War drives forest fire risks and highlights the need for more ecologically-sound forest management in post-war Ukraine

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: Feb. 19, 2024

Abstract Since 24 February 2022, Ukraine has experienced full-scale military aggression initiated by the Russian Federation. The war had a major negative impact on vegetation cover of war-affected regions. We explored interactions between pre-war forest management and impacts activities in three most forested Ukrainian areas interest (AOI), affected war. These were forests lying Kharkiv Luhansk cities (AOI ‘East’), along Dnipro River delta ‘Kherson’), those Chornobyl Exclusion Zone CEZ). used Sentinel satellite imagery to create damaged masks for year 2022. mapped with elevated fire hazard, which was defined as degree exposure fire-supporting land use (mostly an agricultural land, common source ignitions Ukraine). evaluated disturbance rate compared rates. documented significant increases non-stand replacing disturbances (low severity fires non-fire disturbances) all AOIs. Damaged varied among AOIs (24,180 ± 4,715 ha, or 9.3% 1.8% ‘East’ AOI; 7,293 1,925 15.7% 4.1% ‘Kherson’ 7,116 1,274 5.0% 0.9% CEZ AOI). Among AOI will likely have highest proportion area hazard coming decades, other regions (89% vs. 70% respectively). Future risks extensive war-related call develop strategies explicitly addressing these factors.

Language: Английский

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Resilience and vulnerability: distinct concepts to address global change in forests

Trends in Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 39(8), P. 706 - 715

Published: March 25, 2024

Resilience and vulnerability are important concepts to understand, anticipate, manage global change impacts on forest ecosystems. However, they often used confusingly inconsistently, hampering a synthetic understanding of change, impeding communication with managers policy-makers. Both powerful have complementary strengths, reflecting their different history, methodological approach, components, spatiotemporal focus. assessments address the temporal response disturbance mechanisms driving it. Vulnerability focus spatial patterns exposure susceptibility, explicitly adaptive capacity stakeholder preferences. We suggest applying distinct resilience where provide particular leverage, deduce number lessons learned facilitate next generation assessments.

Language: Английский

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Changes in wood density, growth, and carbon storage of the main stem of planted white spruce (Picea glauca) after commercial thinning

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 580, P. 122542 - 122542

Published: Feb. 4, 2025

Language: Английский

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Desired REgeneration through Assisted Migration (DREAM): Implementing a research framework for climate-adaptive silviculture

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 546, P. 121298 - 121298

Published: Aug. 9, 2023

Language: Английский

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Developing alternatives to adaptive silviculture: Thinning and tree growth resistance to drought in a Pinus species on an elevated gradient in Southern Spain

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 537, P. 120936 - 120936

Published: March 27, 2023

Forest plantations are more vulnerable to the stress induced by biotic and abiotic factors than naturally regenerated forests. These effects can be aggravated a lack of management in large reforestation areas, thinning could, therefore, help trees reduce dieback tree mortality related drought. We address this question using dendrochronology modelling approach improve understanding growth response high-density planted pine forests drought-prone areas Southern Spain. An experimental trial was, carried out with three species (Pinus halepensis, P. nigra, sylvestris) treatments (unthinned, moderate, heavy thinning), after which growth-climate relationships drought vulnerability indices were assessed. Three separate generalized linear mixed-effects models (GLMM), one for each location, fitted BAI as variable, post-thinning trajectories also simulated. Ten-year basal area showed strong responses following treatment (BAI10, 72% halepensis 50% sylvestris regards 51% nigra moderate different precipitation temperature according intensity. The significant on indicated that had positive effect, irrespective species, although was evident case (recovery F = 28.10, p < 0.001, resilience 35.21, 0.001 respectively) 10.97, 16.91, 0.001). climatic effect greater sylvestris. simulation provides information long-term effectiveness thinning; tended attenuated 20 years, but not halepensis. High values modelled found thinning, time recovery between two four years depending Our findings advantages under constraints, particularly This work is new contribution demonstrates urgent need forest managers take steps order drought-vulnerable Mediterranean adapt risks posed climate change.

Language: Английский

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Shaping and enhancing resilient forests for a resilient society

AMBIO, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 53(8), P. 1095 - 1108

Published: April 5, 2024

Abstract The world is currently facing uncertainty caused by environmental, social, and economic changes political shocks. Fostering social-ecological resilience enhancing forests’ ability to provide a range of ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, habitat provision, sustainable livelihoods, key addressing such uncertainty. However, policy makers managers lack clear understanding how operationalise the shaping through combined challenges climate change, biodiversity crisis, in societal demand. Based on scientific literature review, we identified set actions related conservation, disturbance pressure impacts that forest should attend enhance European systems. We conclude forests (1) adopt an operational approach, which lacking, (2) identify address existing future trade-offs while reinforcing win–wins (3) local particularities adaptive management approach.

