Environmental drivers of canopy gap geometry: a meta-analysis of gap disturbance regimes across forest biomes

Forest degradation and related biodiversity loss require urgent improvement of forest management practices. Ecological forestry, including emulation of natural disturbances and retention management is considered a promising candidate for a management strategy aiming for reducing logging impact on biodiversity processes underpinning ecosystem services. However, properties of natural disturbances and their consequences on forest ecosystems show immense variations across different forest biomes. Therefore, understanding region-specific properties of natural disturbances (e.g. canopy gap formations) is fundamental to implement the appropriate emulation practices. Moreover, recent climate change…