scholarly journals Gutachtliche Beurteilung des Wildeinflusses auf die Waldverjüngung (Essay)

2019 ◽  
Vol 170 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-141
Author(s):  
Michiel Fehr ◽  
Nora Zürcher Gasser ◽  
Olivier Schneider ◽  
Thomas Burger ◽  
Andrea D. Kupferschmid
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Expert Assessment ◽  
Vertical Growth ◽  
Forestry Society ◽  
Target Values ◽  
Expert Assessments ◽  
Number Of Stems ◽  
The Impact

Expert assessments of the ungulate influence on tree regeneration (essay) Roe deer, red deer and chamois browse on shoots of tree saplings or fray and peel their bark. This ungulate influence can be so strong that it changes the composition of the tree species mixture and the number of stems. Repeated expert assessments of tree saplings allow a comprehensive statement about the strength and development of this ungulate influence and provide a basis for discussions about possible actions to be taken. However, this only applies if the expert assessment describes the influence of ungulates objectively, transparently and neutrally. In the text, the authors – members of the working group Forest and Wildlife of the Swiss Forestry Society – propose a concrete procedure for the expert assessment. The core of which is the assessment of the impact of ungulates in four classes. The use of these ungulate influence classes makes it possible to evaluate objectively the vertical growth of main and admixed tree species as well as the vertical growth of ungulate-sensitive and non-sensitive tree species. These classes enable a calculation of the proportion of forest area where browsing does prevent silvicultural objectives from being met with respect to i) the composition of ungulate-sensitive main and admixed tree species and ii) the number of stems (target values for regeneration). A harmonization of ungulate influence classes facilitates the assessment of canton-wide wildlife management units and gener ally simplifies the dialogue between cantons.

scholarly journals Ungulate Species and Abundance as well as Environmental Factors Determine the Probability of Terminal Shoot Browsing on Temperate Forest Trees

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 764 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Doris Kupferschmid ◽  
Lukas Bütikofer ◽  
Torsten Hothorn ◽  
Andreas Schwyzer ◽  
Peter Brang
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Temperate Forest ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Density Estimates ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Timber Tree ◽  
Terminal Shoot ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Young Growth

Ungulate browsing is a major factor influencing tree regeneration. However, it is unclear if the observed increase in ungulate abundance in Central Europe implies increased browsing, and which other factors influence the incidence of browsing. We investigated the impact of forty variables (site, climate, forest and ungulates) on the probability of leader shoot browsing of six tree species which are frequent in Switzerland. The analysis was based on a large dataset including 49 monitoring areas, each containing 25–64 circular plots, in which 10 to 130 cm tall seedlings were repeatedly assessed. Browsing probability was estimated for each plot and year by mixed effects logistic regression and used as a response in random forests to disentangle the influence of the explanatory variables. Browsing probability was positively correlated with ungulate density measures (number culled by hunting or found dead) for all six tree species. Where beyond roe deer, some red deer and/or chamois were present, the browsing probability was higher. Small timber tree stands had less browsing than young growth and thicket stands. Seedlings tended to be more frequently browsed in stands with >80% canopy shading. Browsing increased with increasing understory cover, independent of vegetation category. In conclusion, browsing is a multifactorial phenomenon and ungulate density estimates alone do not explain the whole browsing probability.

Long-term effects of stump removal and tree species composition on the diversity and structure of soil fungal communities

2020 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dixi Modi ◽  
Suzanne Simard ◽  
Jean Bérubé ◽  
Les Lavkulich ◽  
Richard Hamelin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Fungal Community ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Management Practice ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Root Disease ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Stump removal is a common forest management practice used to reduce the mortality of trees affected by the fungal pathogen-mediated root disease, Armillaria root rot, but the impact of stumping on soil fungal community structure is not well understood. This study analyzed the long-term impact of stumping and tree species composition on the abundance, diversity and taxonomic composition of soil fungal communities using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) marker-based DNA metabarcoding in a 48-year-old trial at Skimikin, British Columbia. A total of 108 samples were collected from FH (fermented and humus layers), and soil mineral horizons (A and B) from stumped and unstumped plots of six tree species treatments (pure stands and admixtures of Douglas-fir, western red-cedar and paper birch). Fungal α-diversity in the A horizon significantly increased with stumping regardless of tree species composition, while β-diversity was significantly affected by stumping in all the horizons. We also observed that the relative abundance of the saprotrophic fungal community declined while that of the ectomycorrhizal fungal community increased with stumping. In conclusion, increase in ectomycorrhizal fungal associations, which are positively associated with tree productivity, suggests that stumping can be considered a good management practice for mitigating root disease and promoting tree regeneration.

