Biogeography ; Ecotone ; Forest ; Linear forest ; Mountain ; Self-organizing behaviour ; Subalpine area ; Wind
Roughly linear forest patches are common in subalpine environments, including hedges, ribbon forest, and Shimagare or wave regenerated forests (waves). The influence of wind is common among these patterns, but the role of positive feedback, the most
important component of self-organization in biological systems varies. Hedges and waves can develop endogenously with a constant wind, and so can be considered self-organizing. Most ribbon forests seem to be dominated by exogenous forces.
Biogeography ; China ; Eighteenth Century ; Forest ; Historical geography ; Nineteenth Century ; Quantitative analysis ; Spatial statistics ; Twentieth Century ; Vegetation dynamics
Based on historical documents, modern survey and statistics, the trend and main process of forest dynamics are recognized. The forest area and forest coverage rates for each province of China from 1700 to 1949 are estimated backward by every 50
years. Linking the result with modern National Forest Inventory data, the spatial-temporal dynamics of Chinese forest in recent 300 years (AD 1700-1998) is quantitatively analyzed. The forest area in current territory of China has declined in total
Recent forest limit changes in south-east Norway : effects of climate change or regrowth after abandoned utilisation ?
Biogeography ; Climatic change ; Forest ; Human impact ; Norway ; Scenario ; Tree line ; Vegetation dynamics ; Vegetation map
The forest limits of south-east Norway have expanded to higher altitudes. Two main processes are believed to cause these changes : regrowth after abandonment of human utilisation and recent climate changes. To separate the effects of these 2
processes, 4 datasets have been used : climate data, downscaled climate change scenario data, forest height growth, and 4 vegetation maps. The maps represent the years 1959 and 2001, potential natural vegetation (PNV), and a climate change scenario (CCS
). The recent upper potential climatic and edaphic forest limit (UPCEFL) was used to define the potential for forest regrowth after the abandonment of human utilisation. Forest height growth and climate data were then used to analyse any supplementary effect
of recent climate change. The results show that raised forest limits and forest range expansion often attributed to recent climate change is rather the product of regrowth, a process that was climatically retarded from 1959 to 1995. For the period 1995-2006
, the data indicate a preliminary effect of climate change escalating the regrowth and probably pushing the future forest limits to higher altitudes.
2008
[b1] Norwegian Forest and Landscape Inst., Ås, Norvege
Riparian forest in the Natura 2000 System : development of semi-natural floodplains by specific management of FFH-areas
Agricultural land use ; Biogeography ; Forest ; Management ; Planned area ; Stream
Riparian landscapes and forests have been used intensively at all times. This article shows necessary measures and solutions to purposefully transpose directives into practise. The paper deals with the terms riparian forests, floodplains, rivers
Association ; Forest ; Impact ; Poland ; Thermal regime
A research on the influence of forest associations on the diversification of thermal and humidity conditions of the forest interior was conducted from 2007 to 2008 in six measurement points in the Borecka Forest. The empirical data allowed observing
that in autumn the selected forest associations experience diverse thermal conditions. These differences result mainly from the amount of foliage on the tree tops. - (BJ)
Pedologic and geomorphic impacts of a tornado blowdown event in a mixed pine-hardwood forest
Arkansas ; Forest ; Soil ; Soil properties ; Tornado ; Tree uprooting ; United States of America ; Weathering
Two blowdown sites caused by a November 2005 tornado in the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas, allowed a case study examination of bioturbation associated with a specific forest blowdown event, as well as detailed examination of relationships
between tree root systems, soils, and underlying bedrock. The sites occur within mixed shortleaf pine and hardwood forests. The propensy for tree roots to penetrate bedrock joints, facilitate weathering, and excavate bedrock during uprooting supports
2008
[b2] USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station, Arizona, Hot Springs, Etats-Unis
Dynamics of forest disturbance on central part of the Šumava Mountains between 1985 and 2007 based on Landsat TM/ETM+ satellite data
Czech Republic ; Degradation ; Forest ; LANDSAT ; Mountain ; National park ; Spruce
During the last more than twenty years, various types of forest disturbance occurred in the central part of the Šumava Mountains. The bark beetle outbreak in this region resulted in regional-scale spruce forest decay. The final disturbance model
shows progress and dynamics of spruce bark beetle spreading in both national parks as well as the development of forest losses due to clear-cutting mainly in the Šumava NP. - (EN)
Foliage and fighting : forest resources and the onset, duration, and location of civil war
Africa ; Asia ; Civil war ; Conflict ; Forest ; Forest resources ; Model
The article develops the different mechanisms relating forest resources to conflict with case studies such as Burma and Cambodia. It looks at the empirical relationship for the onset and duration of conflict at the country level and finds very
little support for a general and direct relationship. A shortest distance to the coast tends to make the conflicts in forested conflict zones longer.
