Forest management has a mixed effect on understory biomass, but understory species diversity and stand structure are key

255-265

e-journal

200212570

European Journal of Forest Research 2025, 144(2) ; Jrg. 144 ; 2 (2025) , 255-265

Comprehending the determinants of change in forest understory biomass (UB) offers a theoretical foundation for sustainable forest management. Our objective was to explore how different forest management practices (forest tending (FT), closing mountains for reforestation (CMRF), and clear-cutting (CC)) affect UB. We surveyed forest stand structure and understory vegetation and measured soil properties. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to explore how forest management, soil properties, stand structure, and understory species diversity influence UB. Our results indicated significant differences in UB under various management conditions, with FT resulting in the highest UB. Stand density, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, and total carbon were negatively correlated with UB, while species diversity was positively correlated with it.
Keywords: Forest management types, PLS-SEM, Species richness, Stand structure, Understory biomass