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Although fires are common disturbances in North American forests, the extent to which soil invertebrate assemblages recover from burning remains unclear. Here, we examine long-term (14- to 101-yr) recoveries of soil invertebrate communities from common cut and burn treatments conducted at 6 to 26-yr intervals since 1911 in a deciduous forest in the upper Great Lakes region (USA). We characterize soil surface macro-invertebrate communities during both fall and spring across a long-term, experimental fire chronosequence to characterize invertebrate community recovery at decadal time-scales and community changes between seasons. We posited that changes in invertebrate community structure might, in turn, impact decomposition process. We sampled active organisms at the soil surface using pitfall traps. We described understory vegetation, measured soil properties, and conducted a 4-year litter bag study with big-toothed aspen leaves (Populus grandidentata). Invertebrate community responses followed a habitat accommodation model of succession showing that invertebrate succession is dependent on the soil surface properties. The fall and spring measures revealed that the densities of active invertebrates were highest 101 years after fire. For a given pair of stands, a pattern of sharing higher percentage of taxa was denoted when stands were of similar age. Some species such as the beetle Stelidota octomaculata appeared to be indicator of the chronosequence succession stage because it tracks the successional increase of Quercus and acorn production at the study site. We also found a significant positive correlation between leaf decomposition of soil macrofaunal accessible leaves and millipedes density across the chronosequence. We show that vegetation cover changes and related shifts in habitat structure occurring during post-fire succession are important in shaping communities assemblages. This finding highlights the importance of simultaneously considering abiotic-biotic factors together with above- and belowground measurements to better characterize controls on successional community dynamics after disturbance.

Forests are complex three-dimensional ecosystems, but little is known about the influence of vertical stratification of forest structure on biodiversity and species turnover. Saproxylic beetles make a substantial contribution to forest biodiversity and ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling. Management measures aimed at supporting saproxylic biodiversity are becoming an integral part of sustainable forest management practices. Yet, monitoring is carried out under the assumption that saproxylic activity at ground level will be a realistic reflection of saproxylic biodiversity in the forest as a whole. To investigate the validity of this assumption we compare vertical stratification and composition of saproxylic beetle assemblages between three forest types of varying altitude and latitude, including a tropical lowland forest in Panama, a temperate lowland forest and a temperate montane forest, both in the eastern Czech Republic. Beetles were sampled following a standardized sampling protocol using flight intercept traps arranged in vertical transects. Overall, the tropical forest was estimated to harbour two to three times more saproxylic beetle species than the temperate lowland and the montane forest, respectively. However, point richness estimates within vertical strata were remarkably similar between biomes. Species richness was similar in the understorey of all three forests. It peaked in the canopy of the tropical forest but in the understorey of temperate forests. So, while the beetle assemblages were clearly vertically stratified in all three forest types, stratification patterns varied markedly between tropical and temperate forests. This trend is driven primarily by the high richness of saproxylic beetles in the tropical forest canopy. However these richness differences belie the strong similarities in stratification of feeding guild composition observed all three forest types. This would tend to suggest that similar trophic structuring forces might operate across very different forest biomes of the world. Similarities in feeding guild composition suggest that management measures aiming at conserving biodiversity of saproxylic beetles are likely to be effective across different forest types. The differences in vertical stratification, however, suggest that understorey monitoring alone will be insufficient to understand management effects on saproxylic biodiversity. In the tropics, in particular, more emphasis will need to be placed on managing the diverse, three-dimensional structure of forest canopies as habitat for saproxylic beetles.

(IF 3.13; Q1); Numerous studies predict a short-term important decrease in fossil resources and stress the need to develop alternative renewable energies, thus European countries aim at increasing biomass production for energetic purposes.One such source of bioenergy could be obtained from forest biomass pools by exporting logging residues, yet this practice would have strong impacts on forest ecosystems (e.g. disturbance of soil biodiversity and chemical properties). Most studies on biomass removal effects focused on boreal forests but responses in temperate forests are still scarcely studied. Soil macrofauna is involved in forest ecosystem functioning through numerous chemical, physical and biological processes and multiple interactions with other organisms. A disturbance of the soil macrofauna community can thus lead to a response of the forest ecosystem as a whole.Experimental plots were set up in 6 northern France forests (either dominated by oak or beech), with a treatment corresponding to Whole Tree Harvesting (WTH) practices compared to control, in order to characterize the response of soil macrofaunal communities to organic matter (OM) export. Our study showed that OM export leads to a short-term loss of abundance in macrofaunal communities in temperate deciduous forest soils that can also lead to an alteration of soil OM cycle, and revealed that the breadth of this negative impact is modulated by tree species and faunal trophic groups. Furthermore, some results of community responses were directly applicable to forest management as marked responses of several taxa revealed four bioindicators of OM disturbance.Therefore, the level of disturbance related to new forest management practices, such as WTH to increase forest biofuel yields, (i) could be characterized by surveying either total soil macrofauna or using tools such as bioindicator taxa and (ii) should be assessed regarding tree stand identity.

