Journal of Forest Science, 2026 (vol. 72), issue 8
Forest digital twin via big data integration: Current advances and future perspectivesReview
Jialiang Yang, Chun Qin
J. For. Sci., 2026, 72(8):383-399 | DOI: 10.17221/47/2026-JFS 
Forest ecosystems face increasing pressures from climate change, biodiversity loss, and human activities, necessitating innovative tools for management and prediction. Forest digital twin is emerging as a transformative tool for monitoring, simulating, and managing forest ecosystems. By integrating multi-source big data – satellite imagery, airborne and terrestrial LiDAR, Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, and process-based ecological models – the forest digital twin can provide dynamic, high-resolution representations of forest structure and function. This review integrates and analyses recent advances reported across 56 scholarly works...
Laboratory synthesis of ectomycorrhizae between ectomycorrhizal fungi and Pinus hostsReview
Jinqiu Li, Xiaofei Shi, Jing Li
J. For. Sci., 2026, 72(8):400-421 | DOI: 10.17221/52/2026-JFS
Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi are integral components of forest ecosystems, playing crucial roles in ecological succession and biodiversity maintenance. Fossil evidence suggests that Pinaceae represent one of the earliest ectomycorrhiza-forming host lineages, and that the symbiotic relationship between Pinus species and ECM fungi is characterised by strong host specificity. Ectomycorrhizal fungi functionally substitute for root hairs, expanding the absorptive surface area of host root systems, thereby enhancing nutrient uptake, improving stress tolerance, and boosting the survival of outplanted seedlings. In recent years, ECM has garnered widespread...
Microclonal propagation of Cotoneaster melanocarpus as a tool for ecosystem restoration and resilience in KazakhstanOriginal Paper
Yedil Aishuk, Dani Sarsekova
J. For. Sci., 2026, 72(8):422-429 | DOI: 10.17221/41/2026-JFS
Degradation of steppe ecosystems in Kazakhstan requires propagation methods for native woody species. Seed propagation of Cotoneaster melanocarpus Fisch. ex Blytt is slow and irregular owing to dormancy. This study evaluated the effects of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) on in vitro shoot regeneration and multiplication. Overall, 200 apical and nodal explants from 40 visually healthy, naturally growing donor shrubs were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with five BAP/IBA treatments (T0–T4). Regeneration frequency, shoot number, shoot length, callus formation, and shoot-development patterns...
Strategic asymmetry in a contractor-mediated forest biomass supply chain: Evidence from Central SlovakiaOriginal Paper
Lucia Kružlicová, Daniel Halaj
J. For. Sci., 2026, 72(8):430-439 | DOI: 10.17221/55/2026-JFS
A reliable forest-biomass supply requires alignment among resource owners, processing contractors and energy users. This study examined governance and actor-specific strategic positions in a central Slovak chain comprising the state forest enterprise LESY SR, the contractor WorldWood and the Zvolen district-heating plant. Four management informants were interviewed using pre-tested semi-structured guides; the resulting factors were rated for impact (1–5) and importance (1–3), triangulated with documentary and operational evidence, and converted into weighted SWOT-TOWS coordinates. LESY SR (x = 16; y = –61) and the heating...