Preventing and suppressing forest fires is one of the main tasks of forestry agencies to reduce resource loss and requires a thorough understanding of the importance of factors affecting their occurrence.This study wa...Preventing and suppressing forest fires is one of the main tasks of forestry agencies to reduce resource loss and requires a thorough understanding of the importance of factors affecting their occurrence.This study was carried out in forest plantations on Maoer Mountain in order to develop models for predicting the moisture content of dead fine fuel using meteorological and soil variables.Models by Nelson(Can J For Res 14:597-600,1984)and Van Wagner and Pickett(Can For Service 33,1985)describing the equilibrium moisture content as a function of relative humidity and temperature were evaluated.A random forest and generalized additive models were built to select the most important meteorological variables affecting fuel moisture content.Nelson’s(Can J For Res 14:597-600,1984)model was accurate for Pinus koraiensis,Pinus sylvestris,Larix gmelinii and mixed Larix gmelinii—Ulmus propinqua fuels.The random forest model showed that temperature and relative humidity were the most important factors affecting fuel moisture content.The generalized additive regression model showed that temperature,relative humidity and rain were the main drivers affecting fuel moisture content.In addition to the combined effects of temperature,rainfall and relative humidity,solar radiation or wind speed were also significant on some sites.In P.koraiensis and P.sylvestris plantations,where soil parameters were measured,rain,soil moisture and temperature were the main factors of fuel moisture content.The accuracies of the random forest model and generalized additive model were similar,however,the random forest model was more accurate but underestimated the effect of rain on fuel moisture.展开更多
Pinus radiata(D.Don)dominates New Zealand's forestry industry,constituting 91%of plantations,and is among the world's most important plantation species.Given the socio-economic and environmental importance of ...Pinus radiata(D.Don)dominates New Zealand's forestry industry,constituting 91%of plantations,and is among the world's most important plantation species.Given the socio-economic and environmental importance of this species,it is important to have accurate and precise projections over time to make efficient decisions for forest management and greenfield investments in afforestation projects,especially for permanent carbon forests.Future projections of any natural resource systems rely on modeling;however,the acceleration of climate change makes future projections of yield less certain.These challenges also impact national expectations of the contribution planted forests will provide to address climate change and meet international commitments under the Paris Agreement.Using a large national-scale set of contemporary ground-measured data(2013–2023),this study investigates the performance of two growth models developed over 30 years ago that are widely used by NZ plantation growers:1)the Pumice Plateau Model 1988(PPM88)and 2)the 300-index(including a model variant of regional drift).Model simulations were made using the FORECASTER modeling suite with geographic boundaries to adjust for drift in space and time.Basal area(BA,m^(2)⋅ha^(-1))and volume(m^(3)⋅ha^(-1))were simulated,and standard errors and goodness-of-fit metrics calculated up to a typical rotation age of 30 years.Model residuals were then separated and analysed for the main plantation growing regions.The models overpredicted observed growth by between 6.8%and 16.2%,but model predictions and errors varied significantly between regions.The results of this study provided clear evidence of divergence between the outputs of both models and the measured data.Finally,this study suggests future measures to address challenges posed by these discrepancies that will provide better information for forest management and investment decisions in a changing climate.展开更多
Tropical forests provide several ecosystem services and functions and support approximately two-thirds of the world’s biodiversity but are seriously threatened by deforestation.Approaches to counteract this menace ha...Tropical forests provide several ecosystem services and functions and support approximately two-thirds of the world’s biodiversity but are seriously threatened by deforestation.Approaches to counteract this menace have revolved around aff orestation with several or a single tree species.We thus investigated how plantation forests with either a single or several tree species infl uenced arthropod taxonomic and community composition using pitfall traps to sample selected groups of epigeal arthropods(Araneae,Coleoptera,Orthoptera and Hymenoptera)and with environmental variables assessed simultaneously.Our results revealed 54 taxonomic groups with signifi cantly higher taxonomic richness,activity density,and diversity in the mixed stands than in the monoculture stands.The significant differences in community composition were mainly driven by families including Lycosidae,Formicidae,Staphylinidae,Scotylidae,Hydrophilidae,Gryllidae and Scarabaeidae and were explained by distinct habitat characteristics(canopy openness,litter depth,deadwood volume,and tree height).While the diverse tree communities and heterogeneous vegetation structure off ered food and habitat resources for diverse arthropod groups,the allelopathic nature coupled with homogenous stand characteristics of the Tectona grandis stands in the monoculture suppressed the growth of understorey vegetation that could otherwise serve as food and habitat resources for arthropods,which might have led to limited activities and diversity of arthropods in the monoculture plantation stands.The fi ndings thus highlight the need to promote mixed tree plantations in degraded tropical areas,especially when restoring biodiversity is the prime management focus.展开更多
The levels of heavy metals that accumulated in stemwood of mature trees grown for 20 years in a plantation in an abandoned peat quarry in areas that were fertilized with different amounts of domestic sewage sludge(180...The levels of heavy metals that accumulated in stemwood of mature trees grown for 20 years in a plantation in an abandoned peat quarry in areas that were fertilized with different amounts of domestic sewage sludge(180,360,and720 Mg ha-1on a dry basis) were compared with trees grown in a reference nonfertilized area.Included in the study was a hybrid poplar(Populus tremula x Populus tremuloides) developed for use as an energy crop,three local tree species and one introduced tree species.The concentrations of Cd,Cr,Cu,Ni,Pb and Zn in the stemwood of the trees grown in the fertilized and nonfertilized fields were determined,and found to be significantly lower than their respective concentrations in the soil.Cd and Cr were found only in several wood samples at concentrations close to the limits of detection or qualification; therefore,they were not analyzed further.A correlation analysis suggested that 75%of the correlations between the concentrations of heavy metals in the stemwood and the concentrations in the soil were negative.The ability of trees to accumulate the metals from soil in most cases decreased for Cu and Ni; however,the correlations were not as clear for Pb and Zn.The followingsequence for the levels of heavy metals found in the stemwood of the analysed trees was Zn [ Pb [ Ni [ Cu [(Cr,Cd).The results of this study showed that the levels of heavy metals in the studied wood would not exceed the permitted limits of heavy metal pollution in the air and ash when used for energy production.展开更多
We present a preliminary examination of the home range and habitat use of male Reeves's Pheasants (Syrmaticus reevesii) in an agricultural-forest plantation landscape on the Xianjuding Forest Farm, Hubei Province,...We present a preliminary examination of the home range and habitat use of male Reeves's Pheasants (Syrmaticus reevesii) in an agricultural-forest plantation landscape on the Xianjuding Forest Farm, Hubei Province, central China. Fieldwork was carried out from March to August in 2003. The home range of males averaged 33.17 ± 12.55 ha by MCP (minimum convex polygon) and 21.05 ± 5.61 ha by a 95% fixed kernel estimator. The core area by a 60% fixed kernel estimator was 3.92 ± 0.27 ha. We did not detect significant seasonal variations in home range, core area and movement in this farm. Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantations were the dominant habitat type within the home ranges and core areas. The males used their habitat non-randomly in spring and summer, preferred the fir plantations and avoided broadleaf forests in both seasons. In addition, the males used shrubs less than were available in the spring. The vegetation structure of different habitats may be the leading factor affecting the use of the habitats.展开更多
