Evaluating the effect of stand properties and site conditions on the forest reflectance from Sentinel-2 time series

Forest stand reflectance at the canopy level results from various factors, such as vegetation chemical properties, leaf morphology, canopy structure, and tree sizes. These factors are dependent on the species, age, and health statuses of trees, as well as the site conditions. Sentinel-2 imagery with the high spatial, spectral, and temporal resolution, has enabled analysis of the relationships between vegetation properties and their spectral responses at large spatial scales. A comprehensive study of these relationships is needed to understand the drivers of vegetation spectral patterns and is essential from the point of view of remote sensing data interpretation. Our study aimed to quantify the site and forest parameters affecting forest stands reflectance. The analysis was conducted for common beech-, silver fir- and Scots pine-dominated stands in a mountainous area of the Polish Carpathians. The effect of stands and site properties on reflectance in different parts of the growing season was captured using the dense time series provided by Sentinel-2 from 2018–2019. The results indicate that the reflectance of common beech stands is mainly influenced by elevation, particularly during spring and autumn. Other factors influencing beech stand reflectance include the share of the broadleaved understory, aspect, and, during summer, the age of stands. The reflectance of coniferous species, i.e., Scots pine and silver fir, is mainly influenced by the age and stand properties, namely the crown closure and stand density. The age is a primary driver for silver fir stands reflectance changes, while the stand properties have a large impact on Scots pine stands reflectance. Also, the understory influences Scots pine stands reflectance, while there appears to be no impact on silver fir stands. The influence of the abovementioned factors is highly diverse, depending on the used band and time of the season.

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Predicting Growing Stock Volume of Scots Pine Stands Using Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery and Airborne Image-Derived Point Clouds

Forests ◽

10.3390/f9050274 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 274 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Paweł Hawryło ◽

Piotr Wężyk

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Satellite Imagery ◽

Point Clouds ◽

Growing Stock ◽

Pine Stands ◽

Stock Volume ◽

Scots Pine Stands ◽

Sentinel 2

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Forest site conditions and the threat for insect outbreaks in the Scots pine stands of Polissya

Folia Forestalia Polonica ◽

10.2478/ffp-2020-0026 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 62 (4) ◽

pp. 270-278

Author(s):

Olena Andreieva ◽

Anatoliy Goychuk

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Forest Area ◽

Pine Forests ◽

Forest Site ◽

Site Conditions ◽

Covered Area ◽

Scots Pine Forests ◽

Pine Stands ◽

Forest Enterprises ◽

Scots Pine Stands

AbstractScots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is the most spread forest tree species in Polissya and the most damaged by foliage browsing and stem insects. The aim of this study was to reveal the changes in the distribution of different forest site conditions for 2010–2019 in Scots pine forests of the selected forestry enterprises of Polissya and possible consequences for the spread of foliage browsing insects. Database of Production Association ‘Ukrderzhlisproekt’ (by 2010 and 2019) was analysed for five State Forest Enterprises (FE) that are located in the Central (Zhytomyr Region) and Western (Rivne and Volyn Regions) Polissya, where the large scale outbreaks of stem pests were registered last decade.The types of forest site conditions were designated in accordance with the Ukrainian typology. Distribution of the forest area by trophotops and hygrotops was evaluated for the forest-covered area, for Scots pine stands, and for pure Scots pine stands in 2010 and in 2019.For 2010–2019, the area of all Scots pine forests and its proportion in the forest-covered area has significantly decreased in the most of analysed forest enterprises. The change for 2010–2019 in the distribution both by the tropho-tops and by hygrotops of the entire forest-covered area, the area of all Scots pine forests and pure pine forests is not statistically significant. However, in assessment year 2019, the proportion of stands in the moist types of forest site conditions slightly increased. It may be the result of the stands’ mortality in the driest sites after an outbreak of bark beetles. A greater decrease in the proportion of Scots pine forest area in the dry poor, fresh poor, and dry relatively poor forest site conditions was found in the western direction. Therefore, the noted decrease in the foci areas of foliage browsing insects in Polissya in 2010–2012 compared to the 2000–2002 could be associated with a decrease in the most preferred stands, namely the poorest and driest types of forest site conditions.