Mediterranean forests are found in the Mediterranean basin, California, the South African Cape Province, South and southwestern Australia and parts of Central Chile. They represent 1.8 % of the world forest areas of which the vast majority is found in the Mediterranean basin, where historical and paleogeographic episodes, long-term human influence and geographical and climatic contrasts have created ecosystemic diversity and heterogeneity. Even if evergreen is dominant, deciduous trees are also represented, with different forest types including dense stands with a closed canopy (forests sensu stricto) and pre-forestal or pre-steppic structures with lower trees density and height. The Mediterranean basin is also a hot spot of forest species and genetic diversity, with 290 woody species versus only 135 for non-Mediterranean Europe. However, the characteristics of the Mediterranean area (long-standing anthropogenic pressure, significant current human activity and broad biodiversity) make it one of the world’s regions most threatened by current changes. Four examples of Mediterranean forest types, present in south and north of the Mediterranean basin and more or less threatened, are developed in order to show that linking “hard sciences” and humanities and social sciences is necessary to understand these complex ecosystems. We show also that these forests, in spite of specific climatic constraints, can also be healthy and productive and play a major ecological and social role. Furthermore, even if the current human activity and global change constitute a risk for these exceptional ecosystems, Mediterranean forests represent a great asset and opportunities for the future of the Mediterranean basin.

Generally, the effects of climate change on tree growth focus on changes in one dimension of a tree. However, diameter increment along the main stem reacts differently to climatic variables, which in turn influences tree form. These differences can thus have important implications on stem volume, which could induce biases in future forest biomass estimation. A stem taper model including climatic variables was fitted to stem analysis data of five different species (Abies balsamea, Betula papyrifera, Picea glauca, Picea mariana, Populus tremuloides) distributed along a gradient from the temperate to the boreal forest of Eastern Canada. The effects of shifts in stem form on tree volume between different climatic scenarios were then estimated and related to different functional traits. Changes in stem form with climatic variables were observed for four of the five species, with up to 5% differences in stem volume between different climatic situations. Changes in stem volume were found to decrease with increasing waterlogging and shade tolerance. The most important differences in stem volume can induce changes of 3–4% in the biomass of a single tree. Not taking into account shifts in stem form could have implications in forest biomass estimations.

UMR SYSTEM : équipe SYME; Background and aims :Plant phenology is a sensitive indicator of plant response to climate change. Observations of phenological events belowground for most ecosystems are difficult to obtain and very little is known about the relationship between tree shoot and root phenology. We examined the influence of environmental factors on fine root production and mortality in relation with shoot phenology in hybrid walnut trees (Juglans sp.) growing in three different climates (oceanic, continental and Mediterranean) along a latitudinal gradient in France.Methods : Eight rhizotrons were installed at each site for 21 months to monitor tree root dynamics. Root elongation rate (RER), root initiation quantity (RIQ) and root mortality quantity (RMQ) were recorded frequently using a scanner and time-lapse camera. Leaf phenology and stem radial growth were also measured. Fine roots were classified by topological order and 0–1 mm, 1–2 mm and 2–5 mm diameter classes and fine root longevity and risk of mortality were calculated during different periods over the year.Results :Root growth was not synchronous with leaf phenology in any climate or either year, but was synchronous with stem growth during the late growing season. A distinct bimodal pattern of root growth was observed during the aerial growing season. Mean RER was driven by soil temperature measured in the month preceding root growth in the oceanic climate site only. However, mean RER was significantly correlated with mean soil water potential measured in the month preceding root growth at both Mediterranean (positive relationship) and oceanic (negative relationship) sites. Mean RIQ was significantly higher at both continental and Mediterranean sites compared to the oceanic site. Soil temperature was a driver of mean RIQ during the late growing season at continental and Mediterranean sites only. Mean RMQ increased significantly with decreasing soil water potential during the late aerial growing season at the continental site only. Mean root longevity at the continental site was significantly greater than for roots at the oceanic and Mediterranean sites. Roots in the 0–1 mm and 1–2 mm diameter classes lived for significantly shorter periods compared to those in the 2–5 mm diameter class. First order roots (i.e. the primary or parents roots) lived longer than lateral branch roots at the Mediterranean site only and first order roots in the 0–1 mm diameter class had 44.5% less risk of mortality than that of lateral roots for the same class of diameter.Conclusions :We conclude that factors driving root RER were not the same between climates. Soil temperature was the best predictor of root initiation at continental and Mediterranean sites only, but drivers of root mortality remained largely undetermined.

Climate change affects ecosystem functioning directly through impacts on plant physiology, resulting in changes of global productivity. However, climate change has also an indirect impact on ecosystems, through changes in the composition and diversity of plant communities. The relative importance of these direct and indirect effects has not been evaluated within a same generic approach yet. Here we took advantage of a novel approach for disentangling these two effects in European temperate forests across a large climatic gradient, through a large simulation-based study using a forest succession model. We first showed that if productivity positively correlates with realized tree species richness under a changed climate, indirect effects appear pivotal to understand the magnitude of climate change impacts on forest productivity. We further detailed how warmer and drier conditions may affect the diversity-productivity relationships (DPRs) of temperate forests in the long term, mostly through effects on species recruitment, ultimately enhancing or preventing complementarity in resource use. Furthermore, losing key species reduced the strength of DPRs more severely in environments that are becoming climatically harsher. By disentangling direct and indirect effects of climate change on ecosystem functioning, these findings explain why high-diversity forests are expected to be more resilient to climate change.

