1
|
Pavlin J, Nagel TA, Svitok M, Di Filippo A, Mikac S, Keren S, Dikku A, Toromani E, Panayotov M, Zlatanov T, Haruta O, Dorog S, Chaskovskyy O, Bače R, Begović K, Buechling A, Dušátko M, Frankovič M, Janda P, Kameniar O, Kozák D, Marchand W, Mikoláš M, Rodrigo R, Svoboda M. Pathways and drivers of canopy accession across primary temperate forests of Europe. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 906:167593. [PMID: 37802334 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Canopy accession strategies reveal much about tree life histories and forest stand dynamics. However, the protracted nature of ascending to the canopy makes direct observation challenging. We use a reconstructive approach based on an extensive tree ring database to study the variability of canopy accession patterns of dominant tree species (Abies alba, Acer pseudoplatanus, Fagus sylvatica, Picea abies) in temperate mountain forests of Europe and elucidate how disturbance histories, climate, and topography affect canopy accession. All four species exhibited high variability of radial growth histories leading to canopy accession and indicated varying levels of shade tolerance. Individuals of all four species survived at least 100 years of initial suppression. Fir and particularly beech, however, survived longer periods of initial suppression, exhibited more release events, and reached the canopy later on average, with a larger share of trees accessing the canopy after initially suppressed growth. These results indicate the superior shade tolerance of beech and fir compared to spruce and maple. The two less shade-tolerant species conversely relied on faster growth rates, revealing their competitive advantage in non-suppressed conditions. Additionally, spruce from higher-elevation spruce-dominated forests survived shorter periods of initial shading and exhibited fewer releases, with a larger share of trees reaching the canopy after open canopy recruitment (i.e. in absence of suppression) and no subsequent releases compared to spruce growing in lower-elevation mixed forests. Finally, disturbance factors were identified as the primary driver of canopy accession, whereby disturbances accelerate canopy accession and consequently regulate competitive interactions. Intensifying disturbance regimes could thus promote shifts in species composition, particularly in favour of faster-growing, more light-demanding species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jakob Pavlin
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Thomas A Nagel
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 83, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marek Svitok
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Biology and General Ecology, Faculty of Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Technical University in Zvolen, Masaryka 24, 96053 Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Alfredo Di Filippo
- Department of Agriculture and Forest Sciences (DAFNE), University of Tuscia, Via SC de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
| | - Stjepan Mikac
- Department of Forest Ecology and Silviculture, Faculty of Forestry, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Srdjan Keren
- Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Elvin Toromani
- Faculty of Forestry Sciences, Agricultural University of Tirana, 1029 Koder-Kamez, Albania
| | - Momchil Panayotov
- Department of Dendrology, University of Forestry Sofia, Kliment Ohridski 10 Blvd., 1797 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Tzvetan Zlatanov
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Gagarin Street 2, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Ovidiu Haruta
- Forestry and Forest Engineering Department, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania
| | - Sorin Dorog
- Forestry and Forest Engineering Department, University of Oradea, Oradea, Romania
| | - Oleh Chaskovskyy
- Institute of Forest Management, Ukrainian National Forestry University, Vul. Henerala Chuprynky 103, 79031 Lviv, Ukraine
| | - Radek Bače
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Krešimir Begović
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Arne Buechling
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Dušátko
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Frankovič
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Janda
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Kameniar
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Kozák
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - William Marchand
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Mikoláš
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Ruffy Rodrigo
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Svoboda
- Department of Forest Ecology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcka 129, 165 21 Prague, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Small-scale spontaneous dynamics in temperate beech stands as an importance driver for beetle species richness. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11974. [PMID: 35831430 PMCID: PMC9279280 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16352-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural dynamics in forests play an important role in the lives of many species. In the landscape of managed forests, natural disturbances are reduced by management activities. This usually has a significant effect on insect diversity. The effect of small-scale natural dynamics of protected beech stands on the richness of saproxylic and non-saproxylic beetles was investigated. Sampling was carried out by using flight interception traps in the framework of comparing different developmental stages: optimum, disintegration, and growing up, each utilizing 10 samples. We recorded 290 species in total, of which 61% were saproxylic. The results showed that the highest species richness and thus abundance was in the disintegration stage. In each developmental stage, species variation was explained differently depending on the variable. Deadwood, microhabitats, and canopy openness were the main attributes in the later stages of development for saproxylic beetles. For non-saproxylics, variability was mostly explained by plant cover and canopy openness. Small-scale disturbances, undiminished by management activities, are an important element for biodiversity. They create more structurally diverse stands with a high supply of feeding and living habitats. In forestry practice, these conclusions can be imitated to the creation of small-scale silvicultural systems with active creation or retention of high stumps or lying logs.