Secondary Miombo woodlands and forest plantations occupy increasing areas in Mozambique,the former due to anthropogenic activities.Plantations,mainly species of Eucalyptus and Pinus,are being established on sites prev...Secondary Miombo woodlands and forest plantations occupy increasing areas in Mozambique,the former due to anthropogenic activities.Plantations,mainly species of Eucalyptus and Pinus,are being established on sites previously covered by secondary Miombo woodlands.This affects the evolution,cycle and spatiotemporal patterns of carbon(C)storage and stocks in forest ecosystems.The estimation of C storage,which is indispensable for formulating climate change policies on sequestrating CO_(2),requires tools such as biomass models and biomass conversion and expansion factors(BCEF).In Mozambique,these tools are needed for both indigenous forests and plantations.The objective of this study is to fit species-specific allometric biomass models and BCEF for exotic and indigenous tree species.To incorporate efficient inter-species variability,biomass equations were fitted using nonlinear mixed-effects models.All tree component biomass models had good predictability;however,better predictive accuracy and ability was observed for the 2-predictors biomass model with tree height as a second predictor.The majority of the variability in BCEF was explained by the variation in tree species.Miombo species had larger crown biomass per unit of stem diameter and stored larger amounts of biomass per stem volume.However,due to relatively rapid growth,larger stem diameters,heights,and stand density,the plantations stored more biomass per tree and per unit area.展开更多
Michoacán has a deforested area of 525,260 ha, representing 52,526 ha per year, mainly caused by anthropogenic disturbances such as agricultural burning and forest fires (50%), change of use of land for extensive...Michoacán has a deforested area of 525,260 ha, representing 52,526 ha per year, mainly caused by anthropogenic disturbances such as agricultural burning and forest fires (50%), change of use of land for extensive livestock farming (28%), agriculture (17%) and illegal logging (5%). The establishment of forest plantations is an alternative for reducing the pressure on natural forests and creating options for sustainable development and diversification of production and conversion of land for agricultural and livestock fragmented for forestry purposes. The aim of this study was to determine the potential areas for commercial forest plantations of Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb. in the State of Michoacán, México, through the use of Geographic information systems (GIS). Areas were identified using IDRISI 32, and ArcView software. Screening variables include annual temperature, annual precipitation, land use, soil type, elevation and slope. Products obtained were field verified. Two maps where potential areas for the establishment of commercial forest plantations of E. cyclocarpum shown were obtained. Potential areas for commercial forest plantation establishment are (0% - 15% slope) for commercial forest plantations mechanized was 57,227 ha and (15% - 30% slope) for manual plantations was 6273 ha. The total area in the state with potential for the establishment of the species in the study was 63,500 ha.展开更多
The targeted area for plant reforestation in the state of Michoacan is made up of eroded areas and pasture induced areas, both adding to 525,260 ha and representing 10.9% of the total surface of the state. The regions...The targeted area for plant reforestation in the state of Michoacan is made up of eroded areas and pasture induced areas, both adding to 525,260 ha and representing 10.9% of the total surface of the state. The regions with the largest areas in need of reforestation are the Costa with 185,396 ha (29%), Oriente with 106,836 (17%) and Tierra Caliente with 96,284 (15%). Commercial forest plantations are an alternative for reducing the pressure on natural forests and creating options for sustainable and diversified development, changing the land use from fragmented agricultur and livestock purposes to forestry. The object of this study was to determine potential areas for the establishment of commercial forest plantations of Tabebuia rosea (Bertol.) DC. in the state of Michoacan, Mexico, by using geographic information systems. The outlining of potential areas was performed with the IDRISI 32 and ArcView programs, according to the environmental requirements of T. rosea. These environmental requirements include precipitation, temperature, soil, altitude, land use and slope. The analysis resulted in two maps where the potential areas for the establishment of commercial forest plantations with this species were shown, which turned out a total potential area of 54,320 ha, distributed in 47,566 ha considering a slope of 0% - 15% for non-manual forest plantations, and 6754 ha considering a slope of 15% - 30% for manual forest plantations. The ecologic conditions in Michoacan are favorable for successful establishment and development of commercial forest plantations of T. rosea.展开更多
Atmospheric deposition(dry and wet deposition)is one of the primary sources of chemical inputs to terrestrial ecosystems and replenishes the nutrient pool in forest ecosystems.Precipitation often acts as a primary tra...Atmospheric deposition(dry and wet deposition)is one of the primary sources of chemical inputs to terrestrial ecosystems and replenishes the nutrient pool in forest ecosystems.Precipitation often acts as a primary transporting agent and solvent;thus,nutrient cycles in forests are closely linked to hydrological processes.We collected precipitation data during a growing season to explore variations in nutrient cycling and nutrient balances in the rainfall redistribution process(wet deposition)in a larch plantation in northeast China.We measured nutrient(NO_(3)^(-),PO_(4)^(3−),Cl^(−),K,Ca,Na,and Mg)inputs via bulk precipitation,throughfall and stemfl ow,and used a canopy budget model to estimate nutrient fl uxes via canopy exchange.Our results suggest that the average concentrations of the base cation(K,Ca,Na,and Mg)showed the following order:stemfl ow>throughfall>bulk precipitation.Throughfall and stemfl ow chemistry dramatically fl uctuated over the growing season when net fl uxes(throughfall+stemfl ow—bulk precipitation)of NO−3,PO3−4,SO2−4,Cl−,K,Ca,Na,and Mg were−6.676 kg·ha^(-1),−1.094 kg·ha^(-1),−2.371 kg·ha^(-1),1.975 kg·ha^(-1),0.470 kg·ha^(-1),−5.202 kg·ha^(-1),−0.336 kg·ha^(-1),and 1.397 kg·ha^(-1),respectively.These results suggest that NO−3,PO3−4,SO2−4,Ca,and Na were retained,while Cl−,K,and Mg were washed off by throughfall and stemfl ow.展开更多
Afforestation in China＇s subtropics plays an important role in sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere and in storage of soil carbon （C）. Compared with natural forests,plantation forests have lower soil organic carbon...Afforestation in China＇s subtropics plays an important role in sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere and in storage of soil carbon （C）. Compared with natural forests,plantation forests have lower soil organic carbon （SOC） content and great potential to store more C. To better evaluate the effects of afforestation on soil C turnover,we investigated SOC and its stable C isotope （δ13C） composition in three planted forests at Qianyanzhou Ecological Experimental Station in southern China. Litter and soil samples were collected and analyzed for total organic C,δ13C and total nitrogen. Similarly to the vertical distribution of SOC in natural forests,SOC concentrations decrease exponentially with depth. The land cover type （grassland） before plantation had a significant influence on the vertical distribution of SOC. The SOC ？13C composition of the upper soil layer of two plantation forests has been mainly affected by the grass biomass 13C composition. Soil profiles with a change in photosynthetic pathway had a more complex 13C isotope composition distribution. During the 20 years after plantation establishment,the soil organic matter sources influenced both the δ13C distribution with depth,and C replacement. The upper soil layer SOC turnover in masson pine （a mean 34% of replacement in the 10 cm after 20 years） was more than twice as fast as that of slash pine （16% of replacement） under subtropical conditions. The results demonstrate that masson pine and slash pine plantations cannot rapidly sequester SOC into long-term storage pools in subtropical China.展开更多
We report on the effects of forest management practices of understory removal and N-fixing species（Cassia alata） addition on soil CO2 fluxes in an Eucalyptus urophylla plantation（EUp）,Acacia crassicarpa plantation...We report on the effects of forest management practices of understory removal and N-fixing species（Cassia alata） addition on soil CO2 fluxes in an Eucalyptus urophylla plantation（EUp）,Acacia crassicarpa plantation（ACp）,10-species-mixed plantation（Tp）,and 30-species-mixed plantation（THp） using the static chamber method in southern China.Four forest management treatments,including（1） understory removal（UR）;（2） C.alata addition（CA）;（3） understory removal and replacement with C.alata（UR＋CA）;and（4） control without any disturbances（CK）,were applied in the above four forest plantations with three replications for each treatment.The results showed that soil CO2 fluxes rates remained at a high level during the rainy season（from April to September）,followed by a rapid decrease after October reaching a minimum in February.Soil CO2 fluxes were significantly higher（P 〈 0.01） in EUp（132.6 mg/（m2.hr）） and ACp（139.8 mg/（m2.hr）） than in Tp（94.0 mg/（m2.hr）） and THp（102.9 mg/（m2.hr））.Soil CO2 fluxes in UR and CA were significantly higher（P 〈 0.01） among the four treatments,with values of 105.7,120.4,133.6 and 112.2 mg/（m2.hr） for UR＋CA,UR,CA and CK,respectively.Soil CO2 fluxes were positively correlated with soil temperature（P 〈 0.01）,soil moisture（P 〈 0.01）,NO3？-N（P 〈 0.05）,and litterfall（P 〈 0.01）,indicating that all these factors might be important controlling variables for soil CO2 fluxes.This study sheds some light on our understanding of soil CO2 flux dynamics in forest plantations under various management practices.展开更多