Background and aims: In temperate conifer forests, soil temperature is an important driver of fine root growth and winter root growth can occur during aerial dormancy. We hypothesize that in conifers, stocks of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC) in fine roots are high enough to provide energy for root growth and production throughout the year, even when photosynthesis is reduced. Methods: We measured monthly root production (i.e. the number of roots undergoing elongation) and their elongation rate (RER) in mature Picea abies for one year, along a soil temperature gradient (three altitudes of 1400, 1700 and 2000 m). Every two months we harvested needles, branches, stem, large, medium and fine roots, and quantified starch and soluble sugars in each organ using analytical methods and near infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS). Soil water potential was monitored continuously. We analysed RER data with regard to climate variables and NSC levels of the current and preceding month. Results: NIRS was a reliable method for measuring starch and soluble sugars. NSC was high in the crown and roots but very low in the trunk all year round. Soil temperature was positively correlated to RER (of the current month) between 0 and 8 °C, above which RER stabilised and was not explained by NSC levels or soil water potential. However, mean RER of fine roots in the month following the measurement of NSC was significantly and negatively correlated to soluble sugar and positively correlated with starch content. Very fine root starch content was also positively correlated with root production in the month following the starch measurement. Conclusion: Soil temperature was a major driver of fine root elongation, but at low temperatures only. At soil temperatures >8 °C, no particular driver was dominant. NSC levels were negligible in the stem and root-bases, suggesting that wood production is a major sink that depletes carbohydrates. A large pool of NSC, principally in the form of starch, existed in fine roots of P. abies, and acted as an energy supply for root production throughout the year, even when photosynthesis was limited. Soluble sugars were depleted in fine roots during the growing season, but no relationship was found between fine root production and soluble sugars. The physiological mechanism by which NSC accumulation actively or passively occurs in fine roots is not known but could be due to the symplastic pathway of phloem unloading in conifer root tips, which suggests a passive mechanism.

International audience; There are strong uncertainties regarding LAI dynamics in forest ecosystems in response to climate change. While empirical growth & yield models (G&YMs) provide good estimations of tree growth at the stand level on a yearly to decennial scale, process-based models (PBMs) use LAI dynamics as a key variable for enabling the accurate prediction of tree growth over short time scales. Bridging the gap between PBMs and G&YMs could improve the prediction of forest growth and, therefore, carbon, water and nutrient fluxes by combining modeling approaches at the stand level. Our study aimed to estimate monthly changes of leaf area in response to climate variations from sparse measurements of foliage area and biomass. A leaf population probabilistic model (SLCD) was designed to simulate foliage renewal. The leaf population was distributed in monthly cohorts, and the total population size was limited depending on forest age and productivity. Foliage dynamics were driven by a foliation function and the probabilities ruling leaf aging or fall. Their formulation depends on the forest environment. The model was applied to three tree species growing under contrasting climates and soil types. In tropical Brazilian evergreen broadleaf eucalypt plantations, the phenology was described using 8 parameters. A multi-objective evolutionary algorithm method (MOEA) was used to fit the model parameters on litterfall and LAI data over an entire stand rotation. Field measurements from a second eucalypt stand were used to validate the model. Seasonal LAI changes were accurately rendered for both sites (R-2 = 0.898 adjustment, R-2 = 0.698 validation). Litterfall production was correctly simulated (R-2 = 0.562, R-2 = 0.4018 validation) and may be improved by using additional validation data in future work. In two French temperate deciduous forests (beech and oak), we adapted phenological sub-modules of the CASTANEA model to simulate canopy dynamics, and SLCD was validated using LAI measurements. The phenological patterns were simulated with good accuracy in the two cases studied. However, IA/max was not accurately simulated in the beech forest, and further improvement is required. Our probabilistic approach is expected to contribute to improving predictions of LAI dynamics. The model formalism is general and suitable to broadleaf forests for a large range of ecological conditions. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

This paper documents the accuracy of a post-correction method applied to precipitation regionalized by the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Regional Climate Model (RCM) for improving simulated rainfall and feeding impact studies. The WRF simulation covers Burgundy (northeastern France) at a 8-km resolution and over a 20-year long period (1989–2008). Previous results show a strong deficiency of the WRF model for simulating precipitation, especially when convective processes are involved. In order to reduce such biases, a Quantile Mapping (QM) method is applied to WRF-simulated precipitation using the mesoscale atmospheric analyses system SAFRAN («Système d'Analyse Fournissant des Renseignements Adaptés à la Nivologie») that provides precipitation data at an 8 km resolution. Raw and post-corrected model outputs are next used to compute the soil water balance of 30 Douglas-fir and 57 common Beech stands across Burgundy, for which radial growth data are available. Results show that the QM method succeeds at reducing the model's wet biases in spring and summer. Significant improvements are also noted for rainfall seasonality and interannual variability, as well as its spatial distribution. Based on both raw and post-corrected rainfall time series, a Soil Water Deficit Index (SWDI) is next computed as the sum of the daily deviations between the relative extractible water and a critical value of 40% below which the low soil water content induce stomatal regulation. Post-correcting WRF precipitation does not significantly improve the simulation of the SWDI upon the raw (uncorrected) model outputs. Two characteristic years were diagnosed to explain this unexpected lack of improvement. Although the QM method allows producing realistic precipitation amounts, it does not correct the timing errors produced by the climate model, which is yet a major issue to obtain reliable estimators of local-scale bioclimatic conditions for impact studies. A realistic temporality of simulated precipitation is thus required before using any systematic post-correction method for appropriate climate impact assessment over temperate forests. Fil: Boulard, Damien. Universite de Bourgogne; Francia Fil: Castel, Thierry. Universite de Bourgogne; Francia Fil: Camberlin, Pierre. Universite de Bourgogne; Francia Fil: Sergent, Anne Sophie. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; Francia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Patagonia Norte. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria San Carlos de Bariloche; Argentina Fil: Asse, Daphné. Crea Centre de Recherches Sur Les Ecosystèmes Daltitud; Francia Fil: Bréda, Nathalie. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; Francia Fil: Badeau, Vincent. Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique; Francia Fil: Rossi, Aurélien. Universite de Bourgogne; Francia Fil: Pohl, Benjamin. Universite de Bourgogne; Francia