Collapse
|
3
|
Aszalós R, Thom D, Aakala T, Angelstam P, Brūmelis G, Gálhidy L, Gratzer G, Hlásny T, Katzensteiner K, Kovács B, Knoke T, Larrieu L, Motta R, Müller J, Ódor P, Roženbergar D, Paillet Y, Pitar D, Standovár T, Svoboda M, Szwagrzyk J, Toscani P, Keeton WS. Natural disturbance regimes as a guide for sustainable forest management in Europe. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 32:e2596. [PMID: 35340078 DOI: 10.1002/eap.2596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In Europe, forest management has controlled forest dynamics to sustain commodity production over multiple centuries. Yet over-regulation for growth and yield diminishes resilience to environmental stress as well as threatens biodiversity, leading to increasing forest susceptibility to an array of disturbances. These trends have stimulated interest in alternative management systems, including natural dynamics silviculture (NDS). NDS aims to emulate natural disturbance dynamics at stand and landscape scales through silvicultural manipulations of forest structure and landscape patterns. We adapted a "Comparability Index" (CI) to assess convergence/divergence between natural disturbances and forest management effects. We extended the original CI concept based on disturbance size and frequency by adding the residual structure of canopy trees after a disturbance as a third dimension. We populated the model by compiling data on natural disturbance dynamics and management from 13 countries in Europe, covering four major forest types (i.e., spruce, beech, oak, and pine-dominated forests). We found that natural disturbances are highly variable in size, frequency, and residual structure, but European forest management fails to encompass this complexity. Silviculture in Europe is skewed toward even-aged systems, used predominately (72.9% of management) across the countries assessed. The residual structure proved crucial in the comparison of natural disturbances and silvicultural systems. CI indicated the highest congruence between uneven-aged silvicultural systems and key natural disturbance attributes. Even so, uneven-aged practices emulated only a portion of the complexity associated with natural disturbance effects. The remaining silvicultural systems perform poorly in terms of retention compared to tree survivorship after natural disturbances. We suggest that NDS can enrich Europe's portfolio of management systems, for example where wood production is not the primary objective. NDS is especially relevant to forests managed for habitat quality, risk reduction, and a variety of ecosystem services. We suggest a holistic approach integrating NDS with more conventional practices.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Réka Aszalós
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Dominik Thom
- Ecosystem Dynamics and Forest Management Group, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
- Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
- Institute of Silviculture, Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Tuomas Aakala
- School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Per Angelstam
- School for Forest Management, Faculty of Forest Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Skinnskatteberg, Sweden
- Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| | | | | | - Georg Gratzer
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Tomáš Hlásny
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Klaus Katzensteiner
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Bence Kovács
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Thomas Knoke
- Institute of Forest Management, School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Laurent Larrieu
- University of Toulouse, INRAE, UMR DYNAFOR, Castanet-Tolosan, France
- CNPF-CRPF Occitanie, Tarbes, France
| | - Renzo Motta
- Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Sciences (DISAFA), University of Turin, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Jörg Müller
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Rauhenebrach, Germany
- Bavarian Forest National Park, Grafenau, Germany
| | - Péter Ódor
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Ecology and Botany, Vácrátót, Hungary
| | - Dušan Roženbergar
- Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Yoan Paillet
- University Grenoble - Alpes, INRAE, LESSEM, Saint-Martin-D'Hères, France
| | - Diana Pitar
- National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry "Marin Dracea", Voluntari, Romania
| | - Tibor Standovár
- Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Miroslav Svoboda
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jerzy Szwagrzyk
- Department of Forest Biodiversity, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
| | - Philipp Toscani
- Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Economics, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - William S Keeton
- Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nagel TA, Firm D, Rozman A. Intermediate disturbances are a key driver of long-term tree demography across old-growth temperate forests. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:16862-16873. [PMID: 34938478 PMCID: PMC8668780 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Disentangling the relative influence of background versus disturbance related mortality on forest demography is crucial for understanding long-term dynamics and predicting the influence of global change on forests. Quantifying the rates and drivers of tree demography requires direct observations of tree populations over multiple decades, yet such studies are rare in old-growth forest, particularly in the temperate zone of Europe. We use multi-decade (1980-2020) monitoring of permanent plots, including observations of mode of mortality and disturbance events, to quantify rates and drivers of tree demography across a network of old-growth remnants in temperate mountain forests of Slovenia. Annual rates of mortality and recruitment varied markedly among sites and over time; census intervals that captured intermediate severity canopy disturbances caused subtle peaks in annual mortality (e.g., >2%/year), while rates of background mortality in non-disturbed intervals averaged about 1%/year. Roughly half of the trees died from modes of mortality associated with disturbance (i.e., uprooting or snapped-alive). Results of a Bayesian multilevel model indicate that beech (Fagus sylvatica) had a higher likelihood of disturbance related mortality compared to fir (Abies alba), which mainly died standing, and there was a notable increase in the odds of disturbance mortality with increasing diameter for all species. Annual recruitment rates were consistently low at sites (<0.5%) that lacked evidence of disturbance, but often exceeded 3% on sites with higher levels of past canopy mortality. Recruitment was dominated by beech on sites with more diffuse background mortality, while the less shade tolerant maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) recruited following known disturbance events. Our study highlights the important role of stand-scale, partial canopy disturbance for long-term forest demography. These results suggest that subtle climate-driven changes in the regime of intermediate severity disturbances could have an important influence on future forest dynamics and warrant attention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A. Nagel
- Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest ResourcesBiotechnical FacultyUniversity of LjubljanaLjubljanaSlovenia
| | - Dejan Firm
- Scion – New Zealand Forest Research InstituteRotoruaNew Zealand
| | - Andrej Rozman
- Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest ResourcesBiotechnical FacultyUniversity of LjubljanaLjubljanaSlovenia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Asbeck T, Kozák D, Spînu AP, Mikoláš M, Zemlerová V, Svoboda M. Tree-Related Microhabitats Follow Similar Patterns but are More Diverse in Primary Compared to Managed Temperate Mountain Forests. Ecosystems 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-021-00681-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe impact of forest management on biodiversity is difficult to scrutinize along gradients of management. A step towards analyzing the impact of forest management on biodiversity is comparisons between managed and primary forests. The standardized typology of tree-related microhabitats (TreMs) is a multi-taxon indicator used to quantify forest biodiversity. We aim to analyze the influence of environmental factors on the occurrence of groups of TreMs by comparing primary and managed forests. We collected data for the managed forests in the Black Forest (Germany) and for the primary forests in the Western (Slovakia) and Southern Carpathians (Romania). To model the richness and the different groups of TreMs per tree, we used generalized linear mixed models with diameter at breast height (DBH), altitude, slope and aspect as predictors for European beech (Fagus sylvatica (L.)), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.)) and silver fir (Abies alba (Mill.)) in primary and managed temperate mountain forests. We found congruent results for overall richness and the vast majority of TreM groups. Trees in primary forests hosted a greater richness of all and specific types of TreMs than individuals in managed forests. The main drivers of TreMs are DBH and altitude, while slope and aspect play a minor role. We recommend forest and nature conservation managers to focus: 1) on the conservation of remaining primary forests and 2) approaches of biodiversity-oriented forest management on the selection of high-quality habitat trees that already provide a high number of TreMs in managed forests based on the comparison with primary forests.
