Table 1.
Criteria used to identify potentially suitable plots as well as geodata sources used for plot selection. After preselection based on the general criteria, potential plots were classified according the two design gradients, forest structure, and landscape pattern
| Selection stage | Criterion | Feature/definition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preselection | Forest ownership | State owned | Forest inventory data, Geodata service of the Forest administration of Baden‐Württemberg (FGeo) |
| Region | southern Black Forest, Baar‐Wutach | Ecoregions according to Aldinger et al. (1998), Forest Research Institute of Baden‐Württemberg | |
| Elevation | ≥500 m a.s.l. | Digital elevation model (DEM), aggregated to 25 × 25 m resolution; State Agency of spatial information and rural development of Baden‐Württemberg (LGL), https://www.lgl-bw.de/lgl-internet/opencms/de/05_Geoinformation/Geotopographie/Digitale_Gelaendemodelle/ (30 October 2015) | |
| Steepness of slope | ≤35° | DEM, State agency of spatial information and rural development of Baden‐Württemberg (LGL), https://www.lgl-bw.de/lgl-internet/opencms/de/05_Geoinformation/Geotopographie/Digitale_Gelaendemodelle/ (30 October 2015) | |
| Stand age | ≥60 years | Forest inventory data, Geodata Service of the forest administration of Baden‐Württemberg (FGeo) | |
| Distance between plot centers | >750 m | GIS | |
| Infrastructure (buildings, roads) | (excluded) | ATKIS®, State Agency of spatial information and rural development of Baden‐Württemberg (LGL); Amtliches Topographisch‐Kartographisches Informationssystem. http://www.lgl-bw.de/lgl-internet/opencms/de/05_Geoinformation/AAA/ATKIS/ (30 October 2015) | |
| Waterbodies | (excluded) | ATKIS®, State agency of spatial information and rural development of Baden‐Württemberg (LGL)—Amtliches Topographisch‐Kartographisches Informationssystem. http://www.lgl-bw.de/lgl-internet/opencms/de/05_Geoinformation/AAA/ATKIS/ (30 October 2015) | |
| Restricted species protection areas | (excluded) | Geodata service of the Forest Research Institute FVA | |
| Landscape‐scale forest‐connectivity gradient | Forest within surrounding 25km2 | 3 classes: <50%, 50%–75%, >75% | ATKIS®, State agency of spatial information and rural development of Baden‐Württemberg (LGL)—Amtliches Topographisch‐Kartographisches Informationssystem. http://www.lgl-bw.de/lgl-internet/opencms/de/05_Geoinformation/AAA/ATKIS/ (30 October 2015) |
| Forest structure gradient | N standing dead trees within 1‐ha plot | 3 classes: 0, 1–9, >10 | Stereo color‐infrared aerial images of 2015, State agency of spatial information and rural development of Baden‐Württemberg (LGL) |