How temperate forests will respond to climate change is uncertain; projections range from severe decline to increased growth. We conducted field tests of sessile oak (Quercus petraea), a widespread keystone European forest tree species, including more than 150,000 trees sourced from 116 geographically diverse populations. The tests were planted on 23 field sites in six European countries, in order to expose them to a wide range of climates, including sites reflecting future warmer and drier climates. By assessing tree height and survival, our objectives were twofold: (1) to identify the source of differential population responses to climate (genetic differentiation due to past divergent climatic selection versus plastic responses to ongoing climate change), (2) to explore which climatic variables (temperature or precipitation) trigger the population responses. Tree growth and survival were modeled for contemporary climate and then projected using data from four regional climate models for years 2071-2100, using two greenhouse gas concentration trajectory scenarios each. Overall results indicated a moderate response of tree height and survival to climate variation, with changes in dryness (either annual or during the growing season) explaining the major part of the response. Whilst, on average, populations exhibited local adaptation, there was significant clinal population differentiation for height growth with winter temperature at the site of origin. The most moderate climate model (HIRHAM5-EC; rcp4.5) predicted minor decreases in height and survival, whilst the most extreme model (CCLM4-GEM2-ES; rcp8.5) predicted large decreases in survival and growth for southern and southeastern edge populations (Hungary and Turkey). Other non-marginal populations with continental climates were predicted to be severely and negatively affected (Bercé, France), while populations at the contemporary northern limit (colder and humid maritime regions; Denmark and Norway) will probably not show large changes in growth and survival in response to climate change.

European forests are an important carbon sink; however, the relative contributions to this sink of climate, atmospheric CO 2 concentration ([CO 2]), nitrogen deposition and forest management are under debate. We attributed the European carbon sink in forests using ORCHIDEE-FM, a process-based vegetation model that differs from earlier versions of ORCHIDEE by its explicit representation of stand growth and idealized forest management. The model was applied on a grid across Europe to simulate changes in the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) of forests with and without changes in climate, [CO 2] and age structure, the three drivers represented in ORCHIDEE-FM. The model simulates carbon stocks and volume increment that are comparable - root mean square error of 2 m 3 ha -1 yr -1 and 1.7 kg C m -2 respectively - with inventory-derived estimates at country level for 20 European countries. Our simulations estimate a mean European forest NEP of 175 ± 52 g C m -2 yr -1 in the 1990s. The model simulation that is most consistent with inventory records provides an upwards trend of forest NEP of 1 ± 0.5 g C m -2 yr -2 between 1950 and 2000 across the EU 25. Furthermore, the method used for reconstructing past age structure was found to dominate its contribution to temporal trends in NEP. The potentially large fertilizing effect of nitrogen deposition cannot be told apart, as the model does not explicitly simulate the nitrogen cycle. Among the three drivers that were considered in this study, the fertilizing effect of increasing [CO 2] explains about 61% of the simulated trend, against 26% to changes in climate and 13% only to changes in forest age structure. The major role of [CO 2] at the continental scale is due to its homogeneous impact on net primary productivity (NPP). At the local scale, however, changes in climate and forest age structure often dominate trends in NEP by affecting NPP and heterotrophic respiration.

European forests are intensively exploited for wood products, yet they also form a sink for carbon. European forest inventories, available for the past 50 years, can be combined with timber harvest statistics to assess changes in this carbon sink. Analysis of these data sets between 1950 and 2000 from the EU-15 countries excluding Luxembourg, plus Norway and Switzerland, reveals that there is a tight relationship between increases in forest biomass and forest ecosystem productivity but timber harvests grew more slowly. Encouragingly, the environmental conditions in combination with the type of silviculture that has been developed over the past 50 years can efficiently sequester carbon on timescales of decades, while maintaining forests that meet the demand for wood. However, a return to using wood as biofuel and hence shorter rotations in forestry could cancel out the benefits of carbon storage over the past five decades. European forests are intensively exploited for wood products, yet they are also a potential sink for carbon. European forest inventories combined with timber harvest statistics from sixteen European countries show that between 1950 and 2000 forest biomass increased faster than the amount of timber harvests. Silviculture, which has developed over the past 50 years, can efficiently sequester carbon on timescales of decades, while maintaining forests that meet the demand for wood.

