The Role of Deadwood in Forests between Climate Change Mitigation, Biodiversity Conservation, and Bioenergy Production: A Comparative Analysis Using a Bottom–Up Approach

Isabella De Meo (), Kiomars Sefidi, Selim Bayraktar, Carlotta Sergiacomi and Alessandro Paletto
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Isabella De Meo: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria (CREA), Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, 50125 Firenze, Italy
Kiomars Sefidi: Department of Forest Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil 5619911367, Iran
Selim Bayraktar: Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Forestry, İstanbul University—Cerrahpaşa, 34473 Istanbul, Türkiye
Carlotta Sergiacomi: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria (CREA), Research Centre for Forestry and Wood, 38123 Trento, Italy
Alessandro Paletto: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria (CREA), Research Centre for Forestry and Wood, 38123 Trento, Italy

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-13

Abstract: Recent literature highlights the crucial role of deadwood in forests, emphasizing its contribution to biodiversity conservation, soil fertility, climate change mitigation, and bioenergy production. However, managing deadwood presents challenges as decision-makers must balance trade-offs and synergies between these ecological benefits. A participatory approach, incorporating user opinions, can support effective decision-making. This study surveyed 1207 university students from Iran, Italy, and Türkiye to explore their perceptions of deadwood’s role and the potential trade-offs among climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and bioenergy production. Results indicate a high level of awareness among students regarding deadwood’s ecological functions, but preferences vary significantly across cultural and regional contexts. Results show that for students of all three countries, the most important function related to the deadwood in forests is the provision of microhabitats for wildlife, while in second place for Iranian students, there is bioenergy production, and for Turkish and Italian students, soil fertilization. In addition, results highlight that students prefer the management strategies based on leaving both standing dead trees and lying deadwood in the forest. This study reinforces existing literature on deadwood’s importance for biodiversity and underscores the need for informed policies that balance ecological values with practical management considerations.

Keywords: renewable energy; climate change; ecosystem services; university students’ preferences; questionnaire survey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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