scholarly journals Direkte, indirekte und kombinierte Effekte von Wölfen auf die Waldverjüngung

2016 ◽  
Vol 167 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-12
Author(s):  
Andrea D. Kupferschmid ◽  
Kurt Bollmann
Keyword(s):  
Central Europe ◽  
Prey Species ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
General Rule ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Distribution Area ◽  
Wild Ungulates ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Large Predators ◽  
The Impact

Direct, indirect and combined effects of wolves on tree regeneration The wolf currently returns to its traditional distribution area in central Europe. As a large carnivore, he will change the interactions between the organisms there. The impact of wolves on wild ungulates and on the vegetation cover and its composition is manifold: besides direct, numeric effects of wolves on the abundance and demography of their prey populations (like chamois, roe deer and red deer), indirect functional effects through mediated behavior of ungulates are also reported. In a first phase of wolf recolonization with low population density in a region, the functional effects as changes in the spatio-temporal use of habitats and resources are considered to be dominant because the wild ungulates attempt avoiding to become a prey. Later, in phases with higher wolf densities, direct numeric effects on the abundance of prey species should become more obvious. Such interactions among predator and prey species also have an impact on the browsing of tree regeneration. Since the spatio-temporal habitat use of prey species is mediated by the occurrence and abundance of large predators, we cannot assume that the browsing level will gradually decrease in general. Wild ungulates could more often hide or retreat into steep and rocky terrain or towards human settlement. Hence, trophic interactions between predators, herbivores and forests are complex and multilayered, in particular because forest ecosystems in central Europe are strongly influenced by forestry and hunting practices. This limits the trophic cascading impact of carnivores on forest. Our review demonstrates that the equation “wolf = less ungulates = fewer browsing” is not a general rule.

scholarly journals Model for assessing the competitiveness of rural areas in the region in the new economic conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 210 ◽  
pp. 14001
Author(s):  
Svetlana Podgorskaya ◽  
Sergei Schitov
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Statistical Data ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Expert Assessment ◽  
State Management ◽  
Rostov Region ◽  
Target Values ◽  
Expert Assessments ◽  
Weight Coefficients ◽  
Integral Indicator

A model for assessing the competitiveness of rural areas in the region has been developed, which allows analyzing the parameters of the actual socio-economic situation on the basis of statistical data and expert assessments in order to make management decisions aimed at leveling and mitigating the consequences of crisis phenomena. The system of indicative indicators for assessing the main areas of rural life: economic, institutional, innovative, social, labor, and environmental. The integral indicator of the competitiveness of rural areas based on an assessment of the extent to which the characteristic levels of performance target values, the position of the state management and key customers. To calculate the indicator, we used the multivariate average method, which generalizes the levels of characteristics of the studied sample in order to further rank the elements. The weight coefficients for each component of the model were determined by the expert assessment method based on a survey of respondents – rural residents and experts in the field of rural development. The results of testing the model on the materials of rural areas of the Rostov region are presented.