Our aim was to investigate the possible enhancing role of long-term atmospheric CO2 increase on wood density as an essential component of biomass sequestration. We therefore assessed the long-term evolution of wood density over pre-industrial and contemporary periods, in a regional context free of management practices, atmospheric deposition and with restricted climatic change. Dominant trees of Araucaria araucana were sampled in 37 stands distributed throughout its natural distribution over temperate forests of the Chilean Andes Cordillera. Mean ring density (MRD) at 1.30 m was measured by X-ray micro-densitometry. A third-century MRD chronology was built after MRD standardisation by the effects of cambial age and radial growth, simultaneously estimated from a statistical model from rings of the pre-industrial period (1700-1850) to avoid any temporal bias. The age-alone standardised MRD chronology showed restricted fluctuations ranging between 2.0 and 3.2 % over the last three centuries. Multi-decennial fluctuations between ring width and MRD were found qualitatively synchronous and opposed. Accordingly, MRD fluctuations were removed with the age and growth standardisation, highlighting the absence of a historical wood density trend at constant ring size over the whole period. Over the most recent decades however, a slight increase in density was identified, with loss of synchronisation to radial growth. The absence of a long-term signal in wood density of A. araucana, in a context of restricted anthropogenic influence, differs markedly from reports of significant decreases in the Northern Hemisphere. We conclude as part of the analysis done that until now, increasing atmospheric CO2 unlikely would have an impact in wood density.

International audience; Mapping forest composition is a major concern for forest management, biodiversity assessment and for understanding the potential impacts of climate change on tree species distribution. In this study, the suitability of a dense high spatial resolution multispectral Formosat-2 satellite image time-series (SITS) to discriminate tree species in temperate forests is investigated. Based on a 17-date SITS acquired across one year, thirteen major tree species (8 broadleaves and 5 conifers) are classified in a study area of southwest France. The performance of parametric (GMM) and nonparametric (k-NN, RF, SVM) methods are compared at three class hierarchy levels for different versions of the SITS: (i) a smoothed noise-free version based on the Whittaker smoother; (ii) a non-smoothed cloudy version including all the dates; (iii) a non-smoothed noise-free version including only 14 dates. Noise refers to pixels contaminated by clouds and cloud shadows. The results of the 108 distinct classifications show a very high suitability of the SITS to identify the forest tree species based on phenological differences (average κ=0.93 estimated by cross-validation based on 1235 field-collected plots). SVM is found to be the best classifier with very close results from the other classifiers. No clear benefit of removing noise by smoothing can be observed. Classification accuracy is even improved using the non-smoothed cloudy version of the SITS compared to the 14 cloud-free image time series. However conclusions of the results need to be considered with caution because of possible overfitting. Disagreements also appear between the maps produced by the classifiers for complex mixed forests, suggesting a higher classification uncertainty in these contexts. Our findings suggest that time-series data can be a good alternative to hyperspectral data for mapping forest types. It also demonstrates the potential contribution of the recently launched Sentinel-2 satellite for studying forest ecosystems.

Key message We demonstrate that, beyond leaf phenology, the phenological cycles of wood and fine roots present clear responses to environmental drivers in temperate and boreal trees. These drivers should be included in terrestrial ecosystem models. Context In temperate and boreal trees, a dormancy period prevents organ development during adverse climatic conditions. Whereas the phenology of leaves and flowers has received considerable attention, to date, little is known regarding the phenology of other tree organs such as wood, fine roots, fruits, and reserve compounds. Aims Here, we review both the role of environmental drivers in determining the phenology of tree organs and the models used to predict the phenology of tree organs in temperate and boreal forest trees. Results Temperature is a key driver of the resumption of tree activity in spring, although its specific effects vary among organs. There is no such clear dominant environmental cue involved in the cessation of tree activity in autumn and in the onset of dormancy, but temperature, photoperiod, and water stress appear as prominent factors. The phenology of a given organ is, to a certain extent, influenced by processes in distant organs. Conclusion Inferring past trends and predicting future trends of tree phenology in a changing climate requires specific phenological models developed for each organ to consider the phenological cycle as an ensemble in which the environmental cues that trigger each phase are also indirectly involved in the subsequent phases. Incorporating such models into terrestrial ecosystem models (TEMs) would likely improve the accuracy of their predictions. The extent to which the coordination of the phenologies of tree organs will be affected in a changing climate deserves further research.

Ecological models are increasingly used as decision-making tools and their reliability is becoming a key issue. At the same time, the sophistication of techniques for model development and analysis has given rise to a relative compartmentalization of model building and evaluation tasks. Several guidelines invite ecological modelers to follow an organized sequence of development and analysis steps and have coined the term "evaludation" for this process. The objective of this paper is to assess the feasibility and the value of a structured evaludation process, based on the working example of the Samsara2 model, a spatially explicit individual-based forest dynamics model. We implemented the six steps of model design, process level calibration, qualitative evaluation, quantitative evaluation, global sensitivity analysis, and partial recalibration using approximate Bayesian computing. We then evaluated how the evaludation process revealed model strengths and weaknesses, specified the model's conditions of use, clarified how the model works, and provided insights into forest ecosystem functioning. Finally, the efficiency/cost ratio of the process and future improvements are discussed.

Characterizing the above- and belowground carbon stocks of ecosystems is vital for a better understanding of the role of vegetation in carbon cycling. Yet studies on forest ecosystems at high altitudes remain scarce. We examined above- and belowground carbon partitioning in trees growing in mixed montane/upper montane forest ecosystems in the French Alps. Field work was performed in three forests along a gradient of both altitude (1400 m, 1700 m, and 2000 m) and altitude-induced species composition (from lower altitude Abies alba and Fagus sylvatica to higher altitude Picea abies and Pinus uncinata). We performed forest inventories and root sampling along soil wall profiles, so that the stand basal area (SBA, in m2 ha-1) and root cross-sectional area (RCSA, in m2 ha-1) were estimated at each altitude. To characterize the carbon allocation trend between the above-and belowground compartments, the ratio of RCSA to SBA was then calculated. We found that both SBA and RCSA of coarse roots (diameter > 2 mm) were significantly different among the three altitudes. No significant difference in RCSA of fine roots (diameter ? 2 mm) was found among altitudes. The ratio of RCSA of fine roots to SBA augmented with increasing elevation, suggesting that forest ecosystems at higher altitudes allocate more carbon from above- to belowground organs. This increased allocation to fine roots would allow trees to scavenge nutrients more efficiently throughout the short growing season. Furthermore, this work highlighted the interest of using easy to measure area-based indicators as proxies of root and stem biomass when investigating carbon partitioning in highly heterogeneous montane/upper montane forests.

