Biology subjects

Vangi, E.

Publications and source records attributed to Vangi, E..

9 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Enhancing ecosystem service provision through the silvicultural management of European black pine stands from afforestation and reforestation

Afforestation and reforestation are integral components of the wider field of land management. When these initiatives integrate the diverse eco-biological, landscape, cultural, and socioeconomic characteristics of the intervention area they can achieve substantial environmental improvements also by improving ecosystem functions, commonly referred to as ecosystem services (ES). European black pines are some of most frequently used tree species for afforestation and reforestation in Mediterranean regions, thanks to their ability to grow in poor soil conditions and their resistance to environmental stressors. In this study, we adopted a validated process-based modeling approach to explore the effects of thinning intensity and frequency on the provision of some ES from European black pine stands, which have been established through afforestation and reforestation in Italy. We found a net financial gain when basal area removal reaches 25% with a 25-year thinning interval, highlighting the higher financial efficiency of more intensive interventions. Non-provisioning ES (erosion protection, carbon sequestration, and aesthetic/recreational value) tend to decrease with increased basal area removal and benefit from longer intervals between thinning. Remarkably, the economic values of aesthetic appeal and carbon sequestration far exceed those of timber production and erosion protection, regardless of thinning regime. Based on our results, we claim that strategic, long-term planning of thinning operations is essential to ensure a balanced trade-off between wood production and other ES while maintaining the cost-effectiveness of operations. Ultimately, our approach can provide guidelines for forest managers to ensure the provision of multiple ES.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

R3DFEM: an R package for running the 3D-CMCC-FEM model

Forest ecosystems account for about one-third of the Earths land area, and monitoring their structure and dynamics is essential for understanding the lands carbon cycle and their role in the greenhouse gas balance. In this framework, process-based forest models (PBFMs) allow studying, monitoring and predicting forest growth and dynamics, capturing spatial and temporal patterns of carbon fluxes and stocks. The Three Dimensional-Coupled Model Carbon Cycle - Forest Ecosystem Module (3D-CMCC-FEM) is a well-known eco-physiological, biogeochemical, biophysical process-based model, able to simulate energy, carbon, water and nitrogen fluxes and their allocation in homogeneous and heterogenous forest ecosystem. The model is specifically designed to represent forest stands, from simple ones to those with complex structures, involving several cohorts competing for light and other resources in a prognostic way. Currently, the model is implemented in C-language, which can be challenging for the broad public to use, and thus limiting its applications. In this paper, we present the open-source R package R3DFEM which introduces efficient methods for: i) generating and handling input data needed for the model initialization; ii) running model simulations with different set up and exploring input; and iii) plotting output data. The functions in the R-package are designed to be user-friendly and intended for all R users with little to advanced coding skills, who aim to perform simulations using the 3D-CMCC-FEM. Here we present the package and its functionalities using some real case study and model applications.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2024

Assessing the combined effects of forest management and climate change on carbon and water fluxes in European beech forests

The consequences of climate change continue to threaten European forests, particularly for species located at the edges of their latitudinal and altitudinal ranges. While extensively studied in Central Europe, European beech forests require further investigation to understand how climate change will affect these ecosystems in Mediterranean areas. Proposed silvicultural options increasingly aim at sustainable management to reduce biotic and abiotic stresses and enhance these forest ecosystems resistance and resilience mechanisms. Process-based models (PBMs) can help us to simulate such phenomena and capture early stress signals while considering the effect of different management approaches. In this study, we focus on estimating sensitivity of two state-of-the-art PBMs forest models by simulating carbon and water fluxes at the stand level to assess productivity changes and feedback resulting from different climatic forcings as well as different management regimes. We applied the 3D-CMCC-FEM and MEDFATE forest models for carbon (C) and water (H2O) fluxes in in two sites of the Italian peninsula, Cansiglio in the north and Mongiana in the south, under managed vs. unmanaged scenarios and under current climate and different climatic scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). To ensure confidence in the models results, we preliminary evaluated their performance in simulating C and H2O flux in three additional beech forests of the FLUXNET network along a latitudinal gradient spanning from Denmark to central Italy. The 3D-CMCC-FEM model achieved R{superscript 2} values of 0.83 and 0.86 with RMSEs of 2.53 and 2.05 for C and H2O fluxes, respectively. MEDFATE showed R{superscript 2} values of 0.76 and 0.69 with RMSEs of 2.54 and 3.01. At the Cansiglio site in northern Italy, both models simulated a general increase in C and H2O fluxes under the RCP8.5 climate scenario compared to the current climate. Still, no benefit in managed plots compared to unmanaged ones, as the site does not have water availability limitations, and thus, competition for water is low. At the Mongiana site in southern Italy, both models predict a decrease in C and H2O fluxes and sensitivity to the different climatic forcing compared to the current climate; and an increase in C and H2O fluxes when considering specific management regimes compared to unmanaged scenarios. Conversely, under unmanaged scenarios plots are simulated to experience first signals of mortality prematurely due to water stress (MEDFATE) and carbon starvation (3D-CMCC-FEM) scenarios. In conclusion, while management interventions may be considered a viable solution for the conservation of beech forests under future climate conditions at moister sites like Cansiglio, in drier sites like Mongiana conservation may not lie in management interventions alone.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

