CLIMATE REGULATING ECOSYTEM SERVICES OF THE FOREST LANDSCAPE IN THE UKRAINIAN CARPATHIANS

Ecosystems provide multiple services for humans. Among them, a group of supporting and regulating ecosystem services is often less recognized by people as benefit and has been less studied by researchers. Amid various manifestations of climate change, more attention has been paid to particular subset of this group of services called climate regulating. Despite these there still few quantitative studies in this field. Trying to fill this research gap we conducted a study aimed at exploration of relation between climate regulating ecosystem services and their spatial determinants in the forest landscape within Ukrainian Carpathians. For that we chose the territory within Rakhiv and Tsiachiv districts in Transcarpathian region which represents all diversity of forest mountain ecosystems. For this study we used information on land surface temperature (LST) extracted from Landsat 8 thermal band for summer season of 2015. In order to account for vertical thermal gradient in mountains the LST data underwent normalization and in further analysis a dependent variable we employed normalized LST (nLST). Set of independent variables included geomorphometric indicators (altitude, slope, aspect, TPI) and data on forest cover (disturbance, density, dominant species, and disturbance in the neighborhood). For key study area of Velykyi watershed of 4059 ha we additionally used data on forest biomass and tree age. In general, all forest ecosystems in present research have been divided into three distinct classes – “natural”, “disturbed” and “other” forests. Using boosted regression trees method we built three statistical models for each of the forest classes called “global” models. Also we developed 12 “local” models that showed the link between nLST and analyzed independent variables within each altitudinal bioclimatic zone with considering also forest class. Three separate statistical models have been built for each of the forest classes for key study area. Our results suggest that both maximum and mean values of nLST within particular altitudinal bioclimatic zone are the lowest in “natural” forests and the highest in “disturbed” ones.. The statistical model performance based on the variance explained indicator ranged from 32 to 74 %, whilst for models for key study area it was between 77 and 89 %. The set of influential variables for different forest classes varied substantially, but the most often they included aspect, forest density and elevation despite of normalization applied before. In models created for class “disturbed” forests between 19 and 35 % of all explained variance has been contributed by variable indicating time of disturbance. In “local” models for class “natural” forests we revealed gradual decrease of influence of the geomorphometric indicators (elevation, slope, and TPI) when move from warmer to cooler altitudinal zones while for topographic aspect and forest density the trends were just the opposite. In case of key study area a wood stock and tree age variables along with elevation and aspect were amongst the most influential ones. We can conclude that depending on the state of naturalness of forest ecosystems they have different climate regulating potential which might be severely depleted by human and natural disturbances. Keywords: forest landscape, ecosystem services, remote sensing, climate regulation, climate change, Landsat satellite images, Ukrainian Carpathians.

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Stand Feature Associating With Climate Seasonality Determinate Root-Shoot Ratios of Forest Ecosystems in China

10.21203/rs.3.rs-51179/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Feng-Feng Kang ◽

Ai-Hua Yu ◽

Mingchun Guo ◽

Qi Wang ◽

Ze-Ping Jiang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biomass Allocation ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Forest Biomass ◽

Forest Age ◽

Natural Forests ◽

Forest Types ◽

Planted Forests ◽

Forest Density ◽

Shoot Ratio ◽

Root Shoot Ratio

Abstract Background: Forest ecosystems play a crucial role in global carbon cycle. Identifying bio- or abio- drivers on forest biomass allocation pattern could improve our understanding in forest carbon sink, stock and cycle across various spatio-temporal scales. Through compiling a dataset (n=1931) of the root-shoot ratio from previous studies, here we implemented the Random Forest algorithm (RF) to elucidate main driven factors on the root-shoot ratio across China forest ecosystems. Results: (1) Forest age and forest density were both contributed mostly to root-shoot ratio variations regardless of forest origins (natural or planted forests). The relative important values (% increase in MSE) for forest density and forest age on the root-shoot ratio were 54.42% and 51.05% in the natural forests, and 74.61% and 117.27% in the planted forests, respectively; (2) Compared to soil variables (soil texture and nutrient status), climatic variables (temperature and precipitation) showed stronger effects on the root-shoot ratio; (3) Partial dependent analysis further demonstrated that root-shoot ratio initially decreased with forest age, but afterwards increased to a relative stable level (the turning point, e.g., ca. 150 yr for natural forests and ca.30 yr for planted forests); (4)The root-shoot ratio increased nonlinearly with an increase of forest density in both forest types. Forest density and precipitation seasonality exerted positively direct effects, while forest age together with temperature seasonality, mean temperature of wettest quarter and precipitation of warmest quarter had negatively effects on the root-shoot ratio of two forest types. Conclusions: The forest age, forest density and climate seasonality contributed mostly to variations of root-shoot ratios in China forest ecosystems. These results would improve our understanding of environmental drivers on forest biomass allocation over a large spatial scale, and to some extent provide a generally practical significance in forest management (e.g., time for timber harvest), although species-specific root-shoot ratio associated with ontogeny should be further investigated in the future.

