Forest-tundra larch forests and climatic trends

Climate-related changes that occurred in the Ary-Mas larch forests (the world’s northernmost forest range) in the last three decades of the 20th century have been analyzed. An analysis of remote-sensing images made by Landsat satellites in 1973 and 2000 has provided evidence for an increase in the closeness of larch forest canopy (by 65%) and the expansion of larch to the tundra (for 3–10 m per year) and to areas relatively poorly protected from wind due to topographic features (elevation, azimuth, and slope). It has also been shown that the radial tree increment correlates with summer temperatures (r = 0.65, τ = 0.39) and the amounts of precipitation in summer (r = ?0.51, τ = 0–41) and winter (r = ?0.70, τ = ?0.48), decreases with an increase in the closeness of forest canopy (r = ?0.52, p > 0.8; τ = ?0.48, p > 0.95), and increases with an increase in the depth of soil thawing (r = 0.63, p > 0.9; τ = 0.46, p > 0.9). The density of undergrowth depends on temperatures in winter (τ = 0.53, p > 0.8) and summer (r = 0.98, p > 0.99, τ = 0.9, p > 0.99) and the date of the onset of the growing period (r = ?0.60, p > 0.99; τ = ?0.4, p > 0.99) and negatively correlates with the amount of precipitation in summer (r = ?0.56, p > 0.99, τ = ?0.38, p > 0.99).     

Trends of changes in the floristic composition of forest vegetation in the northern Baikal region upon climate warming

Parameters characterizing the activity of species in altitudinal zonal elements of the flora have been analyzed in the northern Baikal region. The results provide evidence for the weakening status of xerophilic species in the cenoflora of hemiboreal light coniferous forests of the class Rhytidio-Laricetea, which form the lower part of the forest belt bordering the steppe. This fact indicates that climate on the slopes of mountain ridges is becoming more humid. The increase in humidity may be explained by both progressing degradation of permafrost and increasing precipitation. On the other hand, no significant change has been observed in the cenoflora of mountain taiga forests of the class Vaccinio-Piceetea, which form the upper part of the forest belt.     

Composition, source, mass closure of PM2:5 aerosols for four forests in eastern China

PM2.5 aerosols were collected in forests along north latitude in boreal-temperate, temperate, subtropical and tropical climatic zones in eastern China, i.e., Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve (CB), Dongping National Forest Park in Chongming Island (CM), Dinghu Mountain Nature Reserve (DH), Jianfengling Nature Reserve in Hainan Island (HN). The mass concentrations of PM2.5, organic carbon (OC), elemental carbon (EC), water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) as well as concentrations of ten inorganic ions (F-, Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, C2O42-, NH4+, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) were determined. Aerosol chemical mass closures were achieved. The 24-hr average concentrations of PM2.5 were 38.8, 89.2, 30.4, 18 μg/m3 at CB, CM, DH and HN, respectively. Organic matter and EC accounted for 21%-33% and 1.3%-2.3% of PM2.5 mass, respectively. The sum of three dominant secondary ions (SO42-, NO3-, NH4+) accounted for 44%, 50%, 45% and 16% of local PM2.5 mass at CB, CM, DH and HN, respectively. WSOC comprised 35%-65% of OC. The sources of PM2.5 include especially important regional anthropogenic pollutions at Chinese forest areas.     

The State of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arsenjevia baikalensis</Emphasis> cenopopulations in plant communities of the Western Sayan Mountains

Fifteen A. baikalensis populations growing in natural and disturbed habitats in the dark-taiga forest belt of the Western Sayan Mountains have been studied with respect to age composition, numbers, and variation and interrelation of vegetative characters and parameters of productivity. Specific features of the effect of gaps in the tree canopy on the state of A. baikalensis cenopopulations have been revealed.     

Mercury in leaf litter in typical suburban and urban broadleaf forests in China

Leaf litterfall plays an important role in transporting atmospheric mercury to soil in forests area.     

