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Changes in planned and unplanned canopy openings are linked in Europe’s forests

Author

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  • Rupert Seidl

    (Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management
    Berchtesgaden National Park)

  • Cornelius Senf

    (Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management
    Earth Observation for Ecosystem Management)

Abstract

Canopy openings are increasing in Europe’s forests, yet the contributions of anthropogenic and ecological agents of disturbance to this increase remain debated. Here we attribute the root cause of all stand-replacing canopy disturbances identified for Europe in the period 1986–2020 from Landsat data (417,000 km²), distinguishing between planned and unplanned canopy openings (i.e., disturbance by human land use versus by wind, bark beetles, and wildfire). We show that canopy openings by humans dominate the European forest disturbance regime, accounting for 82% of the area disturbed. Both planned and unplanned canopy openings increased in the early 21st century (+24% and +30% relative to the late 20th century). Their changes are linked, with simultaneous increases in planned and unplanned canopy openings on 68% of Europe’s forest area. We conclude that an important direction for tackling disturbance change in policy and management is to break the link between planned and unplanned canopy openings in Europe’s forests.

Suggested Citation

  • Rupert Seidl & Cornelius Senf, 2024. "Changes in planned and unplanned canopy openings are linked in Europe’s forests," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-6, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-49116-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49116-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Iddo K. Wernick & Philippe Ciais & Jonas Fridman & Peter Högberg & Kari T. Korhonen & Annika Nordin & Pekka E. Kauppi, 2021. "Quantifying forest change in the European Union," Nature, Nature, vol. 592(7856), pages 13-14, April.
    2. Cornelius Senf & Rupert Seidl, 2021. "Mapping the forest disturbance regimes of Europe," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(1), pages 63-70, January.
    3. Cornelius Senf & Rupert Seidl, 2021. "Author Correction: Mapping the forest disturbance regimes of Europe," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 4(3), pages 286-286, March.
    4. Hans Pretzsch & Peter Biber & Gerhard Schütze & Enno Uhl & Thomas Rötzer, 2014. "Forest stand growth dynamics in Central Europe have accelerated since 1870," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 5(1), pages 1-10, December.
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