The effects of forest management on water quality

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 522, P. 120397 - 120397

Published: Aug. 22, 2022

Language: Английский

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Reviewing peatland forestry: Implications and mitigation measures for freshwater ecosystem browning

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 531, P. 120776 - 120776

Published: Jan. 13, 2023

Freshwaters of the boreal and temperate regions have experienced increased browning during last decades. Browning, or brownification, is mostly driven by organic carbon (OC) iron concentrations. It can cause detrimental changes in aquatic ecosystems through effects on chemistry, physics ecology. Additionally, impact greenhouse gas emissions, increase costs drinking water treatment weaken recreational value bodies. All these impacts call for means to mitigate excess export humic matter ecosystems. Browning has often been associated with decreased atmospheric sulphur deposition climate change-induced alterations temperature, vegetation hydrological regime catchments. Lately, it attributed land use, especially drainage peatlands forestry purposes afforestation. In this review, we evaluate peatland operations OC leaching assess possible mitigation measures. We reveal that traditional, even-aged forest management clear felling, site preparation ditch cleaning creates hot spots moments carbon-rich runoff due fluctuations hydrology, peat decomposition exposure. Simultaneously, most current protection measures are either ineffective ambiguous retaining OC, a dissolved form. Hence, practices prevent future reduce connectivity essential negative quality impacts. conclude systemic change would be needed formation loading leaching. More research needed, but seems transition towards more natural diverse abundantly applied continuous cover forestry, mixed improved catchment retention restoration could result fewer undesirable Protecting biodiversity counteracting requires integration updated into policies guidelines, as green shift bioeconomy will create an increasing demand sustainable use forests.

Language: Английский

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Consequences of rewetting and ditch cleaning on hydrology, water quality and greenhouse gas balance in a drained northern landscape

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 13(1)

Published: Nov. 18, 2023

Abstract Drainage for forestry has created ~ 1 million km of artificial waterways in Sweden, making it one the largest human-induced environmental disturbances country. These extensive modifications both peatland and mineral soil dominated landscapes still carry largely unknown, but potentially enormous legacy effects. However, consequences contemporary ditch management strategies, such as hydrological restoration via blocking or enhancing forest drainage to promote biomass production cleaning, on water resources greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes are unclear. To close gap between science management, we have developed a unique field research platform experimentally evaluate key strategies drained northern with aim avoid further degeneration. The Trollberget Experimental Area (TEA) includes replicated controlled treatments applied at catchment scale based BACI approach (before-after control-impact). represent dominant ecosystem types impacted by ditching Sweden boreal zone: (1) rewetting peatland, (2) cleaning productive upland forests (3) leaving these ditches unmanaged. Here describe TEA platform, report initial results, suggest ways forward how best manage this historical large-scale alteration landscape, well warn against applying broadly before more long-term results reported.

Language: Английский

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Pressures on Boreal Riparian Vegetation: A Literature Review

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 9

Published: Jan. 31, 2022

Riparian zones are species-rich and functionally important ecotones that sustain physical, chemical ecological balance of ecosystems. While scientific, governmental public attention for riparian has increased over the past decades, knowledge on effects majority anthropogenic disturbances is still lacking. Given increasing expansion intensity these disturbances, need to understand simultaneously occurring pressures grows. We have conducted a literature review potential boreal main processes shape their vegetation composition. visualised observed consequences flow regulation hydropower generation, through channelisation, climate crisis, forestry, land use change non-native species in conceptual model. The model shows how different aspects regime plant habitats, we describe changes affect extent zone dispersal, germination, growth competition plants. Main studied decrease poorer state area remains. This already results loss functionality, thus also threatens aquatic systems organisms depend them. found impact pressure does not linearly reflect its degree ubiquity scale which it operates. Hydropower crisis stand out as major threats will continue be so if no appropriate measures taken. Other pressures, such forestry types uses, can severe but more local regional consequences. Many interact with each other limit or, often, amplify other’s effects. However, there very few studies and, thus, potentially interacting pressures. our where they may interact, interactions remains largely unknown.

