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Mazziotta A, Lundström J, Forsell N, Moor H, Eggers J, Subramanian N, Aquilué N, Morán‐Ordóñez A, Brotons L, Snäll T. More future synergies and less trade-offs between forest ecosystem services with natural climate solutions instead of bioeconomy solutions. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2022; 28:6333-6348. [PMID: 35949042 PMCID: PMC9805065 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
To reach the Paris Agreement, societies need to increase the global terrestrial carbon sink. There are many climate change mitigation solutions (CCMS) for forests, including increasing bioenergy, bioeconomy, and protection. Bioenergy and bioeconomy solutions use climate-smart, intensive management to generate high quantities of bioenergy and bioproducts. Protection of (semi-)natural forests is a major component of "natural climate solution" (NCS) since forests store carbon in standing biomass and soil. Furthermore, protected forests provide more habitat for biodiversity and non-wood ecosystem services (ES). We investigated the impacts of different CCMS and climate scenarios, jointly or in isolation, on future wood ES, non-wood ES, and regulating ES for a major wood provider for the international market. Specifically, we projected future ES given by three CCMS scenarios for Sweden 2020-2100. In the long term, fulfilling the increasing wood demand through bioenergy and bioeconomy solutions will decrease ES multifunctionality, but the increased stand age and wood stocks induced by rising greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations will partially offset these negative effects. Adopting bioenergy and bioeconomy solutions will have a greater negative impact on ES supply than adopting NCS. Bioenergy or bioeconomy solutions, as well as increasing GHG emissions, will reduce synergies and increase trade-offs in ES. NCS, by contrast, increases the supply of multiple ES in synergy, even transforming current ES trade-offs into future synergies. Moreover, NCS can be considered an adaptation measure to offset negative climate change effects on the future supplies of non-wood ES. In boreal countries around the world, forestry strategies that integrate NCS more deeply are crucial to ensure a synergistic supply of multiple ES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriano Mazziotta
- Swedish Species Information CentreSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)UppsalaSweden
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)HelsinkiFinland
| | - Johanna Lundström
- Department of Forest Resource ManagementSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)UmeåSweden
| | - Nicklas Forsell
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)LaxenburgAustria
| | - Helen Moor
- Swedish Species Information CentreSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)UppsalaSweden
- Swiss Federal Research Institute WSLBirmensdorfSwitzerland
| | - Jeannette Eggers
- Department of Forest Resource ManagementSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)UmeåSweden
| | - Narayanan Subramanian
- Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesSouthern Swedish Forest Research CentreAlnarpSweden
| | - Núria Aquilué
- Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC)SolsonaSpain
- Centre d' Étude de la Forêt (CEF)Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)MontréalQuebecCanada
| | - Alejandra Morán‐Ordóñez
- Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC)SolsonaSpain
- Centre for Research on Ecology and Forestry Applications (CREAF)Cerdanyola del VallesSpain
| | - Lluís Brotons
- Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC)SolsonaSpain
- Centre for Research on Ecology and Forestry Applications (CREAF)Cerdanyola del VallesSpain
- CSICCerdanyola del VallesSpain
| | - Tord Snäll
- Swedish Species Information CentreSwedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)UppsalaSweden
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Balmford A. Concentrating vs. spreading our footprint: how to meet humanity's needs at least cost to nature. J Zool (1987) 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. Balmford
- Conservation Science Group Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
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3
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Vanlandeghem V, Drapeau P, Prima M, St‐Laurent M, Fortin D. Management‐mediated predation rate in the caribou–moose–wolf system: spatial configuration of logging activities matters. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Pierre Drapeau
- Département des Sciences Biologique Université du Québec à Montréal Montreal QuebecH3C 3P8Canada
| | | | - Martin‐Hugues St‐Laurent
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie Université du Québec à Rimouski Rimouski QuebecG5L 3A1Canada
| | - Daniel Fortin
- Département de Biologie Université Laval Quebec QuebecG1V 0A6Canada
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4