As primary and secondary forests are being replaced by plantations across the globe,the soil macrofauna community structure is also affected,but little is known about the impact of mixed culture plantations compared w...As primary and secondary forests are being replaced by plantations across the globe,the soil macrofauna community structure is also affected,but little is known about the impact of mixed culture plantations compared with monocultures on the soil macrofauna.To determine the impact of forest conversion on soil macrofauna,we surveyed the soil macrofauna in two broad-leaved and three coniferous monoculture stands and four coniferous-broadleaved mixed stands,and in adjacent reserved secondary stands as a reference.Soil macro fauna community composition was significant affected by forest type,season and their interaction(P<0.05).The abundance,taxa richness and diversity of soil macro fauna changed to different degrees depending on the plantation type.Broadleaved monoculture stands and secondary stands had similar macrofauna abundance and taxa richness,but values were lower in coniferous stands than in secondary stands.The Shannon index for macrofauna in coniferous stands was also the lowest,but the Pielou index did not differ between forest types.The negative effects of the conifer monoculture on soil macro fauna were not present in the mixed stands with broad-leaved trees.Forest conversion impacted soil properties;soil moisture,NO_(3)^(-),and pH were significant drivers of soil macrofauna community structure.The impact of forest conversion on soil macrofauna was closely dependent on tree species composition and diversity.The macro fauna community structure in the broadleaved and the mixed stands were relatively similar to that in the natural forest,and thus recommended for forest conversion in the study area.展开更多
Background:Soil organic carbon(SOC)is important for soil quality and fertility in forest ecosystems.Labile SOC fractions are sensitive to environmental changes,which reflect the impact of short-term internal and exter...Background:Soil organic carbon(SOC)is important for soil quality and fertility in forest ecosystems.Labile SOC fractions are sensitive to environmental changes,which reflect the impact of short-term internal and external management measures on the soil carbon pool.Organic mulching(OM)alters the soil environment and promotes plant growth.However,little is known about the responses of SOC fractions in rhizosphere or bulk soil to OM in urban forests and its correlation with carbon composition in plants.Methods:A one-year field experiment with four treatments(OM at 0,5,10,and 20 cm thicknesses)was conducted in a 15-year-old Ligustrum lucidum plantation.Changes in the SOC fractions in the rhizosphere and bulk soil;the carbon content in the plant fine roots,leaves,and organic mulch;and several soil physicochemical properties were measured.The relationships between SOC fractions and the measured variables were analysed.Results:The OM treatments had no significant effect on the SOC fractions,except for the dissolved organic carbon(DOC).OM promoted the movement of SOC to deeper soil because of the increased carbon content in fine roots of subsoil.There were significant correlations between DOC and microbial biomass carbon and SOC and easily oxidised organic carbon.The OM had a greater effect on organic carbon fractions in the bulk soil than in the rhizosphere.The thinnest(5 cm)mulching layers showed the most rapid carbon decomposition over time.The time after OM had the greatest effect on the SOC fractions,followed by soil layer.Conclusions:The frequent addition of small amounts of organic mulch increased SOC accumulation in the present study.OM is a potential management model to enhance soil organic matter storage for maintaining urban forest productivity.展开更多
Background:Accurate mapping of tree species is highly desired in the management and research of plantation forests,whose ecosystem services are currently under threats.Time-series multispectral satellite images,e.g.,f...Background:Accurate mapping of tree species is highly desired in the management and research of plantation forests,whose ecosystem services are currently under threats.Time-series multispectral satellite images,e.g.,from Landsat-8(L8)and Sentinel-2(S2),have been proven useful in mapping general forest types,yet we do not know quantitatively how their spectral features(e.g.,red-edge)and temporal frequency of data acquisitions(e.g.,16-day vs.5-day)contribute to plantation forest mapping to the species level.Moreover,it is unclear to what extent the fusion of L8 and S2 will result in improvements in tree species mapping of northern plantation forests in China.Methods:We designed three sets of classification experiments(i.e.,single-date,multi-date,and spectral-temporal)to evaluate the performances of L8 and S2 data for mapping keystone timber tree species in northern China.We first used seven pairs of L8 and S2 images to evaluate the performances of L8 and S2 key spectral features for separating these tree species across key growing stages.Then we extracted the spectral-temporal features from all available images of different temporal frequency of data acquisition(i.e.,L8 time series,S2 time series,and fusion of L8 and S2)to assess the contribution of image temporal frequency on the accuracy of tree species mapping in the study area.Results:1)S2 outperformed L8 images in all classification experiments,with or without the red edge bands(0.4%–3.4%and 0.2%–4.4%higher for overall accuracy and macro-F1,respectively);2)NDTI(the ratio of SWIR1 minus SWIR2 to SWIR1 plus SWIR2)and Tasseled Cap coefficients were most important features in all the classifications,and for time-series experiments,the spectral-temporal features of red band-related vegetation indices were most useful;3)increasing the temporal frequency of data acquisition can improve overall accuracy of tree species mapping for up to 3.2%(from 90.1%using single-date imagery to 93.3%using S2 time-series),yet similar overall accuracies were achieved using S2 time-series(93.3%)and the fusion of S2 and L8(93.2%).Conclusions:This study quantifies the contributions of L8 and S2 spectral and temporal features in mapping keystone tree species of northern plantation forests in China and suggests that for mapping tree species in China's northern plantation forests,the effects of increasing the temporal frequency of data acquisition could saturate quickly after using only two images from key phenological stages.展开更多
Litter fall and its effect on forest soil properties at each decomposition stages were investigated in tropical monsoon climatic conditions of three plantations （7-year acacia plantation, 15-year acacia plantation an...Litter fall and its effect on forest soil properties at each decomposition stages were investigated in tropical monsoon climatic conditions of three plantations （7-year acacia plantation, 15-year acacia plantation and 18-year mixed plantation） and one natural forest （Si- tapahar forest） from Chittagong hilly region of Bangladesh. Results showed that total accumulation of organic matter increased with plantation age, accompanying with a decrease of annual accumulation rate. Within the same vegetation type, the organic accumulation of both fresh and partially decomposed litter with humus varied significantly （p≤0.05） on hill positions, being highest on bottom slope and decreased gradually towards hilltop in the forest. Reverse trend in accumulation of soil organic matters was shown in 15-year Acacia auriculiformis plantation, from where fuel wood collected. In 7- and 15-year acacia and 18-year mixed broadleaved plantations, rates of total organic matter production consisting of fresh, partially and completely decomposed litter as well as incorporated organic matter in soil were 2554.31, 705.79 and 1028.01 kg.ha^-1.a^-1, respectively, and the corresponding contribution from fresh litter were 38.23, 19.40 and 30.48 kg-ha^-1.a^-1, respectively. In the three plantations and the natural forest, on an average fresh litter constituted 32.45%, partially decomposed litter with humus 13.50% and incorporated organic matter in soil 54.56% of the total organic matter production with mean litter thickness of 0.90 cm. Soil acidity increased with the increase of decomposition stage of organic matter.展开更多
