Forest Vegetation and Dynamics Studies in India

Forests across the globe have been exploited for resouces, and over the years the demand has increased, and forests are rather exploited instead of sustainable use. Focussed research on vegetation and forerst dynamics is necessary to preserve biodiversity and functioning of forests for sustanence of human life on Earth.This article emphasis that the India has a long history of traditional knowledge on forest and plants, and explorations from 17th century on forests and provided subsequent scientific approach on classification of forests. This also explains the developments of quantitative approach on the understanding of vegetation and forest diversity. Four case studies viz., Mudumalai, Sholayar, Uppangala, Kakachi permanent plots in the forests of Western Ghats has been explained in detail about their sampling methods with a note on the results of forest monitoring. In the case of deciduous forests, the population of plant species showed considerable fluctuations but basal area has been steadily increasing over time, and this is reflecting carbon sequestration. In Sholayar, a total of 25390 individuals of 106 woody species was recorded for < 1 cm diameter at breast height in the first census of the 10 ha plot in the tropical evergreen forest. In Uppangala, 1) a 27- year long investigation revealed that residual impact of logging in the evergreen forests and such forests would take more time to resemble unlogged forests in terms of composition and structure; 2) across a similar temporal scale, the unlogged plots trees < 30 cm gbh showed a more or less similar trend in mortality (an average of 0.8% year-1) and recruitment (1%). The Kakachi plot study revealed that 1) endemic species showed least change in stem density and basal area whereas widely distributed species showed greater change in both; 2) The overall recruitment of trees was 0.86 % per year and mortality 0.56% per year resulting in an annual turnover of 0.71% ; 3) majority of the gap species had high levels of recruitment and mortality resulting in a high turnover.Such studies can be used as early warning system to understand how the response of individual plants, species and forests with the climatic variability. In conclusion, the necessity of implementation of national level projects, the way forward of two such studies: 1) impact of climate change on Indian forests through Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) colloborations and 2) Indian long term ecological observatorion, including the sampling protocols of such studies. This will be the first of its kind in India to address climate change issues at national and international level and helps to trace footprints of climate change impacts through vegetation and also reveals to what extent our forests are resilient to changes in the climate.

Water Resources and Management in Gori Ganga Watershed, Kumaun Himalaya by Using Remote Sensing and GIS

Uttarakhand Himalaya has been famous for its water resources (source for many rivers), forest diversity, unique wildlife, rich traditional culture, tribal culture and sacred Hindu’s shrine (i.e. Gangotri, Yamnotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath). The present study aims to assess the status of water resources in the Gori Ganga watershed. Water resources and their management were collected through field visit, use of Global Position System (GPS) and various methods (include questionnaire, personal interviews, direct interaction and group discussion with the villagers). Study explores the ability of Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in delineating watershed and drainage network of the Gori Ganga River basin. Gori Ganga watershed is laying in Eastern Kumaon Himalaya with great utility of water resources in socio-economic development for livelihood where the settlements are situated in valleys to high altitude. Gori Ganga drainage network i.e. Ralam, Mandakani and Bona gad is glacial fed river and these entire Rivers’s water received annually from glaciers which are very useful for development of villages, towns and hydro power stations in the watershed region. Study explores some traditional water resources (Glacier, streams, springs/Dhare/Naule, lakes/Kund/Taals and drainage network) and uses of water resources for traditional uses i.e. Gharat (watermill), drinking water, hydro power production, agriculture irrigation, fisheries and animal husbandry etc. in the study area. Keywords: Water Resource, Management, Socio and Economic Development, Remote Sensing and GIS.

A Forest Pool as a Habitat Island for Mites in a Limestone Forest in Southern Norway

Forest water bodies, e.g., pools, constitute ‘environmental islands’ within forests, with specific flora and fauna thus contributing considerably to the landscape biodiversity. The mite communities of Oribatida and Mesostigmata in two distinctive microhabitats, water-soaked Sphagnum mosses at the edge of a pool and other mosses growing on the medium-wet forest floor nearby, were compared in a limestone forest in Southern Norway. In total, 16,189 specimens of Oribatida representing 98 species, and 499 specimens of Mesostigmata, from 23 species, were found. The abundance and species number of Oribatida were significantly lower at the pool, while the abundance and species richness of Mesostigmata did not differ. Both the communities of Oribatida and of Mesostigmata differed among the microhabitats studied and analysis showed significant differences between the community structures in the two microhabitats. The most abundant oribatid species in Sphagnum mosses was Parachipteria fanzagoi (Jacot, 1929), which made up over 30% of all Oribatida, followed by Atropacarus striculus (C.L. Koch, 1835) and Tyrphonothrus maior (Berlese, 1910) (14% and 12% of Oribatida, respectively). Among Mesostigmata Paragamasus parrunciger (Bhattacharyya, 1963) dominated (44% of Mesostigmata), followed by P. lapponicus (Trägårdh, 1910) (14% of Mesostigmata). Most of these species, except P. lapponicus, were either absent or very uncommon in the other microhabitat studied. The specific acarofauna of the forest pool shows the importance of such microhabitats in increasing forest diversity. In addition, a quarter of the mite species found had not been reported from Norwegian broadleaf forests before, including five new species records for Norway and four new to Fennoscandia, all found in the medium-wet microhabitat. Most of these species are rarely collected and have their northernmost occurrence in the studied forest.

