scholarly journals Mapping Floristic Patterns of Trees in Peruvian Amazonia Using Remote Sensing and Machine Learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 1523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Pérez Chaves ◽  
Gabriela Zuquim ◽  
Kalle Ruokolainen ◽  
Jasper Van doninck ◽  
Risto Kalliola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Floristic Composition ◽  
National Forest Inventory ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Genus Level ◽  
Floristic Patterns ◽  
Peruvian Amazonia ◽  
Landsat Satellite ◽  
Floristic Variation

Recognition of the spatial variation in tree species composition is a necessary precondition for wise management and conservation of forests. In the Peruvian Amazonia, this goal is not yet achieved mostly because adequate species inventory data has been lacking. The recently started Peruvian national forest inventory (INFFS) is expected to change the situation. Here, we analyzed genus-level variation, summarized through non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS), in a set of 157 INFFS inventory plots in lowland to low mountain rain forests (<2000 m above sea level) using Landsat satellite imagery and climatic, edaphic, and elevation data as predictor variables. Genus-level floristic patterns have earlier been found to be indicative of species-level patterns. In correlation tests, the floristic variation of tree genera was most strongly related to Landsat variables and secondly to climatic variables. We used random forest regression, under varying criteria of feature selection and cross-validation, to predict the floristic composition on the basis of Landsat and environmental data. The best model explained >60% of the variation along NMDS axes 1 and 2 and 40% of the variation along NMDS axis 3. We used this model to predict the three NMDS dimensions at a 450-m resolution over all of the Peruvian Amazonia and classified the pixels into 10 floristic classes using k-means classification. An indicator analysis identified statistically significant indicator genera for 8 out of the 10 classes. The results are congruent with earlier studies, suggesting that the approach is robust and can be applied to other tropical regions, which is useful for reducing research gaps and for identifying suitable areas for conservation.

Structural changes in protected forests in Sweden: implications for conservation functionality

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 1215-1224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per-Ola Hedwall ◽  
Grzegorz Mikusiński
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Fire Suppression ◽  
National Forest Inventory ◽  
Active Management ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Small Areas ◽  
Large Trees

Protected forest areas (PFAs) are key features of biodiversity conservation, and knowledge about long-term development is crucial in evaluating their efficiency and management needs. Longitudinal data on forest structure in PFAs is uncommon and often from small areas. Here we use data from the Swedish National Forest Inventory to study changes in more than 750 000 ha of PFAs over 60 years. Structures important for biodiversity, e.g., number of large trees and the volume of hard deadwood, including both standing and down wood, have more than doubled. The initial volume of deadwood, however, was very low. The overall tree species composition was stable over time, and only among the largest trees were there indications of a shift towards the late successional Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.). Deadwood increased independent of species, size of wood, and site characteristics. This increase was positively related to the volume of living trees and forest age. We conclude that Swedish PFAs, in the absence of active management and under fire suppression at the landscape scale, develop structural components that are crucial for conservation of biodiversity. However, although tree species composition appears stable, present disturbance regimes in the PFAs are considerably different from those in naturally dynamic forests, which may have implications for long-term biodiversity maintenance.

scholarly journals Impacts of Human Activities on Tree Species Composition Along the Forest Savanna Boundary in Nigeria

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiana Ndidi Egbinola
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Detrended Correspondence Analysis ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Forest Species ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

The study investigated the tree species composition along the forest-savanna boundary in Oyo state of Nigeria with the aim of assessing the impact of human activities on the floristic composition. A transect was placed along the study area and species data was collected from quadrats placed in study plots within different study sites. Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) was used to determine vegetation assemblages, while both correlation and the analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to show the relationship between species in the different study sites. Results of the DCA revealed three species assemblages, an area with only forest species, another with only savanna species and a third with both forest/savanna species. ANOVA results further revealed that within the forest and savanna assemblages, species in mature and successional sites were alike. The study therefore revealed that human activities’ within the region is leading to the establishment of savanna species and an elimination of forest species.

scholarly journals Remote-sensing support for the Estonian National Forest Inventory, facilitating the construction of maps for forest height, standing-wood volume, and tree species composition

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-97
Author(s):  
Mait Lang ◽  
Allan Sims ◽  
Kalev Pärna ◽  
Raul Kangro ◽  
Märt Möls ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Species Composition ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Forest Inventory ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
National Forest Inventory ◽  
National Forest ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Wood Volume ◽  
Forest Height

Abstract Since 1999, Estonia has conducted the National Forest Inventory (NFI) on the basis of sample plots. This paper presents a new module, incorporating remote-sensing feature variables from airborne laser scanning (ALS) and from multispectral satellite images, for the construction of maps of forest height, standing-wood volume, and tree species composition for the entire country. The models for sparse ALS point clouds yield coefficients of determination of 89.5–94.8% for stand height and 84.2–91.7% for wood volume. For the tree species prediction, the models yield Cohen's kappa values (taking 95% confidence intervals) of 0.69–0.72 upon comparing model results against a previous map, and values of 0.51–0.54 upon comparing model results against NFI sample plots. This paper additionally examines the influence of foliage phenology on the predictions and discusses options for further enhancement of the system.