A geospatial GIS-linked spreadsheet model (Nutrient Budget Model—Nova Scotia: NBM-NS) was developed for Nova Scotia to assess the long-term sustainability of forest harvest scenarios as constrained by primary nutrien...A geospatial GIS-linked spreadsheet model (Nutrient Budget Model—Nova Scotia: NBM-NS) was developed for Nova Scotia to assess the long-term sustainability of forest harvest scenarios as constrained by primary nutrient inputs and outputs due to atmospheric deposition, soil weathering, and leaching. Harvest scenarios refer to user-defined stand-specific removal rates of bole wood, bark, branches, and foliage, based on current or projected forest inventories. These scenarios are evaluated within the context of existing data layers for current climate (mean annual precipitation and air temperatures), atmospheric deposition (N, S, Ca, Mg, K), and soil/substrate types, supplemented by species-specific look-up tables containing expected biomass fractions and nutrient concentrations. This article introduces this model to assess relative site quality and limiting nutrients for red spruce and sugar maple across Nova Scotia. This is followed by an output comparison involving 25 spruce plantations whereby NBM-NS determinations derived using “default” soil survey data are compared with those derived using plantation-specific soil data. Model output shows that (i) Ca and N are the main growth-limiting nutrients across Nova Scotia, (ii) currently projected plantation yields are generally not sustainable on sites underlain by slowly weathering soils, (iii) current soil base cation contents are generally lower than what is reported in historic soil survey reports, and (iv) model results are expected to vary within the context of changing climate, acid deposition levels, and data accuracy.展开更多
Forest disturbance plays a vital role in modulating carbon storage,biodiversity and climate change.Yearly Landsat imagery from 1986 to 2015 of a typical plantation region in the northern Guangdong province of southern...Forest disturbance plays a vital role in modulating carbon storage,biodiversity and climate change.Yearly Landsat imagery from 1986 to 2015 of a typical plantation region in the northern Guangdong province of southern China was used as a case study.A Landsat time series stack(LTSS) was fed to the vegetation change tracker model(VCT) to map long-term changes in plantation forests' disturbance and recovery,followed by an intensive validation and a continuous 27-yr change analysis on disturbance locations,magnitudes and rates of plantations' disturbance and recovery.And the validation results of the disturbance year maps derived from five randomly identified sample plots with 25 km^2 located at the four corners and the center of the scene showed the majority of the spatial agreement measures ranged from 60% to 83%.A confusion matrix summary of the accuracy measures for all four validation sites in Fogang County showed that the disturbance year maps had an overall accuracy estimate of 71.70%.Forest disturbance rates' change trend was characterized by a decline first,followed by an increase,then giving way to a decline again.An undulated and gentle decreasing trend of disturbance rates from the highest value of 3.95% to the lowest value of 0.76% occurred between 1988 and 2001,disturbance rate of 4.51% in 1994 was a notable anomaly,while after 2001 there was a sharp ascending change,forest disturbance rate spiked in 2007(5.84%).After that,there was a significant decreasing trend up to the lowest value of 1.96% in 2011 and a slight ascending trend from 2011 to 2015(2.59%).Two obvious spikes in post-disturbance recovery rates occurred in 1995(0.26%) and 2008(0.41%).Overall,forest recovery rates were lower than forest disturbance rates.Moreover,forest disturbance and recovery detection based on VCT and the Landsat-based detections of trends in disturbance and recovery(LandT rendr) algorithms in Fogang County have been conducted,with LandT rendr finding mostly much more disturbance than VCT.Overall,disturbances and recoveries in northern Guangdong were triggered mostly by timber needs,policies and decisions of the local governments.This study highlights that a better understanding about plantations' changes would provide a critical foundation for local forest management decisions in the southern China.展开更多
To understand the impacts of reforestation on woody species composition,species diversity and community structure,seven plantation forests in dryhot valley of the Jinsha River in Southwest China were investigated,with...To understand the impacts of reforestation on woody species composition,species diversity and community structure,seven plantation forests in dryhot valley of the Jinsha River in Southwest China were investigated,with adjacent wastelands,natural shrub grassland and a natural forest as references.Species importance value,species richness,species heterogeneity and Sorenson similarity index between plantations and the natural forest were analyzed.Results indicated that compared to wastelands and natural shrub grassland,reforestation improved species diversity and community structure,and more forest woody species found suitable habitats in plantations.Species diversity in understory of plantations and Sorenson similarity index were significantly negatively correlated with stem density in mature plantations(26-31 years old).Higher species diversity and Sorenson similarity index existed in mature sparse plantations due to lower stem density and more tree species planted initially.In contrast,reference natural forest,with species heterogeneity of 2.28 for shrub layer,showed the highest species diversity.It would take a long time for species composition and diversity to recover through reforestation in a dry-hot valley.Therefore,it was essential to protect remnant natural forests strictly and reforest with suitable management such as lower stem density and increasing genetic diversity of trees planted.展开更多
Litter fall and its effect on forest soil properties at each decomposition stages were investigated in tropical monsoon climatic conditions of three plantations (7-year acacia plantation, 15-year acacia plantation and...Litter fall and its effect on forest soil properties at each decomposition stages were investigated in tropical monsoon climatic conditions of three plantations (7-year acacia plantation, 15-year acacia plantation and 18-year mixed plantation) and one natural forest (Sitapahar forest) from Chittagong hilly region of Bangladesh. Results showed that total accumulation of organic matter increased with plantation age, accompanying with a decrease of annual accumulation rate. Within the same vegetation type, the organic accumulation of both fresh and partially decomposed litter with humus varied significantly (p≤0.05) on hill positions, being highest on bottom slope and decreased gradually towards hilltop in the forest. Reverse trend in accumulation of soil organic matters was shown in 15-year Acacia auriculiformis plantation, from where fuel wood collected. In 7-and 15-year acacia and 18-year mixed broadleaved plantations, rates of total organic matter production consisting of fresh, partially and completely decomposed litter as well as incorporated organic matter in soil were 2554.31, 705.79 and 1028.01 kg·ha-1·a-1, respectively, and the corresponding contribution from fresh litter were 38.23, 19.40 and 30.48 kg·ha-1·a-1, respectively. In the three plantations and the natural forest, on an average fresh litter constituted 32.45%, partially decomposed litter with humus 13.50% and incorporated organic matter in soil 54.56% of the total organic matter production with mean litter thickness of 0.90 cm. Soil acidity increased with the increase of decomposition stage of organic matter.展开更多
Nitrogen is an essential component in forest ecosystem nutrient cycling.Nitrogen fractions,such as dissolved nitrogen,ammonium,nitrate,and microbial biomass nitrogen,are sensitive indicators of soil nitrogen pools whi...Nitrogen is an essential component in forest ecosystem nutrient cycling.Nitrogen fractions,such as dissolved nitrogen,ammonium,nitrate,and microbial biomass nitrogen,are sensitive indicators of soil nitrogen pools which affect soil fertility and nutrient cycling.However,the responses of nitrogen fractions in forest soils to organic mulching are less well understood.The rhizosphere is an important micro-region that must be considered to better understand element cycling between plants and the soil.A field investigation was carried out on the effect of mulching soil in a 15-year-old Ligustrum lucidum urban plantation.Changes in total nitrogen and nitrogen fractions in rhizosphere and bulk soil in the topsoil(upper 20 cm)and in the subsoil(20-40 cm)were evaluated following different levels of mulching,in addition to nitrogen contents in fine roots,leaves,and organic mulch.The relationships between nitrogen fractions and other measured variables were analysed.Organic mulching had no significant effect on most nitrogen fractions except for the rhizosphere microbial biomass nitrogen(MBN),and the thinnest(5 cm)mulching layer showed greater effects than other treatments.Rhizosphere MBN was more sensitive to mulching compared to bulk soil,and was more affected by soil environmental changes.Season and soil depth had more pronounced effects on nitrogen fractions than mulching.Total nitrogen and dissolved nitrogen were correlated to soil phosphorus,whereas other nitrogen fractions were strongly affected by soil physical properties(temperature,water content,bulk density).Mulching also decreased leaf nitrogen content,which was more related to soil nitrogen fractions(except for MBN)than nitrogen contents in either fine roots or organic mulch.Frequent applications of small quantities of organic mulch contribute to nitrogen transformation and utilization in urban forests.展开更多