Collapse
|
6
|
From Acid Rain to Low Precipitation: The Role Reversal of Norway Spruce, Silver Fir, and European Beech in a Selection Mountain Forest and Its Implications for Forest Management. FORESTS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/f12070894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Research Highlights: We make use of long term observation data from a selection forest in Bavaria. Despite the changing environmental conditions, stand level productivity remains constant over time. Maintaining species and structural diversity by forest management can contribute to resilient forest ecosystems. Background and Objectives: Forests in mountains are similarly affected by environmental changes like those in northern latitudes as species are closer to the edge of their ecological niche. There are recent studies that report species-specific responses to climate change in unmanaged, mono-layered mountain mixed forests. We analyze how environmental changes modify the growth of multi-layered, managed selection forest, which are often targeted for stabilization and risk prevention. We pose the central hypothesis that different species-specific susceptibility to disturbances and structural diversity contribute to ecosystem stability. Materials and Methods: Based on the long-term experiment Freyung 129 in the montane zone of the Bavarian Forest, Germany we analyze long term chronologies of periodic single tree and stand growth of Norway Spruce, silver fir, and European beech in dependence of environmental factors and forest management. Results: First, we show that despite environmental changes in terms of air pollution and drought stress, productivity at stand level persists constantly because of structural diversity and species traits. Second, we show that the species-specific contribution to total stand growth and growth distribution among stem diameter classes may change over time; the species interactions balance total growth. Third, we reveal a role reversal of tree species growth pattern. N. spruce was superior in growth in the first half and was replaced by s. fir in the second half of the survey period. Fourth, we identify the interplay of different stress factors on species-specific growth as the main cause for species-specific asynchronous but growth stabilizing reaction pattern. Finally, we show that density regulation was limited in its impacts to mitigate prevailing stress factors. Conclusions: We discuss the reasons for the observed stability of productivity. We interpret results, where especially the diversity of species and structure typical for selection forests result in stable productivity and wider plateau of the density-productivity relationship, and the suitability of the selection forest concept for risk prevention and stress resilience. We conclude that species composition and stand structure of selection forestry in mixed mountain contribute to climate smart forestry.
Collapse
|
7
|
Spatial Patterns of Structural Complexity in Differently Managed and Unmanaged Beech-Dominated Forests in Central Europe. REMOTE SENSING 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/rs12121907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
One of the main goals of modern silviculture is to emulate the structural complexity of old-growth forests. In this context, it is of advantage to identify a target state of structural complexity at the stand level and to analyze the spatial characteristics that led to the desired complexity of forest structures in primary forest references. In this study, we used 3D forest scenes captured by terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to identify spatial patterns of structural complexity of differently managed and unmanaged European forests dominated by beech (Fagus sylvatica L.). We scanned in managed even-aged and uneven-aged stands, as well as in formerly managed forests (National Parks) and primary forests. For three different forest strata, representing the understory, the midstory, and the overstory of a forest stand, we determined the structural complexity mathematically using fractal analysis. Beyond that, we analyzed the density, as well as the horizontal and vertical distribution of plant material. For all three forest strata, we observed differences in structural complexity between the different forest types. Within the lower and middle strata, the investigated primary forests showed a random to regular distribution of plant material, as well as a complex understory structure as a result of pronounced natural decay. Compared to the primary forests, the managed uneven-aged stands showed quite similar spatial patterns of distribution of plant material, but on average a higher space occupation in the lower and middle forest stratum. Our results suggest that single tree or group selection cutting is a useful management tool to imitate old-growth structures of undisturbed beech-dominated forests.
Collapse
|
8
|
Kozák D, Svitok M, Wiezik M, Mikoláš M, Thorn S, Buechling A, Hofmeister J, Matula R, Trotsiuk V, Bače R, Begovič K, Čada V, Dušátko M, Frankovič M, Horák J, Janda P, Kameniar O, Nagel TA, Pettit JL, Pettit JM, Synek M, Wieziková A, Svoboda M. Historical Disturbances Determine Current Taxonomic, Functional and Phylogenetic Diversity of Saproxylic Beetle Communities in Temperate Primary Forests. Ecosystems 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10021-020-00502-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
|
9
|
Kovac M, Gasparini P, Notarangelo M, Rizzo M, Cañellas I, Fernández-de-Uña L, Alberdi I. Towards a set of national forest inventory indicators to be used for assessing the conservation status of the habitats directive forest habitat types. J Nat Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2019.125747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
10
|
Gap Structure and Regeneration in the Mixed Old-Growth Forests of National Nature Reserve Sitno, Slovakia. FORESTS 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/f11010081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Forest management mimicking natural processes represents an approach to maintain mixed, uneven-aged stands at small spatial scales. The reliance on natural processes, especially on natural regeneration leads to the use of gap-based regeneration as a fundamental silvicultural technique. As a baseline for such management, we investigated mixed forest in unmanaged National Nature Reserve Sitno in the Western Carpathians, which harbours extraordinary diversity on a rather small scale. To quantify the impact of gaps on gap-filling processes and to assess the role they play in recently observed changes in tree species composition we established a large (2.5 ha) permanent research plot and surveyed the status of natural regeneration, forest structure, tree species composition, and disturbance regime. Our research highlights the long-term and contemporary difficulties in the establishment of Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl and Fagus sylvatica (L.). Based on the provided evidence, the native tree species diversity in one of the few preserved old-growth multi-species beech-oak forest remnants is not likely to persist, what could have many implications for future ecosystem functioning. Our results suggest that variation in gap size is an important factor contributing to composition of tree species composition of natural regeneration. The recent intermediate-scale disturbance pattern dominating the old-growth beech-oak forest is beneficial to canopy recruitment of species less shade-tolerant than Fagus sylvatica, as Acer pseudoplatanus (L.), Acer platanoides (L.), and Fraxinus excelsior (L.). We discuss possible factors behind observed shifts in tree species composition and limitations for application of gap dynamics to forest practice in managed beech-oak forest systems. Overall, results of this study may help to design silvicultural measures promoting mixed-species forests to deliver a range of desired ecosystem services.