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Forests as Nature-Based Solutions: Ecosystem Services, Multiple Benefits and Trade-Offs

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12060800 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 800

Author(s):

Elisabetta Salvatori ◽

Giacomo Pallante

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Urban Forests ◽

Agroforestry Systems ◽

Managed Forests ◽

Natural Forests ◽

Trade Offs

Forest ecosystems, including natural forests, managed forests, agroforestry systems, and urban and peri-urban forests, can be considered as multifunctional Nature-based Solutions (NbS) since they deliver key ecosystem services to people [...]

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Wald und Klimawandel in der inneralpinen Trockenregion Visp

Schweizerische Zeitschrift fur Forstwesen ◽

10.3188/szf.2012.0481 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 163 (12) ◽

pp. 481-492

Author(s):

Andreas Rigling ◽

Ché Elkin ◽

Matthias Dobbertin ◽

Britta Eilmann ◽

Arnaud Giuggiola ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Forest Management ◽

Forest Ecosystem ◽

Bark Beetles ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Forest Monitoring ◽

Management Interventions ◽

Forest Ecosystem Services

Forest and climate change in the inner-Alpine dry region of Visp Over the past decades, observed increases in temperature have been particularly pronounced in mountain regions. If this trend should continue in the 21st Century, frequency and intensity of droughts will increase, and will pose major challenges for forest management. Under current conditions drought-related tree mortality is already an important factor of forest ecosystems in dry inner-Alpine valleys. Here we assess the sensitivity of forest ecosystems to climate change and evaluate alternative forest management strategies in the Visp region. We integrate data from forest monitoring plots, field experiments and dynamic forests models to evaluate how the forest ecosystem services timber production, protection against natural hazards, carbon storage and biodiver-sity will be impacted. Our results suggest that at dry low elevation sites the drought tolerance of native tree species will be exceeded so that in the longer term a transition to more drought-adapted species should be considered. At medium elevations, drought and insect disturbances as by bark beetles are projected to be important for forest development, while at high elevations forests are projected to expand and grow better. All of the ecosystem services that we considered are projected to be impacted by changing forest conditions, with the specific impacts often being elevation-dependent. In the medium term, forest management that aims to increase the resilience of forests to drought can help maintain forest ecosystem services temporarily. However, our results suggest that relatively rigid management interventions are required to achieve significant effects. By using a combination of environmental monitoring, field experiments and modeling, we are able to gain insight into how forest ecosystem, and the services they provide, will respond to future changes.

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Assessing policies to mitigate abandonment of shade-grown coffee production in forest systems amid low and uncertain prices

Environment and Development Economics ◽

10.1017/s1355770x20000443 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-26

Author(s):

Heidi J. Albers ◽

Stephanie Brockmann ◽

Beatriz Ávalos-Sartorio

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Low Cost ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Biodiversity Hotspot ◽

Payments For Ecosystem Services ◽

Natural Forests ◽

Coffee Production ◽

Certification Programs ◽

Coffee Farmers ◽

Effective Policy

Abstract Low and highly variable prices plague the coffee market, generating concerns that coffee farmers producing in shade systems under natural forests, as in biodiversity hotspot Oaxaca, Mexico, will abandon production and contribute to deforestation and reduced ecosystem services. Using stakeholder information, we build a setting-informed model to analyze farmers' decisions to abandon shade-grown coffee production and their reactions to policy to reduce abandonment. Exploring price premiums for bird-friendly certified coffee, payments for ecosystem services, and price floors as policies, we find that once a farmer is on the path toward abandonment, it is difficult to reverse. However, implementing policies early that are low cost to farmers – price floors and no-cost certification programs – can stem abandonment. Considering the abandonment that policy avoids per dollar spent, price floors are the most cost-effective policy, yet governments prefer certification programs that push costs onto international coffee consumers who pay the price premium.