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Betts MG, Phalan BT, Wolf C, Baker SC, Messier C, Puettmann KJ, Green R, Harris SH, Edwards DP, Lindenmayer DB, Balmford A. Producing wood at least cost to biodiversity: integrating Triad and sharing-sparing approaches to inform forest landscape management. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1301-1317. [PMID: 33663020 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Forest loss and degradation are the greatest threats to biodiversity worldwide. Rising global wood demand threatens further damage to remaining native forests. Contrasting solutions across a continuum of options have been proposed, yet which of these offers most promise remains unresolved. Expansion of high-yielding tree plantations could free up forest land for conservation provided this is implemented in tandem with stronger policies for conserving native forests. Because plantations and other intensively managed forests often support far less biodiversity than native forests, a second approach argues for widespread adoption of extensive management, or 'ecological forestry', which better simulates natural forest structure and disturbance regimes - albeit with compromised wood yields and hence a need to harvest over a larger area. A third, hybrid suggestion involves 'Triad' zoning where the landscape is divided into three sorts of management (reserve, ecological/extensive management, and intensive plantation). Progress towards resolving which of these approaches holds the most promise has been hampered by the absence of a conceptual framework and of sufficient empirical data formally to identify the most appropriate landscape-scale proportions of reserves, extensive, and intensive management to minimize biodiversity impacts while meeting a given level of demand for wood. In this review, we argue that this central challenge for sustainable forestry is analogous to that facing food-production systems, and that the land sharing-sparing framework devised to establish which approach to farming could meet food demand at least cost to wild species can be readily adapted to assess contrasting forest management regimes. We develop this argument in four ways: (i) we set out the relevance of the sharing-sparing framework for forestry and explore the degree to which concepts from agriculture can translate to a forest management context; (ii) we make design recommendations for empirical research on sustainable forestry to enable application of the sharing-sparing framework; (iii) we present overarching hypotheses which such studies could test; and (iv) we discuss potential pitfalls and opportunities in conceptualizing landscape management through a sharing-sparing lens. The framework we propose will enable forest managers worldwide to assess trade-offs directly between conservation and wood production and to determine the mix of management approaches that best balances these (and other) competing objectives. The results will inform ecologically sustainable forest policy and management, reduce risks of local and global extinctions from forestry, and potentially improve a valuable sector's social license to operate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew G Betts
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Benjamin T Phalan
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, 40170-115, BA, Brazil.,Parque das Aves, Av. das Cataratas, 12450 - Vila Yolanda, Foz do Iguaçu, PR, 85855-750, Brazil
| | - Christopher Wolf
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Susan C Baker
- School of Natural Sciences and ARC Centre for Forest Value, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia
| | - Christian Messier
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Klaus J Puettmann
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - Rhys Green
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, U.K
| | - Scott H Harris
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331, U.S.A
| | - David P Edwards
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, U.K
| | - David B Lindenmayer
- Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Andrew Balmford
- Conservation Science Group, Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, U.K
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A Quantitative Analysis of Surface Changes on an Abandoned Forest Road in the Lejowa Valley (Tatra Mountains, Poland). REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12203467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The main aim of this research was to determine the magnitude of geomorphologic changes within a section of a forest road. The research was carried out in the Lejowa Valley in the Tatra Mountains. The measurements of the surface of the road were performed using a RIEGL VZ-4000 terrestrial laser scanner (TLS). TLS models for 2017, 2018, and 2019 served as the basis for the determination of quantitative and spatial relief transformations. The net annual change on the studied road within the first period equaled −884 m3 ha−1 year−1, and for the second period −370 m3 ha−1 year−1. Changes across the accumulation fan ranged from −265 m3 ha−1 year−1 to +36 m3 ha−1 year−1. The average rate of erosion on the studied abandoned road is similar, and sometimes even greater than that on roads which are still in use. Our research shows that improper road location may lead to irreversible changes to the natural environment. The planning of a forest road must take into account natural conditions, otherwise progressive relief transformations may lead to significant surface changes and the road may be excluded from use.