Collapse
|
11
|
Gustafsson L, Bauhus J, Asbeck T, Augustynczik ALD, Basile M, Frey J, Gutzat F, Hanewinkel M, Helbach J, Jonker M, Knuff A, Messier C, Penner J, Pyttel P, Reif A, Storch F, Winiger N, Winkel G, Yousefpour R, Storch I. Retention as an integrated biodiversity conservation approach for continuous-cover forestry in Europe. AMBIO 2020; 49:85-97. [PMID: 31055795 PMCID: PMC6889099 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-019-01190-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Retention forestry implies that biological legacies like dead and living trees are deliberately selected and retained beyond harvesting cycles to benefit biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. This model has been applied for several decades in even-aged, clearcutting (CC) systems but less so in uneven-aged, continuous-cover forestry (CCF). We provide an overview of retention in CCF in temperate regions of Europe, currently largely focused on habitat trees and dead wood. The relevance of current meta-analyses and many other studies on retention in CC is limited since they emphasize larger patches in open surroundings. Therefore, we reflect here on the ecological foundations and socio-economic frameworks of retention approaches in CCF, and highlight several areas with development potential for the future. Conclusions from this perspective paper, based on both research and current practice on several continents, although highlighting Europe, are also relevant to other temperate regions of the world using continuous-cover forest management approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jürgen Bauhus
- Chair of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Asbeck
- Chair of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Andrey Lessa Derci Augustynczik
- Chair of Forestry Economics and Forest Planning, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marco Basile
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Julian Frey
- Chair of Remote Sensing and Landscape Information Systems, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Fabian Gutzat
- Department of Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marc Hanewinkel
- Chair of Forestry Economics and Forest Planning, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jan Helbach
- Chair of Geobotany, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Schänzlestr. 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marlotte Jonker
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Abteilung Waldnaturschutz, Baden-Württemberg Forest Research Institute (FVA), Wonnhaldestraße 4, 79100 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Anna Knuff
- Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christian Messier
- Centre for Forest Research, Université du Québec à Montréal, PO Box 8888, Centre-Ville Station, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8 Canada
- Institut des sciences de la forêt tempérée (ISFORT), Université du Québec en Outaouais, 58 Rue Principale, Ripon, QC J0V 1V0 Canada
| | - Johannes Penner
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Pyttel
- Chair of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Albert Reif
- Chair of Site Classification and Vegetation Science, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Felix Storch
- Chair of Silviculture, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nathalie Winiger
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Georg Winkel
- Resilience Programme, European Forest Institute, Platz der Vereinten Nationen 7, 53133 Bonn, Germany
| | - Rasoul Yousefpour
- Chair of Forestry Economics and Forest Planning, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ilse Storch
- Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacherstr. 4, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Relationships between Structural Indices and Conventional Stand Attributes in an Old-Growth Forest in Southeast Europe. FORESTS 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/f11010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Structural indices are often proposed as guiding measures for increasing structural heterogeneity. However, few studies have examined the association between such indices and conventional stand attributes. The primary objectives of this study were to evaluate changes in structural heterogeneity and tree species diversity at different plot sizes and to quantify the relationships between conventional stand attributes (mean tree diameter, absolute tree density, basal area, species proportion) and structural indices in a mixed old-growth forest in Southeast Europe. Paired tests were used to identify significant changes in structural heterogeneity with increased plot area, while the relationships between stand attributes and analyzed indices (Gini, diameter differentiation, species mingling, and Shannon’s index) were evaluated with Pearson’s correlations. The index values of Gini, diameter differentiation, and tree species mingling were rather stable with the increase of plot size, whereas tree species diversity increased significantly with the increase of plot area from 200 m2 to 1500 m2. The measures of tree species mingling and tree species diversity were strongly associated with each other, while their association with diameter variability was weak to moderately strong. Tree species mingling index was strongly associated with the changes in tree species proportions. However, conventional stand attributes were generally not strongly correlated with the examined indices. For restoring and maintaining old-growth characteristics, forest managers may use structural indices to increase small-scale structural heterogeneity, tree species mingling, and diversity, but only as an additional set of measures, not as surrogates for conventional stand attributes.
Collapse
|
13
|
Gallaher JA, Brown JS, Anderson ARA. The impact of proliferation-migration tradeoffs on phenotypic evolution in cancer. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2425. [PMID: 30787363 PMCID: PMC6382810 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39636-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumors are not static masses of cells but dynamic ecosystems where cancer cells experience constant turnover and evolve fitness-enhancing phenotypes. Selection for different phenotypes may vary with (1) the tumor niche (edge or core), (2) cell turnover rates, (3) the nature of the tradeoff between traits, and (4) whether deaths occur in response to demographic or environmental stochasticity. Using a spatially-explicit agent-based model, we observe how two traits (proliferation rate and migration speed) evolve under different tradeoff conditions with different turnover rates. Migration rate is favored over proliferation at the tumor's edge and vice-versa for the interior. Increasing cell turnover rates slightly slows tumor growth but accelerates the rate of evolution for both proliferation and migration. The absence of a tradeoff favors ever higher values for proliferation and migration, while a convex tradeoff tends to favor proliferation, often promoting the coexistence of a generalist and specialist phenotype. A concave tradeoff favors migration at low death rates, but switches to proliferation at higher death rates. Mortality via demographic stochasticity favors proliferation, and environmental stochasticity favors migration. While all of these diverse factors contribute to the ecology, heterogeneity, and evolution of a tumor, their effects may be predictable and empirically accessible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jill A Gallaher
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA.
| | - Joel S Brown
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Alexander R A Anderson
- Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Glatthorn J, Feldmann E, Tabaku V, Leuschner C, Meyer P. Classifying development stages of primeval European beech forests: is clustering a useful tool? BMC Ecol 2018; 18:47. [PMID: 30458749 PMCID: PMC6247681 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-018-0203-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 11/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Old-growth and primeval forests are passing through a natural development cycle with recurring stages of forest development. Several methods for assigning patches of different structure and size to forest development stages or phases do exist. All currently existing classification methods have in common that a priori assumptions about the characteristics of certain stand structural attributes such as deadwood amount are made. We tested the hypothesis that multivariate datasets of primeval beech forest stand structure possess an inherent, aggregated configuration of data points with individual clusters representing forest development stages. From two completely mapped primeval beech forests in Albania, seven ecologically important stand structural attributes characterizing stand density, regeneration, stem diameter variation and amount of deadwood are derived at 8216 and 9666 virtual sampling points (moving window, focal filtering). K-means clustering is used to detect clusters in the datasets (number of clusters (k) between 2 and 5). The quality of the single clustering solutions is analyzed with average silhouette width as a measure for clustering quality. In a sensitivity analysis, clustering is done with datasets of four different spatial scales of observation (200, 500, 1000 and 1500 m2, circular virtual plot area around sampling points) and with two different kernels (equal weighting of all objects within a plot vs. weighting by distance to the virtual plot center). Results The clustering solutions succeeded in detecting and mapping areas with homogeneous stand structure. The areas had extensions of more than 200 m2, but differences between clusters were very small with average silhouette widths of less than 0.28. The obtained datasets had a homogeneous configuration with only very weak trends for clustering. Conclusions Our results imply that forest development takes place on a continuous scale and that discrimination between development stages in primeval beech forests is splitting continuous datasets at selected thresholds. For the analysis of the forest development cycle, direct quantification of relevant structural features or processes might be more appropriate than classification. If, however, the study design demands classification, our results can justify the application of conventional forest development stage classification schemes rather than clustering. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12898-018-0203-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Glatthorn
