantations under different management methods (structure‐based forest management [SBFM], close‐to‐nature forest management [CNFM], and unmanaged), after 5 years of investigation, we analyzed the changes in forest structural complexity and growth partitioning using size inequality (Gini), size–growth relationship (SGR), and growth dominance coefficient (GDC). A linear mixed‐effects model was applied to evaluate the impact of these practices on forest stands. We also compared the trends of the average annual breast height area increment (BAI) and projected the net‐zero timeline after thinning. The results showed that: (1) thinning management temporarily reduced the Gini due to the removal of a certain number of trees. However, the Gini rebounded significantly, and the forest structure became increasingly complex again, and the rebound of SBFM stands was greater than that of CNFM; (2) in the unmanaged stands, larger trees contribute more to stand growth. In the managed stands, the changes in GDC and SGR reflected an increasing contribution of smaller trees to overall growth; and (3) thinning management increased BAI, and this effect became more pronounced over time. Notably, carbon neutrality was projected to be achieved 7.8 years in CNFM stands, which was earlier than the 8.7 years in SBFM stands. These research results will provide a theoretical basis for managing and determining the trees to be harvested for high‐density, low‐quality Pinus tabuliformis plantations of the Loess Plateau.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71809carbon sequestrationclose‐to‐nature forest managementgrowth partitioningPinus tabuliformisstructure‐based forest management |
| spellingShingle | Jie Zhang Huiyuan Yang Youding Zeng Sakib Al Hassan Mahmuda Akter Jui Li Gu Preliminary Comparative Effects of Close‐to‐Nature and Structure‐Based Forest Management on Carbon Sequestration in Pinus tabuliformis Plantations of the Loess Plateau, China Ecology and Evolution carbon sequestration close‐to‐nature forest management growth partitioning Pinus tabuliformis structure‐based forest management |
| title | Preliminary Comparative Effects of Close‐to‐Nature and Structure‐Based Forest Management on Carbon Sequestration in Pinus tabuliformis Plantations of the Loess Plateau, China |
| title_full | Preliminary Comparative Effects of Close‐to‐Nature and Structure‐Based Forest Management on Carbon Sequestration in Pinus tabuliformis Plantations of the Loess Plateau, China |
| title_fullStr | Preliminary Comparative Effects of Close‐to‐Nature and Structure‐Based Forest Management on Carbon Sequestration in Pinus tabuliformis Plantations of the Loess Plateau, China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Preliminary Comparative Effects of Close‐to‐Nature and Structure‐Based Forest Management on Carbon Sequestration in Pinus tabuliformis Plantations of the Loess Plateau, China |
| title_short | Preliminary Comparative Effects of Close‐to‐Nature and Structure‐Based Forest Management on Carbon Sequestration in Pinus tabuliformis Plantations of the Loess Plateau, China |
| title_sort | preliminary comparative effects of close to nature and structure based forest management on carbon sequestration in pinus tabuliformis plantations of the loess plateau china |
| topic | carbon sequestration close‐to‐nature forest management growth partitioning Pinus tabuliformis structure‐based forest management |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71809 |
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