Understory Vegetation Cover Components Assessment in Anthropogenically Disturbed Birch Stands of Krasnoyarsk Forest-Steppe

LiDAR technology –airborne and terrestrial- is becoming more relevant in the development of forest inventories, which are crucial to better understand and manage forest ecosystems. In this study, we assessed a classification of species composition in a Mediterranean forest following the C4.5 decision tree. Different data sets from airborne laser scanner full-waveform (ALSFW), discrete (ALSD) and terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) were combined as input data for the classification. Species composition were divided into five classes: pure Quercus ilex plots (QUI); pure Pinus halepensis dense regenerated (HALr); pure P. halepensis (HAL); pure P. pinaster (PIN); and mixed P. pinaster and Q. suber (mPIN). Furthermore, the class HAL was subdivided in low and dense understory vegetation cover. As a result, combination of ALSFW and TLS reached 85.2% of overall accuracy classifying classes HAL, PIN and mPIN. Combining ALSFW and ALSD, the overall accuracy was 77.0% to discriminate among the five classes. Finally, classification of understory vegetation cover using ALSFW reached an overall accuracy of 90.9%. In general, combination of ALSFW and TLS improved the overall accuracy of classifying among HAL, PIN and mPIN by 7.4% compared to the use of the data sets separately, and by 33.3% with respect to the use of ALSD only. ALSFW metrics, in particular those specifically designed for detection of understory vegetation, increased the overall accuracy 9.1% with respect to ALSD metrics. These analyses show that classification in forest ecosystems with presence of understory vegetation and intermediate canopy strata is improved when ALSFW and/or TLS are used instead of ALSD.

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Vegetation cover and small mammals as the components of biocoenosis in the conditions of the Volga Upland

Samara Journal of Science ◽

10.17816/snv201762103 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 18-23

Author(s):

Elena Evgenievna Boryakova

Keyword(s):

Small Mammals ◽

Vegetation Cover ◽

Nature Reserve ◽

Complex Structure ◽

Distinct Group ◽

Steppe Zone ◽

Point Of View ◽

Forest Steppe ◽

Oak Forest ◽

The Village

The study of the nature reserve oak forest near the village of Pelya-Khovanskaya ecosystem was done in the region of Nizhny Novgorod. The investigated wood is unique for its complex structure. It is situated in the forest-steppe zone, characterized by a high species diversity of small mammals and vegetation, which indicates the complexity of trophic and spatial connections. Several series of sample plots were described: 41 of 2020 m and a number of 11 m sites, totaling 300. Abundance of species by Brown-Blanke scale and the number of specimens of adolescence were specified for each 1 sq. m. plot. Mammals were trapped with the help of trapping grooves and transects method. Vegetation cover is characterized by the presence of a clear intra-differentiation as well as the existence of two basic ecologo-coenotic groups/cores - the nemoral (with Pulmonaria obscura Dum. as the center species of the core) and the meadow-fringe. The most distinct group is formed by forest-shoot species. It can be explained by more forest-steppe rather than nemoral nature of vegetation. Small mammals are represented by the following species: common and small shrews, small forest mouse, yellow-throated and field mice and harvest mouse, vole-housekeeper, common, plowed and red voles, European mole. Two species among them - vole-housekeeper and mouse-baby - are listed in the Red Book of the Nizhny Novgorod Region. Matching burrows of mouse-like rodents with soil richness with nitrogen and humidity, two well-defined peaks are observed. The greatest number of burrows is found in places where the soil is high in nitrogen. Moles were found in areas with a large projective coating of Primula veris: coefficient Spearman rank 0,50. There was a negative correlation of the number of moles and vegetation covering of Pyrethrum corymbosum (-0,46), which is the marker of the driest parts in the forest. In general, the nature reserve oak forest near the village of Pelya-Khovanskaya is of considerable interest, both from botanical and from zoological point of view. Long-term studies of biocoenosis will allow to monitor the facility and to correct the proposed protective measures.

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Geobotanical characteristics of psammophytic steppes of the Penza region in the Ardym river basin

Vestnik of Orenburg State Pedagogical University Electronic Scientific Journal ◽

10.32516/2303-9922.2021.37.3 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 35-47

Author(s):

L. A. Novikova ◽

◽

S. N. Artemova ◽

V. K. Makuev ◽

E. Y. Yakovlev ◽

...