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Goettingen, Germany. .,Silviculture and Forest Ecology of the Temperate Zones, University of Goettingen, Büsgenweg 1, 37077, Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Eike Feldmann
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Vath Tabaku
- Chair of Silviculture and Forest Ecology, Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
| | - Christoph Leuschner
- Plant Ecology and Ecosystems Research, University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Peter Meyer
- Sachgebiet Waldnaturschutz/Naturwald, Nordwestdeutsche Forstliche Versuchsanstalt NW-FVA, Grätzelstrasse 2, 37079, Goettingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Ammer C, Fichtner A, Fischer A, Gossner MM, Meyer P, Seidl R, Thomas FM, Annighöfer P, Kreyling J, Ohse B, Berger U, Feldmann E, Häberle KH, Heer K, Heinrichs S, Huth F, Krämer-Klement K, Mölder A, Müller J, Mund M, Opgenoorth L, Schall P, Scherer-Lorenzen M, Seidel D, Vogt J, Wagner S. Key ecological research questions for Central European forests. Basic Appl Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.baae.2018.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
|
16
|
Kovac M, Hladnik D, Kutnar L. Biodiversity in (the Natura 2000) forest habitats is not static: its conservation calls for an active management approach. J Nat Conserv 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
17
|
Schurman JS, Trotsiuk V, Bače R, Čada V, Fraver S, Janda P, Kulakowski D, Labusova J, Mikoláš M, Nagel TA, Seidl R, Synek M, Svobodová K, Chaskovskyy O, Teodosiu M, Svoboda M. Large-scale disturbance legacies and the climate sensitivity of primary Picea abies forests. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2018; 24:2169-2181. [PMID: 29322582 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.14041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 11/17/2017] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Determining the drivers of shifting forest disturbance rates remains a pressing global change issue. Large-scale forest dynamics are commonly assumed to be climate driven, but appropriately scaled disturbance histories are rarely available to assess how disturbance legacies alter subsequent disturbance rates and the climate sensitivity of disturbance. We compiled multiple tree ring-based disturbance histories from primary Picea abies forest fragments distributed throughout five European landscapes spanning the Bohemian Forest and the Carpathian Mountains. The regional chronology includes 11,595 tree cores, with ring dates spanning the years 1750-2000, collected from 560 inventory plots in 37 stands distributed across a 1,000 km geographic gradient, amounting to the largest disturbance chronology yet constructed in Europe. Decadal disturbance rates varied significantly through time and declined after 1920, resulting in widespread increases in canopy tree age. Approximately 75% of current canopy area recruited prior to 1900. Long-term disturbance patterns were compared to an historical drought reconstruction, and further linked to spatial variation in stand structure and contemporary disturbance patterns derived from LANDSAT imagery. Historically, decadal Palmer drought severity index minima corresponded to higher rates of canopy removal. The severity of contemporary disturbances increased with each stand's estimated time since last major disturbance, increased with mean diameter, and declined with increasing within-stand structural variability. Reconstructed spatial patterns suggest that high small-scale structural variability has historically acted to reduce large-scale susceptibility and climate sensitivity of disturbance. Reduced disturbance rates since 1920, a potential legacy of high 19th century disturbance rates, have contributed to a recent region-wide increase in disturbance susceptibility. Increasingly common high-severity disturbances throughout primary Picea forests of Central Europe should be reinterpreted in light of both legacy effects (resulting in increased susceptibility) and climate change (resulting in increased exposure to extreme events).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan S Schurman
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Volodymyr Trotsiuk
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Radek Bače
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtěch Čada
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Shawn Fraver
- School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
| | - Pavel Janda
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Jana Labusova
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Mikoláš
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- PRALES, Rosina, Slovakia
| | - Thomas A Nagel
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Rupert Seidl
- Institute of Silviculture, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Michal Synek
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kristýna Svobodová
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Oleh Chaskovskyy
- Faculty of Forestry, Ukrainian National Forestry University, Lviv, Ukraine
| | - Marius Teodosiu
- Marin Drăcea National Research-Development Institute in Forestry, Câmpulung Moldovenesc, Romania
| | - Miroslav Svoboda
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Meigs GW, Keeton WS. Intermediate-severity wind disturbance in mature temperate forests: legacy structure, carbon storage, and stand dynamics. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 28:798-815. [PMID: 29364572 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Wind is one of the most important natural disturbances influencing forest structure, ecosystem function, and successional processes worldwide. This study quantifies the stand-scale effects of intermediate-severity windstorms (i.e., blowdowns) on (1) live and dead legacy structure, (2) aboveground carbon storage, and (3) tree regeneration and associated stand dynamics at four mature, mixed hardwood-conifer forest sites in the northeastern United States. We compare wind-affected forests to adjacent reference conditions (i.e., undisturbed portions of the same stands) 0-8 yr post-blowdown using parametric (ANOVA) and nonparametric (NMS ordination) analyses. We supplement inventory plots and downed coarse woody detritus (DCWD) transects with hemispherical photography to capture spatial variation in the light environment. Although recent blowdowns transferred a substantial proportion of live overstory trees to DCWD, residual live tree basal area was high (19-59% of reference areas). On average, the initial post-blowdown ratio of DCWD carbon to standing live tree carbon was 2.72 in blowdown stands and 0.18 in reference stands, indicating a large carbon transfer from live to dead pools. Despite these dramatic changes, structural complexity remained high in blowdown areas, as indicated by the size and species distributions of overstory trees, abundance of sound and rotten downed wood, spatial patterns of light availability, and variability of understory vegetation. Furthermore, tree species composition was similar between blowdown and reference areas at each site, with generally shade-tolerant species dominating across multiple canopy strata. Community response to intermediate-severity blowdown at these sites suggests a dynamic in which disturbance maintains late-successional species composition rather than providing a regeneration opportunity for shade-intolerant, pioneer species. Our findings suggest that intermediate-severity wind disturbances can contribute to stand-scale structural complexity as well as development toward late-successional species composition, at least when shade-tolerant regeneration is present pre-blowdown. Advance regeneration thus enhances structural and compositional resilience to this type of disturbance. This study provides a baseline for multi-cohort silvicultural systems designed to restore heterogeneity associated with natural disturbance dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Garrett W Meigs
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, 05405, USA
- Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, 05405, USA
| | - William S Keeton
- Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, 05405, USA
- Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, 05405, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Inter-annual and decadal changes in teleconnections drive continental-scale synchronization of tree reproduction. Nat Commun 2017; 8:2205. [PMID: 29263383 PMCID: PMC5738406 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02348-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate teleconnections drive highly variable and synchronous seed production (masting) over large scales. Disentangling the effect of high-frequency (inter-annual variation) from low-frequency (decadal trends) components of climate oscillations will improve our understanding of masting as an ecosystem process. Using century-long observations on masting (the MASTREE database) and data on the Northern Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), we show that in the last 60 years both high-frequency summer and spring NAO, and low-frequency winter NAO components are highly correlated to continent-wide masting in European beech and Norway spruce. Relationships are weaker (non-stationary) in the early twentieth century. This finding improves our understanding on how climate variation affects large-scale synchronization of tree masting. Moreover, it supports the connection between proximate and ultimate causes of masting: indeed, large-scale features of atmospheric circulation coherently drive cues and resources for masting, as well as its evolutionary drivers, such as pollination efficiency, abundance of seed dispersers, and natural disturbance regimes.
