scholarly journals Determination of Structural Characteristics of Old-Growth Forest in Ukraine Using Spaceborne LiDAR

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1233
Author(s):  
Ben Spracklen ◽  
Dominick V. Spracklen
Keyword(s):  
Vertical Structure ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Random Forest Classification ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Forest Classification ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Old Growth Forests

A forest’s structure changes as it progresses through developmental stages from establishment to old-growth forest. Therefore, the vertical structure of old-growth forests will differ from that of younger, managed forests. Free, publicly available spaceborne Laser Range and Detection (LiDAR) data designed for the determination of forest structure has recently become available through NASA’s General Ecosystem and Development Investigation (GEDI). We use this data to investigate the structure of some of the largest remaining old-growth forests in Europe in the Ukrainian Carpathian Mountains. We downloaded 18489 cloud-free shots in the old-growth forest (OGF) and 20398 shots in adjacent non-OGF areas during leaf-on, snow-free conditions. We found significant differences between OGF and non-OGF over a wide range of structural metrics. OGF was significantly more open, with a more complex vertical structure and thicker ground-layer vegetation. We used Random Forest classification on a range of GEDI-derived metrics to classify OGF shapefiles with an accuracy of 73%. Our work demonstrates the use of spaceborne LiDAR for the identification of old-growth forests.

scholarly journals Identifying European Old-Growth Forests using Remote Sensing: A Study in the Ukrainian Carpathians

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedict D. Spracklen ◽  
Dominick V. Spracklen
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Random Forest ◽  
Norway Spruce ◽  
Satellite Images ◽  
Textural Features ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Random Forest Classification ◽  
Forest Classification ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Sentinel 2

Old-growth forests are an important, rare and endangered habitat in Europe. The ability to identify old-growth forests through remote sensing would be helpful for both conservation and forest management. We used data on beech, Norway spruce and mountain pine old-growth forests in the Ukrainian Carpathians to test whether Sentinel-2 satellite images could be used to correctly identify these forests. We used summer and autumn 2017 Sentinel-2 satellite images comprising 10 and 20 m resolution bands to create 6 vegetation indices and 9 textural features. We used a Random Forest classification model to discriminate between dominant tree species within old-growth forests and between old-growth and other forest types. Beech and Norway spruce were identified with an overall accuracy of around 90%, with a lower performance for mountain pine (70%) and mixed forest (40%). Old-growth forests were identified with an overall classification accuracy of 85%. Adding textural features, band standard deviations and elevation data improved accuracies by 3.3%, 2.1% and 1.8% respectively, while using combined summer and autumn images increased accuracy by 1.2%. We conclude that Random Forest classification combined with Sentinel-2 images can provide an effective option for identifying old-growth forests in Europe.

scholarly journals Patterns of biodiversity response along a gradient of forest use in Eastern Amazonia, Brazil

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8486
Author(s):  
Sérgio G. Milheiras ◽  
Marcelino Guedes ◽  
Fernando Augusto Barbosa Silva ◽  
Perseu Aparício ◽  
Georgina M. Mace
Keyword(s):  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Brazil Nut ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Local Livelihoods ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Forest Use ◽  
Reduced Impact Logging

The preservation of tropical forests is increasingly at risk, including forests located within human-modified landscapes that retain high conservation value. People modify and interact with these landscapes through a wide range of uses. However, our knowledge of how different forest uses affect biodiversity is limited. Here, we analyse the responses of different taxa to four distinct categories of forest management, namely old-growth forest, Brazil nut extraction areas, reduced impact logging areas, and eucalyptus plantations. Within six independent replicates of each category, we sampled three taxa (fruit-feeding butterflies, dung beetles, and trees) in eastern Amazonia. Forests under moderate use (Brazil nut extraction and reduced-impact logging) had similar, albeit slightly lower, diversity levels relative to old-growth forests, while communities in plantations were significantly less diverse. Only 4%, 20%, and 17%, of the sampled butterfly, dung beetle, and tree species, respectively, were restricted to old-growth forests. This study provides further empirical evidence of the importance of old-growth forest conservation in the context of human-modified landscapes. It also suggests that landscape matrices integrating forest uses at varying intensities are well positioned to reconcile biodiversity conservation with the production of goods that support local livelihoods.

scholarly journals A note on the ecology and management of old-growth forests in the Montane Cordillera

