A Water Yield‐Oriented Practical Approach for Multifunctional Forest Management and its Application in Dryland Regions of China |
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| Authors: | Yanhui Wang Wei Xiong Stephan Gampe Neil Andrew Coles Pengtao Yu Lihong Xu Haijun Zuo Yunni Wang |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Institute of Forest Ecology, Environment and Protection, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, China;2. Bavarian State Forest Administration in Weilheim, Seehausen, Germany;3. Institute of Agriculture, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia |
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| Abstract: | Mountainous forest areas are vitally important for water supply in dryland regions which suffer from high erosion risk and severe water shortage. Massive afforestation, mainly for erosion control, may reduce the water yield and threaten local water supply security. Moreover, many over‐dense forests due to a strict logging ban policy have produced remarkably negative impacts for both forests (e.g., low timber quality, restricted natural regeneration, and high stand instability) and water yield. To satisfy the rapidly increasing demands on water supply and other services, a practical approach for managing forest stands in a multifunctional way, which particularly addresses water yielding, is urgently required. For this purpose, we integrated the existing knowledge and experience, designed an “ideal” stand structure to represent multifunctional forest (MFF) and determined its key parameters (a ground coverage of >0.7, a canopy density around 0.7, and an H/DBH ratio (tree height m] to the diameter at breast height cm]) of <0.7). Moreover, a decision process for MFF stand management was recommended as: (1) investigating the site quality; (2) identifying the site‐specific main forest functions; (3) quantifying the stand structure; (4) diagnosing the stand structure by comparing with the “ideal” one; and (5) arranging the functions/structure‐oriented management measures. In this way, the water‐yielding function can be improved and meanwhile other forest functions can be promoted. |
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| Keywords: | dryland regions forest hydrology mountain forests multifunctionality best management practices water allocation water supply runoff |
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