Broadleaves - History, Ecology and Management
How have temperate broadleaf forests in northern and central Europe developed, and how can we manage them sustainably for the future? This course offers a comprehensive understanding of these ecosystems, focusing on forest history, ecology, biodiversity, and modern management strategies.
You will explore forest dynamics such as disturbances, succession, and the impacts of human activities and climate change. The course covers the role of forestry in biodiversity conservation, habitat restoration, and the transition from conifer to broadleaf forests. Through lectures, field trips, and practical assignments, you’ll analyze current challenges in forest management, climate adaptation, and societal influences.
Ideal for those seeking to understand the complex processes shaping broadleaf forests—past, present, and future.
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SV0062-40161 - Course evaluation report
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Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
SV0062 Broadleaves - History, Ecology and Management, 15.0 Credits
Ädellövskog - historia, ekologi och skötselSubjects
Forestry Science BiologyEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Single module | 15.0 | 0010 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1N)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
The equivalent of120 credits
60 credits within one of the following subjects/main fields of study
- forestry science
- forest science
- forest management
- biology
- environmental sciences
- natural resource management
English 6.
Objectives
The overall goal of the course is to provide a comprehensive account on the history, ecology, biodiversity, and sustainable governance of temperate broadleaf forest ecosystems in northern and central Europe.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to
- describe the main dynamic processes influencing temperate broadleaf forests, including natural and management-related disturbances and secondary succession, as well as long-term vegetation history
- describe the main environmental and compositional characteristics of the major temperate broadleaf forest types
- identify and discuss the most important challenges with regard to biodiversity conservation and sustainable management in broadleaf forests and describe strategies to address them
- explain principles of past- and current sustainable silvicutural systems in broadleaf forests
- explain principles of forest and habitat restoration in managed and protected broadleaf forests
- summarize, critically evaluate and present scientific studies concerning ecology and dynamics of broadleaf forests both in oral and written form
- critically and systematically analyse and discuss complex problems of forest governance
- write a reflective journal.
Content
During this course, the ecology of temperate broadleaf forests is studied with a focus on forest history, disturbance dynamics, forest succession and vegetation ecology. The study region comprises southern Sweden, Denmark, the Baltic countries, northern Germany and northern Poland.
Patterns of biodiversity are examined for the major species groups in broadleaf forests. The impact of forest management on biodiversity and current approaches to conservation and management for multiple goals are evaluated. Specifically, management alternatives based on historical conservation baselines are compared, including implications of Pleistocene megafauna extinctions. Current threats and challenges to the function and biodiversity of broadleaf forests are studied, with a focus on exotic tree pathogens and effects of ungulate browsing.
The course addresses various aspects of past- and current management models in broadleaf forests for production goals, including management of fast-growing tree species. Traditional silvicultural systems, such as beech shelterwood management, are compared with single tree and group selection approaches. Current concepts of forest management and restoration are evaluated with an emphasis on adaptation to ongoing climate change and on stand conversion from spruce to broadleaf forest. During field trips, reserve management and active habitat restoration are studied.
Throughout the course, the challenges that sustainable governance of broadleaf forest ecosystems meets today with respect to current changes in climate and society are discussed.
The course is divided into several parts where each part typically consists of:
- introductory lectures
- an individual or group assignment
- field excursions
- a seminar or exercise to discuss and present the assignments.
To further student learning and promote discussion, a variety of methods are used:
Lectures, literature studies, exercises, written exercises, (written) assignments, laboratory sessions, project work, seminars, study visits, study trips, field exercises, excursions, proficiency training, presentations
The course focuses on the following generic competencies:
Information competence, critical thinking and reflection, problem solving, scientific methods, use of technology, oral and written communication, teamwork.
The following course components are compulsory:
The study trip, excursions, individual and group assignments as well as exercises and seminars.
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
Passed written examinations.
Approved written exercises.
Completed compulsory components
If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Additional information
The course includes a study trip to Bialowieza Primeval Forest in Poland. Travel to and from Warsaw is paid by the students while the other costs are covered by the department: bus to Bialowieza, hotel accommodation and meals.Responsible department
Department of Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre
Further information
Litterature list
Broadleaves - history, ecology and management
Course literature - Spring 2025 - SV0062
Forest history, forest dynamics and biodiversity (module 1)
- Bond 2005. Large parts of the world are brown or black: a different view on the ‘Green World’ hypothesis. Journal of Vegetation Science 16: 261–266.
- Brunet et al. 2010. Biodiversity in European beech forests – a review with recommendations for sustainable forest management. Ecological Bulletins 53: 77-94.
- Bütler et al. 2020: Field guide to tree-related microhabitats. Descriptions and size limits for their inventory. Birmensdorf, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL. 59 p.
- Kirby and Watkins (Eds.). 2015. Europe’s changing woods and forests: from wildwood to managed landscapes. CAB International. 393 pp. Chapters 1-4.
- Larrieu et al. 2018. Tree related microhabitats in temperate and Mediterranean European forests: A hierarchical typology for inventory standardization. Ecological Indicators 84: 194-207.
- Larsen et al. 2005. Ecology of tree species and species selection. In: Naturnaer skovdrift (edited by Larsen, J.B.)
