Aboveground Biomass Stockpile of Trees in Vallanadu Blackbuck Sanctuary, Peninsular India

A forest tree inventory study was conducted in Vallanadu Black buck sanctuary, Tuticorin. The current study was conducted to assess tree density, species richness, basal area (BA) and aboveground biomass (AGB) stockpile. The study area has been classified as Southern Thorn Forest (SFT). One hundred square plots (total area 1 ha), each 10m × 10m (100 m2 each) laid randomly across study area. All live trees with ≥5 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) measured at 137 cm above the ground. As the whole, 1335 individual trees ≥5cm DBH recorded. A total number of 18 species recorded from 14 genera and 11 families in study area. The family Mimosaceae has maximum number of species (7 species) followed by Rhamnaceae (2 species), while 9 families had just single species’ each. The total basal area recorded was 22.046 m2 ha-1, while, the mean wood density (WD) of trees estimated as 0.70±0.093 g cm-3. Total amount of 50.065 Mg ha-1 present in STF. The contribution of different species in terms of total AGB varied significantly. Commiphora berryi stocked 45.13% (22.588 Mg ha-1) of AGB followed by A. planifrons (23.31%, 11.669 Mg ha-1), A. mellifera (7.233%, 3.621 Mg ha-1), whereas remaining 15 species collectively stocked 24.327% (12.187 Mg ha-1) AGB. The STF had a large number of trees compared to some dry forests within Tamil Nadu. Southern Thorn Forest endowed with a moderate number of trees species. Aboveground biomass stockpile of trees is comparable with the range recorded from Indian dry forests. The study area experiences lesser mean annual rainfall and >6 months dry season. Further, endowed with short-bole and smaller leaved trees, hence stocked a relatively lesser AGB in trees.

Tree measurements in the urban environment: insights from traditional and digital field instruments to smartphone applications

Urban forests can provide essential environmental and social functions if properly planned and managed. Tree inventory and measurements are a critical part of assessing and monitoring the size, growth, and health condition of urban trees. In this context, the parameters usually collected are DBH and total height, but additional data about crown dimensions (width, length, and crown projection) are required for a comprehensive tree assessment. These data are generally collected by urban foresters through field surveys using tree caliper or diameter tape for DBH, and the electronic ipsometer/clinometer to measure tree height and crown size. Greater detail could be achieved using a digital instrument as Field-Map, a portable computer station to quickly realize dimensional and topographic surveys of trees and forest stands. Finally, the incorporation of the LIDAR scanner into smartphone, as the iPhone 12 Pro, has made this device able to measure tree attributes, as well as additional spatial data in the field. In this study, we tested these three different measurement systems in a field sampling of an urban forest and compared them in terms of measurable parameters, accuracy, cost, and time efficiency. Furthermore, we discussed the pros and cons of each measurement approach and how the resulted data can be used to evaluate ecosystem services of trees and provide guidance on tree management also to reduce potential risks or disservices.

Bonitet assessment of graft-rootstock combinations of apple tree varieties in the conditions of the Central Chernozem region

The study and analysis of the condition of garden plantings is the most important stage in assessing their profitability and determining the feasibility of further production. Bonitet assessment and inventory are one of the options for such an assessment. The paper presents various methods of assessing graft-rootstock combinations of apple trees in the conditions of the Central Chernozem region. The bonitet class of garden plantings has been determined, the growth characteristics of trees and their relationship with the sub-tree inventory and bonitet assessment of graft-rootstock combinations have been analyzed.