基金the National Key Research and Development Program of ChinaKey Projects for Strategic International Innovative Cooperation in Science and Technology(2018YFE0207800)+1 种基金Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(2572019BA03)partly by the China Scholarship Council(CSC No.2016DFH417)。
文摘Preventing and suppressing forest fires is one of the main tasks of forestry agencies to reduce resource loss and requires a thorough understanding of the importance of factors affecting their occurrence.This study was carried out in forest plantations on Maoer Mountain in order to develop models for predicting the moisture content of dead fine fuel using meteorological and soil variables.Models by Nelson(Can J For Res 14:597-600,1984)and Van Wagner and Pickett(Can For Service 33,1985)describing the equilibrium moisture content as a function of relative humidity and temperature were evaluated.A random forest and generalized additive models were built to select the most important meteorological variables affecting fuel moisture content.Nelson’s(Can J For Res 14:597-600,1984)model was accurate for Pinus koraiensis,Pinus sylvestris,Larix gmelinii and mixed Larix gmelinii—Ulmus propinqua fuels.The random forest model showed that temperature and relative humidity were the most important factors affecting fuel moisture content.The generalized additive regression model showed that temperature,relative humidity and rain were the main drivers affecting fuel moisture content.In addition to the combined effects of temperature,rainfall and relative humidity,solar radiation or wind speed were also significant on some sites.In P.koraiensis and P.sylvestris plantations,where soil parameters were measured,rain,soil moisture and temperature were the main factors of fuel moisture content.The accuracies of the random forest model and generalized additive model were similar,however,the random forest model was more accurate but underestimated the effect of rain on fuel moisture.
基金funded by Scion's Strategic Science Investment Fund(SSIF)the Forest Growers Levy Trust(FGLT)through the Resilient Forests Programme(Task No.A89220)。
文摘Pinus radiata(D.Don)dominates New Zealand's forestry industry,constituting 91%of plantations,and is among the world's most important plantation species.Given the socio-economic and environmental importance of this species,it is important to have accurate and precise projections over time to make efficient decisions for forest management and greenfield investments in afforestation projects,especially for permanent carbon forests.Future projections of any natural resource systems rely on modeling;however,the acceleration of climate change makes future projections of yield less certain.These challenges also impact national expectations of the contribution planted forests will provide to address climate change and meet international commitments under the Paris Agreement.Using a large national-scale set of contemporary ground-measured data(2013–2023),this study investigates the performance of two growth models developed over 30 years ago that are widely used by NZ plantation growers:1)the Pumice Plateau Model 1988(PPM88)and 2)the 300-index(including a model variant of regional drift).Model simulations were made using the FORECASTER modeling suite with geographic boundaries to adjust for drift in space and time.Basal area(BA,m^(2)⋅ha^(-1))and volume(m^(3)⋅ha^(-1))were simulated,and standard errors and goodness-of-fit metrics calculated up to a typical rotation age of 30 years.Model residuals were then separated and analysed for the main plantation growing regions.The models overpredicted observed growth by between 6.8%and 16.2%,but model predictions and errors varied significantly between regions.The results of this study provided clear evidence of divergence between the outputs of both models and the measured data.Finally,this study suggests future measures to address challenges posed by these discrepancies that will provide better information for forest management and investment decisions in a changing climate.
文摘Tropical forests provide several ecosystem services and functions and support approximately two-thirds of the world’s biodiversity but are seriously threatened by deforestation.Approaches to counteract this menace have revolved around aff orestation with several or a single tree species.We thus investigated how plantation forests with either a single or several tree species infl uenced arthropod taxonomic and community composition using pitfall traps to sample selected groups of epigeal arthropods(Araneae,Coleoptera,Orthoptera and Hymenoptera)and with environmental variables assessed simultaneously.Our results revealed 54 taxonomic groups with signifi cantly higher taxonomic richness,activity density,and diversity in the mixed stands than in the monoculture stands.The significant differences in community composition were mainly driven by families including Lycosidae,Formicidae,Staphylinidae,Scotylidae,Hydrophilidae,Gryllidae and Scarabaeidae and were explained by distinct habitat characteristics(canopy openness,litter depth,deadwood volume,and tree height).While the diverse tree communities and heterogeneous vegetation structure off ered food and habitat resources for diverse arthropod groups,the allelopathic nature coupled with homogenous stand characteristics of the Tectona grandis stands in the monoculture suppressed the growth of understorey vegetation that could otherwise serve as food and habitat resources for arthropods,which might have led to limited activities and diversity of arthropods in the monoculture plantation stands.The fi ndings thus highlight the need to promote mixed tree plantations in degraded tropical areas,especially when restoring biodiversity is the prime management focus.
文摘The levels of heavy metals that accumulated in stemwood of mature trees grown for 20 years in a plantation in an abandoned peat quarry in areas that were fertilized with different amounts of domestic sewage sludge(180,360,and720 Mg ha-1on a dry basis) were compared with trees grown in a reference nonfertilized area.Included in the study was a hybrid poplar(Populus tremula x Populus tremuloides) developed for use as an energy crop,three local tree species and one introduced tree species.The concentrations of Cd,Cr,Cu,Ni,Pb and Zn in the stemwood of the trees grown in the fertilized and nonfertilized fields were determined,and found to be significantly lower than their respective concentrations in the soil.Cd and Cr were found only in several wood samples at concentrations close to the limits of detection or qualification; therefore,they were not analyzed further.A correlation analysis suggested that 75%of the correlations between the concentrations of heavy metals in the stemwood and the concentrations in the soil were negative.The ability of trees to accumulate the metals from soil in most cases decreased for Cu and Ni; however,the correlations were not as clear for Pb and Zn.The followingsequence for the levels of heavy metals found in the stemwood of the analysed trees was Zn [ Pb [ Ni [ Cu [(Cr,Cd).The results of this study showed that the levels of heavy metals in the studied wood would not exceed the permitted limits of heavy metal pollution in the air and ash when used for energy production.
基金the Forestry Commonweal Programs of the Ministry of Science&Technology of China(No.200904003)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.30800103)
文摘We present a preliminary examination of the home range and habitat use of male Reeves's Pheasants (Syrmaticus reevesii) in an agricultural-forest plantation landscape on the Xianjuding Forest Farm, Hubei Province, central China. Fieldwork was carried out from March to August in 2003. The home range of males averaged 33.17 ± 12.55 ha by MCP (minimum convex polygon) and 21.05 ± 5.61 ha by a 95% fixed kernel estimator. The core area by a 60% fixed kernel estimator was 3.92 ± 0.27 ha. We did not detect significant seasonal variations in home range, core area and movement in this farm. Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantations were the dominant habitat type within the home ranges and core areas. The males used their habitat non-randomly in spring and summer, preferred the fir plantations and avoided broadleaf forests in both seasons. In addition, the males used shrubs less than were available in the spring. The vegetation structure of different habitats may be the leading factor affecting the use of the habitats.
