Saproxylic insect assemblages in Canadian forests: diversity, ecology, and conservation

2008 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
David W. Langor ◽  
H.E. James Hammond ◽  
John R. Spence ◽  
Joshua Jacobs ◽  
Tyler P. Cobb

AbstractSaproxylic insect assemblages inhabiting dead wood in Canadian forests are highly diverse and variable but quite poorly understood. Adequate assessment of these assemblages poses significant challenges with respect to sampling, taxonomy, and analysis. Their assessment is nonetheless critical to attaining the broad goals of sustainable forest management because such species are disproportionately threatened elsewhere by the reductions in dead wood generally associated with commercial exploitation of northern forests. The composition of the saproxylic fauna is influenced by many factors, including tree species, degree of decay, stand age, and cause of tree death. Wildfire and forest harvesting have differential impacts on saproxylic insect assemblages and on their recovery in postdisturbance stands. Exploration of saproxylic insect responses to variable retention harvesting and experimental burns is contributing to the development of prescriptions for conserving saproxylic insects in boreal forests. Understanding of processes that determine diversity patterns and responses of saproxylic insects would benefit from increased attention to natural history. Such work should aim to provide a habitat-classification system for dead wood to better identify habitats (and associated species) at risk as a result of forest management. This tool could also be used to improve strategies to better maintain saproxylic organisms and their central nutrient-cycling functions in managed forests.

1970 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pem N Kandel

In early 2005, 10,045 ha Community Forests (CFs) were certified in Bajhang and Dolakha districts of Nepal by using the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification scheme. After two years of forest certification, subsequent questions are being asked such as: What benefits have certification brought for the Forest Users Groups (FUGs)? What tangible differences are there in forest management system because of forest certification? and What lessons have been learnt from the certified forests? In an attempt to answer these questions, a study was carried out in April 2007 in Dolakha district where 11 (2,182 ha) community managed forests were certified in 2005. On the basis of field study from two certified forests (Vitteripakha and Suspa) of the district, this paper analyzes the effects of forest certification and its implications for enhancing Sustainable Community Forestry (SCF) in Nepal. Key words: Sustainable forest management, forest certification, community forestry Banko Janakari: A journal of forestry information for Nepal Vol.17(1) 2007 pp.11-16


2012 ◽  
pp. 302-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bengt Gunnar Jonsson ◽  
Juha Siitonen ◽  
Jogeir N. Stokland ◽  
Juha Siitonen ◽  
Bengt Gunnar Jonsson

2004 ◽  
Vol 155 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Bütler ◽  
Rodolphe Schlaepfer

Dead wood is of paramount importance for forest biodiversity. For this reason it was adopted as an indicator for sustainable forest management by the Ministerial Conference on the protection of forests in Europe. This paper aims to answer the question of how much dead wood is necessary for the maintenance of biodiversity in sub-alpine spruce forest ecosystems. For this purpose we studied the habitat preferences of the three-toed woodpecker, a bird species that depends heavily on dead trees. Previous ecological studies had already demonstrated that this woodpecker is an indicator of spruce forests with a high degree of naturalness and biodiversity. Our field study in Swiss sub-Alpine spruce and Swedish boreal forests showed that, below a threshold level of about 20 m3 standing dead trees per ha, the probability of finding these woodpeckers drastically decreases. Similar results were obtained using a bioenergetic model, which calculated the energy requirements of this insectivorous woodpecker. Based on the results, our recommendation is to ensure a scattering of dead-wood rich areas in forest landscapes. Each area should cover about one square kilometre and have a mean of 5% of standing dead trees (≥ 18 m3 ha–1), and a total of approx. 9% of dead wood(≥ 33 m3 ha–1 standing and fallen).


2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 515-528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Jobidon ◽  
Yves Bergeron ◽  
André Robitaille ◽  
Frédéric Raulier ◽  
Sylvie Gauthier ◽  
...  

The boreal forest ecosystem is one of the largest frontier forests of the world, providing many ecological services to society. Boreal forests are also economically important, but forest harvesting and management become increasingly difficult when one moves from south to north in boreal environments. An approach was thus developed to assess the suitability of land units for timber production in a sustainable forest management (SFM) context in the northern boreal forest of Quebec (Canada). This area includes all of Quebec’s spruce – feather moss bioclimatic domain (closed forest), as well as the southern portion of the spruce–lichen bioclimatic domain (open woodland). Four criteria specific to the biophysical aspects of SFM were evaluated in 1114 land districts: physical environment, timber production capacity, forest vulnerability to fire (e.g., probability that it reaches maturity), and conservation of biodiversity. Indicators and acceptability cutoff values were determined for each selected criterion, and a sequential analysis was developed to evaluate if a land district has the potential to be sustainably managed. This analytical process led to the classification of land districts into three categories: slightly sensitive (SFM possible); moderately sensitive (SFM possible under certain conditions); and highly sensitive (SFM not possible). The results show that 354 land districts were highly sensitive, 62 due to physical constraints (7.5% of the area), 130 due to insufficient potential productivity (15.4% of the area), 92 due to insufficient potential productivity to account for the fire risk (13.8% of the area), and 70 due to an insufficient proportion of tall and dense forest habitats (7.7% of the area — biodiversity criterion). This work provides scientific background to proposing a northern limit for forest management activities in Quebec. The developed approach could be useful in other jurisdictions to address similar issues.