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Vegetation Cover ◽

Steppe Zone ◽

Anthropogenic Effects ◽

Forest Steppe ◽

Anthropogenic Influence ◽

Erosion Process ◽

Middle Volga Region ◽

Erosion Processes ◽

Middle Volga

The research is devoted to the study of poorly preserved psammophytic variants of meadow steppes in the forest-steppe zone of the Middle Volga Region. It has allowed to define the main stages of re-establishment of vegetational cover and estimate the conservation prospects on the river Ardym in different ecological conditions (geomorphological and edaphyc). It has been established that the re-establishment of psammophytic steppes vegetation occurs in a similar way both on the slopes of the predominantly southern exposition and on watershed surfaces. However, in the absence of anthropogenic effects on watershed surfaces, there is a sylvatization of the vegetation cover resulting in displacement of psammophytic steppes. Only the constantly occurring weak natural erosion processes on the slopes of the predominantly southern exposition contribute to the preservation of these rare communities here. Under intense anthropogenic influence, as well as in the conditions of a significant erosion process, the psammophytic steppes fail to be preserved or replaced by steppe meadows.

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Biomorphological structure of restored vegetation cover of abandoned lands of the Forest-Steppe of Ukraine

Ukrainian Journal of Forest and Wood Science ◽

10.31548/forest2019.03.079 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 79-85

Author(s):

B. Ye. Yakubenko ◽

◽

A. M. Churilov ◽

Keyword(s):

Vegetation Cover ◽

Forest Steppe ◽

Abandoned Lands

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The latitudinal distribution of vegetation cover in Siberia

BIO Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/bioconf/20191600047 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

pp. 00047

Author(s):

Irina Safronova ◽

Tatiana Yurkovsksya

Keyword(s):

Vegetation Cover ◽

Western Siberia ◽

Steppe Zone ◽

Coniferous Forests ◽

Forest Steppe ◽

Taiga Zone ◽

Eastern Siberia ◽

Central Siberia ◽

Zonal Vegetation ◽

North Eastern

The latitudinal changes of vegetation cover on the plains of Siberia are observed. In Western Siberia there are 4 zones (tundra and taiga, and forest-steppe and steppe only here), in Central and North-Eastern Siberia − only 2 zones (tundra and taiga).Tundra zone is represented by 4 subzones in Central Siberia; in Western and North-Eastern Siberia − by 3 subzones (there are no polar subzone). All 5 subzones of the taiga zone are distinguished both in Western Siberia and in the Central Siberia, but in the Central Siberia, forests are found in very high latitudes. The feature of the taiga zone of Western Siberia is high paludification. As a result, the vegetation of mires dominates over the zonal vegetation. Zonal West Siberian types are dark coniferous forests. Light coniferous forests predominate in the taiga zone of Central and North-Eastern Siberia. In the forest-steppe zone in Western Siberia forests are small-leaved − birch, aspen-birch (Betula pendula, Populus tremula). The abundance of mires is the feature of this zone, as well as in the taiga.

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The mapping of vegetation cover dynamics in the Sayan-Shushensky Reserve

Geobotanical mapping ◽

10.31111/geobotmap/1998-2000.32 ◽

2000 ◽

pp. 32-49 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

V. I. Vlasenko

Keyword(s):

