The capacity of mixed forests to mitigate climate change effects by increasing resilience and lowering risks is pinpointed as an opportunity to highlight the role of tree species rich forests as part of complex socio-ecological systems.

This book updates and presents the state-of-the-art of mixed forest performance in terms of regeneration, growth, yield and delivery of ecosystem services. Examples from more than 20 countries in Europe, North Africa and South America provide insights on the interplay between structure and functionining, stability, silviculture and optimization of management of this type of forests. The book also analyses the role of natural mixed forests and mixed plantations in the delivery of ecosystem services and the best modelling strategy to study mixed forest dynamics.

The book is intended to serve as a reference tool for students, researchers and professionals concerned about the management of mixed forests in a context of social and environmental change.

Provides the more recent state-of-the-art of growth, yield, modelling and silviculture of mixed forests Provides a clear definition of mixed forests and management examples of mixed forests across Europe including colour illustrations from different mixed forests across the Globe Orientates future research lines of mixed forests as a result of scientific networking

Klappentext
Concerns about the loss of biodiversity and the negative consequences for resilience have oriented management to adopt a diversification strategy. The interplays between environmental drivers, forestry alternatives and social demands from mixed forests have opened appealing research questions whose answers needed to be addressed: what species mixture is better adapted to current environmental conditions and social demands?, what species composition would cope better with climate change?, are mixtures always more productive than monocultures?, what are the drivers of stability in mixed stands?, how do ecosystem processes and functions in mixed forests affect the delivery of ecosystem services? This book provides some answers to these questions as a result of scientific and stakeholder exchange during meetings and scientific missions in the framework of the European Network on Mixed Forests (EuMIXFOR). The book is included in the Springer's book series Managing Forest Ecosystems inorder to present state-of-the-art relating to mixed forests, their management, silviculture and dynamics in a cross-border context including examples from Europe, North Africa, and South-America. EuMIXFOR was funded by COST Action FP1206. COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation.

Inhalt
Foreword.- 1. The Role of Mixed Forests in a Changing Social-Ecological World; A. Bravo-Oviedo .- 2. Characterization of Mixed Forests; M. del Río et al .- 3. Data Platforms for Mixed Forests Research: Contributions from the EuMIXFOR Network; R. Ruiz-Peinado et al .- 4. Regeneration Patterns in Mixed-Species Stands; M. Löf et al .- 5. Growth and Structure in Mixed-Species Stands Compared with Monocultures. Review and Perspectives; H. Pretzsch .- 6. Silviculture of Mixed Forests. A European Overview of Current Practices and Challenges; M. Pach et al .- 7. The Development of Silvicultural Guidelines for Creating Mixed Forests; W.L. Mason et al .- 8. Silviculture of Temperate Mixed Forests from South-America; G.A. Loguercio et al .- 9. Mixed Forests Plantations; J. Urgoiti, A. Paquette .- 10. Models for Mixed Forests; M. Fabrika et al .- 11. Optimizing the Management of European Mixed Forests; L. Valsta, J. Bredahl Jacobsen .- 12. Mixed Forests Future; A. Bravo-Oviedo et al .- Index.