An assessment of tree biodiversity and carbon stocks in mangrove forests, Langsa City, Aceh, Indonesia

Mangrove forests are a unique coastal ecosystem with trees adapted to a constantly fluctuating and sometimes extreme physical environment. Mangrove forests provide important ecosystem services that benefit local people and all of us in terms of climate regulation through the storage of greenhouse gasses in biomass. This research reports carbon stock, wood volume, tree density, and biodiversity indices for two mangrove forest areas in Langsa City Regency, Aceh Province, Indonesia. The two sites represent and inland area and an ocean-exposed area within a large mangrove forest ecosystem complex. The results of the analysis show that these two tracts are quite similar in terms of carbon stock and biodiversity even though they occupy different locations within the larger tract of mangrove habitat. The study confirms these are healthy forest areas with relatively high carbon stocks.

Assessment of Climate Change Awareness in the Kakamega-Nandi Forest Complex in the Western Region

Aims: This study assessed the level of climate change awareness among the forest-adjacent communities in the Kakamega-Nandi forest ecosystem complex. Four locations were chosen for the study, Buyangu and Isecheno in the Kakamega forest, Kaptumo in Nandi South and Kipsamoite in Nandi North forest ecosystems. Study Design: A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from primary sources. Structured questionnaires were administered to the residents aged 25years and older within the study area. Place and Duration of Study: The Kakamega, north and south Nandi forest ecosystems in western Kenya between June -December 2019. Methodology: A total of 280 questionnaires were randomly administered to the forest-adjacent respondents with, Kakamega forest 163 respondents, South Nandi forest 60, while North Nandi had 57respondents. A total of 217 questionnaires were filled and returned and the information wherein used in data analysis. Focused Group Discussion and key informants were used to supplement data collects by the questionnaires. Results: Majority of the residents (54%) were less concerned about climate change. In addition, 85% of the respondents had very little knowledge on coping and adapting to the adverse impacts of climate change. Some 40 % and 45% of the respondents got information about climate through televisions and radios, respectively. Further analysis of the results revealed that climate change was responsible for fourteen key impacts. These included an increase in rainfall, prolonged drought, decrease in the quality and quantity of fresh water, decrease in food security, an increase in temperature, a decrease in agricultural resources, an increase in sickness and disease, a decrease in quality of life, flooding, decrease in forest cover, loss of homes, reduction in biodiversity, and rise in storm surge. A Chi test revealed a significant relationship between forest cover decline and changes in rainfall patterns (X2 = 111.86, df =12, p<0.001), increasing temperature (X2 = 80.492, df =12, p<0.001);, drought( (X2 = 204.84, df =16, p<0.001) and storm surges (X2 = 74.34, df =8, p<0.001)]. The respondents' level of education was significantly different from their level of climate change awareness (X2=44.88, df=4, p<0.001). Conclusion: Forest-adjacent communities in the Kakamega-Nandi forest ecosystem complex are vulnerable to climate change as a result of insufficient knowledge about climate change and its impacts. The Kakamega-Nandi forest ecosystem is already experiencing climate change effects such as erratic rainfall and increasing food insecurity.

What Ecosystem Services Flowing from Linpan System—A Cultural Landscape in Chengdu Plain, Southwest China

As an ecosystem complex integrated with functions of agricultural production, residence, and socio-cultural activity, linpan (wooded lot) has characterized socio-ecologically and culturally the rural landscape in Chengdu Plain. Although functioning for centuries without disruption and supporting continuously the regional prosperity, it is currently under big threats due to rapid urbanization and a growing population. The overall goal of this paper is to improve our understanding of the linpan system and its services. Within the framework of four categories of ecosystem services, including provisioning, regulating, cultural and supporting services, the deliverables by linpan were elaborated respectively based on document review and field survey. It was addressed that as a localized cultural landscape, linpan has and will continue to provide various services to rural as well as urban people. These services including material and non-material values were highly recognized by local people, but the perceived importance of services were changeable with the socio-economic development, market fluctuation, and people’s awareness rise. Regarding the preservation of the linpan system as an important agricultural heritage system, cultural services should not be neglected within a landscape management framework. Finally, this study called for attention to the dynamics of the linpan system which required an adaptive approach for assessing and managing ecosystem services.

Fire Recurrence and the Dynamics of the Enhanced Vegetation Index in a Mediterranean Ecosystem

This study area is located in the eastern littoral of the Iberian Peninsula; its importance resides in its Mediterranean ecosystem, complex topography, extensive land use changes, and intensive forest fires history. The study is done at the landscape level, covering a wide area for an extended period of time. This work uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Satellite Remote Sensing (SRS) techniques to evaluate the impact of spatio-temporal parameters on shaping Mediterranean landscapes. Interacting ecological parameters are analysed and correlated to post-fire vegetation regeneration in an attempt to understand its dynamics. The results provide evidence that the number of fires separated by short time intervals influence vegetation growth negatively measured as Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI). During this period, micro-climatic effects (soil and environmental humidity) are major factors influencing EVI-measured vegetation regeneration. The conclusions expect shifts in Mediterranean plant communities in heavily burned ecosystems stressing the importance of their correct short and long term post-fire management.

Impact of regional weather anomalies on the agroecosystems of the Left Bank Forest Steppe

Importance of the territory climatic conditions as unpredictable dynamic changes problem that forms a threat to the development of the agricultural sector of the country was investigated. The problem comes from the fact that for food security of agricultural ecosystem it is rather vulnerable to change of climatic parameters, and agriculture belongs to branches which are especially sensitive to climatic changes impact. We analyzed long-term data figures for the period 1995 to 2014, which describe the temperature and moisture regime of Lubny (Poltava region). The main trends and patterns of their dynamics were established, the degree of deviation from the long-term norm was given. The author determined the relationship of the territorial climatic conditions changes and agricultural ecosystem performance and stability and also the potential consequences of the adverse effects. As a result, it was found that the expansion of the growing season crops, due to the increase in temperature and the average value of the classical heat supply plant index, may impair the stability of the agricultural ecosystem complex and reduce its performance. At the same time, one of the adapting agricultural production ways to climate change, which does not require any additional costs, is to optimize the placement of crops due to the harmonization of the production specialization ratio in accordance with the area conditions.