Do natural disturbances or the forestry practices that follow them convert forests to early-successional communities?

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 442-458 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Stephen Brewer ◽  
Christine A. Bertz ◽  
Jeffery B. Cannon ◽  
Jason D. Chesser ◽  
Erynn E. Maynard
Keyword(s):  
Natural Disturbances ◽  
Forestry Practices ◽  
Successional Communities

Habitat fragmentation causes collapse of kelp recruitment

2020 ◽  
Vol 648 ◽  
pp. 111-123
Author(s):  
C Layton ◽  
MJ Cameron ◽  
M Tatsumi ◽  
V Shelamoff ◽  
JT Wright ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Fragmentation ◽  
Patch Size ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
Anthropogenic Disturbances ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Kelp Forests ◽  
Natural Disturbances ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Turf Algae

Kelp forests in many regions are experiencing disturbance from anthropogenic sources such as ocean warming, pollution, and overgrazing. Unlike natural disturbances such as storms, anthropogenic disturbances often manifest as press perturbations that cause persistent alterations to the environment. One consequence is that some kelp forests are becoming increasingly sparse and fragmented. We manipulated patch size of the kelp Ecklonia radiata over 24 mo to simulate persistent habitat fragmentation and assessed how this influenced the demography of macro- and microscopic juvenile kelp within the patches. At the beginning of the experiment, patch formation resulted in short-term increases in E. radiata recruitment in patches <1 m2. However, recruitment collapsed in those same patches over the extended period, with no recruits observed after 15 mo. Experimental transplants of microscopic and macroscopic juvenile sporophytes into the patches failed to identify the life stage impacted by the reductions in patch size, indicating that the effects may be subtle and require extended periods to manifest, and/or that another life stage is responsible. Abiotic measurements within the patches indicated that kelp were less able to engineer the sub-canopy environment in smaller patches. In particular, reduced shading of the sub-canopy in smaller patches was associated with proliferation of sediments and turf algae, which potentially contributed to the collapse of recruitment. We demonstrate the consequences of short- and longer-term degradation of E. radiata habitats and conclude that habitat fragmentation can lead to severe disruptions to kelp demography.

scholarly journals Why Protect Ancient Woodland in the UK? Rethinking the Ecosystem Approach

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Jona Razzaque ◽  
Claire Lester
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Ecosystem Approach ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Value Systems ◽  
Ancient Woodland ◽  
Forestry Practices ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Sites of ancient woodland in the United Kingdom (UK) are diminishing rapidly and the multifunctional forest management system with its fragmented approach fails effectively to protect such woodland. In the face of reports on the destruction of ancient woodland, the HS2 High-Speed train project in the UK signifies the extent of trade-offs among the key stakeholders. Such large infrastructure projects typically come with high environmental and social costs, including deforestation, habitat fragmentation, biodiversity loss, and social disruption. This article examines the protection of ancient woodland in the UK and assesses the challenges in applying the ecosystem approach, an internationally recognized sustainability strategy, in the context of such protection. A better understanding of the ecosystem approach to manage ancient woodland is critical for promoting sustainable forestry practices in the UK and informs the discussion in this article of the importance of conserving ancient woodland globally. Lessons learned from UK woodland policies and certification schemes include the need to have in place strong regulatory frameworks, introduce clear indicators, and recognize pluralistic value systems alongside economic considerations. The article concludes that the protection of ancient woodland in the UK requires distinct and strong laws that reflect multiple values of this resource, acknowledge the trade-offs among stakeholders, and adopt an inclusive approach to reduce power asymmetries.

Effects of species and environmental factors on browsing frequency of young trees in mountain forests affected by natural disturbances

2020 ◽  
Vol 474 ◽  
pp. 118364
Author(s):  
Jerzy Szwagrzyk ◽  
Anna Gazda ◽  
Elżbieta Muter ◽  
Remigiusz Pielech ◽  
Janusz Szewczyk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Natural Disturbances ◽  
Mountain Forests

Mangrove dynamics in the southwestern Caribbean since the ‘Little Ice Age’: A history of human and natural disturbances

The Holocene ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 849-861 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catalina González ◽  
Ligia Estela Urrego ◽  
José Ignacio Martínez ◽  
Jaime Polanía ◽  
Yusuke Yokoyama
Keyword(s):  
Little Ice Age ◽  
Ice Age ◽  
Natural Disturbances ◽  
History Of ◽  
Mangrove Dynamics

Forestry practices and biodiversity, with particular reference to the Maritime Provinces of eastern Canada

1994 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bill Freedman ◽  
Stephen Woodley ◽  
Judy Loo
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Forest Products ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Industrial Facilities ◽  
Levels Of Organization ◽  
Forestry Practices ◽  
Forest Industries ◽  
Ecologically Sustainable

The Canadian forest industries are based on the extensive harvesting and management of forests, with attendant effects on biodiversity at all levels of organization. In large part, conflicts between forestry and biodiversity occur because lands that are harvested and managed are mostly natural and seminatural ecosystems. Prior to being affected by forestry, such lands provided habitat for native species of wild life and their communities. Some of these elements of biodiversity may not find silvicultural habitats, especially plantations, to be suitable to their needs. In addition, the longer term integrity of some natural ecosystems, for example old-growth forests, is not compatible with any but the softest types of exploitation and management. This report discusses interactions of forestry and biodiversity at three levels of organization: (i) genetic variation within populations and species; (ii) the richness of species within communities; and (iii) the richness of community types on the landscape. A broader conclusion of our report is the following: If forestry systems of harvesting and management are to be practised in an ecologically sustainable fashion, then all elements of biodiversity must be accommodated within a landscape comprised of an integration of working lands and ecological reserves. The spatial scale of this integration could be various, ranging from large watersheds, to the "woodsheds" of particular industrial facilities, to provincial and national areas. Therefore, resolution of the substantial conflicts between biodiversity and forestry requires the design of ecologically sustainable landscapes that can provide a flow of timber and other valuated forest products, while still sustaining natural biodiversity resources.Key words: forest management, biodiversity, ecological reserves, eastern Canada, harvesting practices, old growth.

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