The purpose of this study, which contains historical data recorded over a period of 40 years, was to identify the main factors that influence and control the level of wood mass production. The main reason was to optimize the management of forest areas and was driven by the necessity to identify factors that can influence most of the volume produced by coniferous forests located in southeast Europe. The data was collected between1980 and 2005 at the National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry, for forests located in the Southern Carpathians, Romania. The studied data refer to the parameters that model forest structure for spruce, fir, pine, and larch. These are the main resinous species found in the Southern Carpathians. The total area covered by these forests is 143,431 ha. At the forest species level, the analysis consists of 16,162 records (corresponding to the elements of the trees), covering an area of 45,008 ha for fir, 4711 ha for larch, 81,995 ha for spruce, and 11,717 ha for pine. The aim of this research has been to investigate and to assess the impact and magnitude of abiotic factors such as altitude and field aspect on forest structures from the main resinous stands located in the Southern Carpathians. Taking into account the size of the database as well as the duration for collecting data, a complete statistical and systematic approach was considered optimum. This resulted from our wish to emphasize and evaluate the influence of each analysed factor on the wood mass production level. The relationship between abiotic factors and forest structure has been analysed by using a systematic statistical approach in order to provide a useful theoretical reference for the improvement of forest management practices in the context of multiple climatic, environmental, and socio-economic challenges. These common characteristics have been found by applying ANOVA and multivariate statistical methods such as PCA and FA methods. A series of parameters were considered in this investigation, namely altitude (ALT), forest site type (TS), forest type (TP), consistency (CONS) etc. In order to obtain a complete image, we have also applied multivariate analysis methods that emphasize the effect size for each database parameter. At such a level of recorded data, the statistical approach ensures a factor level of p <0.001 while the accuracy in evaluating effect size is increased. As such, they influence the spreading and structure of the studied resinous stands to a higher degree, regardless of species.

An increasing plethora of both meteorological and ancillary data are presently available for climate research and applications in urban areas. The data are often held by local or national institutions (i.e., meteorological services, universities or environmental agencies). This paper outlines a total number of 33 datasets, organized into three main categories of meteorological data resources (14 datasets) and four categories of ancillary data resources (19 datasets), selected for their potential to support urban climate studies, but also for their free accessibility. Such a collection cannot be exhaustive, but we aim to draw the attention of the scientific community to relevant datasets, freely available at temporal and spatial resolutions appropriate for urban climatology. Each dataset contains information about its availability, limitations, and examples of research in urban areas.

This study aims to evaluate the potential impact of climate and land use change on seasonal dynamics of surface runoff within the Upper Tarlung watershed of 71.62 km². Using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), we simulated the surface runoff under the projections from four global and regional combination models for two representative concentration pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) and three land use change scenarios. In addition, short (2020–2039), mid (2040–2069), and long-term model simulations (2070–2100) were analyzed compared with a ten-year baseline period (1979–1988). Ensemble SWAT outputs showed that, in spring, surface runoff could decrease by up to 28% or increase by up to 86%, in summer can decrease by up to 69%, while in autumn and winter, increases of approximately two to five times fold are expected. The decreasing tendency is more pronounced under climate conditions, while the sharpest increases are estimated in the comprehensive scenario of climate and land use change by 50%. Those results serve as a support for local water, forest, and land managers in anticipating possible threats and conceiving adaptive strategies to manage the studied watershed efficiently.

The present review summarizes the existing knowledge regarding the afforestation of sand dunes. Our main focus was on the role of trees in stabilizing and rehabilitating these complex ecosystems. We analyzed 937 publications through a systematic bibliometric review and then proceeded to select 422 articles that met our criteria. This methodological approach—combining a comprehensive bibliometric analysis with an in-depth traditional literature review—represents a novel contribution to the field and allows for both quantitative trends and qualitative insights to be captured. This was then complemented by an in-depth literature review. Our results sustain the global importance of this subject, as they include studies from more than 80 countries, with a focus on the USA, China, Australia, and Japan. We have also identified a series of main tree species that are usually used in the afforestation of sand dunes (Pinus, Acacia, Juniperus) and then proceeded to analyze their ecologic and socio-economic impact. As such, we have analyzed case studies from all continents, showcasing a variety of strategies that were successful and adapted to local conditions. This did not exclude challenges, mainly invasive species, low survival rates, and effects on biodiversity and stabilization. The main factors that impact the success of afforestation are represented by topography, soil structure, water dynamics, and climate. Unlike previous reviews, this study offers a global synthesis of both the scientific output and the applied outcomes of sand dune afforestation, bridging the gap between research and practice. As such, afforestation has a positive impact on soil fertility and carbon sequestration but can also present a major risk to native ecosystems. In this context, the present review highlights the need to adopt strategies that are unique for that site, and that must integrate all aspects (ecological, social, economic) to ensure good results. Our ISI-indexed literature review helped us to address the link between the current knowledge, research trends, and future topics that must be addressed.

This study aims to build and test the adaptability and reliability of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool hydrological model in a small mountain forested watershed. This ungauged watershed covers 184 km² and supplies 90% of blue water for the Brașov metropolitan area, the second largest metropolitan area of Romania. After building a custom database at the forest management compartment level, the SWAT model was run. Further, using the SWAT-CUP software under the SUFI2 algorithm, we identified the most sensitive parameters required in the calibration and validation stage. Moreover, the sensitivity analysis revealed that the surface runoff is mainly influenced by soil, groundwater and vegetation condition parameters. The calibration was carried out for 2001–2010, while the 1996–1999 period was used for model validation. Both procedures have indicated satisfactory performance and a lower uncertainty of model results in replicating river discharge compared with observed discharge. This research demonstrates that the SWAT model can be applied in small ungauged watersheds after an appropriate parameterisation of its databases. Furthermore, this tool is appropriate to support decision-makers in conceiving sustainable watershed management. It also guides prioritising the most suitable measures to increase the river basin resilience and ensure the water demand under climate change.