The aim of the present work was to provide a synopsis of the scientific literature concerning the effects of different tree spe- cies on soil and to quantify the effect of common European temperate forest species on soil fertility. The scientific literature dealing with the tree species effect on soil has been reviewed. The composition of forest overstory has an impact on the chemical, physical and biolo- gical characteristics of soil. This impact was highest in the topsoil. Different tree species had significantly different effects on water ba- lance and microclimate. The physical characteristics of soils also were modified depending on the overstory species, probably through modifications of the soil fauna. The rates of organic matter mineralization and nitrification seem to be dependent on tree species. A coni- ferous species, Picea abies, had negative input-output budgets for some nutrients, such as Ca and Mg. This species promoted a higher soil acidification and a decrease in pH. Thus, it should not be planted in very poor soils in areas affected by acidic atmospheric deposi- tions. Nevertheless, the effect of the canopy species on soil fertility was rarely significant enough to promote forest decline. The impact of a tree species on soil fertility varied depending on the type of bedrock, climate and forest management. forest soils / tree species / fertility / sustainability / resiliency

International audience; & Context European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is considered threatened by anticipated climate change, but the physiological causes of potential beech decline or mortality remains poorly understood. & Aims The purpose of the present study was to fuel debate about the assumption that carbohydrate depletion is involved in the decline of mature European beech. & Methods The health status of beech trees from a severely declining stand was visually assessed by examining their crown condition. Content and radial distribution of non-structural carbohydrates (starch and soluble carbohydrate) were analyzed in the trunks and compared to those reported earlier in trunks of healthy beech trees. & Results and discussion The distribution of carbohydrate in the beech trunks recorded here seemed affected by decline. We found a stronger radial decrease of starch content than those reported earlier for healthy beech trees. Carbohydrate reserves appear partially maintained in the outermost rings while starch depletion occurred in older wood rings in declining trees that may be able to mobilize carbohydrate reserves from older wood rings in response to successive climatic constraints.

International audience; In the context of remarkable increases in many deer populations observed in temperate forests, it is critical to better understand the processes sustaining abundant populations despite dramatic declines in the vegetation they feed on. When natural predation and hunting levels are too low to control deer populations, a resource-driven negative feedback is expected. Such a feedback assumes that the remaining resources do not match the energy requirements of a current herbivore population, thereby limiting herbivore abundance. Here we take advantage of a well-documented, long-term study of abundant predator-free populations of black-tailed deer Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis on the Haida Gwaii archipelago (Canada) to assess the ability of a heavily browsed forest habitat to sustain abundant deer populations. For two deer populations, we: 1) compared the energy provided by various resource pools to the energy required by deer; and 2) identified what components of the environment contributed most to support them. Qualitatively, our results are robust to the many assumptions and uncertainties and identify the resources currently available that allow these abundant deer populations to meet their energy needs despite the apparent paucity in resources. Resources are provided by a flux of hardly visible plant tissue produced by perennial species highly tolerant of herbivory and able to survive via underground structures (e. g. rhizomes), and by subsidies provided by canopy trees or by plants in refuges (i.e. litterfall and seed bank). We discuss the possibility of a resource-driven feedback that may ultimately occur in the long term as a result of changes in recruitment, productivity and fertility of plants. The possible lack of resource-driven feedback in the short or medium term should be considered by managers when assessing the need for active deer population control in situations without carnivores or hunting.

[b][u]Background and Aims[/u][/b][br/] [br/] Forest trees directly contribute to carbon cycling in forest soils through the turnover of their fine roots. In this study we aimed to calculate root turnover rates of common European forest tree species and to compare them with most frequently published values.[br/] [br/] [b][u]Methods[/u][/b][br/] [br/] We compiled available European data and applied various turnover rate calculation methods to the resulting database. We used Decision Matrix and Maximum-Minimum formula as suggested in the literature.[br/] [br/] [b][u]Results[/u][/b][br/] [br/] Mean turnover rates obtained by the combination of sequential coring and Decision Matrix were 0.86 yr−1 for Fagus sylvatica and 0.88 yr−1 for Picea abies when maximum biomass data were used for the calculation, and 1.11 yr−1 for both species when mean biomass data were used. Using mean biomass rather than maximum resulted in about 30 % higher values of root turnover. Using the Decision Matrix to calculate turnover rate doubled the rates when compared to the Maximum-Minimum formula. The Decision Matrix, however, makes use of more input information than the Maximum-Minimum formula.[br/] [br/] [b][u]Conclusions[/u][/b][br/] [br/] We propose that calculations using the Decision Matrix with mean biomass give the most reliable estimates of root turnover rates in European forests and should preferentially be used in models and C reporting.

