Sustainable forest management (SFM) is crucial for forest ecosystem productivity and conservation, especially in systems such as cork oak (Quercus suber L.) threatened by human activities and biotic and abiotic factors. In this study SFM indicators with particular reference to cork oak forests in the region of Sardinia (Italy) are proposed and tested. Sustainable and responsible management options specifically aimed at cork oak forest management and chain of custody certification are also provided. A set of ten indicators was proposed and assessed by an expert panel in cork oak management. Five indicators were also tested against data on structure, origin, health condition and management in 285 forest compartments managed by FoReSTAS (Regional Forest Agency for Land and Environment of Sardinia, Italy), including 361 sampling plots and 5345 trees. In order to investigate the priorities and perceptions of SFM experts and stakeholders, a survey was also carried out by completion of a questionnaire on the technical issues of cork oak woodland management. The survey results highlighted a need to improve environmental and economic performance by means of SFM and certification. The indicators tested in Sardinian cork oak woodlands showed that about 80% of the stands fulfilled management sustainability requirements. The suggested SFM indicators can effectively support proactive management and conservation measures, representing a valuable tool in the current context of growing environmental and socioeconomic awareness. © SISEF.

Accurate estimates of tree biomass are strongly required for forest carbon budget estimates and to understand ecosystem dynamics for a sustainable management. Existing biomass equations for Mediterranean species are scarce, stand- and site-specific and therefore are not suitable for large scale application. In this study, biomass allometric equations were developed for stone pine (Pinus pinea L.), a Mediterranean tree species with relevant ecologic and economic interest. A dataset of 283 harvested trees was compiled with above- and belowground biomass from 16 sites in three countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal) representative of the species’ geographical Mediterranean distribution. A preliminary approach comparing the ordinary least squares method and the mixed model approach was performed in order to evaluate the most appropriate method for nested data in the absence of calibration data. To quantify the sources of error associated with applying biomass equations beyond the geographical range of the data used to develop them, a residual analysis was conducted. The allometric analysis showed low intra-specific variability in aboveground biomass relationships, which was relatively insensitive to the stand and site conditions. Significant differences were found for the crown components (needles and branches), which may be attributed to local geographical adaptation, site conditions and stand management. The root biomass was highly correlated with diameter at breast height irrespective of the geographical origin. Biased estimates were found when using site-specific equations outside the geographical range from where they were developed. The new biomass equations improved the accuracy of biomass estimates, particularly for the aboveground components of higher dimension trees and for the root component, being highly suitable for use in regional and national biomass forest calculations. It is, up to the present, the most complete database of harvested stone pine trees worldwide. © 2018

Key message: Climate factors affect seed biomass production which in turn influences autumn wild boar spatial behaviour. Adaptive management strategies require an understanding of both masting and its influence on the behaviour of pulsed resource consumers like wild boar. Context: Pulsed resources ecosystem could be strongly affected by climate. Disantangling the role of climate on mast seeding allow to understand a seed consumer spatial behaviour to design proper wildlife and forest management strategies. Aims: We investigated the relationship between mast seeding and climatic variables and we evaluated the influence of mast seeding on wild boar home range dynamics. Methods: We analysed mast seeding as seed biomass production of three broadleaf tree species (Fagus sylvatica L., Quercus cerris L., Castanea sativa Mill.) in the northern Apennines. Next, we explored which climatic variables affected tree masting patterns and finally we tested the effect of both climate and seed biomass production on wild boar home range size. Results: Seed biomass production is partially regulated by climate; high precipitation in spring of the current year positively affects seed biomass production while summer precipitation of previous year has an opposite effect. Wild boar home range size is negatively correlated to seed biomass production, and the climate only partially contributes to determine wild boar spatial behaviour. Conclusion: Climate factors influence mast seeding, and the negative correlation between wild boar home range and mast seeding should be taken into account for designing integrated, proactive hunting management. © 2018, INRA and Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.