Eco-physiology of Forest Species

Plants are autotrophic organisms that obtain their nutrition through the fixation of carbon dioxide via photosynthesis. To perform this process, plants, particularly trees, transpire a large amount of water from their leaves as vapor. Climate change, increased atmospheric CO2 concentration, and altered rainfall patterns can affect the photosynthesis efficiency of different species, intra- and inter-species competition, and the natural dynamics of ecosystems. In this context, studying the effects of environmental variability on the anatomical characteristics of the root-leaf water transport system and its hydraulic properties is crucial for predicting how future climate scenarios may influence the natural dynamics of forest ecosystems.

Publications:

• Petit G, Mencuccini M, Carrer M, Prendin AL, Hölttä T (2023) Axial conduit widening, tree height, and height growth rate set the hydraulic transition of sapwood into heartwood. Journal of Experimental Botany 74: 5072–5087. DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad227.
• Prendin AL, Mayr S, Beikircher B, Von Arx G, Petit, G (2018) Xylem anatomical adjustments prioritize hydraulic efficiency over safety as Norway spruce trees grow taller. Tree Physiology 38: 1088-1097. DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpy065.
• Anfodillo T, Petit G, Sterck F, Lechthaler S & Olson ME (2016) Allometric trajectories and “stress”: a quantitative approach. Frontiers in Plant Science 7: 1681. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01681.
• Unterholzner L, Carrer, M, Bär A, Beikircher B, Dämon B, Losso A, Prendin AL, Mayr S (2020) Juniperus communis populations exhibit low variability in hydraulic safety and efficiency. Tree Physiology 40: 1668-1679. DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaa103.
• Petit G, Anfodillo T, Carraro V, Grani F & Carrer M (2011). Hydraulic constraints limit height growth in trees at high altitude. New Phytologist 189: 241-252. DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2010.03455.x.

  Forest Structure and Dynamics

Forest stands are communities of living organisms, subject to evolutions and changes manifesting at various temporal scales. At monitoring areas set up in the Dolomite region and the Belluno Prealps, forest dynamics are studied to understand how stands evolve over time in response to various factors. These can include sudden changes like cutting interventions associated with forest management or disturbance phenomena such as windthrow or insect attacks, as well as effects induced by internal or external factors such as competition between individuals or climate change.

Publications:

• Käber Y, Bigler C, Hille Ris Lambers J, Hobi M, Nagel TA, Aakala T, Blaschke M, Brang P, Brzeziecki B, Carrer M, Cateau E, Frank G, Fraver S, Idoate-Lacasia J, Holik J, Kucbel S, Leyman A, Meyer P, Motta R, Samonil P, Seebach L, Stillhard J, Svoboda M, Szwagrzyk J, Vandekerkhove K, Vostarek O, Zlatanov T, Bugmann H (2023) Sheltered or suppressed? Tree regeneration in unmanaged European forests. Journal of Ecology 111: 2281-2295. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2745.14181.
• Carrer M, Castagneri D, Popa I, Pividori M, Lingua E (2018) Tree spatial patterns and stand attributes in temperate forests: the importance of plot size, sampling design, and null model. Forest Ecology and Management 407: 125-134. DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2017.10.041.
• Anfodillo T, Carrer M, Simini F, Popa I, Banavar JR, Maritan A (2013) An allometry-based approach for understanding forest structure, predicting tree-size distribution and assessing the degree of disturbance. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: 280: 20122375. DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2375.
• Carrer M, Soraruf L, Lingua E., (2013) Convergent space-time tree regeneration patterns along an elevation gradient at high altitude in the Alps. Forest Ecology and Management 304: 1-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2013.04.025.

  3D Representation of Forests

Forest areas can be mapped and monitored at various scales of representation. The European Union’s “Copernicus” Earth observation program provides spatial (2D) representations of various indices with satellite sensors. Using sensors on piloted or unmanned aircraft (drones) and portable, easy-to-transport instruments, three-dimensional representations of the area of interest can be developed. At CSAA, surveys are carried out using portable and drone-mounted laser scanners for detailed and rigorous 3D representation of the complex geometries present in a forested area, allowing for semi-automatic estimation of various parameters of interest (e.g., tree height and diameter).

