Forest structure following tornado damage and salvage logging in northern Maine, USA

Understanding forest structural changes resulting from postdisturbance management practices such as salvage logging is critical for predicting forest recovery and developing appropriate management strategies. In 2013, a tornado and subsequent salvage operations in northern Maine, USA, created three conditions (i.e., treatments) with contrasting forest structure: blowdown, blowdown + salvage, and control (undisturbed). We sampled forest structure in five stands representing each of these three treatments. Our results document obvious and predictable changes to forest structure caused by the blowdown and salvage operations; however, they also include unexpected findings: downed coarse woody debris volume remained quite high in the salvaged areas, although its vertical distribution was markedly reduced; salvage operations did not reduce fine woody debris volume; and the salvage operation itself reduced the abundance of upturned root masses. Our study contributes to a growing body of literature highlighting the fact that outcomes of salvage operations vary considerably from situation to situation. Nevertheless, they suggest that salvage logging has important implications for residual stand structure and regeneration potential and that these implications should be considered carefully when weighing postdisturbance management options.

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Structural characteristics of wet montane forests in east-central British Columbia

The Forestry Chronicle ◽

10.5558/tfc79342-2 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 79 (2) ◽

pp. 342-351 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

S C DeLong ◽

J M Arocena ◽

H B Massicotte

Keyword(s):

British Columbia ◽

Management Practices ◽

Stand Structure ◽

Structural Characteristics ◽

Woody Debris ◽

High Elevation ◽

Wildlife Habitat ◽

Tree Size ◽

Large Variability ◽

Salvage Logging

Structural characteristics of forest stands were examined along a post-fire age chronosequence for wet montane sub-boreal and sub-alpine forests in the northern portion of the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia, Canada. The objective was to develop criteria that could be used to assess the extent to which managed stands approximate the structural characteristics of natural stands. Twelve and fifteen stands were sampled in wet montane sub-boreal and high-elevation subalpine forests, respectively. Tree density, variation in tree size, snag density by size class and coarse woody debris volume were examined for young (070 years), mature (71140 years), and old (> 140 years) stands. Apart from a general increase in average tree size and a decrease in snag density, changes in other stand attributes over time since disturbance were limited, especially when compared to forests in drier climates at similar latitudes. The combination of low density and large variability in tree size of the young wet montane sub-boreal stands appear to be unusual for low elevation forests that originate from stand-replacing wildfire. In the study area, current management practices of salvage-logging fire-killed stands and planting relatively high densities of spruce on harvested sites should be examined in light of our data. This study illustrates the importance of developing area-specific ecosystem management guidelines relating to stand structure. Key words: stand structure, woody debris, snags, Picea engelmannii, Abies lasiocarpa, wildlife habitat

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A regional model of sheep lice to study the effect on lice prevalence and costs for Australian farms using a range of treatment efficacy in combination with other lice control strategies

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an16048 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 57 (9) ◽

pp. 1931

Author(s):

Peri G. Lucas ◽

Brian J. Horton ◽

David Parsons ◽

Anna L. Carew

Keyword(s):

Management Practices ◽

Net Present Value ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Published Data ◽

Management Options ◽

Financial Return ◽

Intervention Level ◽

Sheep Production

Using a previously developed predictive model, three different management practices were examined in combination with post-shearing chemical treatments for lice, to determine which combinations could provide cost-effective reductions in lice prevalence over a 20-year period. The model included nine sheep production regions across Australia, all of which have different regional flock prevalence of lice and mean numbers of sheep/property. The lice prevalence model simulated the effects of four management options on Australian lice prevalence and on financial return (expressed as net present value) over a 20-year period. Management options modelled in this study were: treatment for eradication, inspection for lice detection, intervention level, and biosecurity of purchased sheep. The costs and benefits of these management options were calculated on the basis of published data or standard industry costs. Combinations of eradication achieved through treatment and biosecurity of purchased sheep provided the greatest modelled reductions in Australian flock lice prevalence at the lowest cost. With current management practices, lice prevalence was estimated as 16.3% of Australian properties infested and lice costs were estimated at 902 cents per sheep over 20 years. The model estimated that with appropriate management, lice prevalence could be reduced to less than 1.5% of properties infested and costs could be halved to 435 cents per sheep over 20 years. With further development, the modelling described herein offers potential guidance for Australian sheep producers in selecting the most effective and cost-efficient combination of management strategies to reduce lice infestation.