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Potential of Alnus acuminata based agroforestry for carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services in Rwanda

Agroforestry Systems ◽

10.1007/s10457-021-00619-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Athanase R. Cyamweshi ◽

Shem Kuyah ◽

Athanase Mukuralinda ◽

Catherine W. Muthuri

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Soil Fertility ◽

Tree Age ◽

Average Height ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Biomass Carbon ◽

Alnus Acuminata ◽

Sequestration Potential ◽

Old Trees

AbstractAlnus acuminata Kunth. (alnus) is widely used in agroforestry systems across the globe and is believed to provide multiple ecosystem services; however, evidence is lacking in agroforestry literature to support the perceived benefits, particularly in Rwanda. To understand carbon sequestration potential and other benefits of alnus, a household survey, tree inventory and destructive sampling were conducted in north-western Rwanda. Over 75% of the respondents had alnus trees in their farms. The trees provide stakes for climbing beans, firewood and timber. They also improve soil fertility and control soil erosion. Farmers had between 130 and 161 alnus trees per hectare with an average height of 7.7 ± 0.59 m and diameter at breast height of 16.3 ± 1.39 cm. The largest biomass proportion was found in stems (70.5%) while branches and leaves stock about 16.5 and 13% of the total biomass, respectively. At farm level, aboveground biomass of alnus trees was estimated to be 27.2 ± 0.7 Mg ha−1 representing 13.6 Mg of carbon (C) per hectare. Biomass carbon increased with tree size, from 7.1 ± 0.2 Mg C ha−1 in 3 years old trees to 34.4 ± 2.2 Mg C ha−1 in 10 years old trees. The converse was observed with elevation; biomass carbon decreased with increasing elevation from 21.4 ± 1.29 Mg C ha−1 at low (2011–2110 m) to 9.6 ± 0.75 Mg C ha−1 in the high elevation (> 2510 m). In conclusion, alnus agroforestry significantly contributes to carbon sequestration, although the magnitude of these benefits varies with tree age and elevation. Planting alnus trees on farms can meet local needs for stakes for climbing beans, wood and soil fertility improvement, as well as the global need for regulation of climate change.

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Resources of dead wood in the municipal forests in Warsaw

Forest Research Papers ◽

10.1515/frp-2015-0031 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 76 (4) ◽

pp. 322-330 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Konrad Skwarek ◽

Szymon Bijak

Keyword(s):

National Parks ◽

Coarse Woody Debris ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Dead Wood ◽

Woody Debris ◽

Forest Site ◽

Natural Forests ◽

Dead Trees ◽

Standing Dead ◽

High Degree

Abstract Dead wood plays an important role for the biodiversity of forest ecosystems and influences their proper development. This study assessed the amount of coarse woody debris in municipal forests in Warsaw (central Poland). Based on the forest site type, dominant tree species and age class, we stratified all complexes of the Warsaw urban forests in order to allocate 55 sample plots. For these plots, we determined the volume of dead wood including standing dead trees, coarse woody debris and broken branches as well as uprooted trees. We calculated the amount of dead wood in the distinguished site-species-age layers and for individual complexes. The volume of dead matter in municipal forests in Warsaw amounted to 38,761 m3, i.e. 13.7 m3/ha. The obtained results correspond to the current regulations concerning the amount of dead organic matter to be left in forests. Only in the Las Bielański complex (northern Warsaw) volume of dead wood is comparable to the level observed in Polish national parks or nature reserves, which is still far lower than the values found for natural forests. In general, municipal forests in Warsaw stand out positively in terms of dead wood quantity and a high degree of variation in the forms and dimensions of dead wood.

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The Role of Phytodiversity in Riparian Alder Forests in Supporting the Provision of Ecosystem Services

Acta Regionalia et Environmentalica ◽

10.1515/aree-2016-0010 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 47-51

Author(s):

Patrícia Mariničová ◽

Pavol Eliáš

Keyword(s):

Ecosystem Services ◽

Species Diversity ◽

Medicinal Plants ◽

Functional Groups ◽

Functional Diversity ◽

Woody Plants ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Human Society

Abstract Nature, ecosystems and biodiversity provide human society with many benefits known as ecosystem services. Functional diversity is an important aspect of biodiversity. In this paper, we applied inductive approach to the identification, mapping and evaluation of ecosystem services of the Aegopodio-Alnetum glutinosae community in Tribeč Mts. The results from 2015 show that the alder floodplain forest represents one of the most productive forest ecosystems with seasonal maximum production of 59.03 g m−2, species diversity of N0 = 40 and functional diversity of FD = 10. The forage potential of this community is medium, the melliferous potential is high and the therapeutic potential was estimated as extremely rich in medicinal plants. From the functional groups for providing ecosystem services, woody plants and hemicryptophytes play the most significant role.

