scholarly journals The Persisting Influence of Edge on Vegetation in Hemiboreal Alnus Glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. Swamp Forest Set-Asides Adjacent to Recently Disturbed Stands

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1084
Author(s):  
Līga Liepa ◽  
Zigmārs Rendenieks ◽  
Āris Jansons ◽  
Inga Straupe ◽  
Edgars Dubrovskis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alnus Glutinosa ◽  
Plant Functional Types ◽  
Forest Stands ◽  
Herbaceous Layer ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Functional Types ◽  
Woodland Key Habitats ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Edge Influence ◽  
Over Time

To increase set-aside areas and protect biodiversity values in managed hemiboreal forest landscapes, small forest parcels called Woodland Key Habitats have been designated in Baltic and Nordic countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the persisting influence of the edge on vegetation dynamics for young, medium-old and old edges in Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. Woodland Key Habitats. All of these edges are adjacent to recently disturbed (clear-cut) stands. We surveyed edge influence on vegetation in bryophyte, herbaceous, shrub and tree layers in 90 plots in 30 set-aside forest stands in Southern Latvia. We tested the differences in the number of species and projective coverage in all vegetation layers, but plant functional types were examined—separately in the herbaceous layer. We found that edge influence in protected forest stands of A. glutinosa swamp forests reflects strong changes in vegetation and plant functional types in the herbaceous layer mostly up to 20 years after clear-cut disturbance in adjacent stands. The greatest differences were between young edges (≤20 years) and old edges (≥41 years), but there were very few significant differences between medium-old (21–40 years) and old edges which signifies more rapid changes in the early stages of edge influence and gradual stabilization of vegetation later on. We found that in edges adjacent to recently disturbed stands (up to 20 years), significantly less rare and indicator epiphytic lichen species occur, but this occurrence increases over time and edge influence is no longer present beyond 20 years after disturbance. Changes in vegetation and species occurrence found in our study indicated the need to plan the allocation of set-aside patches in production forest landscapes to ensure connectivity over longer period of time. Careful planning of clear-cuts in neighboring areas over time can significantly reduce the impact of edge effect on these set-asides.

scholarly journals Exploring the Use of DSCOVR/EPIC Satellite Observations to Monitor Vegetation Phenology

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (15) ◽  
pp. 2384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maridee Weber ◽  
Dalei Hao ◽  
Ghassem R. Asrar ◽  
Yuyu Zhou ◽  
Xuecao Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Resolution ◽  
Plant Functional Types ◽  
Satellite Observations ◽  
Carbon Exchange ◽  
Vegetation Phenology ◽  
Growing Season Length ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Functional Types ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Global Carbon

Vegetation phenology plays a pivotal role in regulating several ecological processes and has profound impacts on global carbon exchange. Large-scale vegetation phenology monitoring mostly relies on Low-Earth-Orbit satellite observations with low temporal resolutions, leaving gaps in data that are important for monitoring seasonal vegetation phenology. High temporal resolution satellite observations have the potential to fill this gap by frequently collecting observations on a global scale, making it easier to study change over time. This study explored the potential of using the Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC) onboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite, which captures images of the entire sunlit face of the Earth at a temporal resolution of once every 1–2 h, to observe vegetation phenology cycles in North America. We assessed the strengths and shortcomings of EPIC-based phenology information in comparison with the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) onboard Landsat 7, and PhenoCam ground-based observations across six different plant functional types. Our results indicated that EPIC could capture and characterize seasonal changes of vegetation across different plant functional types and is particularly consistent in the estimated growing season length. Our results also provided new insights into the complementary features and benefits of the four datasets, which is valuable for improving our understanding of the complex response of vegetation to global climate variability and other disturbances and the impact of phenology changes on ecosystem productivity and global carbon exchange.

Fire: plant functional types and patch mosaic burning in fire-prone ecosystems

2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.D. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Landscape Heterogeneity ◽  
Plant Functional Types ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Above Ground Biomass ◽  
Functional Types ◽  
Patch Mosaic ◽  
Disturbance Factor ◽  
In Fire ◽  
The Impact

Shared fire-survival and fire-persistence traits are found in taxonomically unrelated plant species that commonly grow in fire-prone ecosystems. Such traits include resprouting, after fire has killed the above-ground biomass, and postfire seed release after the death of individual plants. Classification of such traits has led to a change in focus from research on the impact of fire as a disturbance factor on individual species, towards research into plant functional types associated with fire. This has led to a better understanding of the timing and geographic evolution of such traits as either fire-adapted or as a selective response to other disturbance factors. The identification of fire-survival and fire-persistence traits in fire-prone ecosystems is the first focus of this paper. It is followed by a discussion of recent research which offers a critical reappraisal of patch mosaic burning as a means to increase landscape heterogeneity and biodiversity, including the role played by plant functional types in determining diversity. The fire-prone ecosystems of mediterranean-type shrublands and heathlands, savannas and grasslands, and boreal and other coniferous forests are the main geographic focus of the paper.

The Therapist’s Reaction to a Patient’s Suicide

Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friedrich Martin Wurst ◽  
Isabella Kunz ◽  
Gregory Skipper ◽  
Manfred Wolfersdorf ◽  
Karl H. Beine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Responses ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Emotional Reaction ◽  
Emotional Reactions ◽  
Analog Scale ◽  
General Hospitals ◽  
Item Questionnaire ◽  
Retrospective Nature ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

Background: A substantial proportion of therapists experience the loss of a patient to suicide at some point during their professional life. Aims: To assess (1) the impact of a patient’s suicide on therapists distress and well-being over time, (2) which factors contribute to the reaction, and (3) which subgroup might need special interventions in the aftermath of suicide. Methods: A 63-item questionnaire was sent to all 185 Psychiatric Clinics at General Hospitals in Germany. The emotional reaction of therapists to patient’s suicide was measured immediately, after 2 weeks, and after 6 months. Results: Three out of ten therapists suffer from severe distress after a patients’ suicide. The item “overall distress” immediately after the suicide predicts emotional reactions and changes in behavior. The emotional responses immediately after the suicide explained 43.5% of the variance of total distress in a regression analysis. Limitations: The retrospective nature of the study is its primary limitation. Conclusions: Our data suggest that identifying the severely distressed subgroup could be done using a visual analog scale for overall distress. As a consequence, more specific and intensified help could be provided to these professionals.

Author response for "Oligocene vegetation of Europe and western Asia-Diversity change and continental patterns reflected by plant functional types"

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Utescher, Torsten ◽  
Erdei, Boglarka ◽  
Francois, Louis ◽  
Henrot, Alexandra-Jane ◽  
Mosbrugger, Volker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Functional Types ◽  
Author Response ◽  
Functional Types ◽  
Western Asia

Has Aid Helped in Pakistan?

1997 ◽  
Vol 36 (4II) ◽  
pp. 947-957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahrukh Rafi Khan
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Negative Association ◽  
Causal Impact ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

This paper has a two-fold objective: first, to examine the terms on which Pakistan receives aid and whether its debt situation is sustainable, and second, to examine the impact of aid and debt on economic growth. It is found that there is little encouraging that can be said about how the terms on which Pakistan has received aid over time have changed, and its current debt situation is not sustainable. Also reported is the analysis done elsewhere which shows that aid has a negative (Granger) causal impact on GDP, and aid has a robust negative impact on economic growth after controlling for supplyside shocks. We provide various reasons for this negative association.

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