2000 ◽  
Vol 65 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Lust ◽  
L. Nachtergale

Resolution  H1 of the Second Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in  Europe    defined sustainable forest management. Resolution L2 of the third  conference in Lisbon    adopted the Pan-European operational level guidelines for sustainable  forest management.    These guidelines are designed for sub-national applications at a practical  level. They should be    applied in the context of, and in full respect to, national and/or regional  instruments and actions.    They are directly based on the resolutions H1 and H2 and they follow the  structure of the six    pan-European criteria that were identified as the core elements of  sustainable forest    management.    The paper implements the six criteria by proposing and developing for each  criteria a number of    key issues that should be kept in mind for the realization of sustainable  forestry at the field level.    Altogether, 39 items are presented, such as forest maintenance,  profitability, exploitation    techniques, enhancement of biodiversity, native tree species, dead wood and  old trees,    participation, etc.    The major problem remains the assessment of sustainable forest management.  There is a lack    of knowledge. Sustainable forest management requires that no big  shortcomings on a large    area occur for each of the criteria. Sustainable forest management is a  process of continuous    improvement.


2011 ◽  
Vol 41 (9) ◽  
pp. 1743-1753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Hilmo ◽  
Hilde Ely-Aastrup ◽  
Håkan Hytteborn ◽  
Håkon Holien

The boreal rainforest in Central Norway is rich in rare and (or) red-listed epiphytic lichens but is subject to forest harvesting. Natural old Picea abies (L.) H. Karst. forests have been replaced increasingly by dense, even-aged plantations. This study aims at increasing our knowledge about populations of old forest associated lichens in P. abies plantations. In differently aged plantations, we measured occurrence of six lichen species and the population size and reproductive effort of five lichen species. We found that the success of colonizing plantations differed because of species-specific constraints and needs, and that species occurrence depended on stand age and branch quality. A high number of reproducing thalli and small juvenile thalli of the cyanolichen Lobaria scrobiculata (Scop.) DC. and the pendulous lichen Ramalina thrausta (Ach.) Nyl. suggest effective recruitment within plantations. The populations of the cyanolichens Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) Hoffm. and Pseudocyphellaria crocata (L.) Vain. were too small to be viable and demand special concern to survive in managed forests. The abundance of old forest associated lichens in a managed boreal rainforest could be promoted by a varied and heterogeneous branch structure, increased rotation periods (increase the value of plantations as propagule sources), small clearcuts and retention trees (shorten the distance between sources of propagules and target substrate), and maintaining Salix and Sorbus trees (important host trees for cyanolichens and thereby important dispersal sources).


Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marian Gabor ◽  
Pavel Beracko ◽  
Vladimir Faltan ◽  
Igor Matecny ◽  
Lukas Karlik ◽  
...  

Managed broadleaf deciduous forests are an important type of forest vegetation in Central Europe, also in the Western Carpathians. These forests are both economically and environmentally valuable. However, little is known about ecological species groups and the inter-specific associations of dominant species in temperate deciduous managed forests in Central Europe. Since the forest stands are in a managed landscape, they are not consistent with the traditionally recognized and used vegetation associations in the Western Carpathians. For these reasons our research contributes to understanding the consequences of broadleaf deciduous forest management. The aim of this research was the determination of ecological species groups and an investigation into the main environmental drivers, in order to explain the distribution of ecological species groups. The numerical TWINSPAN classification was selected to distribute 146 relevés to the five ecological species groups. Of these, 77 relevés were divided into two groups with Fagus sylvatica dominant, while 63 relevés were Quercus petraea dominant. Carpinus betulus, Tilia cordata and Fraxinus excelsior were dominant in 19 relevés. Constrained Analysis of Principal Components was used to explain the vegetation–environment relationship on three transects in the Male Karpaty Mountains. Altitude, pH, Ca, C, K and Mg were selected as the significant environmental drivers responsible for a large part of the species group variability (31.8%). The main requirement for sustainable forest management is knowledge of the vegetation–environment relationship and this research was focused on gaining such understanding. This knowledge can be used as a decision support tool for sustainable management in managed deciduous forests.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document