Language: Английский

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Trade‐offs among management objectives in mature Douglas‐fir forests of the Pacific Northwest

Ecosphere, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(4)

Published: April 1, 2024

Abstract Mature conifer‐dominated forests are an important component of the Pacific Northwest landscape, and conservation species associated with late‐successional has been a primary management focus in these for decades. Increasingly, also valued as carbon stores, considerable climate change mitigation potential. However, there increasing concerns about effects change, particularly drought, on forests. Despite complexity balancing diverse concerns, few studies have examined compatibility biodiversity conservation, storage, drought adaptation. We used spatially temporally synchronous empirical dataset from mature Douglas‐fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii ) stands representing three alternative strategies, passive (“unmanaged”), thinning, retention harvest, to examine trade‐offs among objectives related adaptation, early‐successional forest songbirds. Although previous evaluated adaptation Douglas‐fir, none focused stands. Therefore, we tree resistance resilience 2001 drought. Trees harvest displayed significantly higher than trees thinned or unmanaged stands, but no differences were observed between latter two conditions, potentially due long (average 22 years) period treatment our this, provided better multiobjective compromise trade‐off analysis. Across all largest objective combinations that involved early‐ birds. While analysis supports consistency managing birds storage much larger. Given projected changes climate, substantial notable imply achieving will be challenging at stand scale. Our results suggest diversity approaches, incorporating both active reserve‐based may necessary foster combination goals

Language: Английский

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Active management: a definition and considerations for implementation in forests of temperate Australia

Australian Forestry, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 87(3), P. 125 - 147

Published: July 2, 2024

Active management is often mentioned but rarely defined in current policies and strategies for native forests of temperate Australia. Lack clarity about active could mean that to support forest health human involvement with are not fit purpose. In this paper, we summarise the policy context Victoria (as a case study Australia) review representations broader temperate-forest literature, including its place relation associated concepts like adaptive management. Based on review, provide definition focuses activities – deliberate practices diverse purposes goals situated within operational approaches (e.g. frameworks) enact overarching philosophy paradigm(s) Our acknowledges multiple potential framings encompass philosophies sociocultural relationships require governance structures foster inclusive understandings. Additional considerations implementing Australia's include refreshed visions management, clearly stated criteria choosing among under uncertainty, revised guidelines practices, commitment building evidence base through iterative learning targeted experiments an or analogous framework.

Language: Английский

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Forest thinning and climate interactions driving early-stage regeneration dynamics of maritime pine in Mediterranean areas

Forest Ecology and Management, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 539, P. 121036 - 121036

Published: April 24, 2023

There is growing concern that changing climate and disturbance regimes are will result in widespread forest regeneration failure, thus, there an increasing need for developing management adaptation strategies to promote under change. Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster), ecologically economically relevant tree species inside outside its natural range, likely face such difficulties as drought the main cause of seedling mortality this species. Understanding interactions between silviculture conditions therefore crucial inform sound adaptive management. However, evidence on how thinning may contribute enhanced remains divided not fully understood, especially context Hence, general goal study was evaluate effect a strategy P. pinaster stands Mediterranean areas, understand climatic, edaphic topographic factors influence effectiveness silvicultural practice. This done by comparing 13 pairs thinned control plots along intensity gradient (23–69 % stand basal area) northeastern Iberian Peninsula measuring early-stage dynamics, namely density, survival growth seedlings 5 consecutive years. Thinning had strong positive establishment well weak early primary secondary growth. Not only number considerably higher than (15.0 ± 2.5 vs 1.5 0.5 per plot; 23 4 0.7 0.3 survival) but both density increased with (3-fold 5-fold, respectively), which matches light-demanding nature Such further modulated climatic soil conditions. Overall, advantage conferred stronger drier warmer conditions, suggests particularly beneficial alleviating competition water-limited ecosystems. Considering region predicted become global warming, our findings indicate increasingly important ensure regeneration, resilience forests

Language: Английский

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Impact of Intensive Forest Management Practices on Wood Quality from Conifers: Literature Review and Reflection on Future Challenges

Current Forestry Reports, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 9(2), P. 101 - 130

Published: March 8, 2023

Abstract Purpose of Review Intensive forest management practices are being implemented worldwide to meet future global demand for wood and products while facilitating the protection natural ecosystems. A potential decline in properties associated with rapid tree growth makes it essential quantify impact intensive on process formation and, turn, its suitability various end-uses. Recent Findings Wood produced over short rotations is generally lower quality because tend improve cambial age (i.e. number annual rings from pith). The intensification silvicultural can thus have measurable consequences value chain. use new planting material improvement programs could offset such effects, but questions arise as effects a changing climate these plantations best approaches manage them. Summary Based recent findings, we provide reflections need modelling framework that uses age, ring width position along stem summarise scenarios properties. We then present challenges related our limited understanding several drivers properties, variation, genetic material, disturbances, among others, highlight further data collection efforts better anticipate attributes fibre resource. conclude by providing examples promising tools technologies will help move research forward allowing (1) fast, efficient characterisation (2) up-scaling predictions at landscape level inform decisions.

Language: Английский

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