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Table 2 Variables of forest structure, which are used in the forest structure index, and the aspects of forest structure they represent (taken from Storch et al. 2018)

From: Linking structure and species richness to support forest biodiversity monitoring at large scales

Variable

Acronym

Aspect of forest structure

Quadratic mean diameter at breast height (DBH ≥ 7 cm)

DBHq

Growing stock

DBH, standard deviation (DBH ≥ 7 cm)

DBHsd

Uneven-agedness

Volume / ha of trees (DBH ≥ 40 cm)

Vol40

Volume of large living trees

Tree height, standard deviation (DBH ≥ 7 cm)

HEIGHTsd

Vertical heterogeneity

Downed deadwood, average mean diameter

DW downed

Deadwood downed

Standing deadwood, mean DBH

DW standing

Deadwood standing

Number of decay classes

Decay classes

Deadwood decay classes

Number of tree species in the regeneration layer

SRreg

Tree regeneration diversity

Number of tree species (DBH ≥ 7 cm)

SR

Compositional heterogeneity

Diversity of bark types (based on tree species and DBH)

Bark

Bark-diversity

Diversity of flowering/fruiting trees (based on tree species and tree age)

Flower

Food/ pollen-diversity

  1. DBH Diameter at breast height (1.3 m)