scholarly journals European primary forest database v2.0

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Maria Sabatini ◽  
Hendrik Bluhm ◽  
Zoltan Kun ◽  
Dmitry Aksenov ◽  
José A. Atauri ◽  
...  

AbstractPrimary forests, defined here as forests where the signs of human impacts, if any, are strongly blurred due to decades without forest management, are scarce in Europe and continue to disappear. Despite these losses, we know little about where these forests occur. Here, we present a comprehensive geodatabase and map of Europe’s known primary forests. Our geodatabase harmonizes 48 different, mostly field-based datasets of primary forests, and contains 18,411 individual patches (41.1 Mha) spread across 33 countries. When available, we provide information on each patch (name, location, naturalness, extent and dominant tree species) and the surrounding landscape (biogeographical regions, protection status, potential natural vegetation, current forest extent). Using Landsat satellite-image time series (1985–2018) we checked each patch for possible disturbance events since primary forests were identified, resulting in 94% of patches free of significant disturbances in the last 30 years. Although knowledge gaps remain, ours is the most comprehensive dataset on primary forests in Europe, and will be useful for ecological studies, and conservation planning to safeguard these unique forests.

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
pp. 985-994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Gastauer ◽  
Marcos Eduardo Guerra Sobral ◽  
João Augusto Alves Meira-Neto

According to its owners, the Forest of Seu Nico (FSN) from the Viçosa municipality, Minas Gerais, Brazil, never has been logged and is therefore considered a primary forest. Nevertheless, the forest patch suffered impacts due to selective wood and non-timber extraction, fragmentation and isolation. Aim of this study was to test if the FSN, despite impacts, preserved characteristics of primary forests, which are elevated percentages of non-pioneer (>90%), animal-dispersed (>80 %), understory (>50%) and endemic species (~40%). For that, all trees with diameter at breast height equal or major than 3.2 cm within a plot of 100 x 100 m were identified. With 218 tree species found within this hectare, the FSN's species richness is outstanding for the region. The percentages of non-pioneer (92 %), animal-dispersed (85 %), understory (55 %) and endemic species (39.2 %) from the FSN fulfill the criteria proposed for primary forest. Therefore, we conclude that the FSN maintained its characteristics as a primary forest which highlights its importance for the conservation of biotic resources in the region, where similar fragments are lacking or not described yet.


2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (46) ◽  
pp. 11850-11855 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Blair Hedges ◽  
Warren B. Cohen ◽  
Joel Timyan ◽  
Zhiqiang Yang

Tropical forests hold most of Earth’s biodiversity. Their continued loss through deforestation and agriculture is the main threat to species globally, more than disease, invasive species, and climate change. However, not all tropical forests have the same ability to sustain biodiversity. Those that have been disturbed by humans, including forests previously cleared and regrown (secondary growth), have lower levels of species richness compared with undisturbed (primary) forests. The difference is even greater considering extinctions that will later emanate from the disturbance (extinction debt). Here, we find that Haiti has less than 1% of its original primary forest and is therefore among the most deforested countries. Primary forest has declined over three decades inside national parks, and 42 of the 50 highest and largest mountains have lost all primary forest. Our surveys of vertebrate diversity (especially amphibians and reptiles) on mountaintops indicates that endemic species have been lost along with the loss of forest. At the current rate, Haiti will lose essentially all of its primary forest during the next two decades and is already undergoing a mass extinction of its biodiversity because of deforestation. These findings point to the need, in general, for better reporting of forest cover data of relevance to biodiversity, instead of “total forest” as defined by the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization. Expanded detection and monitoring of primary forest globally will improve the efficiency of conservation measures, inside and outside of protected areas.


2007 ◽  
Vol 60 ◽  
pp. 137-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.D. Shepherd ◽  
J.R. Dymond ◽  
J.R.I. Cuff

The spatial change of woody vegetation in the Canterbury region was automatically mapped between 1990 and 2001 using Landsat satellite image mosaics The intersection of valid data from these mosaics gave coverage of 84 of the Canterbury region Changes in woody cover greater than 5 ha were identified Of the 5 ha areas of woody change only those that were likely to have been a scrub change were selected using ancillary thematic data for current vegetation cover (eg afforestation and deforestation were excluded) This resulted in 2466 polygons of potential scrub change These polygons were rapidly checked by visual assessment of the satellite imagery and assigned to exotic or indigenous scrub change categories Between 1990 and 2001 the total scrub weed area in the Canterbury region increased by 3600 400 ha and indigenous scrub increased by 2300 400 ha


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2503
Author(s):  
Ana Paula Sena de Souza ◽  
Ivonice Sena de Souza ◽  
George Olavo ◽  
Jocimara Souza Britto Lobão ◽  
Rafael Vinícius de São José

