Climate change; Continuous cover forestry; Economic and ecological indicators; Process-based modelling; Stand transformation; Uneven-aged silviculture; Global and Planetary Change
Abstract :
[en] When an even-aged forest stand reaches maturity, it can be renewed within a limited period to maintain the even-aged structure or gradually transformed to an uneven-aged stand. However, there is still debate as to which silvicultural approach is more profitable, conducive to carbon storage, favourable to biodiversity or resilient. In this study, we simulated the evolution of fifteen stands representative of the Walloon forest, whose initial structure was even-aged. The stands were managed according to two contrasting silvicultural approaches (continuation of the even-aged system vs transformation to an uneven-aged one), and the simulations were run with the SSP3-7.0 climate projections produced by five global circulation models. Our simulations indicate that even-aged and uneven-aged silviculture yield similar outcomes in terms of carbon storage. Financial indicators were likewise largely unaffected, except in the oak-beech mixture, where uneven-aged silviculture increased profitability through the substitution of oak by beech. This shift reduced tree species diversity in uneven-aged oak-beech stands. Tree microhabitats, except in beech stands, were more abundant under uneven-aged silviculture. While mean values of forest ecosystem functioning indicators are largely comparable between the two approaches, uneven-aged stands exhibit higher temporal stability. Uneven-aged silviculture produces stands that are more wind-resistant and avoid periods of extreme vulnerability. Our study shows that the most appropriate silviculture may vary depending on the aspect considered. Uneven-aged silviculture has a definite advantage in terms of stability, risk management, and tree microhabitats. However, maintaining even-aged patches at the landscape scale remains important to facilitate the regeneration of shade-intolerant species.
Pau, Mathilde ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département GxABT > Gestion des ressources forestières
Marchi, Sylvain ; Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium, Uccle, Belgium ; Department of Physics and Astronomy, Faculty of Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
Jonard, Mathieu ; Earth and Life Institute, Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
Language :
English
Title :
Is uneven-aged silviculture best for maximizing ecosystem functioning, services, biodiversity, and resilience in Walloon forests?
Publication date :
September 2026
Journal title :
Regional Environmental Change
ISSN :
1436-3798
eISSN :
1436-378X
Publisher :
Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
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