基金funded partly by the Swedish International Cooperation Agency(SIDA)。
文摘Secondary Miombo woodlands and forest plantations occupy increasing areas in Mozambique,the former due to anthropogenic activities.Plantations,mainly species of Eucalyptus and Pinus,are being established on sites previously covered by secondary Miombo woodlands.This affects the evolution,cycle and spatiotemporal patterns of carbon(C)storage and stocks in forest ecosystems.The estimation of C storage,which is indispensable for formulating climate change policies on sequestrating CO_(2),requires tools such as biomass models and biomass conversion and expansion factors(BCEF).In Mozambique,these tools are needed for both indigenous forests and plantations.The objective of this study is to fit species-specific allometric biomass models and BCEF for exotic and indigenous tree species.To incorporate efficient inter-species variability,biomass equations were fitted using nonlinear mixed-effects models.All tree component biomass models had good predictability;however,better predictive accuracy and ability was observed for the 2-predictors biomass model with tree height as a second predictor.The majority of the variability in BCEF was explained by the variation in tree species.Miombo species had larger crown biomass per unit of stem diameter and stored larger amounts of biomass per stem volume.However,due to relatively rapid growth,larger stem diameters,heights,and stand density,the plantations stored more biomass per tree and per unit area.
文摘Michoacán has a deforested area of 525,260 ha, representing 52,526 ha per year, mainly caused by anthropogenic disturbances such as agricultural burning and forest fires (50%), change of use of land for extensive livestock farming (28%), agriculture (17%) and illegal logging (5%). The establishment of forest plantations is an alternative for reducing the pressure on natural forests and creating options for sustainable development and diversification of production and conversion of land for agricultural and livestock fragmented for forestry purposes. The aim of this study was to determine the potential areas for commercial forest plantations of Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Jacq.) Griseb. in the State of Michoacán, México, through the use of Geographic information systems (GIS). Areas were identified using IDRISI 32, and ArcView software. Screening variables include annual temperature, annual precipitation, land use, soil type, elevation and slope. Products obtained were field verified. Two maps where potential areas for the establishment of commercial forest plantations of E. cyclocarpum shown were obtained. Potential areas for commercial forest plantation establishment are (0% - 15% slope) for commercial forest plantations mechanized was 57,227 ha and (15% - 30% slope) for manual plantations was 6273 ha. The total area in the state with potential for the establishment of the species in the study was 63,500 ha.
文摘The targeted area for plant reforestation in the state of Michoacan is made up of eroded areas and pasture induced areas, both adding to 525,260 ha and representing 10.9% of the total surface of the state. The regions with the largest areas in need of reforestation are the Costa with 185,396 ha (29%), Oriente with 106,836 (17%) and Tierra Caliente with 96,284 (15%). Commercial forest plantations are an alternative for reducing the pressure on natural forests and creating options for sustainable and diversified development, changing the land use from fragmented agricultur and livestock purposes to forestry. The object of this study was to determine potential areas for the establishment of commercial forest plantations of Tabebuia rosea (Bertol.) DC. in the state of Michoacan, Mexico, by using geographic information systems. The outlining of potential areas was performed with the IDRISI 32 and ArcView programs, according to the environmental requirements of T. rosea. These environmental requirements include precipitation, temperature, soil, altitude, land use and slope. The analysis resulted in two maps where the potential areas for the establishment of commercial forest plantations with this species were shown, which turned out a total potential area of 54,320 ha, distributed in 47,566 ha considering a slope of 0% - 15% for non-manual forest plantations, and 6754 ha considering a slope of 15% - 30% for manual forest plantations. The ecologic conditions in Michoacan are favorable for successful establishment and development of commercial forest plantations of T. rosea.
基金supported financially by the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province of China(LH2020C032)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.2572018BA10)。
文摘Atmospheric deposition(dry and wet deposition)is one of the primary sources of chemical inputs to terrestrial ecosystems and replenishes the nutrient pool in forest ecosystems.Precipitation often acts as a primary transporting agent and solvent;thus,nutrient cycles in forests are closely linked to hydrological processes.We collected precipitation data during a growing season to explore variations in nutrient cycling and nutrient balances in the rainfall redistribution process(wet deposition)in a larch plantation in northeast China.We measured nutrient(NO_(3)^(-),PO_(4)^(3−),Cl^(−),K,Ca,Na,and Mg)inputs via bulk precipitation,throughfall and stemfl ow,and used a canopy budget model to estimate nutrient fl uxes via canopy exchange.Our results suggest that the average concentrations of the base cation(K,Ca,Na,and Mg)showed the following order:stemfl ow>throughfall>bulk precipitation.Throughfall and stemfl ow chemistry dramatically fl uctuated over the growing season when net fl uxes(throughfall+stemfl ow—bulk precipitation)of NO−3,PO3−4,SO2−4,Cl−,K,Ca,Na,and Mg were−6.676 kg·ha^(-1),−1.094 kg·ha^(-1),−2.371 kg·ha^(-1),1.975 kg·ha^(-1),0.470 kg·ha^(-1),−5.202 kg·ha^(-1),−0.336 kg·ha^(-1),and 1.397 kg·ha^(-1),respectively.These results suggest that NO−3,PO3−4,SO2−4,Ca,and Na were retained,while Cl−,K,and Mg were washed off by throughfall and stemfl ow.