In this study, natural fungal diversity in wood-decaying species was explored for biomass deconstruction. In 2007 and 2008, fungal isolates were collected in temperate forests mainly from metropolitan France and in tropical forests mainly from French Guiana. We recovered and identified 74 monomorph cultures using morphological and molecular identification tools. Following production of fungal secretomes under inductive conditions, we evaluated the capacity of these fungal strains to potentiate a commercial Trichoderma reesei cellulase cocktail for the release of soluble sugars from biomass. The secretome of 19 isolates led to an improvement in biomass conversion of at least 23%. Of the isolates, the Trametes gibbosa BRFM 952 (Banque de Ressources Fongiques de Marseille) secretome performed best, with 60% improved conversion, a feature that was not universal to the Trametes and related genera. Enzymatic characterization of the T. gibbosa BRFM 952 secretome revealed an unexpected high activity on crystalline cellulose, higher than that of the T. reesei cellulase cocktail. This report highlights the interest in a systematic high-throughput assessment of collected fungal biodiversity to improve the enzymatic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass. It enabled the unbiased identification of new fungal strains issued from biodiversity with high biotechnological potential.

International audience; Developing adaptation measures in forestry is an urgent task because the forests regenerated today will have to cope with climate conditions that may drastically change during the life of the trees in the stand. This paper presents a comprehensive review of potential adaptation options in forestry in Europe based on three pillars: a review of the scientific literature, an analysis of current national response strategies, and an expert assessment based on a database compiled in the COST Action ECHOES (Expected Climate Change and Options for European Silviculture). The adaptation measures include responses to both risks and opportunities created by climate change and address all stages of forestry operations. Measures targeted to reduce vulnerability to climate change may either aim to reduce forest sensitivity to adverse climate change impacts or increase adaptive capacity to cope with the changing environmental conditions. Adaptation measures mitigating drought and fire risk such as selection of more drought resistant species and genotypes are crucial. For adaptation to be successful it is of the utmost importance to disseminate the knowledge of suitable adaptation measures to all decision makers from the practice to the policy level. The analysis of the ECHOES database demonstrates that this challenge is well recognized in many European countries. Uncertainty about the full extent of climate change impacts and the suitability of adaptation measures creates a need for monitoring and further research. A better understanding of how to increase adaptive capacity is also needed, as well as regional vulnerability assessments which are crucial for targeting planned adaptation measures.

International audience; Understanding the effects of tree species diversity on biomass and production of forests is fundamental for carbon sequestration strategies, particularly in the perspective of the current climate change. However, the diversity-productivity relationship in old-growth forests is not well understood.* We quantified biomass and above-ground production in nine forest stands with increasing tree species diversity from monocultures of beech to stands consisting of up to five deciduous tree species (Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia spp., Carpinus betulus, Acer spp.) to examine (a) if mixed stands are more productive than monospecific stands, (b) how tree species differ in the productivity of stem wood, leaves and fruits, and (c) if beech productivity increases with tree diversity due to lower intraspecific competition and complementary resource use.* Total above-ground biomass and wood production decreased with increasing tree species diversity. In Fagus and Fraxinus, the basal area-related wood productivity exceeded those of the co-occurring tree species, while Tilia had the highest leaf productivity. Fagus trees showed no elevated production per basal area in the mixed stands.* We found no evidence of complementary resource use associated with biomass production. We conclude that above-ground productivity of old-growth temperate deciduous forests depend more on tree species-specific traits than on tree diversity itself.; Comprendre les effets de la diversité des espèces d'arbres sur la biomasse et la production des forêts est fondamental pour les stratégies de piégeage du carbone, en particulier dans la perspective des changements climatiques actuels. Cependant, dans les vieilles forêts la relation diversité-productivité n'est pas bien comprise.* Nous avons quantifié la biomasse et la production hors-sol de neuf peuplements forestiers à diversité croissante, allant de monocultures de hêtre jusqu'à des peuplements constitués d'un maximum de cinq espèces d'arbres à feuilles caduques (Fagus sylvatica, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia spp., Carpinus betulus, Acer spp.) afin d'examiner (a) si les peuplements mélangés sont plus productifs que les peuplements monospécifiques, (b) comment diverses espèces d'arbre diffèrent pour la productivité du bois de la tige, des feuilles et des fruits, et (c) si la productivité du hêtre augmente avec la diversité en relation avec une baisse de la compétition intra-spécifique et une complémentarité dans l'utilisation de ressources.* La biomasse aérienne totale et la production de bois ont diminué quand la diversité des espèces d'arbres augmentait. Pour Fagus et Fraxinus, la productivité en bois estimée d'après la surface terrière dépassait celle des autres espèces, tandis que Tilia avait la plus forte productivité en feuilles. Dans les peuplements mixtes, les hêtres ne présentaient pas de gain de productivité ramenée à la surface terrière.* Nous n'avons trouvé aucune preuve d'une complémentarité de l'utilisation de ressources liées à la production de biomasse. Nous concluons que la productivité des parties aériennes des vieux peuplements feuillus tempérés, dépend davantage de traits spécifiques des différentes espèces que de la diversité en espèces.

