The role of land use in climate change – from CO2 source to cost-efficient mitigation

The present studies focus on the land use contributions to industrial-age carbon emissions and future abatement potentials. A practicable estimation scheme is presented to transparently identify the driving terms behind past emissions and future mitigation possibilities. Regarding the major emissions sources, 10 % of total present CO2 emissions are possible in tail of primary forest clearing outside of wood consumption; 3 % are attributed to desertification and peat cultivation; on the opposite, 5 % are counteracted by sequestration from forest gain. Regarding mitigation, prudent land use has the potential to reduce more than 50 % of all present anthropogenic emissions at approximate zero costs. Prerequisite is that biomass be considered a scarce resource and therefore, carefully supported and solely used in high-efficiency applications.

Dynamic of the Land Use and Land Cover Change in Banyuwangi Regency From 1995-2019

The land use and land cover change phenomenon has become one concern over many regions worldwide, including Indonesia. Land use and land cover change due to human activities triggered alteration terrestrial ecosystems and its services including climate control functions. The study aimed to analyze land use and land cover change in Banyuwangi regency during 1995 – 2019. Four satellite images from acquisition year 1995, 2000, 2014 and 2019 were used to analyze the spatial and temporal changes along with field observations. The classification processes of land use and land cover included determination of training areas, supervised classification, and accuracy assessment. There are 12 land use and land cover based on supervised classification as follow primary forest, secondary forest, plantation forest, mangrove forest, plantation, settlement, cropland, paddy field, shrubs, water, fishpond and barren land. The result showed during observation period of 1995 until 2019 land use and land cover which tends to decrease are secondary forest, mangrove forest, and rice fields. On the other hand, the area of settlements, shrubs and fishponds were increased significantly.

Natural heritage: Provision of cultural ecosystem services from the Malyovitsa Range of the Rila National Park

Nature-based tourism and recreation are attracting attention today as the most favourable form of direct connection between people and nature, and as a very successful tool to motivate people to protect their natural heritage. This study aims to develop and test a methodology to assess the potential of an acknowledged natural heritage site in Bulgaria - Malyovitsa Range and Urdini Cirque in ‘Rila’ National Park to provide cultural ecosystem services. A holistic approach is applied, using landscapes as the main territorial unit, and source of information. For the purpose of practicing representative types of mountain tourism: ‘mountain hiking’, ‘nature education’ tourism, ‘ski touring’ and ‘mountaineering’ a total of 15 ecosystem services were assessed based on 25 biophysical and social indicators. ‘Primary forest landscapes on moraine materials’ and ‘Primary landscapes with mugo pine on igneous rocks’ receive the highest score. Based on the results obtained, an assessment of the mainstream activity - access to mountain hiking provided by the landscapes was carried out and two touristic routes with very high potential to deliver this service were identified. The results of the study are directed towards the responsible parties in support of the natural heritage conservation in Rila National Park through sustainable management the potential to provide cultural (recreational) ecosystem services. The research was conducted within the scientific programme of the project “Conceptualization, Flexible Methodology, and a Pilot Geospatial Platform for Access of the Bulgarian Natural Heritage to the European Digital Single Market of Knowledge and Information Services” within the project BG05M2OP001-1.001-0001 Establishment and Development of “Heritage BG” Centre of Excellence (Operational Program “Science and Education for Intelligent Growth”, priority Axis 1 “Research and technological development”).

Criminal Liability against Business Entities Committing Forest Burning in the Perspective of the Development of Environmental Criminal Law

This study aims to investigate issues on how corporate deforestation (by fire) occurs and the responsibilities of business entities for the crime they have committed. Employing the descriptive method, this study relied on secondary data. Destruction of forests has impacted many sectors, e.g., environment, economics, institutional, socio-politics, and others associated with accessibility and biodiversity of forest resources. Such an issue blames factors, such as illegal logging, forest fires, poor monitoring and management of operationalization of the licensing system in forest areas, conversion of forest to plantations, and settlements and other non-forestry development agendas. Corporate deforestation, which is mainly aimed to open new space, is a form of intolerable criminal act given its detrimental effect on the ecosystem and public health. As the one that is responsible for any actions, corporates or business entities are urged to monitor all of their agendas and development. This notion, however, seems insufficient to address the issue of corporate deforestation since legal consequences have little to no effect in reducing primary forest loss.

Effects Of Climate Change On Main Forest Tree Species In Turkey

Global warming and climate change threaten the future of world. The effects of climate change, which expresses the increase in the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide, and the differences in precipitation, are now felt all over the world, from the highest peaks to the ocean depths, from the equator to the poles. While climate change creates negative effects on forests, it also causes destruction in the natural carbon cycle. Primary forest trees and forest areas, which directly contribute to the economy, are also of vital importance for people and other living things that are part of the ecosystem. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of global climate change on main forest tree species through the climate change models of the future and present and to evaluate what kind of effects, problems and results emerge. As a result, it is seen that most of main tree species will not be able to adapt to climate change, the distribution areas of the species will decrease and even of them will face the danger of extinction.