Collapse
|
20
|
Assessing Forest Classification in a Landscape-Level Framework: An Example from Central European Forests. FORESTS 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/f8120461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
21
|
Challenges for Uneven-Aged Silviculture in Restoration of Post-Disturbance Forests in Central Europe: A Synthesis. FORESTS 2017. [DOI: 10.3390/f8100378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
22
|
Gill NS, Jarvis D, Veblen TT, Pickett STA, Kulakowski D. Is initial post‐disturbance regeneration indicative of longer‐term trajectories? Ecosphere 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nathan S. Gill
- Graduate School of Geography Clark University 950 Main Street Worcester Massachusetts 01610 USA
- Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center 344 Crater Rim Drive Volcano Hawaii 96718 USA
| | - Daniel Jarvis
- Graduate School of Geography Clark University 950 Main Street Worcester Massachusetts 01610 USA
- Vermont Technical College 124 Admin Drive Randolph Center Vermont 05061 USA
| | - Thomas T. Veblen
- Geography Department University of Colorado‐Boulder Guggenheim 110, 260 UCB Boulder Colorado 80309 USA
| | - Steward T. A. Pickett
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies Box AB, 2801 Sharon Turnpike Millbrook New York 12545 USA
| | - Dominik Kulakowski
- Graduate School of Geography Clark University 950 Main Street Worcester Massachusetts 01610 USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Janda P, Trotsiuk V, Mikoláš M, Bače R, Nagel TA, Seidl R, Seedre M, Morrissey RC, Kucbel S, Jaloviar P, Jasík M, Vysoký J, Šamonil P, Čada V, Mrhalová H, Lábusová J, Nováková MH, Rydval M, Matějů L, Svoboda M. The historical disturbance regime of mountain Norway spruce forests in the Western Carpathians and its influence on current forest structure and composition. FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT 2017; 388:67-78. [PMID: 28860676 PMCID: PMC5572639 DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2016.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
In order to gauge ongoing and future changes to disturbance regimes, it is necessary to establish a solid baseline of historic disturbance patterns against which to evaluate these changes. Further, understanding how forest structure and composition respond to variation in past disturbances may provide insight into future resilience to climate-driven alterations of disturbance regimes. We established 184 plots (mostly 1000 m2) in 14 primary mountain Norway spruce forests in the Western Carpathians. On each plot we surveyed live and dead trees and regeneration, and cored around 25 canopy trees. Disturbance history was reconstructed by examining individual tree growth trends. The study plots were further aggregated into five groups based on disturbance history (severity and timing) to evaluate and explain its influence on forest structure. These ecosystems are characterized by a mixed severity disturbance regime with high spatiotemporal variability in severity and frequency. However, periods of synchrony in disturbance activity were also found. Specifically, a peak of canopy disturbance was found for the mid-19th century across the region (about 60% of trees established), with the most important periods of disturbance in the 1820s and from the 1840s to the 1870s. Current stand size and age structure were strongly influenced by past disturbance activity. In contrast, past disturbances did not have a significant effect on current tree density, the amount of coarse woody debris, and regeneration. High mean densities of regeneration with height >50 cm (about 1400 individuals per ha) were observed. Extensive high severity disturbances have recently affected Central European forests, spurring a discussion about the causes and consequences. We found some evidence that forests in the Western Carpathians were predisposed to recent severe disturbance events as a result of synchronized past disturbance activity, which partly homogenized size and age structure and made recent stands more vulnerable to bark beetle outbreak. Our data suggest that these events are still part of the range of natural variability. The finding that regeneration density and volume of coarse woody debris were not influenced by past disturbance illustrates that vastly different past disturbance histories are not likely to change the future trajectories of these forests. These ecosystems currently have high ecological resilience to disturbance. In conclusion, we suggest that management should recognize disturbances as a natural part of ecosystem dynamics in the mountain forests of Central Europe, account for their stochastic occurrence in management planning, and mimic their patterns to foster biodiversity in forest landscapes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Janda
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
- Corresponding author. (P. Janda)
| | - Volodymyr Trotsiuk
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Mikoláš
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
- PRALES, o. z., Odtrnovie 563, SK-013 22 Rosina, Slovakia
| | - Radek Bače
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
| | - Thomas A. Nagel
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
- Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Rupert Seidl
- Institute of Silviculture, Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna, Austria
| | - Meelis Seedre
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
| | - Robert C. Morrissey
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
| | | | - Peter Jaloviar
- Faculty of Forestry, Technical University of Zvolen, Slovakia
| | - Marián Jasík
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
- PRALES, o. z., Odtrnovie 563, SK-013 22 Rosina, Slovakia
| | - Juraj Vysoký
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
- PRALES, o. z., Odtrnovie 563, SK-013 22 Rosina, Slovakia
| | - Pavel Šamonil
- Department of Forest Ecology, The Silva Tarouca Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vojtěch Čada
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
| | - Hana Mrhalová
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Lábusová
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta H. Nováková
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
| | - Miloš Rydval
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Matějů
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Svoboda
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Kulakowski D, Seidl R, Holeksa J, Kuuluvainen T, Nagel TA, Panayotov M, Svoboda M, Thorn S, Vacchiano G, Whitlock C, Wohlgemuth T, Bebi P. A walk on the wild side: Disturbance dynamics and the conservation and management of European mountain forest ecosystems. FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT 2017; 388:120-131. [PMID: 28860677 PMCID: PMC5572638 DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2016.07.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Mountain forests are among the most important ecosystems in Europe as they support numerous ecological, hydrological, climatic, social, and economic functions. They are unique relatively natural ecosystems consisting of long-lived species in an otherwise densely populated human landscape. Despite this, centuries of intensive forest management in many of these forests have eclipsed evidence of natural processes, especially the role of disturbances in long-term forest dynamics. Recent trends of land abandonment and establishment of protected forests have coincided with a growing interest in managing forests in more natural states. At the same time, the importance of past disturbances highlighted in an emerging body of literature, and recent increasing disturbances due to climate change are challenging long-held views of dynamics in these ecosystems. Here, we synthesize aspects of this Special Issue on the ecology of mountain forest ecosystems in Europe in the context of broader discussions in the field, to present a new perspective on these ecosystems and their natural disturbance regimes. Most mountain forests in Europe, for which long-term data are available, show a strong and long-term effect of not only human land use but also of natural disturbances that vary by