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Kroll AJ, Springford A, Verschuyl J. Conservation and production responses vary by disturbance intensity in a long-term forest management experiment. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 30:e02148. [PMID: 32339366 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Reductions in management intensity are often proposed to support a broader range of beneficial ecosystem responses than traditional management approaches. However, few studies evaluate ecosystem responses across approaches. Also, managers lack information about how species traits mediate responses across management approaches, a potentially substantial source of spatial and temporal variation in population and community responses that if ignored may hinder effectiveness of management programs. We used data collected over eight years from a manipulative experiment to test how four forest management strategies influenced avian community composition and wood production. After harvesting, we evaluated responses to three levels of plant cover suppression (Light, Moderate, and Intensive herbicide applications) in relation to a control without herbicide. We predicted the Moderate and Intensive treatments would exert strong negative effects on leaf-gleaning insectivores, including species of conservation concern due to long-term population declines. However, given high forest productivity, we expected temporal duration of effects to be short. Richness of leaf-gleaning bird species was reduced by 20-50% during the first four years post-harvest (when herbicide treatments were on-going), but the effect size declined over the next four years once treatments were completed (13-20% reduction). Effect sizes were substantially smaller for the non-leaf-gleaner group during years 1-4 (19-27%) and disappeared during years 5-8 (2-3%). However, in our final year of observation, we did find an average of five fewer non-leaf-gleaner species on Light vs. Control units. In the last two years of observation, turnover probabilities for the leaf-gleaner species remained higher on all treatments compared to the Control (0.11-0.21), indicating that new species continued to colonize treatments. Planted conifers were 40-44% taller and 74-81% larger in diameter in the Moderate and Intensive treatments compared to the Control, leading to substantial gains in wood biomass. Current practices provided more balance between two ecosystem responses, avian diversity and wood production, compared to less intensive alternatives. When short-term negative effects occur, the spatial distribution of harvesting and regeneration regionally indicates that habitat is often available locally to support leaf-gleaning and non-leaf-gleaning bird populations while releasing other portions of the region for high priority conservation objectives including late-successional forest reserves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Kroll
- Weyerhaeuser, 785 N 42nd Street, Springfield, Oregon, 97478, USA
| | - Aaron Springford
- Weyerhaeuser, 220 Occidental Avenue S, Seattle, Washington, 98104, USA
| | - Jake Verschuyl
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc., P.O. Box 1259, Anacortes, Washington, 98221, USA
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7
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Ranius T, Hämäläinen A, Sjögren J, Hiron M, Jonason D, Kubart A, Schroeder M, Dahlberg A, Thor G, Jonsell M. The evolutionary species pool concept does not explain occurrence patterns of dead-wood-dependent organisms: implications for logging residue extraction. Oecologia 2019; 191:241-252. [PMID: 31352635 PMCID: PMC6732131 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04473-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Emulation of natural disturbances is often regarded as a key measure to make forestry biodiversity-oriented. Consequently, extraction of logging residues is assumed to have little negative effect in comparison to extraction of dead wood mainly formed at natural disturbances. This is consistent with the evolutionary species pool hypothesis, which suggests that most species are evolutionary adapted to the naturally most abundant habitats. We tested this hypothesis for dead-wood-dependent macrofungi, lichens, and beetles in a boreal forest landscape in central Sweden, assuming that species are adapted to conditions similar to today’s unmanaged forest. No occurrence patterns, for the species groups which we investigated, were consistent with the hypothesis. Overall, stumps and snags had the highest habitat quality (measured as average population density with equal weight given to each species) and fine woody debris the lowest, which was unexpected, since stumps were the rarest dead-wood type in unmanaged forest. We conclude that the evolutionary species pool concept did not explain patterns of species’ occurrences, and for two reasons, the concept is not reliable as a general rule of thumb: (1) what constitute habitats harbouring different species communities can only be understood from habitat-specific studies and (2) the suitability of habitats is affected by their biophysical characteristics. Thus, emulation of natural disturbances may promote biodiversity, but empirical studies are needed for each habitat to understand how natural disturbances should be emulated. We also conclude that stump extraction for bioenergy is associated with larger risks for biodiversity than fine woody debris extraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Ranius
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Aino Hämäläinen
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jörgen Sjögren
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Matthew Hiron
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dennis Jonason