Leaf-Off and Leaf-On UAV LiDAR Surveys for Single-Tree Inventory in Forest Plantations

LiDAR technology has been proven to be an effective remote sensing technique for forest inventory and management. Among existing remote sensing platforms, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are rapidly gaining popularity for their capability to provide high-resolution and accurate point clouds. However, the ability of a UAV LiDAR survey to map under canopy features is determined by the degree of penetration, which in turn depends on the percentage of canopy cover. In this study, a custom-built UAV-based mobile mapping system is used for simultaneously collecting LiDAR and imagery data under different leaf cover scenarios in a forest plantation. Bare earth point cloud, digital terrain model (DTM), normalized height point cloud, and quantitative measures for single-tree inventory are derived from UAV LiDAR data. The impact of different leaf cover scenarios (leaf-off, partial leaf cover, and full leaf cover) on the quality of the products from UAV surveys is investigated. Moreover, a bottom-up individual tree localization and segmentation approach based on 2D peak detection and Voronoi diagram is proposed and compared against an existing density-based clustering algorithm. Experimental results show that point clouds from different leaf cover scenarios are in good agreement within a 1-to-10 cm range. Despite the point density of bare earth point cloud under leaf-on conditions being substantially lower than that under leaf-off conditions, the terrain models derived from the three scenarios are comparable. Once the quality of the DTMs is verified, normalized height point clouds that characterize the vertical forest structure can be generated by removing the terrain effect. Individual tree detection with an overall accuracy of 0.98 and 0.88 is achieved under leaf-off and partial leaf cover conditions, respectively. Both the proposed tree localization approach and the density-based clustering algorithm cannot detect tree trunks under full leaf cover conditions. Overall, the proposed approach outperforms the existing clustering algorithm owing to its low false positive rate, especially under leaf-on conditions. These findings suggest that the high-quality data from UAV LiDAR can effectively map the terrain and derive forest structural measures for single-tree inventories even under a partial leaf cover scenario.

Strategi Pengembangan Potensi Desa Wisata Brajan Kabupaten Sleman

The abundance of bamboo tree inventory in Indonesia it can be used as a new business opportunity that is promising for Brajan tourist village. To be more recognized by the public, both nationally and internationally, the need for the development of the potential in the tourist village Brajan. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential development strategies Brajan tourist village. This study used a qualitative descriptive method. Based on the research results, development of rural tourism Brajan strategy can be formulated by using SWOT and strategy alisis SO, ST, WO, WT. Strategy development potential tourist village Brajan with participatory planning in the development of tourism in the tourist village Brajan by implementing Community Based Tourism as an approach to tourism development.

EVALUATION OF IPAD PRO 2020 LIDAR FOR ESTIMATING TREE DIAMETERS IN URBAN FOREST

Remote Sensing (RS) techniques are increasingly used in urban tree inventory measurements for their improved accuracy and promptness over the conventional methods. The focus of this study is to evaluate the application of iPad Pro 2020 and its LiDAR sensor for urban trees reconstruction and Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) measurements. Altogether, 101 trees were scanned. We have used individual- and multiple-tree scan modes with different settings (Resolution: 10 mm, 15 mm, 20 mm; Confidence: High, Low). With these methods and settings, we have established 12 combinations. The 3DScannerAPP was used to scan and generate point clouds and to estimate DBH circle-fitting algorithm was used within the DendroCloud software. Among 12 methods, the only method with 10 mm resolution, high confidence, and multiple-tree mode has not achieved a 100% detection rate (97%). For multiple-tree mode, the highest estimation accuracy was 7.52% of relative RMSE, and for single-tree mode, it was 7.27%. Low confidence setting had significantly higher accuracy of DBH estimation than high confidence. Furthermore, single-tree mode had a significantly higher accuracy of DBH estimation than multiple-tree mode. The most efficient combination for DBH estimation of urban trees using 3DScannerAPP within iPad Pro 2020, when time and accuracy is considered, was multiple-tree mode with 15 mm resolution and low confidence.