The AA. examined the effects of forest harvesting on the frequency of landslides and debris flows in the Sanko catchment using 9 aerial photo periods covering 1964 to 2003. Trends of new landslides and debris flows correspond to changes in slope
stability explained by root strength decay and recovery; the direct impact of clearcutting on landslide occurrence was greatest in forest stands that were clearcut 1 to 10 yr earlier with progressively lesser impacts continuing up to 25 yr after harvesting
. Sediment supply rate from landslides in forests clearcut 1 to 10 yr earlier was about 10-fold higher than in control sites. To estimate the effect of forest harvesting and subsequent regeneration on the occurrence of mass wasting in other regions, changes
2008
[b1] Graduate School of Life and Environmental Science, University of Tsukuba, Ikawa University Forest, Shizuoka, Japon
Dynamics in debris-flow activity on a forested cone - A case study using different dendroecological approaches
The aim of this study was to combine dendrogeomorphological analyses with an assessment of germination dates of successor trees in order to understand the dynamics of past debris-flow events on a forested cone in the Valais Alps, Switzerland
Estimation of soil splash detachment rates on the forest floor of an unmanaged Japanese cypress plantation based on field measurements of throughfall drop sizes and velocities
Fire history of a temperate forest with an endemic fire-dependent herb
Deciduous forest ; Dendrochronology ; Dendrology ; Fire ; Forest ; Grassland ; Impact ; Mountain ; Oak ; United States of America ; Vegetation ; Vegetation dynamics ; Virginia
A dendroecological fire history was conducted for The Nature Conservancy's Narrows Preserve on Peters Mountain, Virginia, where the predominant vegetation is oak (Quercus L.)-dominated forest containing some other hardwoods and pines (Pinus L
Seasonal changes of nitrate concentrations in baseflow headwaters of coniferous forests in Japan : a significant indicator for N saturation
Conifer ; Fluvial water ; Forest ; Forestry ; Japan ; Nitrate ; Seasonal variation ; Watershed
Here, the AA. investigated the NO3-N concentration and its seasonal variations in the baseflow headwaters in Japanese coniferous forests with different N saturation status in 5 regions (Nagano, Tokyo, Aichi, Kochi and Mie). They also investigated
the associations between seasonal variations of the NO3-N concentration in baseflow with vegetation growing season (growing season or dormant season). Finally, they propose a robust N saturation indicator suitable for Japanese coniferous forests.
Beskidy ; Ecotone ; Forest ; Human impact ; Mountain ; Poland ; Tree line
The subject of the article is historical influence of changing forms and intensity of human activities on course, structure, density and dynamics of tree line and field-forest boundary in the High Bieszczady Mountains in the last 150 years. Spatial
and structural character of forest boundaries was influenced by human activities (before and after relocations), while the current persistence of ecotones result mainly from climatical and edaphical factors, as well as, beech biological properties. - (BJ)
Only in few German regions still appear coppice forest systems in medium term rotation. Due to the increased energy demand for wood, these traditional operating systems encounter a renaissance. Thus, several adaptations to new demand structures
and nature conservation commandments have to be taken. The paper discusses pros and cons regarding economic and ecological aspects. It concludes that under a modernised coppice management a well-functioning energy forest model can be developed. - (IfL)
Agricultural product ; Developing countries ; Development ; Ecology ; Economy ; Fire ; Food ; Forced migration ; Forest ; Indonesia ; Oilpalm ; Rural economy ; Society
opinion is the destruction of the rain forest, the soiling of water, the appearance of forest fire and the repression of local groups out of their settlements. - (IfL)