Partitioning sparse graphs into an independent set and a forest of bounded degree (Q1753010)

Summary: An \((\mathcal I,\mathcal F_d)\)-partition of a graph is a partition of the vertices of the graph into two sets \(I\) and \(F\), such that \(I\) is an independent set and \(F\) induces a forest of maximum degree at most \(d\). We show that for all \(M<3\) and \(d \geq \frac{2}{3-M} - 2\), if a graph has maximum average degree less than \(M\), then it has an \((\mathcal I,\mathcal F_d)\)-partition. Additionally, we prove that for all \(\frac{8}{3} \leq M < 3\) and \(d \geq \frac{1}{3-M}\), if a graph has maximum average degree less than \(M\) then it has an \((\mathcal I,\mathcal F_d)\)-partition. It follows that planar graphs with girth at least \(7\) (resp. \(8\), \(10\)) admit an \((\mathcal I,\mathcal F_5)\)-partition (resp. \((\mathcal I,\mathcal F_3)\)-partition, \((\mathcal I,\mathcal F_2)\)-partition).