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Dynamics of ecosystem services in Pinus sylvestris stands under different managements and site quality classes

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Abstract

Timber and biodiversity are considered two antagonistic ecosystem services (ES), largely influenced by silviculture and site ecological conditions. In order to address the trade-offs between these two ES over time, we performed a retrospective study at compartment level in the Pinus sylvestris forests of the Spanish Central Mountain System. Archival data from Management Plans for eight forests with contrasting silvicultural systems (uniform shelterwood system, group shelterwood system, irregular shelterwood system,) and three different site quality classes were analysed. Timber production was assessed through stand volume, harvested timber volume and a stand volume index. Biodiversity was examined through structural diversity (Gini index, Shannon tree size diversity index, Simpson’s reciprocal index and evenness index, all applied to diameter classes) and the abundance of large living trees. For all silvicultural systems investigated, stand volume and harvested timber volume have grown since the beginning of the management plans (beginning of the twentieth century in some forests). The largest yields of timber corresponded to the best quality sites with more intensive silvicultural treatments (uniform and group shelterwood systems). The uniform shelterwood system showed lower figures for structural diversity, though not always significant. The best site qualities maintained notable structural diversity values, even under the most intensive management system. The application of the different management systems over decades has revealed a synergy between timber production and structural diversity, particularly in those systems maintaining more than one age class, although results are conditioned by forest harvesting history. The interaction between historical silvicultural treatment and site quality has been identified as an important source of information to understand forest dynamics and functioning of ES provision.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financed by the EU FP7 project ARANGE- 289437. We are especially grateful to Javier Donés, Javier Plaza, Rafael Marina, Ruth Delgado, Ramón Alegría and Pedro Pérez for facilitating the access to data and to Mar Conde and Guillermo Madrigal for digitizing the archival data. We also want to thank to two anonymous reviewers for their constructive criticism.

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  1. Rafael Alonso Ponce

    Present address: föra forest technologies SLL, c/Eduardo Saavedra 38, 42003, Soria, Spain

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Silviculture and Forest Management, INIA Forest Research Centre, Ctra. A Coruña, Km 7.5, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Rafael Alonso Ponce, Miren del Río, Gregorio Montero & Marta Pardos

  2. ECOGESFOR Research Group, Department of Natural Systems and Resources, Technical University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Sonia Roig & Alfredo Bravo

  3. Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute, University of Valladolid and INIA, Valladolid, Spain

    Miren del Río, Gregorio Montero & Marta Pardos

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  1. Rafael Alonso Ponce
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  2. Sonia Roig
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Correspondence to Rafael Alonso Ponce.

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Communicated by Harald Bugmann.

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Alonso Ponce, R., Roig, S., Bravo, A. et al. Dynamics of ecosystem services in Pinus sylvestris stands under different managements and site quality classes. Eur J Forest Res 136, 983–996 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-016-1021-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10342-016-1021-4

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