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Landscape-scale simulations as a tool in multi-criteria decision making for agri-environment schemes

10.1101/524181 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Chris J. Topping ◽

Lars Dalby ◽

Jose W. Valdez

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Management Practices ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Simulation System ◽

Landscape Context ◽

Context Dependency ◽

Multi Criteria Decision Making ◽

Management Options ◽

Management Actions ◽

Wide Range

AbstractIncreasing concerns over the environmental impacts of agriculture in Europe has led to the introduction of agri-environment schemes (AES) to help mitigate biodiversity loss. However, effectiveness of AES has been mixed and only partially successful in achieving desired outcomes. To improve effectiveness and reduce high costs, multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) can help support decision-making and determine the most effective management action. Although MCDA has great potential for evaluating policy measures, it rarely considers the context-dependency of species responses to management practices across different landscapes. Landscape simulations can, therefore, be valuable for reducing the uncertainties when predicting the consequences of management actions. A potential suitable simulation system is the Animal, Landscape, and Man Simulation System (ALMaSS), a mechanistic simulation with can improve MCDA with the automatic integration of a species ecology and behaviour and landscape context. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of ALMaSS in evaluating AES management practices across different landscapes and estimate their ability to achieve the proposed conservation outcomes of three typical species of conservation interest. In this study, the effect of a particular management strategy on a species was dependent on the landscape context, in our case, a combination of landscape structure and the type and distribution of farms, and varied depending on the metrics being measured. Although we did not aim to make recommendations of particular management strategies, we demonstrate how simulations can be used for MCDA to select between management strategies with different costs. Despite the complexity of ALMaSS models, the simulation results provided are easy to interpret. Landscape simulations, such as ALMaSS, can be an important tool in multi-criteria decision making by simulating a wide range of managements and contexts and provide supporting information for filtering management options based on specific conservation goals.

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Waldnutzung und Jahrringe | Forest use and tree-rings

Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen ◽

10.3188/szf.2004.0169 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 155 (6) ◽

pp. 169-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Otto U. Bräker ◽

Andreas Rigling

Keyword(s):

Tree Ring ◽

Management Practices ◽

Stand Structure ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Theory And Practice ◽

Stand Growth ◽

Federal Research ◽

Forest Use ◽

Competition Pressure

The present work describes tree-ring research related to the theory and practice of forest use carried out at the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL. The effects of silvicultural practices and other, more indirect, human influence on tree and stand growth are demonstrated using a variety of examples from experiments and studies. Major timber harvestings significantly influence tree competition, stand structure and stand dynamics. Competition pressure in dense closed forests of uniform heights, short-term growth reactions from thinning and release,as well as weather and disease are easily recognizable. Medium to long-term changes in tree and stand growth reflect shifts in forest use, changes in water and nutrient cycles, or dynamics from anthropogenic emissions and depositions. These exam-ples are chosen to illustrate the effects of cultivation on current forest development and to assist the planning of future management practices. The results demonstrate the importance of tree-ring research to understand forest-dynamic processes and as a tool to develop forest management strategies.