Long-term population dynamics of the red deer and European roe deer at the protected and not-protected areas in Mountain Crimea

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 65-72
Author(s):  
V. N. Shmagol' ◽  
V. L. Yarysh ◽  
S. P. Ivanov ◽  
V. I. Maltsev
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Nature Reserve ◽  
Roe Deer ◽  
Precipitation Amount ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Population Number ◽  
The Impact

<p>The long-term population dynamics of the red deer (<em>Cervus elaphus</em> L.) and European roe deer (<em>Capreolus</em> <em>capreolus</em> L.) at the mountain and forest zone of Crimea during 1980-2017 is presented. Fluctuations in numbers of both species are cyclical and partly synchronous. Period of oscillations in the population of red deer is about 25 years, the average duration of the oscillation period of number of roe deer is 12.3 years. During the fluctuations in the number the increasing and fall in population number of the red deer had been as 26-47 %, and roe deer – as 22-34 %. Basing on the dada obtained we have assumed that together with large-scale cycles of fluctuations in population number of both red deer and roe deer the short cycles of fluctuations in the number of these species with period from 3.5 to 7.5 years take place. Significant differences of the parameters of cyclical fluctuations in the number of roe deer at some sites of the Mountainous Crimea: breaches of synchronicity, as well as significant differences in the duration of cycles are revealed. The greatest deviations from the average values of parameters of long-term dynamics of the number of roe deer in Crimea are noted for groups of this species at two protected areas. At the Crimean Nature Reserve the cycle time of fluctuations of the numbers of roe deer was 18 years. At the Karadag Nature Reserve since 1976 we can see an exponential growth in number of roe deer that is continued up to the present time. By 2016 the number of roe deer reached 750 individuals at a density of 437 animals per 1 thousand ha. Peculiarity of dynamics of number of roe deer at some sites proves the existence in the mountain forest of Crimea several relatively isolated groups of deer. We assumed that "island" location of the Crimean populations of red deer and European roe deer, their relatively little number and influence of permanent extreme factors of both natural and anthropogenic origination have contributed to a mechanism of survival of these populations. The elements of such a mechanism include the following features of long-term dynamics of the population: the reduction in the period of cyclic population fluctuations, while maintaining their amplitude and the appearance of additional small cycles, providing more flexible response of the population to the impact of both negative and positive environmental factors. From the totality of the weather conditions for the Crimean population of roe deer the recurring periods of increases and downs in the annual precipitation amount may have relevance. There was a trend of increase in the roe deer population during periods of increasing annual precipitation.</p>

CONSTITUTIONALISM AND AMENDMENTS TO THE BASIC LAW OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION 2020: POLITICAL ANALYSIS

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 103-118
Author(s):  
O.A. SIDENKO ◽  
◽  
D.V. SOSUNOV ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Russian Language ◽  
Constitutional Amendments ◽  
Expert Opinions ◽  
Political Analysis ◽  
Basic Law ◽  
Expert Assessments ◽  
The Russian Federation ◽  
Existence Of Value ◽  
Transitional Constitutionalism ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of the article is to reveal the contradictions of the Russian transitional constitutionalism of the 2020 model as perceived by experts. It is achieved by presenting a palette of experts' views on the phenomenon of constitutionalism, expert assessments of the impact of the 2020 constitutional reform on constitutional principles, the distance between citizens and authorities, as well as expert opinions on the existence of value consolidation between the state and civil society in modern Russia. It is extremely important that the constitutional amendments, contributing to adaptation to changing realities, remain within the framework of the system of constitutionalism. There is no relevant developed methodology for political and legal assessment in the Russian-language scientific literature. The research group, having resorted to an expert survey, proposed their own version. The results obtained indicate not only the importance of value connotations in the perception of constitutionalism by experts, the weakening of all groups of constitutional principles (negative assessments prevail over positive ones), the manipulative nature of the process, but also a potential increase in the distance between the governors and the governed. Nevertheless, the threshold values that could indicate the interpretation of constitutional novels by experts as leading to going beyond the framework of constitutionalism are not identified. Since the project is pilot and generalizations are based on expert estimates, the conclusions are debatable.

scholarly journals Effect of Competition and Climatic Conditions on the Growth of Beech in the Mixed Pine Beech Stand: Lithuanian Case Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Edgaras Linkevičius ◽  
Gerda Junevičiūtė
Keyword(s):  
Intraspecific Competition ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Forest Growth ◽  
Competition Effect ◽  
Diameter Increment ◽  
Cart Analysis ◽  
Crown Width ◽  
Beech Stand ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Impact