A comparison of Mopaneveld vegetation in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe

Bothalia ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Siebert ◽  
G. J. Bredenkamp ◽  
S. J. Siebert
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Species Richness ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Environmental Gradients ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Alpha Diversity ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Rainfall Events

Data from fifteen phytosociological studies were merged and classified to describe and compare the vegetation of geo­graphically separated and climatically different Mopanev eld types in South Africa. Namibia and Zimbabw e. Seven v egetation types and ten major plant communities were identified using TW INSPAN. Vegetation types were separated according to geo­graphical regions. There were significant floristic affinities even though there w ere geological and climatic differences between the regions. Plant communities were described according to vegetation structure, habitat and floristic composition. Although environmental data were not adequate for a detailed ordination. DECORANA reflected the distribution of vegetation types and major plant communities along environmental gradients. Limitations of large phytosociological syntheses were also addressed. Species richness (alpha diversity) was calculated for each geographical region. The Musina (Messina) region north of the Soutpansberg. South Africa, has the highest species richness, and Kaokoland. Namibia, the lowest Due to irregular annual rainfall patterns in semi-arid Mopaneveld, it is suggested that variance in species richness is associated with temporal vegeta­tion states induced by rainfall events. Species richness of Mopaneveld was further compared w ith other sav anna types.

Conservation of the Grassy White Box Woodlands: Rangewide Floristic Variation and Implications for Reserve Design

1996 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
SM Prober
Keyword(s):  
Arable Land ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Reserve Design ◽  
Grass Species ◽  
Parent Materials ◽  
Prominent Component ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Floristic Variation ◽  
Almost All

Grassy white box (Eucalyptus albens Benth.) woodlands once covered several million hectares of the wheat-sheep belt of south-eastern Australia. The pre-European floristic composition of these woodlands is little-known, as almost all of them were rapidly cleared for cropping or modified by livestock grazing. Woodland remnants were surveyed across NSW, to describe rangewide variation in the woodland flora, and to provide a basis for reserve design. As far as could be detected from current remnants, some of the major features of the original grassy white box woodland understorey appear to have been relatively constant across NSW: on a wide variety of soils and parent materials from southern to northern NSW, the dominant native grasses in little-disturbed sites were generally Themeda australis (R.Br.) Stapf andor Poa sieberiana Sprengel, and many of the subsidiary herbs and grasses occurred across this range. There were, however, several natural patterns of variation requiring consideration in conservation planning: about half of the subsidiary herb and grass species showed a relationship with latitude, probably relating to a climatic gradient; the understorey became more shrubby, with a sparser and more varied grass component, on soils classed as being 'unsuitable for agriculture'; and on basalt parent materials of the Inverell Plateau, Dichanthium sericeum (R.Br.) A.Camus may have been a more prominent component of the understorey. Natural floristic variation was overlain by patterns resulting from European disturbance, as indicated by floristic distinctions between sites of differing landuse. While these distinctions were partly related to poorer soil resource class in State Forests and Nature Reserves, grazing by livestock and tree clearing are likely to to have contributed to them. Reserves in ine whire box woodiands are presentiy few, and are not representative of the naturai variation. ~ o s t existing reserves occur on soils unsuited to agriculture, compared with the grazing or arable land of typical grassy woodland. Cemetery remnants, rail easements, Travelling Stock Reserves and roadsides provide the best opportunities for conservation on higher-quality soils. Remnant quality declined significantly in southern NSW, indicating a need for greater conservation effort in southern areas.

Different floristic patterns of woody understorey and canopy plants in Colombian Amazonia

2002 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alvaro Duque ◽  
Mauricio Sánchez ◽  
Jaime Cavelier ◽  
Joost F. Duivenvoorden
Keyword(s):  
Compositional Data ◽  
Spatial Configuration ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Mantel Tests ◽  
As Species ◽  
Floristic Patterns ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Landscape Units ◽  
Canopy Species