orders of magnitude in size and frequency. Although these disturbances may kill many trees, the forests themselves have not been threatened. The relative importance of natural disturbances, land use, and climate change for ecosystem dynamics varies across space and time. Across the continent, changing climate and land use are altering forest cover, forest structure, tree demography, and natural disturbances, including fires, insect outbreaks, avalanches, and wind disturbances. Projected continued increases in forest area and biomass along with continued warming are likely to further promote forest disturbances. Episodic disturbances may foster ecosystem adaptation to the effects of ongoing and future climatic change. Increasing disturbances, along with trends of less intense land use, will promote further increases in coarse woody debris, with cascading positive effects on biodiversity, edaphic conditions, biogeochemical cycles, and increased heterogeneity across a range of spatial scales. Together, this may translate to disturbance-mediated resilience of forest landscapes and increased biodiversity, as long as climate and disturbance regimes remain within the tolerance of relevant species. Understanding ecological variability, even imperfectly, is integral to anticipating vulnerabilities and promoting ecological resilience, especially under growing uncertainty. Allowing some forests to be shaped by natural processes may be congruent with multiple goals of forest management, even in densely settled and developed countries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Kulakowski
- Graduate School of Geography, Clark University, MA, USA
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland
- Corresponding author at: Graduate School of Geography, Clark University, MA, USA. (D. Kulakowski)
| | - Rupert Seidl
- Institute of Silviculture, Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Vienna, Austria
| | - Jan Holeksa
- Adam Mickiewicz University, Faculty of Biology, Department of Plant Ecology and Environment Protection, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Timo Kuuluvainen
- Department of Forest Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Thomas A. Nagel
- Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Miroslav Svoboda
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Simon Thorn
- Field Station Fabrikschleichach, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Glashüttenstraße 5, 96181 Rauhenebrach, Germany
| | - Giorgio Vacchiano
- Università degli Studi di Torino, DISAFA, Largo Braccini 2, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
| | - Cathy Whitlock
- Montana Institute on Ecosystems, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Thomas Wohlgemuth
- Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Peter Bebi
- WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, Davos, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Hülsmann L, Bugmann HKM, Commarmot B, Meyer P, Zimmermann S, Brang P. Does one model fit all? Patterns of beech mortality in natural forests of three European regions. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 26:2463-2477. [PMID: 27787924 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Revised: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Large uncertainties characterize forest development under global climate change. Although recent studies have found widespread increased tree mortality, the patterns and processes associated with tree death remain poorly understood, thus restricting accurate mortality predictions. Yet, projections of future forest dynamics depend critically on robust mortality models, preferably based on empirical data rather than theoretical, not well-constrained assumptions. We developed parsimonious mortality models for individual beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) trees and evaluated their potential for incorporation in dynamic vegetation models (DVMs). We used inventory data from nearly 19,000 trees from unmanaged forests in Switzerland, Germany, and Ukraine, representing the largest dataset used to date for calibrating such models. Tree death was modelled as a function of size and growth, i.e., stem diameter (dbh) and relative basal area increment (relBAI), using generalized logistic regression accounting for unequal re-measurement intervals. To explain the spatial and temporal variability in mortality patterns, we considered a large set of environmental and stand characteristics. Validation with independent datasets was performed to assess model generality. Our results demonstrate strong variability in beech mortality that was independent of environmental or stand characteristics. Mortality patterns in Swiss and German strict forest reserves were dominated by competition processes as indicated by J-shaped mortality over tree size and growth. The Ukrainian primeval beech forest was additionally characterized by windthrow and a U-shaped size-mortality function. Unlike the mortality model based on Ukrainian data, the Swiss and German models achieved good discrimination and acceptable transferability when validated against each other. We thus recommend these two models to be incorporated and examined in DVMs. Their mortality predictions respond to climate change via tree growth, which is sufficient to capture the adverse effects of water availability and competition on the mortality probability of beech under current conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Hülsmann
- Research Unit Forest Resources and Management, WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
- Forest Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Harald K M Bugmann
- Forest Ecology, Institute of Terrestrial Ecosystems, ETH Zurich, Universitätstrasse 16, 8092, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Brigitte Commarmot
- Research Unit Forest Resources and Management, WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Peter Meyer
- Sachgebiet Waldnaturschutz/Naturwald, Nordwestdeutsche Forstliche Versuchsanstalt NW-FVA, Grätzelstrasse 2, 37079, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stephan Zimmermann
- Research Unit Forest Soils and Biogeochemistry, WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| | - Peter Brang
- Research Unit Forest Resources and Management, WSL Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Zürcherstrasse 111, 8903, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Petermann JS, Rohland A, Sichardt N, Lade P, Guidetti B, Weisser WW, Gossner MM. Forest Management Intensity Affects Aquatic Communities in Artificial Tree Holes. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0155549. [PMID: 27187741 PMCID: PMC4871352 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0155549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Forest management could potentially affect organisms in all forest habitats. However, aquatic communities in water-filled tree-holes may be especially sensitive because of small population sizes, the risk of drought and potential dispersal limitation. We set up artificial tree holes in forest stands subject to different management intensities in two regions in Germany and assessed the influence of local environmental properties (tree-hole opening type, tree diameter, water volume and water temperature) as well as regional drivers (forest management intensity, tree-hole density) on tree-hole insect communities (not considering other organisms such as nematodes or rotifers), detritus content, oxygen and nutrient concentrations. In addition, we compared data from artificial tree holes with data from natural tree holes in the same area to evaluate the methodological approach of using tree-hole analogues. We found that forest management had strong effects on communities in artificial tree holes in both regions and across the season. Abundance and species richness declined, community composition shifted and detritus content declined with increasing forest management intensity. Environmental variables, such as tree-hole density and tree diameter partly explained these changes. However, dispersal limitation, indicated by effects of tree-hole density, generally showed rather weak impacts on communities. Artificial tree holes had higher water temperatures (on average 2°C higher) and oxygen concentrations (on average 25% higher) than natural tree holes. The abundance of organisms was higher but species richness was lower in artificial tree holes. Community composition differed between artificial and natural tree holes. Negative management effects were detectable in both tree-hole systems, despite their abiotic and biotic differences. Our results indicate that forest management has substantial and pervasive effects on tree-hole communities and may alter their structure and functioning. We furthermore conclude that artificial tree-hole analogues represent a useful experimental alternative to test effects of changes in forest management on natural communities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jana S. Petermann