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Tracking the rates and mechanisms of canopy damage and recovery following Hurricane Maria using multitemporal lidar data

10.1101/2021.03.26.436869 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Veronika Leitold ◽

Douglas C Morton ◽

Sebastian Martinuzzi ◽

Ian Paynter ◽

Maria Uriarte ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Forest Structure ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Airborne Lidar ◽

Canopy Height ◽

Forest Recovery ◽

Height Loss ◽

Lidar Data ◽

List Type ◽

Initial Height ◽

Height Gain

ABSTRACTHurricane Maria (Category 4) snapped and uprooted canopy trees, removed large branches, and defoliated vegetation across Puerto Rico. The magnitude of forest damages and the rates and mechanisms of forest recovery following Maria provide important benchmarks for understanding the ecology of extreme events. We used airborne lidar data acquired before (2017) and after Maria (2018, 2020) to quantify landscape-scale changes in forest structure along a 439-ha elevational gradient (100 to 800 m) in the Luquillo Experimental Forest. Damages from Maria were widespread, with 73% of the study area losing ≥1 m in canopy height (mean = −7.1 m). Taller forests at lower elevations suffered more damage than shorter forests above 600 m. Yet only 13% of the study area had canopy heights ≤2 m in 2018, a typical threshold for forest gaps, highlighting the importance of damaged trees and advanced regeneration on post-storm forest structure. Heterogeneous patterns of regrowth and recruitment yielded shorter and more open forests by 2020. Nearly 45% of forests experienced initial height loss (<-1 m, 2017-2018) followed by rapid height gain (>1 m, 2018-2020), whereas 21.6% of forests with initial height losses showed little or no height gain, and 17.8% of forests exhibited no structural changes >|1| m in either period. Canopy layers <10 m accounted for most increases in canopy height and fractional cover between 2018-2020, with gains split evenly between height growth and lateral crown expansion by surviving individuals. These findings benchmark rates of gap formation, crown expansion, and canopy closure following hurricane damage.MANUSCRIPT HIGHLIGHTSHurricane Maria gave forests a haircut by toppling trees and shearing branches.Regrowth after Maria was patchy, with equal areas of height gain and no change.3-D measures of forest recovery after hurricanes can improve ecosystem models.

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BİLGİ YÖNETİMİ UYGULAMALARI KAPSAMINDA İNSAN KAYNAKLARI YÖNETİMİNDE MEYDANA GELEN DEĞİŞİMLER

Business And Management Studies An International Journal ◽

10.15295/bmij.v1i1.3 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 1 (1) ◽

pp. 83

Author(s):

Ozan Büyükyılmaz

Keyword(s):

Knowledge Management ◽

Human Resources ◽

Performance Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Human Resources Management ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Resources Management ◽

Management Philosophy ◽

Management Processes

The development and expansion of knowledge management as an important management philosophy has a significant impact on human resources management as well as on organization as a whole. In this context, knowledge management processes have been used as a strategic tool within human resources management.Therefore, functions of human resources management must adapt itself to this change. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of human resources management in the management of knowledge and to reveal the effects of knowledge management practices on the functions of human resources byexamining the relationship between human resources and knowledge management. In this context, a theoretical investigation was conducted. It has been determined that significant changes occurred on the functions of human resources management such as selection and recruitment, performance management, remuneration and reward, training and development within the framework of the knowledge management strategies.

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Concepts and Practices for Improving Nitrogen Management for Vegetables

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech.2.1.121 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 121-125 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

George J. Hochmuth

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Management Practices ◽

Management Strategies ◽

N Fertilization ◽

Nitrogen Management ◽

Land Grant ◽

Land Grant Universities ◽

Production Practices ◽

Negative Impacts ◽

N Management

Efficient N management practices usually involve many potential strategies, but always involve choosing the correct amount of N and the coupling of N management to efficient water management. Nitrogen management strategies are integral parts of improved production practices recommended by land-grant universities such as the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Univ. of Florida. This paper, which draws heavily on research and experience in Florida, outlines the concepts and technologies for managing vegetable N fertilization to minimize negative impacts on the environment.