2003 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
André Arsenault
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Ponderosa ◽  
Ponderosa Pine ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Forest Types ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests

The Montane Cordillera ecozone that spans British Columbia's central and southern interior and a portion of southwestern Alberta contains the greatest variety of old-growth coniferous forest types in Canada. The diverse climates of this region, which include some of the driest, warmest, wettest, and coldest found in southern continental Canada, have directly contributed to the richness of old forest types. Associated with this range in climatic conditions are radically different natural disturbance regimes that have profoundly influenced the distribution, abundance, and structural characteristics of old-growth forests. Old forests tend to be more abundant and to contain more old-growth-dependent organisms in wetter climates. The high number of old-growth-dependent epiphytic lichens in old inland rainforests is a clear expression of this phenomenon. Conversely, old forests are much less abundant in dry landscapes. These forests, often dominated by Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa P. Laws. ex C. Laws.) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco), have been subject to more frequent natural disturbances, and have been more profoundly influenced by human activities. Although fewer species appear to be dependent on old growth in dry forests, a number of them require certain old-growth structural attributes for their survival. A better understanding of the ecological characteristics of the old-growth forests of Canada's Montane Cordillera will assist in developing informed land-use decisions. Key words: old-growth forest, Montane Cordillera, natural disturbance, landscape ecology and management

scholarly journals Random Forest Algorithm for Mapping Deforestation in the Ituri-Epulu-Aru Landscape (Democratic Republic of Congo)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joël Masimo Kabuanga ◽  
Onésime Mubenga Kankonda ◽  
Ned Horning ◽  
Mehdi Saqalli ◽  
Nicolas Maestripieri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Random Forest ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Tropical Region ◽  
Optical Remote Sensing ◽  
Spectral Indices ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Random Forest Classification ◽  
Spectral Bands ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Forest Classification

The evaluation of deforestation by optical remote sensing remains a challenge in the humid tropical region due to high cloud cover. This paper develops a simple and reproducible method for mapping deforestation of the old-growth forest using open access software. A map of old-growth forest depletion was created using composites from three different dates (2003, 2010, 2016). Four models were tested: the first model using spectral bands (nir, swir1, swir2 and red), the second model was based on the association of spectral bands and spectral indices (NDVI, B54R, NDWI and NBR), the third model was constructed using spectral bands and geomorphological indices (DEM, Slope and Roughness) and the last model combined spectral bands, spectral indices and geomorphological indices. The optimal random forest ntrees and Mtry parameters were determined for each model to optimize the mapping in each model. The out-of-bag error for these four models was 2.15 %, 2.05 %, 1.86 % and 1.85 %, respectively. The fourth model had the lowest error and was hence used to predict deforestation of the old-growth forest. The annual rates of deforestation amounted 0.26 % (69861 ha) and 0.66 % (145768 ha) between 2003 – 2010 and 2010 – 2016, respectively. The area of the old-growth forest in 2016 was 3601607 ha and 215629 ha of forest lost between 2003 and 2016. These results showed that the Random Forest Classification (RFC) model was able to effectively map the reduction of old-growth forests.

scholarly journals Compared to Wildfire, Management Practices Reduced Old-Growth Forest Diversity and Functionality in Primary Boreal Landscapes of Eastern Canada

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxence Martin ◽  
Pierre Grondin ◽  
Marie-Claude Lambert ◽  
Yves Bergeron ◽  
Hubert Morin
Keyword(s):  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Industrial Scale ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Ecosystem Based Management ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Boreal Landscapes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Primary Forests

Large primary forest residuals can still be found in boreal landscapes. Their areas are however shrinking rapidly due to anthropogenic activities, in particular industrial-scale forestry. The impacts of logging activities on primary boreal forests may also strongly differ from those of wildfires, the dominant stand-replacing natural disturbance in these forests. Since industrial-scale forestry is driven by economic motives, there is a risk that stands of higher economic value will be primarily harvested, thus threatening habitats, and functions related to these forests. Hence, the objective of this study was to identify the main attributes differentiating burned and logged stands prior to disturbance in boreal forests. The study territory lies in the coniferous and closed-canopy boreal forest in Québec, Canada, where industrial-scale logging and wildfire are the two main stand-replacing disturbances. Based on Québec government inventories of primary forests, we identified 427 transects containing about 5.5 circular field plots/transect that were burned or logged shortly after being surveyed, between 1985 and 2016. Comparative analysis of the main structural and environmental attributes of these transects highlighted the strong divergence in the impact of fire and harvesting on primary boreal forests. Overall, logging activities mainly harvested forests with the highest economic value, while most burned stands were low to moderately productive or recently disturbed. These results raise concerns about the resistance and resilience of remnant primary forests within managed areas, particularly in a context of disturbance amplification due to climate change. Moreover, the majority of the stands studied were old-growth forests, characterized by a high ecological value but also highly threatened by anthropogenic disturbances. A loss in the diversity and functionality of primary forests, and particularly the old-growth forests, therefore adds to the current issues related to these ecosystems. Since 2013, the study area is under ecosystem-based management, which implies that there have been marked changes in forestry practices. Complementary research will be necessary to assess the capacity of ecosystem-based management to address the challenges identified in our study.

