SilvAdapt.Net: A Site-Based Network of Adaptive Forest Management Related to Climate Change in Spain

Adaptive forest management (AFM) is an urgent need because of the uncertainty regarding how changes in the climate will affect the structure, composition and function of forests during the next decades. Current research initiatives for the long-term monitoring of impacts of silviculture are scattered and not integrated into research networks, with the consequent losses of opportunities and capacity for action. To increase the scientific and practical impacts of these experiences, it is necessary to establish logical frameworks that harmonize the information and help us to define the most appropriate treatments. In this context, a number of research groups in Spain have produced research achievements and know-how during the last decades that can allow for the improvement in AFM. These groups address the issue of AFM from different fields, such as ecophysiology, ecohydrology and forest ecology, thus resulting in valuable but dispersed expertise. The main objective of this work is to introduce a comprehensive strategy aimed to study the implementation of AFM in Spain. As a first step, a network of 34 experimental sites managed by 14 different research groups is proposed and justified. As a second step, the most important AFM impacts on Mediterranean pines, as one of the most extended natural and planted forest types in Spain, are presented. Finally, open questions dealing with key aspects when attempting to implement an AFM framework are discussed. This study is expected to contribute to better outlining the procedures and steps needed to implement regional frameworks for AFM.

Exploring Forest Sector Research Subjects and Trends from 2000 to 2019 Using Topic Modeling

Purpose of Review This review aims to discover the most common topics and trends in international scientific forest sector research between January 2000 and December 2019 and to test the suitability of a quantitative topic-modeling method to extract topics from the data. The results will be helpful for both researchers and policy decision-makers in identifying emerging research topics and possible research gaps. The analysis framework covers the complete forest wood chain (FWC) with PESTE factors. PESTE is applied to analyze political, economic, social, technological, and ecological/environmental factors affecting the FWC. Recent findings In the last two decades, forests and the forest sector have been impacted by several global changes, policies, and megatrends. Previous systematic syntheses of forest sector research reveal that economic, policy, and social research have remained underrepresented in the forest sector literature. Research areas related to forest ecology and climate change have been increasing. More recently, growth has also been detected in social aspects especially related to the increasing literature on forest ecosystem services. Results A total of 160 topics were extracted from 14,470 abstracts of 15 leading international peer-reviewed forest science journals. The ecological topics of forest resources and technological topics of industry and products were by far the two largest subject areas. Ecological topics increased, while technological topics slightly decreased, during the period between 2000 and 2019. A clear decline in the share of topics concerning end-product markets was detected. Indeed, changes in end markets drive changes in the entire forest wood chain. To support the goal of a transition from a fossil-based economy to a bioeconomy, it will be important to increase academic research on policy impacts, as well as social and ecological sustainability issues to cover all the stages of the FWC more evenly. The topic-modeling method was a useful tool in data mining, but human intelligence is needed to interpret and classify the topics extracted by this approach.

CHECKLIST OF VEGETATION CLASSES OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: HOW MUCH DO WE KNOW?

UDK: 581.5(497.6) The beginnings of vegetation research of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), according to Braun-Blanquet’s approach, date back to early 1930s, culminated in the period of 60s-70s, and declined until the end of 20th century. Twenty years after the war B&H vegetation science hasn’t still achieved the pre-war level. The starting point for the preparation of the checklist of vegetation classes was the vegetation database of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which contains 6823 relevés, which were digitized and imported in TURBOVEG database for storage of large relevé datasets. Total of 4780 relevés were collected from 123 references (2906 regularly published, 1331 from grey literature and 543 from manuscripts), while 2043 are unpublished relevés, mainly recorded by the team of the Department of Forest Ecology at the Faculty of Forestry in Banja Luka. Analysis of this dataset suggests that vegetation of Bosnia and Herzegovina comprises 60 classes. According to the overviews of vegetation of Bosnia and Herzegovina published so far, the vegetation dominated by vascular plants numbers 33 and 39 classes respectively. This discrepancy can be partially attributed to different syntaxonomic concepts used in these overviews compared to the latest Checklist compiled at the European level (EuroVegChecklist), which was our guideline, but also to uneven level of elaboration of different vegetation types and geographical regions in B&H. Six classes of forest vegetation share almost 60% of the total number of relevés, while another six classes of various grasslands take another 25%. The other 15% is divided among the rest of 48 classes. Some of the classes without relevés are, in our own opinion, present in B&H, but still need to be confirmed, while the others, even though mentioned in literature, couldn’t be confirmed at the field after extensive research.