Distribution patterns of vascular plants with diameter at breast height (dbh) ≥ 2.5 cm were studied on the basis of compositional data from 30 small plots located in a rain-forest area in Colombian Amazonia. The research questions were: How are distribution patterns of species in relation to local abundance in plots? Do understorey species (defined as species with individuals that never attained dbh ≥ 10 cm anywhere) show better correlations with soils and environment than canopy species (defined as species with individuals that attained dbh ≥ 10 cm)? Are patterns found in the entire range of landscape units comparable to those found in well-drained uplands alone? Species that occurred in more than one plot showed higher local abundances. This pattern was consistent among environmental generalists and specialists. Locally rare species (with only one individual in a plot) occurred mostly in well-drained uplands. Considering all landscape units, Mantel tests showed substantial correlations between environmental data (soil chemical data, drainage and flooding) and species composition. Canopy species were only slightly less correlated with environmental data than understorey species. Elimination of the spatial component in the data did not reduce these correlations. In well-drained uplands, understorey species were better correlated with soils than canopy species. Here, however, the spatial configuration of the plots became more important in explaining species patterns.

Using forestry inventories and satellite imagery to assess floristic variation in bamboo‐dominated forests in Peruvian Amazonia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo Pérez Chaves ◽  
Natalia Reategui Echeverri ◽  
Kalle Ruokolainen ◽  
Risto Kalliola ◽  
Jasper Van doninck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Imagery ◽  
Peruvian Amazonia ◽  
Floristic Variation

scholarly journals Effects of Landscape Change on Floristic Composition and Structure in the Bale Mountains National Park, Southeastern Ethiopia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annissa Muhammed ◽  
Eyasu Elias
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Landscape Change ◽  
National Park ◽  
Diversity Index ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Environmental Data ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Shannon Diversity

Abstract BackgroundBale mountains national park (BMNP) is one of the 34 International Biodiversity Hotspots that comprise a variety of life forms. However, it faces a critical challenge from subsistence farming and overgrazing. This study was made to analyze the effects of landscape change on floristic composition, diversity, and structure in BMNP. The vegetation and environmental data were collected from 96 plots that were laid along 8 line transects. Vegetation hierarchical clustering and landscape structural analysis was made using R software version 3.5.2 and FRAGSTATS version 4.2.1, respectively. ResultsA total of 205 species that belongs to 153 genera and 71 families were identified. The overall Shannon diversity and evenness index was 4.34 and 0.81, respectively. Both the species richness and Shannon diversity index were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the edge habitat (40 ± 0.2 and 2.93 ± 0.2, respectively) than the interior (25 ± 4.5 and 2.43 ± 0.4, respectively). Conversely, the basal area was lower in the interior habitat (173.79 m2 ha-1) than the edge (64.15 m2 ha-1). Moreover, as AREA_MN and COA of patches increases, species richness, diversity, evenness, woody species density, basal area, DBH, and height also increases. Whereas, as PN, SHAPE_MN, ED, ENN_MN, and IJI of patches increases, those floristic compositions and structural variables decrease. ConclusionThis study revealed that BMNP is a biologically diverse and ecologically significant area that provides a variety of ecological and economic benefits to the surrounding communities and the country at large. However, its landscape is changing alarmingly and urgent restoration and conservation action needs to be taken to reverse this condition.

Floristic Composition Of The Remaining Forests In Upland Cavite, Luzon Island, Philippines

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Forest ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Floristic Composition ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Agricultural Ecosystem ◽  
Forest Zone ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Monsoon Forest

Cavite Province lies in the western monsoon forest zone of the Philippines and is considered as a tropical lowland rainforest making it a haven for diverse flora and fauna. The existing total land forest area is 8,624.956 hectares, but the only proclaimed national park is Mts. Palay-palay/Mataas na Gulod Protected Landscape. Unfortunately, the remaining forests are not spared from biodiversity loss because of its accessibility to Metro Manila, which eventually leads to unsustainable use of natural resources. This study was conducted to characterize the floristic composition, analyze the vegetation structure, and provide an inventory of plants in the provinces’ remaining forests. Data collection was done from June 2014 to March 2016. Forty- six plots (20m x 20m) were used for tree species composition. The plot size for shrub and non-woody plants was 5m x 5m quadrats while for herbaceous plants it was 1m x 1m quadrat. Plant diversity and environmental parameters in each plot were measured and recorded. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was employed to analyze the relationships between vegetation and environmental variables. The study documented 501 species belonging to 336 genera and 113 families. Three vegetation types, secondary forest, agricultural ecosystem, and semisecondary (mixed forest) were documented in the remaining forests in Upland Cavite and the Protected Area (PA) part is characterized as lowland evergreen dipterocarp rainforest dominated by Shorea guiso, Ficus chrysolepis, Diospyros pyrrhocarpa, Buchanania arborescens and Strombosia philippinensis. The forest floor is dominated by Anaxagorea luzonensis, Aglaonema commutatum and Bolbitis rhizophylla.

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