The present paper reviews the most recent advances regarding the effects of chemical and organic fertilizers on soil microbial communities. Based on the results from the articles considered, some details are presented on how the use of various types of fertilizers affects the composition and activity of soil microbial communities. Soil microbes have different responses to fertilization based on differences in the total carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) contents in the soil, along with soil moisture and the presence of plant species. These articles show that the use of chemical fertilizers changes the abundance of microbial populations and stimulates their growth thanks to the nutrient supply added. Overall, however, the data revealed that chemical fertilizers have no significant influence on the richness and diversity of the bacteria and fungi. Instead, the abundance of individual bacterial or fungal species was sensitive to fertilization and was mainly attributed to the changes in the soil chemical properties induced by chemical or organic fertilization. Among the negative effects of chemical fertilization, the decrease in enzymatic activity has been highlighted by several papers, especially in soils that have received the largest amounts of fertilizers together with losses in organic matter.

Riparian forests are usually situated between terrestrial and aquatic systems. They play an essential role in the health of the environment and in providing complex ecosystem services. This is especially essential in arid and semi-arid regions. However, despite these facts, riparian ecosystems are underexplored in the specialty literature. As such, the purpose of this study is to address this gap by synthesizing the current knowledge about riparian forests, using both a bibliometric analysis and a qualitative literature approach. This analysis allowed us to identify six main ecosystem services provided by riparian forests: biodiversity support, carbon sequestration, water quality regulation, slope stability, pollution mitigation, and sociocultural benefits. Furthermore, we have emphasized local challenges (deforestation, agricultural expansion, a lack of policies). Connecting ecological knowledge with a socio-cultural context is the first step in creating a strong foundation for the adequate management of these essential ecosystems, while also supporting their conservation, development and climate resilience.

Forest shelterbelts and windbreaks play a vital role in protecting ecosystems, mitigating climate change effects, and enhancing agricultural productivity. These vegetative barriers serve as effective tools for soil conservation, reducing wind and water erosion while improving soil fertility. Additionally, they contribute to biodiversity preservation by providing habitat corridors for various plant and animal species. Their role in microclimate regulation, such as temperature moderation and increased humidity retention, further enhances agricultural yields and ecosystem stability. This study examines the historical evolution, design principles, and contemporary applications of forest shelterbelts and windbreaks, drawing insights from scientific research and case studies worldwide. It highlights the economic and environmental benefits, including improved air quality, carbon sequestration, and water management, making them crucial components of sustainable land use strategies. However, challenges such as land use competition, maintenance costs, and policy constraints are also analyzed, underscoring the need for integrated approaches to their management. Through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the existing literature and field studies, this paper emphasizes the necessity of strategic planning, community involvement, and adaptive policies to ensure the long-term sustainability of forest shelterbelts and windbreaks. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of their role in combating environmental degradation and promoting ecological resilience in the face of ongoing climate challenges.

The forest-based sector plays a significant role in supporting Europe on its pathway towards a more integrated and bio-based circular economy. Beyond the supply of timber, forest ecosystems offer a wide range of products and services beneficial to human wellbeing. Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) play an integral role in provisioning forest ecosystem services and constitute a huge portfolio of species from various taxonomic kingdoms. As diverse as the resources themselves is the list of end-products that may be derived from raw non-wood materials. Multiple value-chains of NWFPs provide benefits to actors across all stages of the supply chain. Forest management has not yet directed full attention towards NWFPs, since timber production remains the main management objective, although multi-purpose management is recognised as a key principle of the sector’s sustainability paradigm. Lack of knowledge of the socio-economic relevance of NWFPs for European societies and diverse property rights frameworks increase the complexity in forest-based decision making additionally. In this study, the future potential of 38 NWFPs for diversifying the forest bioeconomy is investigated by means of multi-criteria analysis, including stakeholder interaction and expert involvement. The results for six case studies in different biogeographical zones in Europe indicate the latent opportunities NWFPs provide to forest owners who are willing to focus their management on the joint production of wood and non-wood resources as well as their value networks. This study intends to unravel perspectives for forest owners in particular, as they often represent principal decision makers in forest ecosystem management, act as main suppliers of NWFP raw materials, and thus can be understood as key stakeholders in a forest bioeconomy. Even though regional perspectives differ, due to varying socio-economic and ecological environments, there is huge potential to strengthen the economic viability of rural areas. Furthermore, sustainable co-production may foster the ecological integrity of forest ecosystems across Europe. Results show that wild mushrooms constitute the most widespread opportunity to increase additional income from forest management, but the most promising NWFPs can be found in the tree product, understorey plant and animal origin categories.