  Tree Species as Natural Archives

Dendroecology is the study of forest ecology through the analysis of annual growth rings of woody species, both trees and shrubs. At the specialized CSAA laboratories, analyses are conducted on tree species' responses to climate variations, the impact of defoliator insect outbreaks on forest dynamics, and climate reconstruction of environmental variables such as temperature and snow cover over the last millennium. Additionally, the dendroecological approach to quantitative analysis of wood anatomical traits is used to reconstruct wood biomass production over time based on water availability.

Publications:

• Björklund J, Seftigen K, Stoffel M, Fonti MV, Kottlow S, Frank DC, Esper J, Fonti P, Goosse H, Grudd H, Gunnarson BE, Nievergelt D, Pellizzari E, Carrer M & von Arx G (2023). Fennoscandian tree-ring anatomy shows a warmer modern than medieval climate. Nature 620: 97–103. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06176-4.
• Carrer M, Dibona R, Prendin AL, Brunetti M (2023). Recent waning snowpack in the Alps is unprecedented in the last six centuries. Nature Climate Change 13(2): 155-160. DOI: 10.1038/s41558-022-01575-3.
• Castagneri D, Prendin AL, Peters RL, Carrer, M, von Arx, G, Fonti P (2020) Long-Term Impacts of Defoliator Outbreaks on Larch Xylem Structure and Tree-Ring Biomass. Frontiers in Plant Science 11: 1078. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.01078
• Carrer M, Unterholzner L, Castagneri D (2018) Wood anatomical traits highlight complex temperature influence on Pinus cembra at high elevation in the Eastern Alps. International Journal of Biometeorology 62: 1745-1753. DOI: 10.1007/s00484-018-1577-4.
• Castagneri D, Petit G, Carrer M (2015) Divergent climate response on hydraulic-related xylem anatomical traits of Picea abies along a 900-m altitudinal gradient. Tree Physiology 35: 1378-1387. DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpv085.

  Landscape and Biodiversity

Alpine landscapes hold immense value for biodiversity. Research in this area focuses on the planning, management, and conservation of forests and other natural and semi-natural environments. These studies have enabled the development of extensive forest management plans for several alpine valleys, including the Boite Valley, and contributed to environmental assessments of significant development projects. Other research activities focus on collecting and processing data on the structure and biodiversity of various natural and semi-natural habitats in the Dolomites and defining goals and measures for their conservation.

Publications:

• Alterio E, Campagnaro T, Sallustio L, Burrascano S, Casella L, Sitzia T (2023) Forest management plans as data source for the assessment of the conservation status of European Union habitat types. Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 5: 1069462. DOI:10.3389/ffgc.2022.1069462.
• Trentanovi G, Campagnaro T, Rizzi A, Sitzia T (2018) Synergies of planning for forests and planning for Natura 2000: Evidences and prospects from northern Italy. Journal for Nature Conservation 43: 239-249, DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2017.07.006.
• Campagnaro T, Brundu G, Sitzia T (2018) Five major invasive alien tree species in European Union forest habitat types of the Alpine and Continental biogeographical regions. Journal for Nature Conservation 43: 227-238, DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2017.07.007.
• Campagnaro T, Frate L, Carranza ML, Sitzia T (2017) Multi-scale analysis of alpine landscapes with different intensities of abandonment reveals similar spatial pattern changes: Implications for habitat conservation. Ecological Indicators 74: 147-159. DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.11.017.
• Sitzia T, Campagnaro T, Grigolato S (2016) Ecological risk and accessibility analysis to assess the impact of roads under Habitats Directive. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 59(12): 2251-2271. DOI: 10.1080/09640568.2016.1140023.