Climate change and warming will potentially have profound effects on forest growth and yield, especially for pure stands in the near future. Thus, increased attention has been paid to mixed stands, e.g., pine and beech mixtures. However, the interaction of tree species growing in mixtures still remains unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the interspecific and intraspecific competition to diameter, height, and crown width of pine and beech trees growing in mixtures, as well as to evaluate the impact of climatic indicators to the beech radial diameter increment. The data was collected in 2017 at the mixed mature pine beech double layer stand, located in the western part of Lithuania. The sample plot of 1.2 hectare was established and tree species, diameter at the breast height, tree height, height-to-crown base, height-to-crown width, and position were measured for all 836 trees. Additionally, a representative sample of radial diameter increments were estimated only for the beech trees by taking out core discs at the height of 1 m when the stand was partially cut. Competition analysis was based on the distance-dependent competition index, which was further based on crown parameters. Climatic effect was evaluated using classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. We found almost no interspecific competition effect to diameter, height, or crown width for both tree species growing in the first layer. However, it had an effect on beeches growing in the second layer. The intraspecific competition effect was important for pine and beech trees, showing a negative effect for both of them. Our results show the possible coexistence of these tree species due to niche differentiation. An analysis of climatic indicators from 1991–2005 revealed that precipitation from February–May of the current vegetation year and mean temperatures from July to September expressed radial diameter increment effects for beech trees. Low temperatures during March and April, as well as high precipitation during January, had a negative effect on beech radial increments. From 2006–2016, the highest effect on radial diameter increments was the mean temperatures from July to September, as well as the precipitation in January of the current year. From 1991–2016, the highest effect on radial diameter increments was the temperature from July to September 1991–2016 and the precipitation in June 1991–2016. Generally, cool temperatures and higher precipitation in June had a positive effect on beech radial increments. Therefore, our results show a sensitivity to high temperatures and droughts during summer amid Lithuanian’s growth conditions.

scholarly journals Beavers, Bugs and Chemistry: A Mammalian Herbivore Changes Chemistry Composition and Arthropod Communities in Foundation Tree Species

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 877
Author(s):  
Rachel M. Durben ◽  
Faith M. Walker ◽  
Liza Holeski ◽  
Arthur R. Keith ◽  
Zsuzsi Kovacs ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tree Species ◽  
Castor Canadensis ◽  
Habitat Type ◽  
Food Preferences ◽  
Woody Species ◽  
Juvenile Growth ◽  
Arthropod Community ◽  
Riparian Ecosystems ◽  
Arthropod Communities ◽  
The Impact

The North American beaver (Castor canadensis Kuhl) and cottonwoods (Populus spp.) are foundation species, the interactions of which define a much larger community and affect a threatened riparian habitat type. Few studies have tested the effect of these interactions on plant chemistry and a diverse arthropod community. We experimentally examined the impact of beaver foraging on riparian communities by first investigating beaver food preferences for one cottonwood species, Fremont cottonwood (P. fremontii S. Watson), compared to other locally available woody species. We next examined the impact of beaver foraging on twig chemistry and arthropod communities in paired samples of felled and unfelled cottonwood species in northern Arizona (P. fremontii) and southwestern Colorado (narrowleaf cottonwood, P. angustifolia James, and Eastern cottonwood, P. deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall). Four major patterns emerged: (1) In a cafeteria experiment, beavers chose P. fremontii six times more often than other woody native and exotic species. (2) With two cottonwood species, we found that the nitrogen and salicortin concentrations were up to 45% greater and lignin concentration 14% lower in the juvenile resprout growth of felled trees than the juvenile growth on unfelled trees (six of seven analyses were significant for P. fremontii and four of six were significant for P. angustifolia). (3) With two cottonwood species, arthropod community composition on juvenile branches differed significantly between felled and unfelled trees, with up to 38% greater species richness, 114% greater relative abundance and 1282% greater species diversity on felled trees (six of seven analyses with P. fremontii and four of six analyses with P. angustifolia were significant). The above findings indicate that the highest arthropod diversity is achieved in the heterogenous stands of mixed felled and unfelled trees than in stands of cottonwoods, where beavers are not present. These results also indicate that beaver herbivory changes the chemical composition in 10 out of 13 chemical traits in the juvenile growth of two of the three cottonwood species to potentially allow better defense against future beaver herbivory. (4) With P. deltoides, only one of five analyses in chemistry was significant, and none of the four arthropod community analyses were significant, suggesting that this species and its arthropod community responds differently to beaver. Potential reasons for these differences are unknown. Overall, our findings suggest that in addition to their impact on riparian vegetation, other mammals, birds, and aquatic organisms, beavers also may define the arthropod communities of two of three foundation tree species in these riparian ecosystems.