The contribution of European structural and investment funds to the strategic planning of sustainable development in the national forest parks of Greece

Sustainable development represents a crucial environmental policy framework in order to provide multiple benefits for climate, biodiversity and people. The National Forest Parks (NFP) represent protected areas with important forest diversity that play a critical role, both in reversing biodiversity loss and contributing to socio-economic development. The European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) pursue the preservation and improvement of the environment in the context of sustainable development. To date in Greece, 16 operational projects have been approved through two ESIFs and concern six NFPs which are supervised by Management Bodies. Critical Assessment of the projects and SWOT analysis for the six Management Bodies has also been implemented. These results highlight the existence of common sustainability goals, which focus on the protection of Natura 2000 sites and on preserving biodiversity, to financial support the NFPs with vehicles and IT equipment, rather than promote sustainability.

1.36 million years of Mediterranean forest refugium dynamics in response to glacial–interglacial cycle strength

The sediment record from Lake Ohrid (Southwestern Balkans) represents the longest continuous lake archive in Europe, extending back to 1.36 Ma. We reconstruct the vegetation history based on pollen analysis of the DEEP core to reveal changes in vegetation cover and forest diversity during glacial–interglacial (G–IG) cycles and early basin development. The earliest lake phase saw a significantly different composition rich in relict tree taxa and few herbs. Subsequent establishment of a permanent steppic herb association around 1.2 Ma implies a threshold response to changes in moisture availability and temperature and gradual adjustment of the basin morphology. A change in the character of G–IG cycles during the Early–Middle Pleistocene Transition is reflected in the record by reorganization of the vegetation from obliquity- to eccentricity-paced cycles. Based on a quantitative analysis of tree taxa richness, the first large-scale decline in tree diversity occurred around 0.94 Ma. Subsequent variations in tree richness were largely driven by the amplitude and duration of G–IG cycles. Significant tree richness declines occurred in periods with abundant dry herb associations, pointing to aridity affecting tree population survival. Assessment of long-term legacy effects between global climate and regional vegetation change reveals a significant influence of cool interglacial conditions on subsequent glacial vegetation composition and diversity. This effect is contrary to observations at high latitudes, where glacial intensity is known to control subsequent interglacial vegetation, and the evidence demonstrates that the Lake Ohrid catchment functioned as a refugium for both thermophilous and temperate tree species.

Forest Harvesting Impacts on the Structure and Composition of Coniferous Forests in Mexico

The effect of forest harvesting on the composition and structure of a temperate coniferous forest in Mexico was evaluated after three harvesting periods from 2007–2015. In this forest, we identified seven families and eight tree species. The dominant species is Pinus pseudostrobus Lindl. which is also the most important commercial species. Harvesting was oriented towards increasing the abundance of the dominant pine species, resulting in a decrease in forest diversity and favoring a transition to a monospecific forest. The tree canopy structure following harvesting showed a gradual recovery in the number of individuals in each diameter class, but the diameter increment may not necessarily guarantee a sustainable harvest because cutting cycles appear to be too short. The size of harvesting gaps and overall forest cover determine the presence and/or abundance of regeneration (small seedlings, seedlings, saplings, large saplings, and young trees). The establishment of Pinus pseudostrobus and Ilex discolor Hemsl. differed according to their ecological groups.

Resistance and Resilience of Hyrcanian Mixed Forests Under Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbances

Biological disturbances are integral to forest ecosystems and have pronounced effects on forest resistance, resilience, and diversity. The Hyrcanian mixed forest, in northern Iran, is at risk of declining resistance, resilience, and diversity due to ongoing pressure from land use change, harvesting, and biological disturbances. We analyzed the resistance and resilience of this area under two biological disturbances (i.e., oak charcoal fungus, Biscogniauxia mediterranea, and alder leaf beetle, Galerucella lineola) and in concert with proposed harvesting. We used a simulation modeling approach whereby we simulated 12 combinations of biological disturbances and harvesting scenarios using the LANDIS-II landscape change model. We estimated the correlation between forest resistance and resilience and tree species diversity to harvesting and biological disturbance. We analyzed the full species composition and age class for 30 and 100 years after disturbances in order to assess resistance as the change in species composition over time. We considered resilience as the ability to recover from a disturbance back to a similar initial state. Results indicate a positive effect of biological disturbances and harvesting on diversity. Our simulations resulted in a negative relationship between diversity-resistance and diversity-resilience within high diversity areas. Our simulation of the Hyrcanian forest reveals that harvesting and biological disturbances, as tested, fulfill the goal of maintaining forest diversity. However, increasing diversity does not always follow by increasing forest resistance and resilience. Scenarios with oak charcoal fungus, both with and without harvesting indicate the lowest decrease in resilient and resistant.

A Remote Sensing Approach to Understanding Patterns of Secondary Succession in Tropical Forest

Biodiversity monitoring and understanding ecological processes on a global scale is a major challenge for biodiversity conservation. Field assessments commonly used to assess patterns of biodiversity and habitat condition are costly, challenging, and restricted to small spatial scales. As ecosystems face increasing anthropogenic pressures, it is important that we find ways to assess patterns of biodiversity more efficiently. Remote sensing has the potential to support understanding of landscape-level ecological processes. In this study, we considered cacao agroforests at different stages of secondary succession, and primary forest in the Northern Range of Trinidad, West Indies. We assessed changes in tree biodiversity over succession using both field data, and data derived from remote sensing. We then evaluated the strengths and limitations of each method, exploring the potential for expanding field data by using remote sensing techniques to investigate landscape-level patterns of forest condition and regeneration. Remote sensing and field data provided different insights into tree species compositional changes, and patterns of alpha- and beta-diversity. The results highlight the potential of remote sensing for detecting patterns of compositional change in forests, and for expanding on field data in order to better understand landscape-level patterns of forest diversity.