Gestione forestale e funzionalità ecosistemica: relazioni fra accrescimento e clima in fustaie pluristratificate di pino domestico nel parco naturale delle maremma

In a multi-layered stone pine stand, age-dependent auxonomic features and growth/climate relationships through response functions were investigated. The aims were to assess, at different development stages, the effects of forest management on growth dynamics and the influ-ence of climatic variables on annual radial growth. Results highlighted the importance of canopy gaps at different spatio-temporal scale in achieving a functional steady state, both in terms of growth, and spatial and demographic patterns. In the ecological point of view, the species is well adapted to th e current environment, being able to efficiently exploit resources, especially related to its water needs. Some behavioural peculiarities were observed, depend-ing on age: in the juvenile stage, growth seems to rely mainly on rainfalls occurring closest to, or coinciding with, the start of growing season; the role of the abundant au-tumn precipitations looks negligible, whereas they have a decisive influence on the growth of mature trees. Therefore, young trees more likely experienced more strong competition for light than for water. This could be partially mitigated by a more intensive management pro-gram, in order to promote trends towards a greater ecosys-tem functionality.