O ecossistema manguezal representa 8% de toda a linha de costa do planeta ocupando uma área total de 181.077 km2. O Brasil é o segundo país em extensão de áreas de manguezal, ficando atrás apenas da Indonésia. O objetivo do presente estudo foi mapear e identificar os principais vetores responsáveis pela supressão da cobertura das áreas de manguezal na região do Baixo Sul da Bahia, Brasil, a partir de imagens de satélite Landsat disponíveis para o período entre 1994 e 2017. Os mapeamentos foram realizados a partir de classificação supervisionada, utilizando o método Maxver. A acurácia da classificação obtida foi verificada através da verdade de campo, de índices de Exatidão Global, e dos coeficientes de concordância kappa e Tau. As classes que apresentaram maior área de cobertura no período analisado foram: vegetação ombrófila densa, agropecuária, solo exposto e manguezal. Foram identificados dois vetores principais responsáveis pela supressão dos bosques de mangue: a expansão desordenada das áreas urbanas (com destaque para o município de Valença) e o avanço da atividade de carcinicultura clandestina, devido a instalação de tanques de cultivo de camarão sem o devido processo de licenciamento ambiental (sobretudo no município de Nilo Peçanha). O uso das geotecnologias, em especial o Sensoriamento Remoto e os Sistemas de Informações Geográficas, foram ferramentas fundamentais na identificação destes vetores responsáveis pela supressão das áreas de manguezal na área de estudo região do Baixo Sul da Bahia.  Mapping and identification of vectors responsible for mangrove suppression in the Southern Bahia Lowlands, BrazilA B S T R A C TThe mangrove ecosystem represents 8% of the entire coastline of the planet and occupies a total area of 181,077 km2. Brazil is the second largest country in terms of mangrove areas, second only to Indonesia. The aim of the present study was to map and identify the main vectors responsible for the suppression of mangrove cover in the Southern Lowlands of Bahia, Brazil, from Landsat satellite images available for the period 1994-2017. based on supervised classification using the Maxver method. The accuracy of the classification obtained was verified through field truth, Global Accuracy indices, and kappa and Tau agreement coefficients. The classes that presented larger coverage area in the analyzed period were: dense ombrophilous vegetation, agriculture, exposed soil and mangrove. Two main vectors responsible for the suppression of mangrove forests were identified: the disorderly expansion of urban areas (especially the municipality of Valença) and the advance of clandestine shrimp farming due to the installation of shrimp farms without due environmental licensing process (mainly in the municipality of Nilo Peçanha). The use of geotechnologies, especially Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems, were fundamental tools in the identification of these vectors responsible for the suppression of mangrove areas in the study area of the Southern Bahia Lowlands.Key-words: environmental impacts, satellite image, shrimp farming.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Togi Tampubolon ◽  
Rita Juliani ◽  
Muhammad Ali Thoha Harahap

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Husmul Beze ◽  
Suparjo

In the last ten years the people on Sebatik Island have experienced water shortages. This happened because the forest which is the source of community water dried up. It is estimated that the drying up of these springs is due to changes in the function of forests as water reserves. This change in forest function occurs as a result of the process of clearing forests for plantations or other development activities. This is why it is necessary to analyze the protected forest cover on Sebatik Island. In this study, analysis of forest cover was carried out based on Landsat satellite imagery. To check the correctness of the analysis results on the satellite image, field checks are carried out. Based on the research results, the forest area on Sebatik Island has an area of ​​2,088.37 ha. The damaged forest is estimated to be 339.97ha, while the protected forest area which is still in good condition has an area of ​​1,748.40 ha.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 194008291986426
Author(s):  
Akin Akinnagbe ◽  
Oliver Gailing ◽  
Reiner Finkeldey ◽  
Amadu Lawal

Two important West African timber tree species with differing successional status, Mansonia altissima A. Chev and Triplochiton scleroxylon K. Schum were investigated in this study. Triplochiton scleroxylon is a pioneer species found in open forests, whereas Mansonia altissima is a nonpioneer light-demanding tree species occurring in closed forests. Amplified fragment length polymorphism markers were used to compare the genetic diversities of these two timber species in stands with different degrees of human impact (isolated forest patch, logged forest, farmland, plantation, and primary forest). Contrasting effects of human impact on genetic diversity were detected for these two timber species. The results suggested severe effects of human impact on the genetic diversity of Mansonia altissima, a nonpioneer species. However, no adverse effect was recorded in Triplochiton scleroxylon, a pioneer species. These findings indicate that nonpioneer tree species could be more prone to genetic erosion than pioneer tree species as a result of adverse human impacts. Therefore, conservation of genetic diversity in both pioneer and nonpioneer tree species populations would likely necessitate different measures.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (17) ◽  
pp. 2799
Author(s):  
Md N M Bhuyian ◽  
Alfred Kalyanapu

Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are widely used as a proxy for bathymetric data and several studies have attempted to improve DEM accuracy for hydrodynamic (HD) modeling. Most of these studies attempted to quantitatively improve estimates of channel conveyance (assuming a non-braided morphology) rather than accounting for the actual channel planform. Accurate representation of river conveyance and planform in a DEM is critical to HD modeling and can be achieved with a combination of remote sensing (e.g., satellite image) and field data, such as water surface elevation (WSE). Therefore, the objectives of this study are (i) to develop an algorithm for predicting channel conveyance and characterizing planform via satellite images and in situ WSE and (ii) to estimate discharge using the predicted conveyance via an HD model. The algorithm is named River Bathymetry via Satellite Image Compilation (RiBaSIC) and uses Landsat satellite imagery, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM, Multi-Error-Removed Improved-Terrain (MERIT) DEM, and observed WSE. The algorithm is tested on four study areas along the Willamette River, Kushiyara River, Jamuna River, and Solimoes River. Channel slope and predicted hydraulic radius are subsequently estimated for approximating Manning’s roughness factor. Two-dimensional HD models using DEMs modified by the RiBaSIC algorithm and corresponding Manning’s roughness factors are employed for discharge estimation. The proposed algorithm can represent river planform and conveyance in single-channeled, meandering, wandering, and braided river reaches. Additionally, the HD models estimated discharge within 14–19% relative root mean squared error (RRMSE) in simulation of five years period.


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