Restoration of floral diversity through plantations on abandoned agricultural land

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 1218-1235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven G Newmaster ◽  
F Wayne Bell ◽  
Christopher R Roosenboom ◽  
Heather A Cole ◽  
William D Towill
Keyword(s):  
Plant Diversity ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Geographic Region ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Community Interactions ◽  
Long Term Study ◽  
Floral Diversity ◽  
The Impact

Plantations have been claimed to be "monocultures", or "biological deserts". We investigated these claims in the context of a long-term study on plant diversity within plantations with different indigenous tree species, spacings, and soil types that were compared with 410 native stands. Soil type had no influence on plantation species diversity or abundance, and wider spacing resulted in higher richness, lower woody plant abundance, slightly higher cover of herbaceous plants, and large increases in cryptogam cover. We also found a canopy species × spacing interaction effect, where the impact of increased spacing on understory vegetation was more pronounced in spruce than in pine plantations. The dynamic community interactions among species of feathermoss appear to be in response to the physical impediment from varying amounts of needle rain from the different tree species. High light interception and needle fall were negatively correlated with understory plant diversity, as was lack of structural diversity. This study indicates that through afforestation efforts agricultural lands can be restored to productive forests that can harbour nearly one-half of the plant species found in equivalent natural forests within the same geographic region in as little as 50 years. We recommend applying afforestation using indigenous conifer species as a first step towards rehabilitating conifer forests that have been converted to agriculture and subsequently abandoned.

Effects of open-range cattle grazing on deciduous tree regeneration, damage, and mortality following patch logging

2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (7) ◽  
pp. 777-783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jillian Kaufmann ◽  
Edward W. Bork ◽  
Michael J. Alexander ◽  
Peter V. Blenis
Keyword(s):  
Populus Tremuloides ◽  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Deciduous Forest ◽  
Total Mortality ◽  
Cattle Grazing ◽  
Tree Regeneration ◽  
Deciduous Tree ◽  
Populus Balsamifera ◽  
Haul Road ◽  
The Impact

The impact of summer cattle grazing on deciduous tree regeneration within uncut forests, clearcuts, partially harvested areas, and in-block haul road habitats was examined in four experimental pastures of central Alberta during 2008 and 2009. Sampling of 233 field plots, both inside and outside cattle exclosures, was used to document sapling densities, height, and type of damage. Tree densities (primarily aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.)) differed among habitats but less so with exposure to cattle. Densities were greatest in clearcuts, followed by partially harvested areas and then uncut forest and haul roads. While exposure to cattle reduced total tree regeneration, sapling densities and sizes remained sufficient to meet postharvest standards for deciduous forest regeneration in Alberta, even with exposure to cattle. Cattle damage in harvested areas was primarily from browsing (≤3.2% of saplings), with proportionally more trees affected in uncut forests (8.6%). Browsing was particularly high on balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera L.) (25%) during 2008. Although sapling damage increased with high cattle stocking in 2008 (to 10.5%), total mortality was limited to 15.5% through 2009. These findings show that despite cattle impacts to some saplings, damage levels were insufficient to alter deciduous regeneration, highlighting the compatibility of cattle grazing and sustainable forest management on public lands in this region.

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