Using Geostatistics and Multicriteria Spatial Analysis to Map Forest Species Biogeophysical Suitability: A Study Case for the Centro Region of Portugal

The Mociar Forest Reserve has a great scientific interest due to the age of the oaks ranging from 400-500 years, which is why it is included in the protected area category. Over time, a series of studies have been carried out on the occurrence of the oak drying phenomenon in the Mociar Forest in order to develop plans for measures to prevent and combat oak drying. The main reason for this was to analyze the physical and chemical properties of soils. Considering the direct influence of soil characteristics on the development of forest species within the Mociar Forest, we proposed the creation of nine soil profiles located in areas considered representative of the studied area and the identification of the main physical and chemical parameters in the laboratory stage (the soil pH, the nitrogen amount, the total humus and C:N ratio variation). According to the four factors analysed a GIS spatial analysis model has been developed in order to identify the favourability and soil restriction for forest species in the studied area. It was also sought to obtain an overall picture of the distribution of these parameters on their qualitative classes as well as on the distribution classes of specific, dominant forest species. This was made possible by the use of G.I.S. technology and specific geospatial interpolation and spatial analysis tools.

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Secondary forest succession in Silver birch (Betula pendula Roth) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) southern limits in Europe, in a site of Natura 2000 network – an ecogeographical approach

Forest Systems ◽

10.5424/fs/2020292-15680 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (2) ◽

pp. e010

Author(s):

Nikolaos Georgios Oikonomakis ◽

Petros Ganatsas

Keyword(s):

Spatial Analysis ◽

Pinus Sylvestris ◽

Betula Pendula ◽

Forest Succession ◽

Secondary Forest ◽

Natura 2000 ◽

Forest Species ◽

Natura 2000 Network ◽

Secondary Forest Succession ◽

A Site

Aim of the study: To investigate the secondary forest succession in the study area and the pathways of its spread and the existing environmental, autecological factors and possible inter-specific competition relationships.Area of study: The study area is a Site of Natura 2000 network in northern Greece dominated by two pioneer forest species, Betula pendula and Pinus sylvestris. Study area is the southern limit of Silver birch in Europe and genotypes of these forests may be important due to the anticipated global increase of temperature and the forthcoming climate change.Materials and methods: The main forest types studied were: pure forests of B. pendula and P. sylvestris and mixed forests of these two main species. To study the expansion of forests in the area, a spatial analysis was performed based on geographical data. To detect forest changes, the rate thereof and their specific spatial distribution and preferences, a statistical analysis was performed.Main results: Approximately 60% of the studied area in 1945 was transformed from grasslands/barelands to forests. The composition of new forests was found to be different from the old ones. The rate of forest establishment in the first years was lower than in the latter years. All factors examined played an important role to the expansion of forest exept slope.Research highlights: Distance from the old stands played the most determining role to new forest structure and composition. Inter-specific competition results to the formation of pure stands, as indicated by the older stands.Keywords: secondary forest succession; Betula pendula; GIS; spatial analysis; forest species competition; forest species distribution.

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Statistical and spatial analysis of forest fire ignition points: A study case in South of France

Forest Ecology and Management ◽

10.1016/j.foreco.2006.08.028 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 234 ◽

pp. S12 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Corinne Lampin ◽

Marielle Jappiot ◽

Denis Morge ◽

Michel Vennetier

Keyword(s):

Spatial Analysis ◽

Forest Fire ◽

Study Case ◽

Fire Ignition

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The Neighborhood Contagion Focus as a Spatial Unit for Diagnosis and Epidemiological Action against COVID-19 Contagion in Urban Spaces: A Methodological Proposal for Its Detection and Delimitation

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18063145 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 3145

Author(s):

María-Jesús Perles ◽

Juan F. Sortino ◽

Matías F. Mérida

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Spatial Analysis ◽

Spatial Pattern ◽

Urban Spaces ◽

Morphological Parameters ◽

Spatial Unit ◽

Urban Settings ◽

Territorial Management ◽

Study Case ◽

The City

The concept of neighborhood contagion focus is defined and justified as a basic spatial unit for epidemiological diagnosis and action, and a specific methodological procedure is provided to detect and map focuses and micro-focuses of contagion without using regular or artificial spatial units. The starting hypothesis is that the contagion in urban spaces manifests unevenly in the form of clusters of cases that are generated and developed by neighborhood contagion. Methodologically, the spatial distribution of those infected in the study area, the city of Málaga (Spain), is firstly analyzed from the disaggregated and anonymous address information. After defining the concept of neighborhood contagion focus and justifying its morphological parameters, a method to detect and map neighborhood contagion focus in urban settings is proposed and applied to the study case. As the main results, the existence of focuses and micro-focuses in the spatial pattern of contagion is verified. Focuses are considered as an ideal spatial analysis unit, and the advantages and potentialities of the use of mapping focus as a useful tool for health and territorial management in different phases of the epidemic are shown.

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