- Mölder et al. 2019. Integrative management to sustain biodiversity and ecological continuity in Central European temperate oak (Quercus robur, Q. petraea) forests: An overview. Forest Ecology and Management 437: 324–339
Ungulate ecology (module 2)
- Bergqvist et al. 2018. Forage availability and moose winter browsing in forest landscapes. Forest Ecology and Management 419: 170-178.
- Faison et al. 2016. Ungulate browsers promote herbaceous layer diversity in logged temperate forests. Ecology and Evolution 6: 4591-4602.
- Kolstad et al. 2018. Pervasive moose browsing in boreal forests alters successional trajectories by severely suppressing keystone species. Ecosphere 9: e02458.
- Felton et al. 2020. Varied diets, including broadleaved forage, are important for a large herbivore species inhabiting highly modified landscapes. Scientific Reports 10: 1-13.
Forest health (module 3)
- Allen et al. 2010. A global overview of drought and heat-induced tree mortality reveals emerging climate change risks for forests. Forest Ecology and Management 259: 660-684.
- Boyd et al. 2013. The consequence of tree pests and diseases for ecosystem services. Science
342: 1235773. - Fernandex-Conradi et al. 2021. Combining phytochemicals and multitrophic interactions to
control forest insect pests. ScienceDirect 44: 101–106 - Prospero and Cleary. 2017. Effects of host variability on the spread of invasive forest diseases.
Forests 8: 80. - Roberts et al. 2020. The effect of forest management options on forest resilience to pathogens.
Frontiers in Forests and Global Change 3: 7. - Trumbore et al. 2015. Forest health and global change. Science 349, 814-818.
Bialowieza forest (module 4)
- Churski et al. 2017. Brown world forests: increased ungulate browsing keeps temperate trees in
recruitment bottlenecks in resource hotspots. New Phytologist 214: 158-168. - Hofman-Kaminska et al. 2019. Adapt or die—Response of large herbivores to environmental
changes in Europe during the Holocene. Global Change Biology 25: 2915–2930. - Kuijper et al. 2013. Landscape of fear in Europe: wolves affect spatial patterns of ungulate
browsing in Bialowieza Primeval Forest, Poland. Ecography 36: 1263-1275. - Nowacki and Abrams. 2008. The Demise of Fire and “Mesophication” of Forests in the Eastern
United States. BioScience 58: 123-138. - Mikusiński et al. 2018. Is the impact of loggings in the last primeval lowland forest in Europe
underestimated? The conservation issues of Białowieża Forest. Biological Conservation 227:
266-274. - Spînu et al. 2020. Mesophication in temperate Europe. A dendrochronological reconstruction
of tree succession and fires in a mixed deciduous stand in Bialowieza forest. Ecology and
Evolution 10, 1029-1041.
Forest management and restoration (module 5)
- Cernansky 2018. How to rebuild a forest. Nature 560: 542-544.
- Gamfeldt et al. 2013. Higher levels of multiple ecosystem services are found in forests with more
tree species. Nature Communications 4: 1340. - Kelty 2006. The role of species mixtures in plantation forestry. Forest Ecology and Management
233: 195-204. - Kirby and Watkins (Eds.). 2015. Europe’s changing woods and forests: from wildwood to
managed landscapes. CAB International. 393 pp. Chapters 5-8. - Löf et al. 2016. Management of oak forests: striking a balance between timber production,
biodiversity and cultural services. International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem
Services and Management 12: 59-73. - Popkin 2021. Forest fight. Science 374: 1184-1189.
- Stanturf et al. 2014. Contemporary forest restoration: a review emphasizing function. Forest
Ecology and Management 331: 292-323. - Vollmuth 2022. The changing perception of coppice with standards in German forestry literature
up to the present day – From a universal solution to a defamed and overcome evil – and back?
Trees, Forests and People 10: 100338.
Fast-growing broadleaves (module 6)
- Böhlenius and Övergaard 2015. Growth response of hybrid poplars to different types and levels
of vegetation control. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 30: 516-525. - Böhlenius and Övergaard 2015. Exploration of optimal agricultural practices and seedling types
for establishing poplar plantations. Forests 6: 2785-2798. - Böhlenius and Övergaard 2016. Impact of seedling type on early growth of poplar plantations on
forest and agricultural land. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 31: 733-741. - Böhlenius et al. 2016. Growth response of hybrid aspen (Populus × wettsteinii) and populus
trichocarpa to different ph levels and nutrient availabilities. Canadian Journal of Forest Research
46: 1367-1374. - Böhlenius et al. 2018. Differences in Al sensitivity affect establishment of Populus genotypes on
acidic forest land. PLOS ONE 13: e0204461. - Jobling (Ed.) 1990. Poplars for Wood Production and Amenity: The forest commition, Forest
Research station, Alice Holt Lodge, UK. - Stanturf et al. 2014. Chapter 5, p 200-257. In Poplars and Willows, Trees for Society and the
Environment. Isebrands and Richardson (Eds.), CABI, Oxfordshire, UK. - Tullus et al. 2012. Short-rotation forestry with hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L.×P. tremuloides
Michx.) in Northern Europe. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research 27: 10-29. - McCarthy and Rytter 2015. Productivity and thinning effects in hybrid aspen root sucker stands.
Forest Ecology and Management 354: 215-223.