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ariana Kubart
- Department of Forest Mycology and Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7026, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Martin Schroeder
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Anders Dahlberg
- Department of Forest Mycology and Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7026, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Göran Thor
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mats Jonsell
- Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, SE-750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
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8
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Kroll AJ, Verschuyl J, Giovanini J, Betts MG. Assembly dynamics of a forest bird community depend on disturbance intensity and foraging guild. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J. Kroll
- Weyerhaeuser Company; P.O. Box 9777 Federal Way WA 98063 USA
| | - Jake Verschuyl
- National Council for Air and Stream Improvement, Inc.; P.O. Box 1259 Anacortes WA 98221 USA
| | - Jack Giovanini
- Weyerhaeuser Company; P.O. Box 9777 Federal Way WA 98063 USA
| | - Matthew G. Betts
- Forest Biodiversity Research Network; Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society; Oregon State University; Corvallis OR 97331 USA
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9
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Regional Instability in the Abundance of Open Stands in the Boreal Forest of Eastern Canada. FORESTS 2016. [DOI: 10.3390/f7050103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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10
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Mori AS, Lertzman KP, Gustafsson L. Biodiversity and ecosystem services in forest ecosystems: a research agenda for applied forest ecology. J Appl Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Akira S. Mori
- Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences; Yokohama National University; Yokohama, Kanagawa 240 8501 Japan
- The Hakai Institute and the School of Resource and Environmental Management; Simon Fraser University; Burnaby BC V5A 1S6 Canada
| | - Kenneth P. Lertzman
- The Hakai Institute and the School of Resource and Environmental Management; Simon Fraser University; Burnaby BC V5A 1S6 Canada
| | - Lena Gustafsson
- Department of Ecology; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; Box 7044 750 07 Uppsala Sweden
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11
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Lõhmus A, Nellis R, Pullerits M, Leivits M. The Potential for Long-Term Sustainability in Seminatural Forestry: A Broad Perspective Based on Woodpecker Populations. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2016; 57:558-571. [PMID: 26620054 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-015-0638-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
We assessed ecological sustainability of seminatural forestry by analyzing 80-year dynamics and the current distribution of all woodpecker species in Estonia. We found that, despite the clear-cutting-based forestry system, woodpeckers inhabited commercial seminatural forests in substantial numbers, including the species generally considered vulnerable to timber harvesting. The only negative trend, a drastic decline in the Green Woodpecker, paralleled the loss of seminatural, wooded grasslands and is mostly an issue for landscape planning and agricultural land use. Major silvicultural factors supporting other species in commercial forests include natural regeneration with multiple native tree species and deadwood abundance. In such context, the main role of protected areas is to provide ecological resilience; however, we estimated that the current strict reserves could further double their carrying capacities for woodpeckers through successional recovery and, perhaps, active restoration. The long time series used were instrumental in detecting unexpected dynamics and the impacts of climatically extreme years. We conclude that (1) seminatural forestry can serve as a basis for reconciling timber harvesting and biodiversity protection at the landscape scale, given appropriate attention to key structures and landscape zoning and (2) woodpeckers represent a biological indicator system for the sustainability of forest landscapes in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asko Lõhmus
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Renno Nellis
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
- Estonian Ornithological Society, Veski 4, 51005, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Mirjam Pullerits
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Meelis Leivits
- Department of Geography, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
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12
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Craven D, Filotas E, Angers VA, Messier C. Evaluating resilience of tree communities in fragmented landscapes: linking functional response diversity with landscape connectivity. DIVERS DISTRIB 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- D. Craven
- Département des Sciences Biologiques; Centre for Forest Research (CFR); Université du Québec à Montreal; QC H3C 3P8 Canada
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv); Halle-Jena-Leipzig; Deutscher Platz 5e Leipzig 04103 Germany
- Institute for Biology; University of Leipzig; Johannisallee 21 04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - E. Filotas
- Centre for Forest Research (CFR), TÉLUQ; Université du Québec; Montreal QC H3C 3P8 Canada
| | - V. A. Angers