  Hydrogeological Risk

Debris flows are solid-liquid currents that develop following short-duration, high-intensity rainfall at the foot of rocky walls: surface runoff along the slopes impacts sediments, generating impulsive phenomena capable of transporting sediment volumes of over 100,000 m³, potentially highly destructive.
Monitoring stations have been installed along the Boite Valley to study the phenomenology of debris flows. Based on the analysis of collected data, new warning systems and defense works are developed.

Publications:

• Bernard M, Barbini M, Boreggio M, Gregoretti C (2024) Deposition areas: An effective solution for the reduction of the sediment volume transported by stony debris flows on the high-sloping reach of channels incising fans and debris cones. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 49: 664-683. DOI: 10.1002/esp.5727.
• Boreggio M, Bernard M, Gregoretti C (2022) Does the topographic data source truly influence the routing modeling of debris flows in a torrent catchment? Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 47: DOI: 10.1002/esp.4981.
• Bernard M, Gregoretti C (2021) The use of rain gauge measurements and radar data for the model‐based prediction of runoff‐generated debris‐flow occurrence in early warning systems. Water Resources Research 57: e2020WR027893. DOI: 10.1029/2020WR027893.
• Simoni A, Bernard M, Berti M, Boreggio M, Lanzoni S, Stancanelli L, Gregoretti C (2020) Runoff‐generated debris flows: observation of initiation conditions and erosion‐deposition dynamics along the channel at Cancia (Eastern Italian Alps). Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 45: 3556-3571. DOI: 10.1002/esp.4981.
• Gregoretti C, Degetto M, Bernard M, Boreggio M (2018) The debris flow occurred at Ru Secco Creek, Venetian Dolomites, on 4 August 2015: analysis of the phenomenon, its characteristics and reproduction by models. Frontiers in Earth Sciences 6: 80. DOI: 10.3389/feart.2018.00080.

  Development of Forest and Mountain Economy

The Center is located in one of the most interesting areas for studies on forest and policy economics related to the alpine arc’s forest resources. The research, often referring to the rich history of management methods, property regulation, and the various types of products and services provided by forests in the past, ranges from the economic analysis of the forest product supply chain to the estimation of the value of non-market products and services (touristic-recreational, hydrogeological protection, biodiversity protection, carbon fixation, education, inclusion, and improvement of physical and mental health), with particular attention to the role of collective and municipal properties and the links between forest economy and other sectors of the alpine mountain economy.

Publications:

• Gatto P, Defrancesco E, Mozzato D, Pettenella D (2019) Are non‐industrial private forest owners willing to deliver regulation ecosystem services? Insights from an alpine case. European Journal of Forest Research 138: 639–651. DOI: 10.1007/s10342-019-01195-1.
• Gatto P, Pettenella D, Secco L, Vidale E (2014) I servizi ecosistemici delle foreste alpine nel Veneto. Consapevolezza e disponibilità a pagare da parte dei residenti nella regione. Agriregionieuropa 10 (37): 61-64.
• Favero M, Gatto P, Pettenella D (2014) Common Properties and Municipalities: institutional relations in forest environmental services provision. A case study in an Alpine Region. In: Roos A, Lönnstedt L, Nord T, Gong P, Stendahl M (eds.). Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Scandinavian Society of Forest Economics, Uppsala. Scandinavian Forest Economics 45: 70-79. ISSN 0355-032X.
• Gatto P, Pettenella D, Secco L, Vidale E (2013) Strumenti innovativi per le politiche della montagna: pagamenti per i servizi ambientali. In: Varotto M, Castiglioni B. Di chi sono le Alpi? Appartenenze politiche, economiche e culturali nel mondo alpino contemporaneo. Padova University Press, Padova, pp. 117-131 ISBN 9788897385424.
• Pettenella, Ciotti M (2007) Prezzi e costi di produzione del legname: un’analisi della perdita di competitività nelle realtà alpine. In: Brunori G (a cura di). Biodiversità e tipicità. Paradigmi economici e strategie competitive. Atti del XLII Convegno di Studi SIDEA. Franco Angeli, Milano, pp. 395-409. ISBN 978-88-464-8755-1.