基金Foundation： National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.30670312 The Key Project of Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.KZCX2-YW-305-3
文摘Afforestation in China＇s subtropics plays an important role in sequestering CO2 from the atmosphere and in storage of soil carbon （C）. Compared with natural forests,plantation forests have lower soil organic carbon （SOC） content and great potential to store more C. To better evaluate the effects of afforestation on soil C turnover,we investigated SOC and its stable C isotope （δ13C） composition in three planted forests at Qianyanzhou Ecological Experimental Station in southern China. Litter and soil samples were collected and analyzed for total organic C,δ13C and total nitrogen. Similarly to the vertical distribution of SOC in natural forests,SOC concentrations decrease exponentially with depth. The land cover type （grassland） before plantation had a significant influence on the vertical distribution of SOC. The SOC ？13C composition of the upper soil layer of two plantation forests has been mainly affected by the grass biomass 13C composition. Soil profiles with a change in photosynthetic pathway had a more complex 13C isotope composition distribution. During the 20 years after plantation establishment,the soil organic matter sources influenced both the δ13C distribution with depth,and C replacement. The upper soil layer SOC turnover in masson pine （a mean 34% of replacement in the 10 cm after 20 years） was more than twice as fast as that of slash pine （16% of replacement） under subtropical conditions. The results demonstrate that masson pine and slash pine plantations cannot rapidly sequester SOC into long-term storage pools in subtropical China.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30630015,30771704)
文摘We report on the effects of forest management practices of understory removal and N-fixing species（Cassia alata） addition on soil CO2 fluxes in an Eucalyptus urophylla plantation（EUp）,Acacia crassicarpa plantation（ACp）,10-species-mixed plantation（Tp）,and 30-species-mixed plantation（THp） using the static chamber method in southern China.Four forest management treatments,including（1） understory removal（UR）;（2） C.alata addition（CA）;（3） understory removal and replacement with C.alata（UR＋CA）;and（4） control without any disturbances（CK）,were applied in the above four forest plantations with three replications for each treatment.The results showed that soil CO2 fluxes rates remained at a high level during the rainy season（from April to September）,followed by a rapid decrease after October reaching a minimum in February.Soil CO2 fluxes were significantly higher（P 〈 0.01） in EUp（132.6 mg/（m2.hr）） and ACp（139.8 mg/（m2.hr）） than in Tp（94.0 mg/（m2.hr）） and THp（102.9 mg/（m2.hr））.Soil CO2 fluxes in UR and CA were significantly higher（P 〈 0.01） among the four treatments,with values of 105.7,120.4,133.6 and 112.2 mg/（m2.hr） for UR＋CA,UR,CA and CK,respectively.Soil CO2 fluxes were positively correlated with soil temperature（P 〈 0.01）,soil moisture（P 〈 0.01）,NO3？-N（P 〈 0.05）,and litterfall（P 〈 0.01）,indicating that all these factors might be important controlling variables for soil CO2 fluxes.This study sheds some light on our understanding of soil CO2 flux dynamics in forest plantations under various management practices.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (572017PZ03,2572020DR04 and 2572019CP16)。
文摘As primary and secondary forests are being replaced by plantations across the globe,the soil macrofauna community structure is also affected,but little is known about the impact of mixed culture plantations compared with monocultures on the soil macrofauna.To determine the impact of forest conversion on soil macrofauna,we surveyed the soil macrofauna in two broad-leaved and three coniferous monoculture stands and four coniferous-broadleaved mixed stands,and in adjacent reserved secondary stands as a reference.Soil macro fauna community composition was significant affected by forest type,season and their interaction(P<0.05).The abundance,taxa richness and diversity of soil macro fauna changed to different degrees depending on the plantation type.Broadleaved monoculture stands and secondary stands had similar macrofauna abundance and taxa richness,but values were lower in coniferous stands than in secondary stands.The Shannon index for macrofauna in coniferous stands was also the lowest,but the Pielou index did not differ between forest types.The negative effects of the conifer monoculture on soil macro fauna were not present in the mixed stands with broad-leaved trees.Forest conversion impacted soil properties;soil moisture,NO_(3)^(-),and pH were significant drivers of soil macrofauna community structure.The impact of forest conversion on soil macrofauna was closely dependent on tree species composition and diversity.The macro fauna community structure in the broadleaved and the mixed stands were relatively similar to that in the natural forest,and thus recommended for forest conversion in the study area.
基金This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2016YFC0502703)Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD)Postgraduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province.
文摘Background:Soil organic carbon(SOC)is important for soil quality and fertility in forest ecosystems.Labile SOC fractions are sensitive to environmental changes,which reflect the impact of short-term internal and external management measures on the soil carbon pool.Organic mulching(OM)alters the soil environment and promotes plant growth.However,little is known about the responses of SOC fractions in rhizosphere or bulk soil to OM in urban forests and its correlation with carbon composition in plants.Methods:A one-year field experiment with four treatments(OM at 0,5,10,and 20 cm thicknesses)was conducted in a 15-year-old Ligustrum lucidum plantation.Changes in the SOC fractions in the rhizosphere and bulk soil;the carbon content in the plant fine roots,leaves,and organic mulch;and several soil physicochemical properties were measured.The relationships between SOC fractions and the measured variables were analysed.Results:The OM treatments had no significant effect on the SOC fractions,except for the dissolved organic carbon(DOC).OM promoted the movement of SOC to deeper soil because of the increased carbon content in fine roots of subsoil.There were significant correlations between DOC and microbial biomass carbon and SOC and easily oxidised organic carbon.The OM had a greater effect on organic carbon fractions in the bulk soil than in the rhizosphere.The thinnest(5 cm)mulching layers showed the most rapid carbon decomposition over time.The time after OM had the greatest effect on the SOC fractions,followed by soil layer.Conclusions:The frequent addition of small amounts of organic mulch increased SOC accumulation in the present study.OM is a potential management model to enhance soil organic matter storage for maintaining urban forest productivity.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41901382)Open Fund of State Key Laboratory of Remote Sensing Science(Grant No.OFSLRSS201917)the HZAU research startup fund(No.11041810340,No.11041810341).
文摘Background:Accurate mapping of tree species is highly desired in the management and research of plantation forests,whose ecosystem services are currently under threats.Time-series multispectral satellite images,e.g.,from Landsat-8(L8)and Sentinel-2(S2),have been proven useful in mapping general forest types,yet we do not know quantitatively how their spectral features(e.g.,red-edge)and temporal frequency of data acquisitions(e.g.,16-day vs.5-day)contribute to plantation forest mapping to the species level.Moreover,it is unclear to what extent the fusion of L8 and S2 will result in improvements in tree species mapping of northern plantation forests in China.Methods:We designed three sets of classification experiments(i.e.,single-date,multi-date,and spectral-temporal)to evaluate the performances of L8 and S2 data for mapping keystone timber tree species in northern China.We first used seven pairs of L8 and S2 images to evaluate the performances of L8 and S2 key spectral features for separating these tree species across key growing stages.Then we extracted the spectral-temporal features from all available images of different temporal frequency of data acquisition(i.e.,L8 time series,S2 time series,and fusion of L8 and S2)to assess the contribution of image temporal frequency on the accuracy of tree species mapping in the study area.Results:1)S2 outperformed L8 images in all classification experiments,with or without the red edge bands(0.4%–3.4%and 0.2%–4.4%higher for overall accuracy and macro-F1,respectively);2)NDTI(the ratio of SWIR1 minus SWIR2 to SWIR1 plus SWIR2)and Tasseled Cap coefficients were most important features in all the classifications,and for time-series experiments,the spectral-temporal features of red band-related vegetation indices were most useful;3)increasing the temporal frequency of data acquisition can improve overall accuracy of tree species mapping for up to 3.2%(from 90.1%using single-date imagery to 93.3%using S2 time-series),yet similar overall accuracies were achieved using S2 time-series(93.3%)and the fusion of S2 and L8(93.2%).Conclusions:This study quantifies the contributions of L8 and S2 spectral and temporal features in mapping keystone tree species of northern plantation forests in China and suggests that for mapping tree species in China's northern plantation forests,the effects of increasing the temporal frequency of data acquisition could saturate quickly after using only two images from key phenological stages.
文摘Litter fall and its effect on forest soil properties at each decomposition stages were investigated in tropical monsoon climatic conditions of three plantations （7-year acacia plantation, 15-year acacia plantation and 18-year mixed plantation） and one natural forest （Si- tapahar forest） from Chittagong hilly region of Bangladesh. Results showed that total accumulation of organic matter increased with plantation age, accompanying with a decrease of annual accumulation rate. Within the same vegetation type, the organic accumulation of both fresh and partially decomposed litter with humus varied significantly （p≤0.05） on hill positions, being highest on bottom slope and decreased gradually towards hilltop in the forest. Reverse trend in accumulation of soil organic matters was shown in 15-year Acacia auriculiformis plantation, from where fuel wood collected. In 7- and 15-year acacia and 18-year mixed broadleaved plantations, rates of total organic matter production consisting of fresh, partially and completely decomposed litter as well as incorporated organic matter in soil were 2554.31, 705.79 and 1028.01 kg.ha^-1.a^-1, respectively, and the corresponding contribution from fresh litter were 38.23, 19.40 and 30.48 kg-ha^-1.a^-1, respectively. In the three plantations and the natural forest, on an average fresh litter constituted 32.45%, partially decomposed litter with humus 13.50% and incorporated organic matter in soil 54.56% of the total organic matter production with mean litter thickness of 0.90 cm. Soil acidity increased with the increase of decomposition stage of organic matter.