- Département des Sciences Biologiques; Centre for Forest Research (CFR); Université du Québec à Montreal; QC H3C 3P8 Canada
| | - C. Messier
- Département des Sciences Biologiques; Centre for Forest Research (CFR); Université du Québec à Montreal; QC H3C 3P8 Canada
- Institute for Temperate Forest Science; Université de Québec en Outaouais; Ripon QC H3C 3P8 Canada
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13
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Bouchard M, Garet J. A framework to optimize the restoration and retention of large mature forest tracts in managed boreal landscapes. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 24:1689-1704. [PMID: 29210231 DOI: 10.1890/13-1893.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The decreasing abundance of mature forests and their fragmentation have been identified as major threats for the preservation of biodiversity in managed landscapes. In this study, we developed a multi-level framework to coordinate forest harvestings so as to optimize the retention or restoration of large mature forest tracts in managed forests. We used mixed-integer programming for this optimization, and integrated realistic management assumptions regarding stand yield and operational harvest constraints. The model was parameterized for eastern Canadian boreal forests, where clear-cutting is the main silvicultural system, and is used to examine two hypotheses. First, we tested if mature forest tract targets had more negative impacts on wood supplies when implemented in landscapes that are very different from targeted conditions. Second, we tested the hypothesis that using more partial cuts can be useful to attenuate the negative impacts of mature forest targets on wood supplies. The results indicate that without the integration of an explicit mature forest tract target, the optimization leads to relatively high fragmentation levels. Forcing the retention or restoration of large mature forest tracts on 40% of the landscapes had negative impacts on wood supplies in all types of landscapes, but these impacts were less important in landscapes that were initially fragmented. This counter-intuitive result is explained by the presence in the models of an operational constraint that forbids diffuse patterns of harvestings, which are more costly. Once this constraint is applied, the residual impact of the mature forest tract target is low. The results also indicate that partial cuts are of very limited use to attenuate the impacts of mature forest tract targets on wood supplies in highly fragmented landscapes. Partial cuts are somewhat more useful in landscapes that are less fragmented, but they have to be well coordinated with clearcut schedules in order to contribute efficiently to conservation objectives. This modeling framework could easily be adapted and parameterized to test hypotheses or to optimize restoration schedules in landscapes where issues such as forest fragmentation and the abundance of mature or old-growth forests are a concern.
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14
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Beguin J, McIntire EJB, Raulier F. Salvage logging following fires can minimize boreal caribou habitat loss while maintaining forest quotas: An example of compensatory cumulative effects. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2015; 163:234-245. [PMID: 26321533 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2014] [Revised: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Protected area networks are the dominant conservation approach that is used worldwide for protecting biodiversity. Conservation planning in managed forests, however, presents challenges when endangered species use old-growth forests targeted by the forest industry for timber supply. In many ecosystems, this challenge is further complicated by the occurrence of natural disturbance events that disrupt forest attributes at multiple scales. Using spatially explicit landscape simulation experiments, we gather insights into how these large scale, multifaceted processes (fire risk, timber harvesting and the amount of protected area) influenced both the persistence of the threatened boreal caribou and the level of timber supply in the boreal forest of eastern Canada. Our result showed that failure to account explicitly and a priori for fire risk in the calculation of timber supply led to an overestimation of timber harvest volume, which in turn led to rates of cumulative disturbances that threatened both the long-term persistence of boreal caribou and the sustainability of the timber supply itself. Salvage logging, however, allowed some compensatory cumulative effects. It minimised the reductions of timber supply within a range of ∼10% while reducing the negative impact of cumulative disturbances caused by fire and logging on caribou. With the global increase of the human footprint on forest ecosystems, our approach and results provide useful tools and insights for managers to resolve what often appear as lose-lose situation between the persistence of species at risk and timber harvest in other forest ecosystems. These tools contribute to bridge the gap between conservation and forest management, two disciplines that remain too often disconnected in practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Beguin
- Départment de biologie, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Eliot J B McIntire
- Centre d'Étude de la Forêt (CEF), Canada; Pacific Forestry Centre (Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada), 506 West Burnside Road, Victoria, British Columbia, V8Z 1 M5, Canada.
| | - Frédéric Raulier
- Centre d'Étude de la Forêt (CEF), Canada; Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt, 2405, rue de la Terrasse, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, G1V 0A6, Canada.