scholarly journals Boreal old-growth forest structural diversity challenges aerial photographic survey accuracy

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maxence Martin ◽  
Nicole J. Fenton ◽  
Hubert Morin
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Forest Succession ◽  
Structural Diversity ◽  
Aerial Survey ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Tree Species Composition ◽  
Forest Inventories ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Aerial Surveys ◽  
Old Growth Forests

The erosion of old-growth forests in boreal managed landscapes is a major issue currently faced by forest managers; however, resolving this problem requires accurate surveys. The intention of our study was to determine if historic operational aerial forest surveys accurately identified boreal old-growth forests in Quebec, Canada. We first compared stand successional stages (even-aged vs. old-growth) in two aerial surveys performed in 1968 (preindustrial aerial survey) and 2007 (modern aerial survey) on the same 2200 km2 territory. Second, we evaluated the accuracy of the modern aerial survey by comparing its results with those of 74 field plots sampled in the study territory between 2014 and 2016. The two aerial surveys differed significantly; 80.8% of the undisturbed stands that were identified as “old-growth” in the preindustrial survey were classified as “even-aged” in the modern survey, and 60% of the stands identified as “old-growth” by field sampling were also erroneously identified as “even-aged” by the modern aerial survey. The scarcity of obvious old-growth attributes in boreal old-growth forests, as well as poorly adapted modern aerial survey criteria (i.e., criteria requiring high vertical stratification and significant changes in tree species composition along forest succession), were the main factors explaining these errors. It is therefore likely that most of Quebec’s boreal old-growth forests are currently not recognized as such in forest inventories, challenging the efficacy of sustainable forest management policies.

scholarly journals Bryophyte Conservation in Managed Boreal Landscapes: Fourteen-Year Impacts of Partial Cuts on Epixylic Bryophytes

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Opoku-Nyame ◽  
Alain Leduc ◽  
Nicole J. Fenton
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Coarse Woody Debris ◽  
Black Spruce ◽  
Woody Debris ◽  
Permanent Plots ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Over Time

Clear cut harvest simplifies and eliminates old growth forest structure, negatively impacting biodiversity. Partial cut harvest has been hypothesized (1) to have less impact on biodiversity than clear cut harvest, and (2) to encourage old growth forest structures. Long-term studies are required to test this hypothesis as most studies are conducted soon after harvest. Using epixylic bryophytes as indicators, this study addresses this knowledge gap. Fourteen years after harvest, we examined changes in epixylic bryophyte community composition richness and traits, and their microhabitats (coarse woody debris characteristics and microclimate) along an unharvested, partial cuts and clear cuts harvest treatment in 30 permanent plots established in the boreal black spruce (Picea mariana) forests of northwestern Quebec, Canada. Our results were compared to those of an initial post-harvest study (year 5) and to a chronosequence of old growth forests to examine species changes over time and the similarity of bryophyte communities in partial cut and old growth forests. Coarse woody debris (CWD) volume by decay class varied among harvest treatments with partial cuts and clear cuts recording lower volumes of early decay CWD. The epixylic community was richer in partial cuts than in mature unharvested forests and clear cuts. In addition, species richness and overall abundance doubled in partial and clear cuts between years 5 and 14. Species composition also differed among treatments between years 5 and 14. Furthermore, conditions in partial cut stands supported small, drought sensitive, and old growth confined species that are threatened by conditions in clear cut stands. Lastly, over time, species composition in partial cuts became more similar to old growth forests. Partial cuts reduced harvest impacts by continuing to provide favorable microhabitat conditions that support epixylic bryophytes. Also, partial cut harvest has the potential to encourage old growth species assemblages, which has been a major concern for biodiversity conservation in managed forest landscapes. Our findings support the promotion of partial cut harvest as an effective strategy to achieve species and habitat conservation goals.

