Natural disturbances and protective effect: the role of biological legacies in protection forests (original) (raw)

AI-generated Abstract

Natural disturbances, particularly windstorms, significantly impact European forest structures and related ecosystem services. This study examines the role of biological legacies—such as deadwood—following disturbances like windstorms in enhancing the protective functions of mountain forests. Through software simulations of rockfall activity in areas affected by the 2018 Vaia windstorm, findings indicate that retaining biological legacies mitigates rockfall propagation. The study advocates for re-evaluating post-disturbance forest management practices to preserve these legacies, especially in high rockfall hazard zones, to optimize forest multifunctionality.

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