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15
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Tittler R, Filotas É, Kroese J, Messier C. Maximizing Conservation and Production with Intensive Forest Management: It's All About Location. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2015; 56:1104-1117. [PMID: 26076893 DOI: 10.1007/s00267-015-0556-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 06/08/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Functional zoning has been suggested as a way to balance the needs of a viable forest industry with those of healthy ecosystems. Under this system, part of the forest is set aside for protected areas, counterbalanced by intensive and extensive management of the rest of the forest. Studies indicate this may provide adequate timber while minimizing road construction and favoring the development of large mature and old stands. However, it is unclear how the spatial arrangement of intensive management areas may affect the success of this zoning. Should these areas be agglomerated or dispersed throughout the forest landscape? Should managers prioritize (a) proximity to existing roads, (b) distance from protected areas, or (c) site-specific productivity? We use a spatially explicit landscape simulation model to examine the effects of different spatial scenarios on landscape structure, connectivity for native forest wildlife, stand diversity, harvest volume, and road construction: (1) random placement of intensive management areas, and (2-8) all possible combinations of rules (a)-(c). Results favor the agglomeration of intensive management areas. For most wildlife species, connectivity was the highest when intensive management was far from the protected areas. This scenario also resulted in relatively high harvest volumes. Maximizing distance of intensive management areas from protected areas may therefore be the best way to maximize the benefits of intensive management areas while minimizing their potentially negative effects on forest structure and biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Tittler
- Centre d'étude de la forêt, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada.
| | - Élise Filotas
- Centre d'étude de la forêt, UER Science et Technologie, Téluq, Unversité du Québec, 5800 rue Saint-Denis, Bureau 1105, Montréal, QC, H2S 3L5, Canada
| | - Jasmin Kroese
- Centre d'étude de la forêt, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Christian Messier
- Centre d'étude de la forêt, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada
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Slow Lives in the Fast Landscape: Conservation and Management of Plethodontid Salamanders in Production Forests of the United States. FORESTS 2014. [DOI: 10.3390/f5112750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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17
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Under the radar: mitigating enigmatic ecological impacts. Trends Ecol Evol 2014; 29:635-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2014.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Revised: 09/07/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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18
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Nagel TA, Svoboda M, Kobal M. Disturbance, life history traits, and dynamics in an old-growth forest landscape of southeastern Europe. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2014; 24:663-679. [PMID: 24988767 DOI: 10.1890/13-0632.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Much of our understanding of natural forest dynamics in the temperate region of Europe is based on observational studies in old-growth remnants that have emphasized small-scale gap dynamics and equilibrium stand structure and composition. Relatively little attention has been given to the role of infrequent disturbance events in forest dynamics. In this study, we analyzed dendroecological data from four stands and three windthrow patches in an old-growth landscape in the Dinaric Mountains of Bosnia and Herzegovina to examine disturbance history, tree life history traits, and compositional dynamics. Over all stands, most decades during the past 340 years experienced less than 10% canopy loss, yet each stand showed evidence of periodic intermediate-severity disturbances that removed > 40% of the canopy, some of which were synchronized over the study area landscape. Analysis of radial growth patterns indicated several life history differences among the dominant canopy trees; beech was markedly older than fir, while growth patterns of dead and dying trees suggested that fir was able to tolerate longer periods of suppressed growth in shade. Maple had the fastest radial growth and accessed the canopy primarily through rapid early growth in canopy gaps, whereas most beech and fir experienced a period of suppressed growth prior to canopy accession. Peaks in disturbance were roughly linked to increased recruitment, but mainly of shade-tolerant beech and fir; less tolerant species (i.e., maple, ash, and elm) recruited successfully on some of the windthown sites where advance regeneration of beech and fir was less abundant. The results challenge the traditional notions of stability in temperate old-growth forests of Europe and highlight the nonequilibrial nature of canopy composition due to unique histories of disturbance and tree life history differences. These findings provide valuable information for developing natural disturbance-based silvicultural systems, as well as insight into maintaining less shade-tolerant, but valuable broadleaved trees in temperate forests of Europe.
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Leroux SJ, Rayfield B. Methods and tools for addressing natural disturbance dynamics in conservation planning for wilderness areas. DIVERS DISTRIB 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Shawn J. Leroux
- Department of Biology; Memorial University of Newfoundland; 232 Elizabeth Ave St John's NL A1B 3X9 Canada
| | - Bronwyn Rayfield
- Department of Biology; McGill University; 1205 Docteur Penfield Montreal QC H3A 1B1 Canada
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