Ultrastructural observations of lethal yellow (Ay/Ay) mouse embryos

Development ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-80
Author(s):  
Patricia G. Calarco ◽  
Roger A. Pedersen
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Inner Cell Mass ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Blastocyst Stage ◽  
Cell Organelles ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Lethal Yellow ◽  
And Control

Ay/Ay embryos were identified by the presence of large excluded blastomeres (Pedersen, 1974) and examined cytologically and ultrastructurally. Cell organelles, inclusions and junctions in the excluded blastomeres were compared with those of non-excluded cells of Ay/Ay embryos and control embryos. Excluded blastomeres always had the fine structural characteristics of earlier developmental stages and may have arrested at the 4- to 8-cell stage or slightly later. Interior cells (inner cell mass) were observed in all mutant blastocysts. Nonexcluded cells of Ay/Ay embryos were normal until degenerative changes appear in the late blastocyst stage. The mode of action of the +Ay gene was not determined, but evidence from this study and others indicates that the effects of +Ay gene action occur over a wide range of time in early cleavage and implantation.

The eastern boreal old-growth balsam fir forest: a distinct ecosystem

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (6) ◽  
pp. 830-849 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mireille Desponts ◽  
Geneviève Brunet ◽  
Louis Bélanger ◽  
Mathieu Bouchard
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Balsam Fir ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Saprophytic Fungi ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Second Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Gaspe Peninsula ◽  
Pristine Forest ◽  
Gaspé Peninsula

The objective of this project was to assess the importance of pristine forests in maintaining the botanical biodiversity of the humid boreal balsam fir forest of eastern Canada. The study was based on a comparative analysis of silviculturally mature second-growth stands and pristine forest stands at two stages of development (senescent and old growth) in the Gaspé Peninsula. The structure and composition of the stands was described, and the abundance of structural attributes evaluated. The communities of nonvascular plant species (mosses, liverworts), lichens, and saprophytic fungi were compared. The study demonstrated that the pristine forest landscape studied was composed largely of old-growth and senescent stands. Old-growth forests are differentiated by their irregular structure. The results regarding nonvascular plant species, lichens, and saprophytic fungi show higher species diversity in old-growth forests, corresponding to higher habitat diversity. Species assemblages were comparable between the pristine forests, but different from those of second-growth stands. Rare species are found more frequently in the old-growth forests. The results indicate that the old-growth balsam fir stands of the Gaspé Peninsula constitute critical habitats for maintaining a large number of species threatened by the gradual disappearance of primeval stands.Key words: forest management, biodiversity, old-growth forest, humid boreal fir forest, nonvascular plants.

scholarly journals Richness and Cover of Nontimber Economic Plants along Altitude in Temperate Himalayan Forest-Use Types

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akash Tariq ◽  
Muhammad Adnan ◽  
Naser M. AbdElsalam ◽  
Hassan Fouad ◽  
Kamran Hussain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Plants ◽  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Ground Vegetation ◽  
Line Transect ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Old Growth Forest ◽  
Rural Livelihood ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Valeriana Jatamansi

Pakistani Himalaya stretches over a wide range of altitudinal gradients and supports high diversity of medicinal plants that are an important source for rural livelihood. Altitudinal effects on ground vegetation have already been indicated but ground vegetation is also under severe threat of grazing and over collection. The present study investigated the effect of altitude on medicinal plants abundance in both old-growth and derived woodland forests. Each of the five line transects was selected in old-growth and derived woodland forests. Each line transect consisted of four plots distributed at four altitudinal levels (2200, 2300, 2400, and 2500 m asl). Species richness under derived woodland had shown strong negative correlation (r=-0.95) with altitude while it was found to be nonsignificant under old-growth. Cover of most of the species such asVeronica laxa(r=-0.95,P≤0.05) had shown significant negative correlation with altitude under derived woodland. Cover abundance of some species likeValeriana jatamansiand Violacanescenshas also shown significant negative correlation under old-growth forest. Derived woodland can decrease the cover abundance of valuable medicinal plants towards extension at higher altitudes. Thus, protection of the derived woodland could serve as a tool for the improvement of rural livelihood and ecological restoration.

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