Work

Non-native Abies species as alternatives to Abies alba in a changing climate in southwestern Germany: Evidence from species trials

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: In the context of climate change, the proportion of conifers in Central European forests is projected to decrease with far-reaching consequences for forestry and timber industries. In addition, the loss of native conifers will impact on the dependent biodiversity. For those reasons, this study examined the growth performance of various alternative Abies species from southeastern Europe (A. nordmanniana, A. bornmuelleriana, A. equi-trojani and A. cephalonica) as potential candidate species for southwestern Germany. To this end, an extensive dataset was compiled from existing cultivation trials. In addition to the southeastern Abies species, Abies alba and Pseudotsuga menziesii were included in the analyses as reference tree species. However, owing to the limited extent of the database for A. cephalonica and A. equi-trojani it was not possible to obtain statistically robust results for these species.Results for A. bornmuelleriana and A. nordmanniana demonstrate clearly that these are high-performing alternative conifer species in terms of height development and total volume production in southern Germany and presumably in other central European regions. The height growth of the southeastern Abies spp. was comparable to that of the indigenous A. alba. Under comparable site conditions, their total volume production exceeded, in some cases, significantly that of A. alba, but was inferior to P. menziesii. The past growth performance combined with negligible mortality of these Abies spp. from southeastern Europe indicates considerable potential as alternative conifer species. Further research should address their response to extreme climatic events and their potential to support native biodiversity.

Source: Forest Ecology and Management

DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2026.123889

Authors: Florian Ruge, Jürgen Bauhus, Ulrich Kohnle, Joachim Klädtke

Institutions: Forstliche Versuchs- und Forschungsanstalt Baden-Württemberg, University of Freiburg

Language: English

Topic: Forest ecology and management

Subfield: Nature and Landscape Conservation

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Life on land, Climate action

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,560