International audience; Case studies are necessary to assess the effects of changes to tree species on the physicochemical and chemical properties of soils. To achieve this, the fine earth under five tree species was investigated. This study was performed in the Breuil-Chenue experimental forest site located in the Morvan Mountains (France). This site contains two adjacent blocks with replicated stands. The native forest (old beech and oak coppice with standards) was partially clear-felled and replaced in 1976 with mono-specific plantations of European beech, Norway spruce, Laricio pine and Douglas fir. The same changes in soil properties were revealed in both blocks, thus confirming the tree species effect. The percentage of exchangeable acidity on the cation exchange capacity (CEC) was greater under spruce, Douglas fir and pine than under the other species. Spruce stands, and to a lesser extent those of Douglas fir and pine, had a less acidic soil pH than hardwood stands (which was unusual in view of the data in the literature) and smaller CEC values. The small quantities of carbon added to the soil under these tree species provide an explanation for these effects through a partial control of both CEC and pH. This case study thus demonstrated that the tree species effect was not unequivocal and different criteria are necessary for its interpretation. Tree species significantly influenced certain aspects of the chemical properties of topsoil and have the potential to have an impact on current soil fertility.

International audience; The interannual variability of CO2 exchange by forest ecosystems in Europe was analyzed at site and regional scales by identifying critical periods that contributed to interannual flux anomalies. Critical periods were defined as periods in which monthly and annual flux anomalies were correlated. The analysis was first conducted at seven European forest flux tower sites with contrasting species and climatic conditions. Organizing Carbon and Hydrology in Dynamic Ecosystems (ORCHIDEE), a generic process‐based model, represented fairly well most features of the critical period patterns and their climate drivers at the site scale. Simulations at the scale of European forests were performed with ORCHIDEE integrated at a 0.25° spatial resolution. The spatial and temporal distributions of critical periods for canopy photosynthesis, ecosystem respiration, and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) as well as their underlying climate drivers were analyzed. The interannual variability in gross primary productivity (GPP) was explained by critical periods during spring and summer months. In contrast, the interannual variability in total ecosystem respiration (TER) was explained by critical periods occurring throughout the year. A latitudinal contrast between southern and northern Europe was observed in the distributions of critical periods for GPP and TER. The critical periods were positively controlled by temperature in northern Europe and by soil water availability in southern Europe. More importantly, the latitudinal transition between temperature‐driven and water‐driven critical periods for GPP varied from early spring to late summer. Such a distinct seasonal regime of critical periods was less clearly defined for TER and NEE. Overall, the critical periods associated with NEE variations and their meteorological drivers followed those associated with GPP.

Deux indicateurs de biodiversité associés à la diversité du peuplement arboré sont utilisés en France et en Europe, en l'absence de validation scientifique forte: (1) la richesse en essences ou en genres d'essences, comme un indicateur positif; et (2) l'abondance relative de l'essence dominante ("dominance") comme un indicateur négatif. Nous avons testé le caractère indicateur de ces indicateurs vis-à-vis de la biodiversité floristique du sous-bois, en les comparant à d'autres modèles écologiques, principalement associés à la composition et l'abondance des essences. Nous avons utilisé des modèles statistiques Bayésiens des données d'abondance et de richesse de groupes écologiques, définis sur la base du statut successionnel des espèces ou de leur tolérance à l'ombrage. Les distributions de probabilités utilisées dans les modèles sont nouvelles en écologie. Nous avons étudié la magnitude des effets avec des tests d'équivalence. 49 placettes adultes situées dans la région IFN de la Brie Francilienne ont été étudiées. Sur notre jeu de données, les indicateurs basés sur la richesse en genres ou la dominance étaient plus mauvais que les indicateurs basés sur l'abondance des genres d'essences. La magnitude des effets et l'identité du meilleur modèle indicateur variaient d'un groupe écologique à l'autre. Nos résultats montrent par ailleurs l'influence négative de la surface terrière des essences de demi-ombre sur le recouvrement de tous les groupes écologiques d'herbacées et de ligneux et sur la richesse des groupes non-forestiers et péri-forestiers de ligneux et d'herbacées. Comparé aux études du même genre, notre échantillonnage contrôlait fortement le type de station, éliminant ainsi partiellement la confusion potentielle entre les influences de la gestion et du type de station sur la biodiversité. / Two different biodiversity indicators based on tree species diversity are being used, in Europe and France respectively, without strong prior scientific validation: (1) tree species or genus richness as a positive indicator, and (2) relative abundance of the main species (dominance') as a negative indicator. We tested the relevance of these ecological models as indicators of understory vegetation biodiversity by comparing them to other ecological models, mainly related to tree species composition and abundance. We developed Bayesian statistical models for richness and abundance of ecological groups of understory vegetation species, classified according to successional status or shade tolerance. The count data probability distributions in the models were new to ecology. These models were fitted using data from 49 plots in mature lowland forests in the center of France (Bassin Parisien) with similar site conditions. We used equivalence and inequivalence tests to detect negligible and non-negligible effects. Tree genus richness and dominance resulted in models that were worse than ones based on the abundance of tree genus groups. Furthermore, the only significant results for dominance and tree genus richness were opposite to the ones implicitly assumed in the indicator system. However, the magnitude of the effects and which indicator provided the best statistical model varied among ecological groups of plants. Our results show the negative non-negligible effect of the basal area of undergrowth tree species on the cover of all ecological groups of herbaceous and woody species, and on the species richness of non-forest and peri-forest herbaceous and woody species. Compared to the literature, our sampling design strongly controlled forest and site type, thus removing to some degree the potential confusion between influences on biodiversity of management specific variables and other ecological variables. We discuss our results from both an ecological perspective and in terms of the value of these models as indicators of sustainable management. For example, the best-performing model was a multivariate model, which may be more difficult to explain to forest managers or policy-makers than an indicator simply based on tree genus richness.