Mixed-Species Forests, 1st ed. 2017
Ecology and Management

This textbook offers a detailed overview of the current state of knowledge concerning the ecology and management of compositionally and structurally diverse forests. It provides answers to central questions such as:

• What are the scientific concepts used to assess the growth, dynamics and functioning of mixed-species forests, how generalizable are they, and what kind of experiments are necessary to develop them further?
• How do mixed-species stands compare with monocultures in relation to productivity, wood quality, and ecological stability in the face of stress and disturbances?
• How are the effects of species mixtures  on ecosystem functioning influenced by the particular species composition, site conditions, and stand structure?
• How does any over- or underyielding at the forest-stand level emerge from the tree and organ level, and what are the main mechanisms behind mixing effects?
• How can our current scientific understanding of mixed-species forests be integrated into silvicultural concepts as well as practical forest management and planning?
• Do the ecological characteristics of mixed-species stands also translate into economic differences between mixtures and monocultures?

In addition, the book addresses experimental designs and analytical approaches to study mixed-species forests and provides extensive empirical information, general concepts, models, and management approaches for mixed-species forests. As such, it offers a valuable resource for students, scientists and educators, as well as professional forest planners, managers, and consultants.

Mixed-species forests: the development of a forest management paradigm.- From observations to evidence about effects of mixed-species stands.- Ecological and physiological processes in mixed versus monospecific stands.- Stand dynamics of mixed-species stands compared with monocultures.- Size-structure dynamics in mixed versus monospecific stands.- Individual tree structure and growth in mixed compared with monospecific stands.- Ecological stability of mixed-species forests.- Modelling mixed-species forest stands.- Silvicultural options for mixed-species stands.- Forest management planning in mixed-species forests.- Economics of mixed forests.- Perspectives for future research directions on mixed-species systems.

Hans Pretzsch (*1957) received his Ph. D. in Forest Growth and Yield Science and Biometrics at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and his Dr. h. c. at Czech University of Agriculture of Prag.  Dr. Pretzsch has been Professor of Forest Growth and Yield Science at Technische Universität München since 1994 and responsible for the network of long-term experimental plots in Bavaria which date back to 1860. For the past 20 years he focused on general rules of tree and stand growth, forest modelling, and diagnosis of forest growth disturbances. He currently teaches forestry and sustainable resource management to undergraduate and graduate students as well as professional foresters.

Current affiliation: Chair for Forest Growth and Yield Science, Technische Universität München, Hans-Carl-von-Carlowitz-Platz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany.

Email address: H.Pretzsch@lrz.tum.de

Jürgen Bauhus (*1964) is Professor of Silviculture at the Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources at Freiburg University, Germany. He studied forest sciences in Freiburg, Vienna, and Göttingen, received his PhD from Göttingen University and spent 2 years as a post-doc at the University of Québec at Montréal. From 1996 to 2003 he worked as lecturer and senior lecturer in sil

Each chapter ends with several take-home messages for the reader

An excellent basis for lectures, practical training, and exam preparation

Includes a glossary explaining all key terms used in this textbook

Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras