Increasing resistance and resilience of Mediterranean conifer forests: the experience of Spain and France and their implications for management
Accroître la résistance et la résilience des forêts de conifères méditerranéennes : l'expérience de l'Espagne et de la France et les implications pour la gestion.
Résumé
Management strategies, using thinning combined or not combined with underplanting, have been tested in experimental forests of Spain and southern France to promote growth, recruitment and increase their resilience.
In dry and fire-prone areas of southern Spain and France, Pinus halepensis forests were thinned at different levels and hardwood species were introduced under pine canopy and in opened areas. Thinning activities increased light, modified microclimate and soil moisture availability. Growth was improved in all sites but survival showed a more contrasted response. In mountainous areas, thinning treatments applied on Abies alba forests of southern France and Pinus nigra forests of central Spain were tested. Thinned silver fir stands showed higher tree growth than the control stands. In black pine forests, maximal seedling emergence was found for high basal area values whereas survival and growth were the highest for lower values.
Despite strong site differences, thinning to a basal area around 15-20 m2/ha appeared to be a good compromise to promote growth of the residual stand and recruitment. In fire-prone areas, thinning, alone or combined thinning with the introduction of resprouting hardwood species, is an efficient technique but has to be adapted to site conditions and species under focus. Finally, we discussed usual thinning limitations and options of remediation in the light of the new opportunity opened by the increasing demand in forest biomass.
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