Gediminas Brazaitis
A5028043228- Forest ecology and management
- Forest Ecology and Biodiversity Studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Forest Management and Policy
- Plant Water Relations and Carbon Dynamics
- Tree-ring climate responses
- Botany and Plant Ecology Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Lichen and fungal ecology
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Forest Biomass Utilization and Management
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Plant Ecology and Soil Science
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Tree Root and Stability Studies
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Environmental and Biological Research in Conflict Zones
- Cardiac Imaging and Diagnostics
- Peripheral Artery Disease Management
- Botanical Studies and Applications
- Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications
- Conservation, Biodiversity, and Resource Management
Vytautas Magnus University
2019-2024
Respublikinės Kauno Ligoninės
2021
University of Leeds
2019
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
2019
Aleksandras Stulginskis University
2012-2018
University of Agriculture Faisalabad
2005
Mixing of complementary tree species may increase stand productivity, mitigate the effects drought and other risks, pave way to forest production systems which be more resource-use efficient stable in face climate change. However, systematic empirical studies on mixing are still missing for many commercially important widespread combinations. Here we studied growth Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) European beech (Fagus sylvatica mixed versus pure stands 32 triplets located along a...
Despite growing evidence that diverse forests play an important role in ecosystem functioning, ensuring the provision of different services, whether such diversity improves their response to drought events remains unclear. In this study, we use a large tree-ring database from thirty case studies across nine European countries and eleven species, covering Mediterranean hemiboreal forests, test if growth site specific occurred between 1975 2015 varied mixed monospecific stands. particular,...
Summary There is increasing evidence that species diversity enhances the temporal stability (TS) of community productivity in different ecosystems, although its effect at population and tree levels seems to be negative or neutral. Asynchrony responses environmental conditions was found one main drivers this stabilizing process. However, mixing on productivity, relative importance associated mechanisms, remain poorly understood forest communities. We investigated way influenced TS Pinus...
Changes in climate, land use, and management impact the occurrence severity of wildland fires many parts world. This is particularly evident Europe, where ongoing changes use have strongly modified fire patterns over last decades. Although satellite data by European Forest Fire Information System provide large-scale statistics across countries, there still a crucial need to collect summarize in-depth local analysis understanding condition associated challenges Europe. article aims general...
Tree species mixing has been widely promoted as a promising silvicultural tool for reducing drought stress. However, so far only limited number of combinations have studied in detail, revealing inconsistent results. In this study, we analysed the effect Scots pine and oak (pedunculate sessile oak) trees on their response along comprehensive ecological gradient across Europe. The objective was to improve our knowledge general patterns two fundamental European tree mixed versus monospecific...
Abstract Past failures of monocultures, caused by wind-throw or insect damages, and ongoing climate change currently strongly stimulate research into mixed-species stands. So far, the focus has mainly been on combinations species with obvious complementary functional traits. However, for any generalization, a broad overview mixing reactions functionally different tree in proportions, patterns under site conditions is needed, including assemblages rather similar demands resources such as...
Abstract The increasing disturbances in monocultures around the world are testimony to their instability under global change. Many studies have claimed that temporal stability of productivity increases with species richness, although ecological fundamentals mainly been investigated through diversity experiments. To adequately manage forest ecosystems, it is necessary a comprehensive understanding effect mixing on and way which influenced by climate conditions across large geographical areas....
Abstract Climate change is increasing the severity and frequency of droughts around globe, leading to tree mortality that reduces production provision other ecosystem services. Recent studies show growth mixed stands may be more resilient drought than pure stands. The two most economically important widely distributed species in Europe are Norway spruce ( Picea abies (L.) Karst) Scots pine Pinus sylvestris L.), but little known about their susceptibility when coexist. This paper analyses...
The European biodiversity and forest strategies rely on sustainable management (SFM) to conserve biodiversity. However, current sustainability assessments hardly account for direct indicators. We focused multi-taxon to: i) gather map the existing information; ii) identify knowledge research gaps; iii) discuss its potential. established a network fit data species, standing trees, lying deadwood sampling unit description from 34 local datasets across 3591 units. A total of 8724 species were...
Quercus robur/Quercus petraea and Pinus sylvestris are widely distributed economically important tree species in Europe co-occurring on mesotrophic, xeric mesic sites. Increasing dry conditions may reduce their growth, but growth reductions be modified by mixture, competition site conditions. The annual diameter monospecific mixed stands along an ecological gradient with mean temperatures ranging from 5.5 °C to 11.5 was investigated this study. On 36 triplets (108 plots), trees were cored...
Abstract Managing forests to sustain their diversity and functioning is a major challenge in changing world. Despite the key role of understory vegetation driving forest biodiversity, regeneration functioning, few studies address functional dimensions response silvicultural management. We assessed influence regimes on redundancy European understory. gathered vascular plant abundance data from more than 2000 plots forests, each associated with one out five most widespread regimes. used...
Norway spruce, which is sensitive to drought, and Scots pine, drought-resistant, are two of the most significant conifer species in Europe. In mixed stands, they can utilize resources more efficiently than pure leading higher yields reduced risk. Tree ring research often used study their growth response complex environmental factors. Machine learning, though rarely applied tree analysis, might be well suited for modelling these relations. Data from 22 triplets (1 plots spruce pine) covering...
Mixed-species stands have been found to be more productive than would expected from the performance of their component species in monocultures due facilitation and complementarity between species, although these interactions depend on combination present. Our study focuses monospecific mixed-species Scots pine Norway spruce using 20 triplets established nine countries along a climatic gradient across Europe. Differences mean tree stand characteristics, productivity structure were assessed....
Forests host most terrestrial biodiversity and their sustainable management is crucial to halt loss. Although scientific evidence indicates that forest (SFM) should be assessed by monitoring multi-taxon biodiversity, current SFM criteria indicators account only for trees or consider indirect proxies. Several projects performed sampling investigate the effects of on but large variability approaches hampers identification general trends, limits broad-scale inference designing SFM. Here we...
Most European forests are used for timber production. Given the limited extent of unmanaged (and especially primary) forests, it is essential to include commercial in conservation forest biodiversity. In order develop ecologically sustainable management practices, important understand impacts on forest-dwelling organisms. Experiments allow testing effects alternative strategies, and monitoring multiple taxa informs us response range across To provide a representative picture currently...
Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica dominate many of the forest stands. Also, mixtures more or less occur over all countries, but have been scarcely investigated. The area occupied by each species is high relevance, especially for growth evaluation comparison different in mixed monospecific Thus, we studied methods to describe proportions their definition as proportion area. 25 triplets consisting stands were established across Europe ranging from Lithuania...
Many studies show that mixed species stands can have higher gross growth, or so-called overyielding, compared with monocultures. However, much less is known about mortality in stands. Knowledge lacking, for example, of how the growth retained standing stock and lost due to mortality. Here, we addressed this knowledge gap stand dynamics by evaluating 23 middle-aged, unthinned triplets monospecific plots Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) European beech (Fagus sylvatica repeatedly surveyed over...
Societal Impact Statement Forests worldwide face significant challenges due to climate change, impacting their health and productivity. In this study, we examined how European beech Scots pine influence each other's phenology growth in mixed forests. Our findings indicate that mixing these complementary tree species can increase resource efficiency within forest ecosystems. By leveraging informed selection, research highlights the potential for developing knowledge‐based, resource‐efficient...