Stand Age and Climate Change Effects on Carbon Increments and Stock Dynamics

Carbon assimilation and wood production are influenced by environmental conditions and endogenous factors, such as species auto-ecology, age, and hierarchical position within the forest structure. Disentangling the intricate relationships between those factors is more pressing than ever due to climate changes pressure. We employed the 3D-CMCC-FEM model to simulate undisturbed forests of different ages under four climate change scenarios (plus one no climate change) from five Earth System Models. In this context, carbon stocks and increment were simulated via total car-bon woody stocks and mean annual increment, which depends mainly on climate trends. We find greater differences among different age cohorts under the same scenario than in different climate scenarios under the same age class. Increasing temperature and changes in precipitation patterns led to a decline in above-ground biomass in spruce stands, espe-cially in the older age classes. On the contrary, the results show that beech forests at DK-Sor will maintain and even increase C-storage rates under most RCP scenarios. Scots pine forests show an intermediate behavior with a stable stock capacity over time and in different scenarios but with decreasing mean volume annual increment. These results confirm current observations worldwide that indicate a stronger climate-related decline in conifers forests than in broadleaves.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

Changes in Mean Seasonal Carbon Cycle Due to Climate Change

Through photosynthesis, forests absorb annually large amounts of atmospheric CO2. However, they also release CO2 back through respiration. These two, opposite in sign, large fluxes determine, much of the carbon that is stored or released back to the atmosphere. The mean seasonal cycle (MSC) is an interesting metric that associates phenology and carbon (C) partitioning-allocation analysis within forest stands. Here we applied the 3D-CMCC-FEM model and analyzed its capability to represent the main C-fluxes, by validating the model against observed data, questioning if the sink/source mean seasonality is influenced under two scenarios of climate change, in five contrasting European forest sites. We found the model has, under current climate conditions, robust predictive abilities in estimating NEE. Model results also predict a consistent reduction of the forests capabilities to act as a C-sink under climate change and stand-ageing at all sites. Such a reduction is predicted despite the number of annual days of C-sink in evergreen forests increasing over the years, indicating a consistent downward trend. Similarly, deciduous forests, despite maintaining a relatively stable number of C-sink days throughout the year and over the century, show a reduction in their overall annual C-sink capacity. Overall, both types of forests at all sites show a consistent reduction in their future mitigating potential.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

Impacts Of Deforestation And Land Use/Land Cover Change On Carbon Stock And Dynamics In The Jomoro District, Ghana

Tropical deforestation in the African continent plays a key role in the global carbon cycle and bears significant implications in terms of climate change and sustainable development. Especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, where more than two-thirds of the population rely on forest and woodland resources for their livelihoods, deforestation and land use changes for crop production lead to a substantial loss of ecosystem-level carbon stock. Unfortunately, the impacts of deforestation and land use change can be more critical than in any other region, but these are poorly quantified. We analyse changes in the main carbon pools (above- and below-ground, soil and litter, respectively) after deforestation and land use/land cover change, for the Jomoro District (Ghana), by assessing the initial reference level of carbon stock for primary forest and the subsequent stock changes and dynamics as a consequence of conversion to the secondary forest and to six different tree plantations (rubber, coconut, cocoa, oil palm, and mixed plantations). Results indicate overall a statistically significant carbon loss across all the land uses/covers and for all the carbon pools compared to the primary forest with the total carbon stock loss ranging between 85% and 35% but with no statistically significant differences observed in the comparison between primary forest and mixed plantations and secondary forest. Results also suggest that above-ground carbon and soil organic carbon are the primary pools contributing to the total carbon stocks but with opposite trends of carbon loss and accumulation. Strategies for sustainable development, policies to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, carbon stock enhancement (REDD+), and planning for sustainable land use management should carefully consider the type of conversion and carbon stock dynamics behind land use change for a win-win strategy while preserving carbon stocks potential in tropical ecosystems.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2023