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Positive biodiversity–productivity relationships in forests: climate matters

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2017.0747 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 20170747 ◽

Cited By ~ 57

Author(s):

H. Jactel ◽

E. S. Gritti ◽

L. Drössler ◽

D. I. Forrester ◽

W. L. Mason ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Carbon Sequestration ◽

Tree Species ◽

Climatic Factors ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Global Scale ◽

Tree Age ◽

Drought Severity ◽

Natural Forests ◽

Mixed Species

While it is widely acknowledged that forest biodiversity contributes to climate change mitigation through improved carbon sequestration, conversely how climate affects tree species diversity–forest productivity relationships is still poorly understood. We combined the results of long-term experiments where forest mixtures and corresponding monocultures were compared on the same site to estimate the yield of mixed-species stands at a global scale, and its response to climatic factors. We found positive mixture effects on productivity using a meta-analysis of 126 case studies established at 60 sites spread across five continents. Overall, the productivity of mixed-species forests was 15% greater than the average of their component monocultures, and not statistically lower than the productivity of the best component monoculture. Productivity gains in mixed-species stands were not affected by tree age or stand species composition but significantly increased with local precipitation. The results should guide better use of tree species combinations in managed forests and suggest that increased drought severity under climate change might reduce the atmospheric carbon sequestration capacity of natural forests.

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A New Look at the Natural Capital Concept: Approaches, Structure, and Evaluation Procedure

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12219236 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (21) ◽

pp. 9236

Author(s):

Margarita Ignatyeva ◽

Vera Yurak ◽

Oksana Logvinenko

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Natural Resources ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Natural Capital ◽

Economic Assessment ◽

Evaluation Procedure ◽

The Core ◽

Khanty Mansi Autonomous ◽

Ecosystem Approaches

This article considers the concept of natural capital as a basic construct of sustainable development. However, after numerous studies, a number of aspects of accounting and valuation of natural capital remain unspecified. The relevance and imperfection of the guidelines used to assess natural capital make relevant the development of such issues as the conceptual apparatus and methods to natural capital assessment. Therefore, the core objectives of the paper are: (1) to substantiate the structure of natural capital, taking into account the natural resources and ecosystem approaches; (2) to clarify the concepts of “function” and “services” in relation to abiotic and biotic components of the environment; (3) to generalize and analyze the classifications of ecosystem services, and to develop the authors’ classification; (4) to identify the most common methods for the economic assessment of natural capital’s components, and to implement these methods within a specific territory. These methods have been tested on the Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug (KhMAD, Russia). The most typical ecosystems of the region and their inherent ecosystem services have been identified. Assessment results are presented for (1) forest ecosystems, (2) mountain ecosystems, and (3) ecosystems of swamps, lakes, and rivers.

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Sustainable management of mountain forests in the Czech Republic

Journal of Forest Science ◽

10.17221/4651-jfs ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 50 (No. 11) ◽

pp. 526-532 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

S. Vacek ◽

V. Balcar

Keyword(s):

Czech Republic ◽

Forest Management ◽

Forest Ecosystems ◽

Sustainable Forest Management ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Raw Material ◽

Anthropogenic Factors ◽

Mountain Forests ◽

Natural Forests ◽

The Czech Republic

Forest management in the Czech Republic (CR) was not shaped in the environment of natural forests but in the territory that was influenced by unregulated felling and animal grazing for a long time. Hence the fear for sustainable and balanced benefits from forests endangered by long-term uncontrolled exploitation was legitimate. Almost after three centuries of application of the sustainability principle, forests are considered not only as a source of renewable wood raw material but also as a tool of the environment formation. Mountain forests are an important landscape component of this country. They are an object of specific importance from the aspect of natural environment conservation, stabilization of natural processes and general landscape homeostasis. In addition, they fulfil a number of production and non-production functions. Cardinal elements of sustainable forest management in the CR conditions are as follows: management of the forest as an ecosystem, i.e. transition from exclusive care of forest tree species and their stands to care of the whole forest ecosystems; restructuring (conversion, reconstruction) of damaged and declining forests; optimum (species, genetic, spatial, age) structure of forest ecosystems differentiated according to site conditions and management targets; differentiated transition from general management to group or individual methods; utilization and support of spontaneous processes such as natural regeneration, competition and other principles of self-regulation. The above cardinal elements of sustainable forest management are applicable to forests of the CR in general, but their importance considerably increases in mountain forests where many species survive on the margin of subsistence. Moreover, mountain forests of CR have been heavily destroyed by anthropogenic factors, especially air-pollution ecological stresses, during the last three or four decades.

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