A 5,000-year vegetation and fire history for tierra firme forests in the Medio Putumayo-Algodón watersheds, northeastern Peru

This paper addresses an important debate in Amazonian studies; namely, the scale, intensity, and nature of human modification of the forests in prehistory. Phytolith and charcoal analysis of terrestrial soils underneath mature tierra firme (nonflooded, nonriverine) forests in the remote Medio Putumayo-Algodón watersheds, northeastern Peru, provide a vegetation and fire history spanning at least the past 5,000 y. A tree inventory carried out in the region enables calibration of ancient phytolith records with standing vegetation and estimates of palm species densities on the landscape through time. Phytolith records show no evidence for forest clearing or agriculture with major annual seed and root crops. Frequencies of important economic palms such as Oenocarpus, Euterpe, Bactris, and Astrocaryum spp., some of which contain hyperdominant species in the modern flora, do not increase through prehistoric time. This indicates pre-Columbian occupations, if documented in the region with future research, did not significantly increase the abundance of those species through management or cultivation. Phytoliths from other arboreal and woody species similarly reflect a stable forest structure and diversity throughout the records. Charcoal 14C dates evidence local forest burning between ca. 2,800 and 1,400 y ago. Our data support previous research indicating that considerable areas of some Amazonian tierra firme forests were not significantly impacted by human activities during the prehistoric era. Rather, it appears that over the last 5,000 y, indigenous populations in this region coexisted with, and helped maintain, large expanses of relatively unmodified forest, as they continue to do today.

Assessing Tree Health And Species In The Gentrifying Neighbourhood Of The Junction Triangle In Toronto, Ontario

The purpose of this study is to examine the number, health, and species of trees in the gentrifying neighbourhood of the Junction Triangle. In this research, the tree inventory and questionnaire method were used. The questionnaire results show that respondents who moved in prior to 2007 view gentrification more negatively than residents who moved in after. The study found that there is a net growth of trees in the study area. Many invasive species have been removed, while more city recommended species have been planted. This research went on to find that trees in front of homes are in better condition than those planted on public land, and trees in front of improved homes are in better condition than those in front of unimproved homes. This is evidenced by the visible tree care and maintenance activities that are occurring on trees in front of housing but is absent from trees on public land.

Assessing Tree Health And Species In The Gentrifying Neighbourhood Of The Junction Triangle In Toronto, Ontario

The purpose of this study is to examine the number, health, and species of trees in the gentrifying neighbourhood of the Junction Triangle. In this research, the tree inventory and questionnaire method were used. The questionnaire results show that respondents who moved in prior to 2007 view gentrification more negatively than residents who moved in after. The study found that there is a net growth of trees in the study area. Many invasive species have been removed, while more city recommended species have been planted. This research went on to find that trees in front of homes are in better condition than those planted on public land, and trees in front of improved homes are in better condition than those in front of unimproved homes. This is evidenced by the visible tree care and maintenance activities that are occurring on trees in front of housing but is absent from trees on public land.

Tree Species Diversity and Spatial Distribution of Aleppo Pine Stands in Northeastern Algeria

The spatial pattern of species is one of the key studied parameters in ecology so as to better understand the ecological processes and the functioning of forest ecosystems. This paper describes the classification of structural indices measuring the alpha diversity and examines typical representatives of the classification groups such as the Shannon’s index, aggregation index by Clark and Evans, the mingling index, the diameter differentiation index and the coefficient of segregation by Pielou. The tree inventory made it possible to count 7 species that are divided into six (06) families. Only Pinus halepensis Mill. trees were taken into account via calculation in spatial distribution. Western exposure shows the most regular tree patterns (1.6±0.1) according to the aggregation index by Clark and Evans, while the species mingling index for south- and east-facing stands indicates segregation of Pinus halepensis Mill. groups. The diameter differentiation index for the majority of the studied stands is assumed through estimated values within the range that starts from 0.4 to 0.9 for the four exposures. The distribution shows that western and eastern exposures belong to the fourth class of differentiation (very large differentiation), which means that the trees with the smallest DBH have less than 30% of the size of the neighbouring trees since the diameter differentiation index for the two exposures is 0.9±0.05 and 0.7±0.2.