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Sarasota Bay: Protection of a Natural Resource

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1993.0407 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 28 (3-5) ◽

pp. 91-99

Author(s):

R. A. Wagner ◽

M. G. Heyl

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Best Management Practices ◽

Management Practices ◽

Treatment Plan ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Treatment Plant ◽

Modeling Tools ◽

Best Management ◽

Sarasota Bay ◽

Potential Benefits

As part of the Sarasota Bay National Estuary Program (NEP) evaluation of environmental problems, modeling tools were used to estimate pollution loadings from diverse sources, including surface runoff, baseflow, wastewater treatment plant discbarges, septic tanks, and direct deposition of rainfall on the bay surface. After assessing the relative impacts of the pollution sources, alternative management strategies were identified and analyzed. These strategies focused primarily on future development, and included structural and nonstructural best management practices (BMPs), as well as a regional wastewater treatment plan. Loading reductions, along with planning-level cost data and estimates of feasibility and other potential benefits, were used to identify the most promising alternatives.

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Legumes increase grassland productivity with no effect on nitrous oxide emissions

Plant and Soil ◽

10.1007/s11104-019-04338-w ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 446 (1-2) ◽

pp. 163-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Arlete S. Barneze ◽

Jeanette Whitaker ◽

Niall P. McNamara ◽

Nicholas J. Ostle

Keyword(s):

Management Practices ◽

Production Systems ◽

N Uptake ◽

Relative Proportion ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Ghg Emissions ◽

Chemical Properties ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Mineral N ◽

Grassland Productivity

Abstract Aims Grasslands are important agricultural production systems, where ecosystem functioning is affected by land management practices. Grass-legume mixtures are commonly cultivated to increase grassland productivity while reducing the need for nitrogen (N) fertiliser. However, little is known about the effect of this increase in productivity on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in grass-legume mixtures. The aim of this study was to investigate interactions between the proportion of legumes in grass-legume mixtures and N-fertiliser addition on productivity and GHG emissions. We tested the hypotheses that an increase in the relative proportion of legumes would increase plant productivity and decrease GHG emissions, and the magnitude of these effects would be reduced by N-fertiliser addition. Methods This was tested in a controlled environment mesocosm experiment with one grass and one legume species grown in mixtures in different proportions, with or without N-fertiliser. The effects on N cycling processes were assessed by measurement of above- and below-ground biomass, shoot N uptake, soil physico-chemical properties and GHG emissions. Results Above-ground productivity and shoot N uptake were greater in legume-grass mixtures compared to grass or legume monocultures, in fertilised and unfertilised soils. However, we found no effect of legume proportion on N2O emissions, total soil N or mineral-N in fertilised or unfertilised soils. Conclusions This study shows that the inclusion of legumes in grass-legume mixtures positively affected productivity, however N cycle were in the short-term unaffected and mainly affected by nitrogen fertilisation. Legumes can be used in grassland management strategies to mitigate climate change by reducing crop demand for N-fertilisers.

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Precision Agriculture for Resource Use Efficiency in Smallholder Farming Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13031158 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 1158

Author(s):

Cecilia M. Onyango ◽

Justine M. Nyaga ◽

Johanna Wetterlind ◽

Mats Söderström ◽

Kristin Piikki

Keyword(s):

Resource Use ◽

Precision Agriculture ◽

Large Scale ◽

English Language ◽

Management Practices ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Smallholder Farming ◽

Sub Saharan

Opportunities exist for adoption of precision agriculture technologies in all parts of the world. The form of precision agriculture may vary from region to region depending on technologies available, knowledge levels and mindsets. The current review examined research articles in the English language on precision agriculture practices for increased productivity among smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. A total of 7715 articles were retrieved and after screening 128 were reviewed. The results indicate that a number of precision agriculture technologies have been tested under SSA conditions and show promising results. The most promising precision agriculture technologies identified were the use of soil and plant sensors for nutrient and water management, as well as use of satellite imagery, GIS and crop-soil simulation models for site-specific management. These technologies have been shown to be crucial in attainment of appropriate management strategies in terms of efficiency and effectiveness of resource use in SSA. These technologies are important in supporting sustainable agricultural development. Most of these technologies are, however, at the experimental stage, with only South Africa having applied them mainly in large-scale commercial farms. It is concluded that increased precision in input and management practices among SSA smallholder farmers can significantly improve productivity even without extra use of inputs.

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