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Estimating defoliation of Scots pine stands using machine learning methods and vegetation indices of Sentinel-2

European Journal of Remote Sensing ◽

10.1080/22797254.2017.1417745 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 51 (1) ◽

pp. 194-204 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Paweł Hawryło ◽

Bartłomiej Bednarz ◽

Piotr Wężyk ◽

Marta Szostak

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Scots Pine ◽

Vegetation Indices ◽

Learning Methods ◽

Machine Learning Methods ◽

Pine Stands ◽

Scots Pine Stands ◽

Sentinel 2

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Comparative analysis of natural and artificial regeneration in Nowa Dęba Forest District

Folia Forestalia Polonica ◽

10.2478/ffp-2019-0022 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 61 (3) ◽

pp. 230-241

Author(s):

Justyna Długosiewicz ◽

Stanisław Zając ◽

Emilia Wysocka-Fijorek ◽

Małgorzata Sułkowska

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Coniferous Forest ◽

Forest Site ◽

Site Conditions ◽

Artificial Regeneration ◽

Forest Sites ◽

Pine Regeneration ◽

Pine Stands ◽

Forest District ◽

Scots Pine Stands

Abstract New challenges related to the multifunctional role of forests in consideration of both natural environment and economy come into view sequentially. In current forestry practice, an important element is not only the quality of forest cultivations (silvicultural aspect) but also the costs incurred for their production and tending (economic aspect). The main purpose of this article is to show the prospect of increasing positive silvicultural effects depending on the method used in management of Scots pine stands under given site conditions. The comparative analysis was carried out using the study results obtained in the Forest District Nowa Dęba and those presented in other relevant studies. In the present study, we examined whether the site conditions have significant effects on silvicultural and economic effectiveness of regeneration and development of Scots pine stands or those predominated by Scots pine in the initial stages of stand growth. Significance of the regeneration method effects on growth characteristics of Scots pine regeneration as well as the costs of forest cultivation management was analysed. The study on silvicultural and economic effectiveness was carried out in the Forest District Nowa Dęba. The results obtained showed that using Scots pine natural regeneration under the conditions of fresh coniferous forest site and fresh mixed coniferous forest site was the way of management based on reason. This was supported by both the values of regeneration growth parameters and silvicultural quality along with clearly lower expenditures incurred to achieve these effects. In wet mixed coniferous site, Scots pine seedlings regenerated naturally; however, the results indicated their lower silvicultural quality and growth parameter values when compared to those artificially regenerated. In fresh mixed broadleaved forest site, equally for silvicultural and economic reasons, the more optimal option was to regenerate forest using traditional planting material as natural Scots pine regeneration showed lower silvicultural effects. The unit costs of regeneration and maintenance of stands with self-sown Scots pine in fresh mixed broadleaved forest site were higher when compared with other examined forest sites. On the basis of the results of the present study, it can be concluded that regardless of the regeneration method examined, the most differentiating factor of the final economic effect of Scots pine stand establishment and maintenance was the cost of regeneration operation. The expenditure for this purpose consumed the largest part of expenses incurred in artificial regeneration variant. The higher cost of corrections in artificially planted forest cultivations in poorer forest sites was one of the reasons behind the profitable final balance of naturally regenerating Scots pine stands. Differences between other costs analysed were not significant. The results of the present study may contribute to comprehensive assessments of natural and artificial ways of forest regeneration and indicate forest production costs that are the most closely related to site conditions.

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Typology of the natural regeneration in a middle-aged Scots pine forest

Silva Gandavensis ◽

10.21825/sg.v53i0.913 ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

Author(s):

C. De Schepper

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Natural Regeneration ◽

Free Field ◽

Sandy Soils ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Pedunculate Oak ◽

Pine Stands ◽

Scots Pine Forest ◽

Forest Practice ◽

Scots Pine Stands

The study describes the natural regeneration state of a forest on coarse sandy soils. The natural regeneration was studied in three different ecological conditions: in 30 to 60 year old Scots pine stands, in a 62 year old mixed stand of pedunculate oak and red oak, and on the free field. The analysis of the regeneration groups revealed that the first settler maintained a dominant social position during the following years after the settlement. The structural basis is consequently laid out early. This means that the forest practice has to consider the very first phase of the regeneration as determining for the following evolution of the regeneration groups.

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An analysis of a spontaneous ingrowth of deciduous trees in 70 year old stands of Scots pine

Silva Gandavensis ◽

10.21825/sg.v52i0.916 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 52 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

N. Lust

Keyword(s):

Scots Pine ◽

Red Oak ◽

Deciduous Trees ◽

Pedunculate Oak ◽

Black Cherry ◽

Height Distribution ◽

Stem Number ◽

Pine Stands ◽

Spontaneous Regeneration ◽

Scots Pine Stands

In 70 years old homogeneous Scots pine stands, bordered by a hardwood belt, an analysis was made about the spontaneous ingrowth of natural seedlings. The analysis involved especially the following points: species and stem number, influence of the hardwood belts, diameter and height distribution, age, growth and structure. From the age of 30 years, a spontaneous regeneration of hardwoods established in Scots pine stands. There are on average 7,000 plants per ha, 80 % of which are black cherry and another fair number are red oak and pedunculate oak. The regeneration has an average age of 25 to 30 years, it is uneven aged, contains several diameter and height classes and has already partially penetrated the upper stratum. The spontaneous ingrowth allows to convert in a simple way the homogeneous coniferous stands into mixed hardwood stands.

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