Nicolas Cattaneo
Research Scientist
Authors
Marta Vergarechea C Antón-Fernández J.U Jepsen Ole Petter Laksforsmo Vindstad Nicolas Cattaneo J.J Camarero Rasmus AstrupAbstract
resilience. In Norway, birch species (Betula pendula and Betula pubescens) dominate large areas of boreal forest, yet large-scale patterns of their age distribution and growth dynamics remain poorly quantified. Using increment core data from 2818 trees sampled across the Norwegian National Forest Inventory, spanning five vegetation zones (58–71◦N) and a broad productivity gradient, we analyzed the drivers of birch age structure and growth variation across age classes and historical cohorts. Intermediate-aged trees (35–80 years) dominated most regions, whereas older individuals were scarce, particularly on productive sites, reflecting the combined effects of forest management and the life-history strategy of fast-growing pioneer species. When compared at equivalent biological ages, younger trees consistently showed higher basal area increment (BAI) than older trees, with differences strongest during early development and on productive sites. Cohort analyses showed a pronounced long-term increase in juvenile growth: mean BAI during the first ten years after reaching breast height increased steadily across successive cohorts over the past 150 years. This increase became more pronounced after ~1960 and was consistent across vegetation zones and site productivity classes. Although sampling and survivor bias cannot be fully excluded, the consistency across environmental gradients points to broad-scale changes in early growth dynamics of birch forests in Norway. These results underscore the importance of considering both age structure and cohort-related variation when interpreting forest dynamics and planning future management.
Abstract
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Abstract
Study region: Six forest dominant catchments in Norway: two are micro- (< 10 km 2 meso- (< 1000 km 2 ) and two are macro-scale (> 10000 km 2 ), two are ) catchments. Study focus: This study focuses on the combined climate and forest impacts on streamflow, hydrological components as well as flood and low flow levels. In addition, the relative contributions of climate and forest impacts are distinguished. New hydrological insights for the region: This study provides the first hydrological projections in Norwegian catchments driven by both the climate projections and their corresponding forest projections. Due to warmer climate and higher precipitation under the Representative Concentration Pathway scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP4.5), continuous increase in forest timber volume is projected in five out of six catchments. The combined effects of climate and forest development lead to median changes in annual streamflow ranging from 2 % to 8 %. Climate is the major driver of streamflow changes, and forest growth slightly offsets the increase in streamflow caused by climate and reduces runoff generation locally. Forest growth reduces the flood levels caused by climate by up to 3 % in all catchments except one with large clear-cutting areas. Forest growth leads to increase in low flow levels in three coniferous forest dominant catchments while it aggravates the low flow conditions in the catchments with high coverage of deciduous forest in the summer half-year.
Division of Forest and Forest Resources
A Decision Support System for emerging forest management alternatives
This project aims to develop advanced tree growth models using LiDAR-derived, high-density point cloud data to improve the simulation of forest dynamics under close-to-nature silvicultural practices. By modeling tree-level growth in structurally complex and heterogeneous stands, these models will support more accurate, spatially explicit forest simulations and inform sustainable and diversified forest management decisions.
Division of Forest and Forest Resources
SFI SmartForest: Bringing Industry 4.0 to the Norwegian forest sector
SmartForest will position the Norwegian forest sector at the forefront of digitalization resulting in large efficiency gains in the forest sector, increased production, reduced environmental impacts, and significant climate benefits. SmartForest will result in a series of innovations and be the catalyst for an internationally competitive forest-tech sector in Norway. The fundamental components for achieving this are in place; a unified and committed forest sector, a leading R&D environment, and a series of progressive data and technology companies.