Oak forests are an important part of temperate European ecosystems, where they are actively improving biodiversity, carbon storage, and ecological stability. However, current concerns such as climatic changes, and especially rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns, are impacting their resilience. In this context, our study intends to evaluate the impact of climatic variability on temperate oak forests, focusing on the influence of temperature and precipitation. This covers different sites that have different environmental conditions. By using both a bibliometric approach and a systematic analysis of publications that have studied the influence of climate change on oak forests, our study has identified specific species and site responses to climate stressors. Furthermore, we have also evaluated trends in drought sensitivity. All these aspects have allowed us to understand and suggest improvements for the impact of climate change on the resilience and productivity of oak ecosystems. We have analyzed a total number of 346 publications that target the impact of climate change on oak forests. The articles were published between 1976 and 2024, with the majority originating from the USA, Spain, Germany, and France. These studies were published in leading journals from Forestry, Environmental Sciences, and Plant Sciences, among which the most cited journals were Forest Ecology and Management, the Journal of Biogeography, and Global Change Biology. As for the keywords, the most frequent ones were climate change, drought, growth, forest, and oak. However, we have observed a trend towards drought sensitivity, which indicates the intensification of climate changes on oak ecosystems. Moreover, this trend was more present in central and southern regions, which further highlights the impact of regional conditions. As such, certain local factors (soil properties, microclimate) were also taken into account in our study. Our literature review focused on the following aspects: Oak species affected by climate change; Impact of drought on oak forests; Influence of climate change on mixed forests containing oaks; Effects of climate change on other components of oak ecosystems; Radial growth of oaks in response to climate change; Decline of oak forests due to climate change. Our results indicate that oak forests decline in a process caused by multiple factors, with climate change being both a stressor and a catalyst. Across the globe, increasing temperatures and declining precipitation affect these ecosystems in their growth, functions, and resistance to pathogens. This can only lead to an increased forest decline. As such, our results indicate the need to implement forest management plans that take into account local conditions, species, and climate sensitivity. This approach is crucial in improving the adaptivity of oak forests and mitigating the impact of future climate extremes.

Principal component analysis (PCA) is a widely applied multivariate statistical technique across scientific disciplines, with forestry being one of its most dynamic areas of use. Its primary strength lies in reducing data dimensionality and classifying parameters within complex ecological datasets. This study provides the first comprehensive bibliometric and literature review focused exclusively on PCA applications in forestry. A total of 96 articles published between 1993 and 2024 were analyzed using the Web of Science database and visualized using VOSviewer software, version 1.6.20. The bibliometric analysis revealed that the most active scientific fields were environmental sciences, forestry, and engineering, and the most frequently published journals were Forests and Sustainability. Contributions came from 198 authors across 44 countries, with China, Spain, and Brazil identified as leading contributors. PCA has been employed in a wide range of forestry applications, including species classification, biomass modeling, environmental impact assessment, and forest structure analysis. It is increasingly used to support decision-making in forest management, biodiversity conservation, and habitat evaluation. In recent years, emerging research has demonstrated innovative integrations of PCA with advanced technologies such as hyperspectral imaging, LiDAR, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and remote sensing platforms. These integrations have led to substantial improvements in forest fire detection, disease monitoring, and species discrimination. Furthermore, PCA has been combined with other analytical methods and machine learning models—including Lasso regression, support vector machines, and deep learning algorithms—resulting in enhanced data classification, feature extraction, and ecological modeling accuracy. These hybrid approaches underscore PCA’s adaptability and relevance in addressing contemporary challenges in forestry research. By systematically mapping the evolution, distribution, and methodological innovations associated with PCA, this study fills a critical gap in the literature. It offers a foundational reference for researchers and practitioners, highlighting both current trends and future directions for leveraging PCA in forest science and environmental monitoring.