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This textbook offers a detailed overview of the current state of knowledge concerning the ecology and management of compositionally and structurally diverse forests. It provides answers to central questions such as:

• What are the scientific concepts used to assess the growth, dynamics and functioning of mixed-species forests, how generalizable are they, and what kind of experiments are necessary to develop them further?
• How do mixed-species stands compare with monocultures in relation to productivity, wood quality, and ecological stability in the face of stress and disturbances?
• How are the effects of species mixtures  on ecosystem functioning influenced by the particular species composition, site conditions, and stand structure?
• How does any over- or underyielding at the forest-stand level emerge from the tree and organ level, and what are the main mechanisms behind mixing effects?
• How can our current scientific understanding of mixed-species forests be integrated into silvicultural concepts as well as practical forest management and planning?
• Do the ecological characteristics of mixed-species stands also translate into economic differences between mixtures and monocultures?

In addition, the book addresses experimental designs and analytical approaches to study mixed-species forests and provides extensive empirical information, general concepts, models, and management approaches for mixed-species forests. As such, it offers a valuable resource for students, scientists and educators, as well as professional forest planners, managers, and consultants.

Mixed-Species Forests: Ecology and Management

Mixed-species forests: the development of a forest management paradigm.- From observations to evidence about effects of mixed-species stands.- Ecological and physiological processes in mixed versus monospecific stands.- Stand dynamics of mixed-species stands compared with monocultures.- Size-structure dynamics in mixed versus monospecific stands.- Individual tree structure and growth in mixed compared with monospecific stands.- Ecological stability of mixed-species forests.- Modelling mixed-species forest stands.- Silvicultural options for mixed-species stands.- Forest management planning in mixed-species forests.- Economics of mixed forests.- Perspectives for future research directions on mixed-species systems.