Broadleaf deciduous forests of temperate regions: livelihoods, ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation

Mountain ecosystems are basic components of terrestrial environments due to their rich biodiversity and the wide range of ecosystem services they provide. Their conservation is crucial for maintaining ecological balance and supporting sustainable rural development. Around 15% of the mountains are covered by forests, which represents 28% of the world’s forests. Two main types of temperate forests occur in the mid-latitudes: evergreen forests, dominated by tree species that retain their foliage throughout the year, and deciduous broadleaf forests, characterized by trees that seasonally shed their leaves in response to variation of temperature and photoperiod. Likewise, these forests provide more than a fifth of the rural livelihoods, offering solutions to poverty and contributing to human well-being. Also, they conserve a unique biodiversity and many of them are protected. Depending on the degree of involvement of communities, access to forest capital may be limited and trade-offs could be created between conservation and poverty alleviation. Options to ensure that communities benefit from protected forest ecosystems include ecotourism, sustainable use of natural resources, and zoning to include sole local use areas.

Different species of oak trees dominate many of these forests, playing an essential role in maintaining biodiversity and people’s livelihoods, as well as in regulating ecosystem services. Climate change has caused an increase in temperature and the maintenance of rainfall in temperate regions, which has favoured the increase of forest area and could modify the distribution of species. Although, there are nuances, mainly a reduction in snowfall and a shorter cold season. Our aim is to analyse the role of deciduous broadleaf forests in temperate mountain regions, with particular emphasis on the ecosystem services they provide and their contribution to biodiversity conservation. This represents a complex challenge that requires the integration of diverse scientific perspectives and management approaches.