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
- Berlin-Brandenburg Institute of Advanced Biodiversity Research (BBIB), Berlin, Germany
- * E-mail: (JSP); (MMG)
| | - Anja Rohland
- Institute of Ecology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany
| | - Nora Sichardt
- Institute of Ecology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany
| | - Peggy Lade
- Institute of Ecology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany
| | - Brenda Guidetti
- Institute of Ecology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany
| | - Wolfgang W. Weisser
- Institute of Ecology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Center for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
| | - Martin M. Gossner
- Institute of Ecology, Friedrich-Schiller-University, Jena, Germany
- Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Center for Food and Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technische Universität München, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany
- * E-mail: (JSP); (MMG)
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Seidl R, Spies TA, Peterson DL, Stephens SL, Hicke JA. Searching for resilience: addressing the impacts of changing disturbance regimes on forest ecosystem services. J Appl Ecol 2016; 53:120-129. [PMID: 26966320 PMCID: PMC4780065 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 137] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
1. The provisioning of ecosystem services to society is increasingly under pressure from global change. Changing disturbance regimes are of particular concern in this context due to their high potential impact on ecosystem structure, function and composition. Resilience-based stewardship is advocated to address these changes in ecosystem management, but its operational implementation has remained challenging. 2. We review observed and expected changes in disturbance regimes and their potential impacts on provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting ecosystem services, concentrating on temperate and boreal forests. Subsequently, we focus on resilience as a powerful concept to quantify and address these changes and their impacts, and present an approach towards its operational application using established methods from disturbance ecology. 3. We suggest using the range of variability concept - characterizing and bounding the long-term behaviour of ecosystems - to locate and delineate the basins of attraction of a system. System recovery in relation to its range of variability can be used to measure resilience of ecosystems, allowing inferences on both engineering resilience (recovery rate) and monitoring for regime shifts (directionality of recovery trajectory). 4. It is important to consider the dynamic nature of these properties in ecosystem analysis and management decision-making, as both disturbance processes and mechanisms of resilience will be subject to changes in the future. Furthermore, because ecosystem services are at the interface between natural and human systems, the social dimension of resilience (social adaptive capacity and range of variability) requires consideration in responding to changing disturbance regimes in forests. 5.Synthesis and applications. Based on examples from temperate and boreal forests we synthesize principles and pathways for fostering resilience to changing disturbance regimes in ecosystem management. We conclude that future work should focus on testing and implementing these pathways in different contexts to make ecosystem services provisioning more robust to changing disturbance regimes and advance our understanding of how to cope with change and uncertainty in ecosystem management.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rupert Seidl
- Institute of Silviculture, Department of Forest- and Soil Sciences, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Peter Jordan Straße 82, 1190 Wien, Austria
| | - Thomas A. Spies
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - David L. Peterson
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Seattle, WA 98103, USA
| | - Scott L. Stephens
- Ecosystem Sciences Division, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Jeffrey A. Hicke
- Department of Geography, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Szwagrzyk J, Gratzer G, Stępniewska H, Szewczyk J, Veselinovic B. High Reproductive Effort and Low Recruitment Rates of European Beech: Is There a Limit for the Superior Competitor? POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.3161/15052249pje2015.63.2.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
|
29
|
Di Filippo A, Pederson N, Baliva M, Brunetti M, Dinella A, Kitamura K, Knapp HD, Schirone B, Piovesan G. The longevity of broadleaf deciduous trees in Northern Hemisphere temperate forests: insights from tree-ring series. Front Ecol Evol 2015. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2015.00046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
|
30
|
Hobi ML, Ginzler C, Commarmot B, Bugmann H. Gap pattern of the largest primeval beech forest of Europe revealed by remote sensing. Ecosphere 2015. [DOI: 10.1890/es14-00390.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
|
31
|
Kobal M, Bertoncelj I, Pirotti F, Dakskobler I, Kutnar L. Using lidar data to analyse sinkhole characteristics relevant for understory vegetation under forest cover-case study of a high karst area in the dinaric mountains. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0122070. [PMID: 25793871 PMCID: PMC4368576 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In this article, we investigate the potential for detection and characterization of sinkholes under dense forest cover by using airborne laser scanning data. Laser pulse returns from the ground provide important data for the estimation of digital elevation model (DEM), which can be used for further processing. The main objectives of this study were to map and determine the geomorphometric characteristics of a large number of sinkholes and to investigate the correlations between geomorphology and vegetation in areas with such characteristics. The selected study area has very low anthropogenic influences and is particularly suitable for studying undisturbed karst sinkholes. The information extracted from this study regarding the shapes and depths of sinkholes show significant directionality for both orientation of sinkholes and their distribution over the area. Furthermore, significant differences in vegetation diversity and composition occur inside and outside the sinkholes, which indicates their presence has important ecological impacts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Milan Kobal
- Biotechnical Faculty, University in Ljubljana, Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Irena Bertoncelj
- National Institute of Biology, Department of Freshwater and Terrestrial Ecosystems Research, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Francesco Pirotti
- University of Padova, Interdepartmental Research Center in Geomatics, Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry, Padova, Italy
| | - Igor Dakskobler
- Biotechnical Faculty, University in Ljubljana, Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, Ljubljana, Slovenia; Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Jovan Hadži Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Lado Kutnar
- Biotechnical Faculty, University in Ljubljana, Department of Forestry and Renewable Forest Resources, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|