Vegetation Cover ◽

Biosphere Reserve ◽

High Elevation ◽

Forest Steppe ◽

Pinus Sibirica ◽

Central Asian ◽

Taiga Forest ◽

South Siberia ◽

Larch Forests ◽

Mountain Taiga

The character of forest dynamics in the last century may be traced on the key area of the Altai-Sayan mountain country — the Sayan-Shushensky Biosphere Reserve of total area 389 000 ha. It is situated at the border of humid mountain region of South Siberia and the arid areas of Tuva. The basement for creation of prognosis map of potential state of the Reserve vegetation cover for 2050 year includes: 1) the data on inventory, ages structure, and conditions of forests; 2) the results of the earlier studies of dynamics of mountain open woodlands; 3) materials of dendroclimatic investigations at the upper and lower forest boundaries in the Sayan Mts.; 4) prognosis of climatologists. While classifying the Reserve vegetation, 1500 biogeocoenoses have been united into 362 types of biogeocoenoses which have been included into 112 groups of associations identified in altitudinal vegetation belts: goltsy, meadows and shrub thickets; high elevation open woodlands; mountain taiga; subtaiga—forest- steppe complexes. Local expansion of forest boundaries, at the expense of forming the 40— 80 years old forest stands in goltsy and open woodlands, testifies to climate warming, and a rise of the subtaiga—forest-steppe pine and larch forests of the 40—80 years old is the evidence of climate humification in this region during the last century. According to the prognoses of climatologists this tendency will continue in the future 50 years. On the territory of the Sayan-Shushensky Reserve, within the strip of 200 m width at the age of steppefied forests as well as within the steppes with shrubs, mesophilous species will be developed in the shrub, herb-dwarf shrub and moss cover. Under protection of shrubs, young open stands of larch and pine will spring up (on the area of 200 ha) and in subtaiga forests Abies sibirica and Pinus sibirica will appear among the regrowth. Under canopy of the mountain taiga and the subtaiga larch forests, the second layer of dark needle-leaved species will be formed. In the places of present pyrogenic derivatives — birch and aspen forests — the fir forest with admixture of Pinus sibirica and Picea obovata will be restored. On the area of 49 322 ha, occupied by mountain woodlands (87% of the total area), the closed mountain taiga forest of Pinus sibirica will spread. The area of goltsy and shrub thickets will decrease by 44.4% (19 214 ha), being replaced by the high elevation open woodlands of Pinus sibirica and Larix sibirica. In accordance with changes in vegetation cover the boundary between the Altai-Sayan and the Central-Asian forest areas within the Reserve's territory will deviate from the modern one approximately by 25 km.

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Changes in understory composition following catastrophic windthrow and salvage logging in a subalpine forest ecosystem

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x06-169 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 36 (11) ◽

pp. 2943-2954 ◽

Cited By ~ 44

Author(s):

Cristina M Rumbaitis del Rio

Keyword(s):

Vegetation Cover ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Organic Soil ◽

Understory Vegetation ◽

Subalpine Forest ◽

Long Term Effects ◽

Treatment Area ◽

Salvage Logging ◽

Understory Composition ◽

Edaphic Variables

Catastrophic windthrow and postdisturbance salvage logging each have the potential to profoundly influence understory vegetation communities. This study compared understory vegetation cover, composition, and diversity in Routt National Forest, a subalpine forest in northwestern Colorado that sustained a 10 000 ha blowdown in 1997 and was partially salvage logged in 1999. Understory and edaphic variables were measured in five heavily wind-disturbed Picea–Abies stands, five stands salvage logged 20 months after the blowdown, and five intact stands. Understory species cover and diversity were greater in blown down areas than in salvage-logged or control areas. Community composition of each treatment area was distinct and related to a gradient in organic soil depth, which reflected the severity of understory disturbance. Composition and diversity in blowdown areas relative to control areas stabilized in the 5 years following the blowdown, but vegetation cover continued to increase. Blowdown areas contained early and late successional species. Salvage-logged areas exhibited a shift towards graminoid dominance. This structural change could delay future conifer seedling establishment. The interaction among disturbance severity, understory vegetation composition, and regeneration dynamics should be considered in future decisions to salvage log similar areas because the long-term effects of salvage logging are unknown.

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Early understory succession following catastrophic wind damage in a deciduous forest

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x99-171 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 29 (12) ◽

pp. 1997-2002 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Jeff P Castelli ◽

Brenda B Casper ◽

Jon J Sullivan ◽

Roger Earl Latham

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Vegetation Cover ◽

Environmental Variables ◽

Growth Form ◽

Deciduous Forest ◽

Wind Damage ◽

Forest Understory ◽

Light Soil ◽

Major Nutrients ◽

Understory Vegetation Cover

Early succession was followed in a 2.5-ha gap created by a severe wind storm in a 5.5-ha fragment of eastern North American deciduous forest. Understory vegetation cover by species, light, soil moisture, and levels of several major nutrients were measured in 1 × 2 m census plots 3 years prior to the disturbance. Coincidentally, the storm felled 50-55% of the trees over a portion of these plots. Vegetation cover by species was again measured in all plots 3 years following the disturbance. Species were grouped by growth form, and group cover values used to examine changes in the composition of the vegetation and to determine whether these changes were correlated with any measured predisturbance environmental variables. Given the size of the gap, shade-intolerant tree species were expected to increase but did not, most likely because of repression by the shrub layer. The main response to the disturbance appeared to occur through reorganization of existing vegetation. The value of predisturbance species cover data and limitations of our sample sizes are discussed.

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