The Floodplain Forests of the Mamberamo Basin, Papua, Indonesia (Western New Guinea): Vegetation, Soils, and Local Use

New Guinea is the world’s largest, most speciose, and most culturally rich tropical island, and the little-studied Mamberamo Basin of Papua (Indonesian New Guinea) is recognised among the region’s most-important areas for biological diversity. Here, we examined the floodplain forests in the indigenous territory of Papasena, within the Mamberamo-Foja Wildlife Reserve in the Mamberamo Basin. As part of a training activity with local researchers, students, and civil servants, and with the permission and assistance of the local people, we employed various methods including the field surveys detailed here. We used variable-area tree plots, transects for non-trees and soil sampling, and local informants to document 17 plots: four in old-growth dryland forest, five in old-growth swamp forests (two seasonally flooded and three permanently wet including one dominated by sago, Metroxylon sagu Rottb.), five in secondary forest (fallows), and three in gardens (two in swamps and one on dryland). In total, we measured 475 trees over 10 cm in diameter at 1.3 m (dbh). The swamp forests had high local basal areas (highest value 45.1 m2 ha−1) but relatively low statures (20 m but with emergent trees over 40 m). In total, 422 morphospecies from 247 genera and 89 different families were distinguished. These included 138 tree species and 284 non-tree plant species. A quarter (105) of the morphospecies lacked species-level identifications. The woody families Rubiaceae, Araceae, Moraceae, and Euphorbiaceae were especially diverse, with 20 or more morphospecies each. Tree richness was highest in dryland forest (plot 7 having 28 species in 40 stems over 10 cm dbh) with more variation in the flooded forests. Non-tree vegetation showed similar patterns ranging from 65 species in one 40-by-5 m primary forest plot to just 5 in one seasonally flooded forest plot. The local people identified many plants as useful. Among trees, at least 59 species were useful for construction (the most common use), while, for non-trees, medicinal uses were most frequent. Inceptisols dominated (12 plots), followed by Ultisols and Entisols (3 and 2 plots, respectively). Drainage appeared poor and nutrient availability low, while land-suitability criteria implied little potential for crops aside from sago. We discuss the implication of local practises and more recent developments that may threaten the conservation of these floodplain systems. We underline the key role of local people in the oversight and protection of these ecosystems.

Comparation study of soil genetic diversity of bacteria and fungi in different vegetation successions in a karst of Guizhou province, China

To study the soil genetic diversity of bacteria and fungi in different vegetation successions (grassland, shrubbery, primary forest and secondary forest) from the karst area, the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) technology was applied. The results showed that: (1) the diversity of bacterial communities and the fungal communities in karst area were higher than non karst area in each vegetation succession. Compared with the survey from bacterial (the Shannon index was 2.97 in primary forest, 2.91 in secondary forest, 3.18 in shrubbery, 3.14 in grassland and 2.68 in non karst), fungal diversity between karst areas (the Shannon index was 3.56 in primary forest, 3.78 in secondary forest, 3.73 in shrubbery and 3.70 in grassland) and non karst areas (the Shannon index was 3.08) was more evident, which may be related to the alterations of the composition of plant community and the source of carbon in soil with the vegetation succession of karst ecosystem; (2) The comparation of bacterial diversity index and the richness comprehensively evaluated as follows: shrubbery > grassland > primary forest > nsecondary forest. The diversity index and the richness of fungal communities was as follows: secondary forest > shrubbery > grassland > primary forest. The results suggest that the fungal communities have been greatly changed via vegetation successions, but the diversity index and the richness of the bacterial communities have not been seriously affected. The results provide scientific basis for understanding karst surface ecosystem, which contributes to the future aim of protecting the karst from desertification.

Distribution and characteristics of the Makassar tarsius Tarsius fuscus fischer, 1804 sleeping nest in the tropical primary and secondary forests of South Sulawesi

Tarsius fuscus, whose distribution is limited to the southern part of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, is threatened by poaching and habitat loss, with the latter leading to the disappearance of its sleeping nest locations, despite the species’ wide range of habitat requirements. This study aimed to identify the distribution and characteristics of T. fuscus sleeping nests. Research took place in Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park primary and secondary forest areas and Hasanuddin University Educational Forest. Sleeping nest locations were identified through vocalizations in the morning (4.30–6.00 am) and direct visual observations. Sleeping nest distribution maps were created using QGIS 3.16. Sleeping nests were found in karst rock shelters, Ficus trees, forest pandanus, and fallen tree debris, at elevations of 68–947 mdpl, 4–42° slopes, temperatures ranging 23.3–29.1°C, and distances to roads and settlements of 21.4–460.3 m and 325.9–1888.5 m, respectively. Tarsius fuscus tended to nest in primary forest rather than secondary forest, although this may also be caused by the larger proportion of primary forest. Protecting both primary and secondary forest is crucial, but particular focus should be given to the latter, owing to its susceptibility to human disturbance.