文摘A geospatial GIS-linked spreadsheet model (Nutrient Budget Model—Nova Scotia: NBM-NS) was developed for Nova Scotia to assess the long-term sustainability of forest harvest scenarios as constrained by primary nutrient inputs and outputs due to atmospheric deposition, soil weathering, and leaching. Harvest scenarios refer to user-defined stand-specific removal rates of bole wood, bark, branches, and foliage, based on current or projected forest inventories. These scenarios are evaluated within the context of existing data layers for current climate (mean annual precipitation and air temperatures), atmospheric deposition (N, S, Ca, Mg, K), and soil/substrate types, supplemented by species-specific look-up tables containing expected biomass fractions and nutrient concentrations. This article introduces this model to assess relative site quality and limiting nutrients for red spruce and sugar maple across Nova Scotia. This is followed by an output comparison involving 25 spruce plantations whereby NBM-NS determinations derived using “default” soil survey data are compared with those derived using plantation-specific soil data. Model output shows that (i) Ca and N are the main growth-limiting nutrients across Nova Scotia, (ii) currently projected plantation yields are generally not sustainable on sites underlain by slowly weathering soils, (iii) current soil base cation contents are generally lower than what is reported in historic soil survey reports, and (iv) model results are expected to vary within the context of changing climate, acid deposition levels, and data accuracy.
基金Under the auspices of the‘948’Project sponsored by the State Forestry Administration(SFA)of China(No.2014-4-25)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31670552,31270587)Doctorate Fellowship Foundation of Nanjing Forestry University,the PAPD(Priority Academic Program Development)of Jiangsu Provincial Universities,Graduate Research and Innovation Projects in Jiangsu Province(No.KYLX15_0908)
文摘Forest disturbance plays a vital role in modulating carbon storage,biodiversity and climate change.Yearly Landsat imagery from 1986 to 2015 of a typical plantation region in the northern Guangdong province of southern China was used as a case study.A Landsat time series stack(LTSS) was fed to the vegetation change tracker model(VCT) to map long-term changes in plantation forests' disturbance and recovery,followed by an intensive validation and a continuous 27-yr change analysis on disturbance locations,magnitudes and rates of plantations' disturbance and recovery.And the validation results of the disturbance year maps derived from five randomly identified sample plots with 25 km^2 located at the four corners and the center of the scene showed the majority of the spatial agreement measures ranged from 60% to 83%.A confusion matrix summary of the accuracy measures for all four validation sites in Fogang County showed that the disturbance year maps had an overall accuracy estimate of 71.70%.Forest disturbance rates' change trend was characterized by a decline first,followed by an increase,then giving way to a decline again.An undulated and gentle decreasing trend of disturbance rates from the highest value of 3.95% to the lowest value of 0.76% occurred between 1988 and 2001,disturbance rate of 4.51% in 1994 was a notable anomaly,while after 2001 there was a sharp ascending change,forest disturbance rate spiked in 2007(5.84%).After that,there was a significant decreasing trend up to the lowest value of 1.96% in 2011 and a slight ascending trend from 2011 to 2015(2.59%).Two obvious spikes in post-disturbance recovery rates occurred in 1995(0.26%) and 2008(0.41%).Overall,forest recovery rates were lower than forest disturbance rates.Moreover,forest disturbance and recovery detection based on VCT and the Landsat-based detections of trends in disturbance and recovery(LandT rendr) algorithms in Fogang County have been conducted,with LandT rendr finding mostly much more disturbance than VCT.Overall,disturbances and recoveries in northern Guangdong were triggered mostly by timber needs,policies and decisions of the local governments.This study highlights that a better understanding about plantations' changes would provide a critical foundation for local forest management decisions in the southern China.
基金supported financially by the Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities (B08037)
文摘To understand the impacts of reforestation on woody species composition,species diversity and community structure,seven plantation forests in dryhot valley of the Jinsha River in Southwest China were investigated,with adjacent wastelands,natural shrub grassland and a natural forest as references.Species importance value,species richness,species heterogeneity and Sorenson similarity index between plantations and the natural forest were analyzed.Results indicated that compared to wastelands and natural shrub grassland,reforestation improved species diversity and community structure,and more forest woody species found suitable habitats in plantations.Species diversity in understory of plantations and Sorenson similarity index were significantly negatively correlated with stem density in mature plantations(26-31 years old).Higher species diversity and Sorenson similarity index existed in mature sparse plantations due to lower stem density and more tree species planted initially.In contrast,reference natural forest,with species heterogeneity of 2.28 for shrub layer,showed the highest species diversity.It would take a long time for species composition and diversity to recover through reforestation in a dry-hot valley.Therefore,it was essential to protect remnant natural forests strictly and reforest with suitable management such as lower stem density and increasing genetic diversity of trees planted.
文摘Litter fall and its effect on forest soil properties at each decomposition stages were investigated in tropical monsoon climatic conditions of three plantations (7-year acacia plantation, 15-year acacia plantation and 18-year mixed plantation) and one natural forest (Sitapahar forest) from Chittagong hilly region of Bangladesh. Results showed that total accumulation of organic matter increased with plantation age, accompanying with a decrease of annual accumulation rate. Within the same vegetation type, the organic accumulation of both fresh and partially decomposed litter with humus varied significantly (p≤0.05) on hill positions, being highest on bottom slope and decreased gradually towards hilltop in the forest. Reverse trend in accumulation of soil organic matters was shown in 15-year Acacia auriculiformis plantation, from where fuel wood collected. In 7-and 15-year acacia and 18-year mixed broadleaved plantations, rates of total organic matter production consisting of fresh, partially and completely decomposed litter as well as incorporated organic matter in soil were 2554.31, 705.79 and 1028.01 kg·ha-1·a-1, respectively, and the corresponding contribution from fresh litter were 38.23, 19.40 and 30.48 kg·ha-1·a-1, respectively. In the three plantations and the natural forest, on an average fresh litter constituted 32.45%, partially decomposed litter with humus 13.50% and incorporated organic matter in soil 54.56% of the total organic matter production with mean litter thickness of 0.90 cm. Soil acidity increased with the increase of decomposition stage of organic matter.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31971453)Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions(PAPD)and Postgraduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province.
文摘Nitrogen is an essential component in forest ecosystem nutrient cycling.Nitrogen fractions,such as dissolved nitrogen,ammonium,nitrate,and microbial biomass nitrogen,are sensitive indicators of soil nitrogen pools which affect soil fertility and nutrient cycling.However,the responses of nitrogen fractions in forest soils to organic mulching are less well understood.The rhizosphere is an important micro-region that must be considered to better understand element cycling between plants and the soil.A field investigation was carried out on the effect of mulching soil in a 15-year-old Ligustrum lucidum urban plantation.Changes in total nitrogen and nitrogen fractions in rhizosphere and bulk soil in the topsoil(upper 20 cm)and in the subsoil(20-40 cm)were evaluated following different levels of mulching,in addition to nitrogen contents in fine roots,leaves,and organic mulch.The relationships between nitrogen fractions and other measured variables were analysed.Organic mulching had no significant effect on most nitrogen fractions except for the rhizosphere microbial biomass nitrogen(MBN),and the thinnest(5 cm)mulching layer showed greater effects than other treatments.Rhizosphere MBN was more sensitive to mulching compared to bulk soil,and was more affected by soil environmental changes.Season and soil depth had more pronounced effects on nitrogen fractions than mulching.Total nitrogen and dissolved nitrogen were correlated to soil phosphorus,whereas other nitrogen fractions were strongly affected by soil physical properties(temperature,water content,bulk density).Mulching also decreased leaf nitrogen content,which was more related to soil nitrogen fractions(except for MBN)than nitrogen contents in either fine roots or organic mulch.Frequent applications of small quantities of organic mulch contribute to nitrogen transformation and utilization in urban forests.
