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ABSTRACT
A natural holm oak forest was selectively thinned to test thinning as a tool to reduce tree mortality, increase productivity, and reverse the recent regression of the dominant species (Quercus ilex) induced by climate change. Thinning increased aboveground productivity and reduced stem mortality in this Mediterranean forest during four years just after thinning, contributing to the maintenance of forest functioning under changing climatic conditions. Q. ilex was the only species positively affected by the thinning: stem growth increased for all stem sizes, and mortality was significantly lower in thinned plots. On the contrary, mortality rates of Phillyrea latifolia and Arbutus unedo were not significantly lower. Stem growth increased for P. latifolia only in the smallest stem-size class. Our results highlight the suitability of selective thinning for improving the forest productivity and ensuring the conservation of Mediterranean coppices. Other benefits of selective thinning, such as a decrease in the risk of fire dispersion and an increase in the water supply for human populations, are also discussed.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to DARP (Generalitat de Catalunya), Xavier Buqueras, and Toni Mestres for their permission and assistance to conduct this research in the Poblet Holm Oak Forest throughout the Fundació La Caixa project ORGEST. This research was also financially supported by the Spanish government project CGL2016-79835-P-, the European Research Council Synergy grant ERC-2013-SyG-2013-610028 IMBALANCE-P, and the Catalan government grant SGR-2017-1005.