Integrating annual radial growth analyses and carbon isotope discrimination to forecast early warning of beech forest dieback across the Italian Peninsula

Tree mortality and forest dieback episodes are increasing due to drought and heat stress. Nevertheless, a comprehensive understanding of mechanisms enabling trees to withstand and survive droughts remains lacking. Our study investigated basal area increment (BAI), and {delta}13C- derived intrinsic water-use-efficiency (iWUE), to elucidate beech resilience across four healthy stands in Italy with varying climates and water availability. Additionally, fist-order autocorrelation (AR1) analysis was performed to detect early warning signals for potential tree dieback risks during extreme drought events. Results reveal a negative link between BAI and vapour pressure deficit (VPD), especially in southern latitudes. After the 2003 drought, BAI decreased at the northern site, with an increase in {delta}13C and iWUE, indicating conservative water-use. Conversely, the southern sites showed increased BAI and iWUE, likely influenced by rising CO2 and improved water availability. In contrast, the central site sustained higher transpiration rates due to higher soil water holding capacity (SWHC). Despite varied responses, most sites exhibited reduced resilience to future extreme events, indicated by increased AR1. Temperature significantly affected beech iWUE and BAI in northern Italy, while VPD strongly influenced the southern latitudes. The observed increase in BAI and iWUE in southern regions might be attributed to an acclimation response.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Stand age diversity dampens forests sensitivity to climate change

Stand age significantly influences the functioning of forest ecosystems by shaping structural and physiological plant traits, affecting water and carbon budgets. Forest age distribution is determined by the interplay of tree mortality and regeneration, influenced by both natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Thus, human-driven alteration of tree age distribution presents an underexplored avenue for enhancing forest stability and resilience. In our study, we investigated how age distribution impacts the stability and resilience of the forest carbon budget under both current and future climate conditions. We employed a biogeochemical model on three historically managed forest stands, projecting their future as undisturbed systems, i.e., left at their natural evolution with no management interventions. The model, driven by climate data from five Earth System Models under four representative climate scenarios and one baseline scenario, spanned 11 age classes for each stand. Our findings indicate that Net Primary Production (NPP) peaks in the young and middle-aged classes (16- to 50-year-old), aligning with ecological theories, regardless of the climate scenario. Under climate change, the beech forest exhibited an increase in NPP and maintained stability across all age classes, while resilience remained constant with rising atmospheric CO2 and temperatures. However, NPP declined under climate change scenarios for the Norway spruce and Scots pine sites. In these coniferous forests, stability and resilience were more influenced. These results underscore the necessity of accounting for age classes and species-specific reactions in evaluating the impacts of climate change on forest stability and resilience. We, therefore, advocate for customized management strategies that enhance the adaptability of forests to changing climatic conditions, taking into account the diverse responses of different species and age groups to climate.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2023

Regional estimates of gross primary production applying the process-based model 3D-CMCC-FEM vs. multiple datasets

Process-based Forest Models (PBFMs) offer the possibility to capture important spatial and temporal patterns of both carbon fluxes and stocks in forests, accounting for ecophysiological, climate and geographical variability. Yet, their predictive capacity should be demonstrated not only at the stand-level but also in the context of large spatial and temporal heterogeneity. For the first time, we apply a stand scale process-based model (3D-CMCC-FEM) in a spatially explicit manner at 1 km spatial resolution in a Mediterranean region in southern Italy. Specifically, we developed a methodology to initialize the model that comprehends the use of spatial information derived from the integration of remote sensing (RS) data, the national forest inventory data and regional forest maps to characterize structural features of the main forest species. Gross primary production (GPP) is simulated over the period 2005-2019 and the multiyear predictive capability of the model in simulating GPP is evaluated both aggregated as at species-level by means of independent multiple data sources based on different RS-based products. We show that the model is able to reproduce most of the spatial ([~]2800 km2) and temporal (32 years in total) patterns of the observed GPP at both seasonal, annual and interannual time scales, even at the species-level. These new very promising results open the possibility of applying the 3D-CMCC- FEM confidently and robustly to investigate the forests behavior under climate and environmental variability over large areas across the highly variable ecological and bio- geographical heterogeneity of the Mediterranean region. Key PointsO_LIWe apply a process-based forest model on a regular grid at 1 km spatial resolution in a Mediterranean region. C_LIO_LIInitial forest state is estimated using spatially explicit input data derived from remote sensing and national forest inventory data. C_LIO_LIThe 3D-CMCC-FEM shows comparably estimates in simulating both spatial and temporally the gross primary production, when compared to independent satellite-based products. C_LI

ecology↗