Coping with novel disturbance regimes: Suitability of 53 tree species for regenerating Central European forests

Managing forests after large-scale, severe disturbance events constitutes an increasing challenge for forest practitioners. Tree species selection plays a crucial role in guiding forest ecosystems towards a desired state. However, regeneration success varies significantly among species, particularly under the harsh environmental conditions resulting from the loss of a protective forest canopy. In this study, our aim was to (i) determine the suitability of tree species for regenerating Central European forests following major disturbance events, (ii) assess the site conditions under which these species can thrive, and (iii) estimate their potential for survival and growth in complex forest structures emerging as stands continue to develop. To address the key knowledge gap of tree species selection for adaptive forest management after disturbance, we conducted an extensive literature review, including grey literature, and incorporated our expert knowledge for species with limited documented sources. In doing so, we were able to rank the suitability of 53 tree species to regenerate on large disturbed areas based on their drought and late frost tolerance. We also gathered information on their nutrient requirements and waterlogging tolerance to identify suitable site conditions for all species. Moreover, we used shade tolerance to determine the potential of these species to thrive within complex forest structures. Nearly half of the examined species were identified as suitable or highly suitable for regenerating large disturbed areas, including many species native to Central Europe. Several of the top-ranked tree species are likely able to thrive in nutrient-poor, but only few in waterlogged soils. Furthermore, many suitable species were moderately to highly shade tolerance, indicating strong potential for growth and survival in structurally complex forests. Our study may improve management guidelines for regenerating forests after major disturbance events. However, our qualitative ranking approach comes with uncertainties that need to be addressed by quantitative experiments in the future. Despite intensifying disturbance regimes under climate change, our findings remain optimistic, demonstrating that viable regeneration options exist to ensure the continued supply of timber and other ecosystem services. • We evaluated 53 tree species to regenerate severely disturbed forests. • Many native tree species are tolerant to drought and late frost. • Few species tolerate waterlogging, more can cope with low nutrient availability. • Species suitability is only weakly correlated with shade tolerance. • Tree species selection options are not limited to pioneer species.