Language: Английский

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Moving towards multi-layered, mixed-species forests in riparian buffers will enhance their long-term function in boreal landscapes

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 493, P. 119254 - 119254

Published: April 28, 2021

Riparian buffers are the primary tool in forest management for protecting habitat structure and function of streams. They help protect against biogeochemical perturbation, filter sediments nutrients, prevent erosion, contribute food to aquatic organisms, regulate light hence water temperature, deadwood, preserve biodiversity. However, production forests Sweden Finland, many headwater streams have been straightened, ditched, and/or channelized, resulting altered hydrology reduced natural disturbance by floods, which turn affects important riparian functions. Furthermore, even-aged systems as practiced much Fennoscandia, understory trees usually cleared right up stream's edge during thinning operations, especially around small, Fire suppression has further favored succession towards shade tolerant species. In regions within Fennoscandia that experienced this combination intensive lack disturbance, zones now dominated single-storied, native Norway spruce. When adjacent is cut, thin (5 - 15m) conifer-dominated typically left. These do not provide protection subsidies, terms leaf litter quality, needed maintain quality or support Based on a literature review, we found compelling evidence ecological benefits multi-layered, mixed-species with large component broadleaved species higher than what commonly managed stands Fennoscandia. To improve functionality zones, landscapes, present some basic principles could be used enhance these interfaces. actions should prioritized streamside affected simplification either through hydrological modification. Key planning managing buffer early possible rotation ensure improved throughout cycle only at final felling. This well line EU national legislation can interpreted requiring landscape all ages meet biodiversity other environmental goals. it still rare conservation done felling stage. Implementing new strategy likely long-term positive effects surface waters from negative forestry history fire suppression. By following suggested principles, there will longer time period high greater future flexibility addition provided leaving

Language: Английский

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Cumulative and discrete effects of forest harvest and drainage on the hydrological regime and nutrient dynamics in boreal catchments

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 585, P. 122605 - 122605

Published: March 17, 2025

Language: Английский

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Identifying and understanding how critical landscapes for carbon sequestration respond to development for low carbon energy production: Insight to inform optimal land planning and management strategies

Journal of Environmental Management, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 385, P. 125063 - 125063

Published: May 10, 2025

Language: Английский

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Interactive effects of light and nutrients on stream algal growth modified by forest management in boreal landscapes

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2021, Volume and Issue: 492, P. 119212 - 119212

Published: April 20, 2021

Language: Английский

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Applying continuous-cover forestry on drained boreal peatlands; water regulation, biodiversity, climate benefits and remaining uncertainties

Trees Forests and People, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 11, P. 100363 - 100363

Published: Dec. 5, 2022

Continuous-cover forestry (CCF) is increasingly argued as an alternative to clear-cut harvesting in managed boreal forests improve water quality and quantity, biodiversity, carbon sequestration. We review the empirical evidence for potential benefits of CCF on drained forested peatlands ecosystems conventional harvesting. also discuss possible risks uncertainties that need further consideration highlight unanswered questions be resolved before large-scale implementation. In general, we found ability maintain forest production primarily depends regulation groundwater (GW) table. Currently, problem with high GW typically solved using ditch cleaning, but if adopted, it could approach manage without disturbing this already extensive artificial channel network. Implementation lower risk extreme flooding droughts, addition maintaining potentially enhancing sequestration conditions. Furthermore, provide a compromise between industrialized peatland restoration better meet these targets. However, several important remain regarding natural regeneration northern latitudes, net effect different types soil damage due repeated use heavy machinery, consequences climate change result enhanced storm felling. focus Swedish conditions, evaluate implications international context propose ways close remaining knowledge gaps.

Language: Английский

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Dark matters: Contrasting responses of stream biofilm to browning and loss of riparian shading

Global Change Biology, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 28(17), P. 5159 - 5171

Published: May 28, 2022

Concentrations of terrestrial-derived dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in freshwater ecosystems have increased consistently, causing browning. The mechanisms behind browning are complex, but forestry-intensive regions is accelerated by land drainage. Forestry actions streamside riparian forests alter canopy shading, which together with expected to exert a complex and largely unpredictable control over key ecosystem functions. We conducted stream mesocosm experiment three levels (ambient vs. moderate high, 2.7 5.5-fold increase, respectively, absorbance) crossed two shading (70% light reduction open canopy) explore the individual combined effects loss on quantity (algal biomass) nutritional quality (polyunsaturated fatty acid sterol content) periphytic biofilm. also field survey differently colored (4.7 26.2 mg DOC L-1 ) streams provide 'reality check' for our experimental findings. Browning reduced greatly algal biomass, suppressed availability essential polyunsaturated acids, especially eicosapentaenoic (EPA), sterols, long-chain saturated acids (LSAFA). In contrast, primary productivity, resulted elevated EPA contents repeated same pattern: biofilm decreased significantly increasing DOC, as indicated particularly decrease ω-3:ω-6 ratio increase LSAFA content. Algal was mainly controlled inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentration, while concentration minor importance. ongoing process inducing dramatic Such degradation major high-quality food source available consumers may reduce trophic transfer efficiency ecosystems, potentially extending across stream-forest ecotone.

Language: Английский

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