Using historical spy satellite photographs and recent remote sensing data to identify high-conservation-value forests

High-conservation-value forests (HCVFs) are critically important for biodiversity and ecosystem service provisioning, but they face many threats. Where systematic HCVF inventories are missing, such as in parts of Eastern Europe, these forests remain largely unacknowledged and therefore often unprotected. We devised a novel, transferable approach for detecting HCVFs based on integrating historical spy satellite images, contemporary remote sensing data (Landsat), and information on current potential anthropogenic pressures (e.g., road infrastructure, population density, demand for fire wood, terrain). We applied the method to the Romanian Carpathians, for which we mapped forest continuity (1955–2019), canopy structural complexity, and anthropogenic pressures. We identified 738,000 ha of HCVF. More than half of this area was identified as susceptible to current anthropogenic pressures and lacked formal protection. By providing a framework for broad-scale HCVF monitoring, our approach facilitates integration of HCVF into forest conservation and management. This is urgently needed to achieve the goals of the European Union's Biodiversity Strategy to maintain valuable forest ecosystems.     

Linking Landscape Characteristics and High Stream Nitrogen in the Oregon Coast Range: Red Alder Complicates Use of Nutrient Criteria

Red alder (Alnus rubra), a nitrogen(N)‐fixing deciduous broadleaf tree, can strongly influence N concentrations in western Oregon and Washington. We compiled a database of stream N and GIS‐derived landscape characteristics in order to examine geographic variation in N across the Oregon Coast Range. Basal area of alder, expressed as a percent of watershed area, accounted for 37% and 38% of the variation in summer nitrate and total N (TN) concentrations, respectively. Relationships between alder and nitrate were strongest in winter when streamflow and landscape connections are highest. Distance to the coast and latitude, potential surrogates for sea salt inputs, and watershed area were also related to nitrate concentrations in an all‐subsets regression analysis, which accounted for 46% of the variation in summer nitrate concentrations. The model with the lowest Akaike's Information Criterion did not include developed or agricultural land cover, probably because few watersheds in our database had substantial levels of these land cover classes. Our results provide evidence, at a regional scale, that background sources and processes cause many Coast Range streams to exceed proposed nutrient criteria, and that the prevalence of a single tree species (N‐fixing red alder) exerts a dominant control over stream N concentrations across this region.     

Psychological stress and marginalization as indicators of human carrying capacity in deforesting areas

SUMMARY

A scheme in which psychological factors are considered in effective forest management planning is proposed. A central role is played by human carrying capacity, the resilience of people to deal with the consequences of environmental degradation. Stress and marginalization are taken as indicators of human carrying capacity. A study in Côte d'Ivoire is described in which psychological stress and marginalization were studied in individuals from environments which show different degrees of degradation. Three related hypotheses are proposed: first that individuals living in or near a degrading forest are more stressed and marginalized than individuals in a reference group living in Abidjan; second that people living near the forest with the most sustained and severe degradation would be more stressed and marginalized; finally, that members of autochthonous cultural groups show higher stress and marginalization levels than members of migrant groups. The results of our study showed that people living near the degraded forest were more stressed but not marginalized unless the degradation was severe and sustained. Females were more stressed than males and members of both sexes from autochthonous cultural groups were more prone to stress and marginalization than members of migrant groups.     

云南省玉龙县碳减排效应估算

玉龙县碳减排效应估算主要包括退耕还林、造林、小水电、替代能源(包括沼气池和太阳能)使用等方面. 其中,造林具有较长期的碳汇功能,会持续提供碳增汇服务功能;替代能源的使用可以有效减少薪柴燃烧,在以农村人口为主的玉龙县,薪柴是主要的取暖和生活能源,故替代能源的使用颇具意义. 以2005年为基准年,小水电和替代能源总的碳减排效应为22.24×103 t,其中小水电碳减排效应为14.43 ×103 t,太阳能碳减排效应为66.24 t,沼气池碳减排效应为7.74×103 t;设定了基准年后林木生长过程以及替代能源使用状况的情景,并进行情景模拟,估算了玉龙县造林在5年内会产生碳汇21.07×103 t,10年内会产生碳汇24.92×103 t. 在研究区总的碳减排效应中,小水电、沼气池以及生态林地都有较大贡献,而经济林和草地的贡献相对较小;与5年情景相比,20年情景中小水电和沼气池的贡献有所上升,而生态林地等的贡献相对下降.      

Long-term simulation of the effect of climate changes on the growth of main Central-European forest tree species

The simulation of forest production until 2100 under different environmental scenarios and current management practices was performed using a process-based model BIOME-BGC previously parameterized for the main Central-European tree species, and adapted to include forest management practices. Three climatic scenarios (HadCM3, NCAR-PCM, CSIRO) used were taken from the IPCC database created within the 3^rd Assessment Report. They were combined with a scenario of CO₂ concentration development and a scenario of N deposition. The control scenario considered no changes of climatic characteristics, CO₂ concentration and N deposition.