Study of Behavior and the Meaning of Change for Local Communities in the Batu Hijau Mine Area, West Sumbawa

This study aims to uncover and explain the meaning of change (development) for local communities, behavioral changes that occur in local communities, and what are the ideal expectations of local communities after the Batu Hijau mining company took place. This study uses qualitative methods and data collection by: in-depth interviews, involved observation and review of relevant documents. Data analysis used an interactive model and the validity of the data was controlled by triangulation. The results of the study show: (1) the local community interprets change as an improvement in living standards while maintaining the values and norms that have been adopted. (2) The presence of the Batu Hijau mining company has led to a transformation of the social behavior of the local community in general but not to the point of eliminating the basic principles of behavior originating from religious values and local traditions. The indications are: 1) the traditional knowledge system (indegenous knowledge) is not used as much in the decision to behave as before 2) the local value system and norms are reduced in their binding power and embracing power to the younger generation, 3) the social behavior and orientation of the cultural values of the local community has reflected the community. open and economically oriented. (3) The ideal hope of the local community is the realization of an environmental conservation system, the availability of job opportunities and business opportunities that become a vehicle for community interaction and the realization of the former mining area as an educational tourism area based on sustainable forest ecology.

Farmer’s Perception of Associates Non-Cocoa Tree’s Leaf Litterfall Fertilizing Potential in Cocoa-Based Agroforestry System

Investigations to assess farmer’s perceptions on the fertilizing potential of associated trees species in cocoa agroforest of degraded forest ecology were carried out in southern Cameroon. The perception of the farmers was based on the ability of the trees to maintain or improve soil fertility of their farms. The verification of these perceptions was done through an evaluation of litter fall biomass nutrient content (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) of selected trees. The top 5 associates trees ranked by farmers was: Milicia excelsa, Ceiba pentandra, Ficus mucuso, Asltonia boonei, Terminalia superba. The chemical analysis of the leaf litter from the different tree species revealed a significant different between their chemical components. N appeared to have the highest concentrations varying from 2.82 to 5.57% with a mean value of 4.25 ± 1.065%, P had the lowest concentrations typically around 0.001%. The top 5 tree species based on the chemical analysis ranking were: C. pentandra, M. excelsa, Eribroma oblungum, Alstonia boonei, Zanthoxylum heitzi. Farmer’s perceptions thou holistic, are not completely different from scientific finding. Therefore, they should be taken in consideration in management plans for cocoa- based systems in order to enhance their ecological and economic performance.

Study of Behavior and the Meaning of Change for Local Communities in the Batu Hijau Mine Area, West Sumbawa

This study aims to uncover and explain the meaning of change (development) for local communities, behavioral changes that occur in local communities, and what are the ideal expectations of local communities after the Batu Hijau mining company took place. This study uses qualitative methods and data collection by: in-depth interviews, involved observation and review of relevant documents. Data analysis used an interactive model and the validity of the data was controlled by triangulation. The results of the study show: (1) the local community interprets change as an improvement in living standards while maintaining the values and norms that have been adopted. (2) The presence of the Batu Hijau mining company has led to a transformation of the social behavior of the local community in general but not to the point of eliminating the basic principles of behavior originating from religious values and local traditions. The indications are: 1) the traditional knowledge system (indegenous knowledge) is not used as much in the decision to behave as before 2) the local value system and norms are reduced in their binding power and embracing power to the younger generation, 3) the social behavior and orientation of the cultural values of the local community has reflected the community. open and economically oriented. (3) The ideal hope of the local community is the realization of an environmental conservation system, the availability of job opportunities and business opportunities that become a vehicle for community interaction and the realization of the former mining area as an educational tourism area based on sustainable forest ecology.

Impact of Industrial Waste on Natural Resources: A Review in the Context of Bangladesh

Although the industrial sector contributes significantly to Bangladesh's economic growth and development, unplanned rapid industrialization is having a detrimental impact on natural resources. Since industrial waste has become a major concern, this study reviewed previously published research papers to highlight the detrimental effects of industrial waste on natural resources. This review observed industrial waste have a substantial impact on natural resources, causing contamination of the air, water, and soil, alongside disruption of aquatic and forest ecology. Therefore, effective policy enforcement is expected to ensure that industrialization is sustainable, both in terms of mitigating environmental pollution and promoting more environmentally friendly industries. Bangladesh's long-term sustainability and prosperity necessitate industrialization, but it should be done in an environmentally sustainable manner.

OPEN GEODATA AND OPEN-SOURCE GIS IN THE CENTER FOR FOREST ECOLOGY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES (CEPF RAS)

Open data and Open-source tools are widely and globally used in the activities of research institutions. Particularity of scientific projects at the Center for Forest Ecology and Productivity of the Russian Academy of Sciences (CEPF RAS) includes ecology and productivity of forests in Russia. In order to emphasize and to develop the ecosystem functions, resources and environmental potential of Russian forests the Center uses geoinformational and remote sensing methods and tools. Logistically complex and economically costly ground access to the forest fires and forest resources is the specific feature of Russian forest domain. Open Data and Open Source tools have an essential methodological, technological meaning, as well as a potential for the forestry challenges in the country. We present an Open GeoData and Open Source GIS’s experience of ongoing activities devoted to the transport modelling (transport accessibility in the forests and emission of carbon dioxide). An “Open”-research direction extends the activities of the “Transportation Task” group by implementing OSM and QGIS with its plugins. CEPF popularizes Open data and Open Source in their geo-applications by giving lectures and publishing papers in the “Forest Science Issues” interdisciplinary journal.