Impact of vegetation restoration on hydrological processes in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, China

Sediment discharge from the Yellow River originates mainly from the drainage area between Hekouzhen and Longmen, i.e., the Helong area. Spatial-temporal variations of the vegetation cover in this area during the 1981–2007 period have been investigated using GIMMS and SPOT VGT NDVI data. We have also analyzed the interannual variations in vegetation cover and changes in annual runoff and sediment discharge, the consequences from precipitation change and the Grain for Green Project (GGP). The results show that vegetation cover of the Helong area has increased during the 1981–2007 period. The northwestern part the Helong area, where the flat sandy lands are covered by grass, has experienced the largest increase. The region where the vegetation cover has declined is largely found in the southern and southeastern Helong area, which is a gullied hilly area or forested. Although precipita-tion was relatively low during the 1999–2007 period, the vegetation cover showed a significant increase in the Helong area, due to the implementation of the GGP. During this period, the most significant improvement in the vegetation cover occurred mainly in the gullied hilly areas of the Loess Plateau, such as the drainage basins of the Kuyehe and Tuweihe rivers and the middle and lower reaches of the Wudinghe and Yanhe rivers. A comparison of the average annual maximum NDVI between the earlier (1998–2002) stage and the next five years (2003–2007) of the GGP indicates that the areas with increases of 10% and 20% in NDVI account for 72.5% and 36.4% of the total area, respectively. Interannual variation of annual runoff and sediment discharge shows a declining trend, especially since the 1980s, when the decrease became very obvious. Compared with the 1950–1969 period, the average runoff during the 1980–2007 period was reduced by 34.8×108 m3 and the sediment discharge by 6.4×108 t, accounting for 49.4% and 64.9% of that in the 1950–1969 period, respectively. There is a positive correlation between the annual maximum NDVI and annual runoff and sediment discharge. This correlation was reversed since the implementation of the GGP in 1999 and vegetation cover in the He-long area has increased, associated with the decrease in runoff and sediment discharge. Less precipitation has been an important fac-tor driving the decrease in runoff and sediment discharge during 1999–2007. However, restoration and improvement of the vegetation cover may also have played a significant role in accelerating the decrease in annual runoff and sediment discharge by enhancing evapotranspiration and alleviating soil erosion.     

Forest fire risk assessment in parts of Northeast India using geospatial tools

Forest fire is a major cause of changes in forest structure and function. Among various floristic regions, the northeast region of India suffers maximum from the fires due to age-old practice of shifting culti- vation and spread of fires from jhum fields. For proper mitigation and management, an early warning of forest fires through risk modeling is required. The study results demonstrate the potential use of remote sens- ing and Geographic Information System (GIS) in identifying forest fire prone areas in Manipur, southeastern part of Northeast India. Land use land cover (LULC), vegetation type, Digital elevation model (DEM), slope, aspect and proximity to roads and settlements, factors that influ- ence the behavior of fire, were used to model the forest fire risk zones. Each class of the layers was given weight according to their fire inducing capability and their sensitivity to fire. Weighted sum modeling and ISODATA clustering was used to classify the fire zones. To validate the results, Along Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR), the historical fire hotspots data was used to check the occurrence points and modeled forest fire locations. The forest risk zone map has 55 63% of agreement with ATSR dataset.     

Effects of geometric design of forest road and roadside vegetation on traffic noise reduction

Geometric design of forest roads and design of their landscapes can reduce noise pollution and its harmful effects on human health. We investigated the effects of technical and biological parameters such as geometric road design and various roadside tree stands on reducing noise pollution according to the tree density and distance from roadway in Darabkola Forests, Sari, Iran. We recorded the noise generated by a car(Land Rover) relative to changes in longitudinal slope, horizontal curve radius and type of road pavement. We also measured noise levels according to roadside tree density and stand type(coniferous and hardwood) in 40 rectangular plots of three widths(25, 100 and 300 m) and 50 m length that were randomly demarcated along forest roads. The changes in noise level were recorded using a decibel meter with an accuracy of ±1.5 d B and resolution of 0.1 d B. Noise levels were higher alongside unpaved roads than alongside paved roads. There was an inverse relationship between the measured noise level and horizontal curve radius. The rate of noise level on horizontal curve with a radius less than30, 30–45 m and more than 45 m were 64.8, 70.8 and75.9 d B, respectively. The noise level increased with the increasing longitudinal slope of the road. There was a significant difference between the noise level on slopes less than 3 %(67 d B) and 3–8 %(71.2 d B) in comparison with slopes greater than 8 %(77.8 d B),(p \ 0.05). Pinus brutia L. reduced the noise level more(about 6 d B) in stands of1/3 density of mixed hardwoods within 25 m from middle of the road. Careful design of geometric properties of forest roads as well as planting coniferous trees with hardwoods is a suitable solution for reducing noise pollution.     

Causal effects of shelter forests and water factors on desertification control during 2000–2010 at the Horqin Sandy Land region,China

The Horqin Sandy Land(HSL), the largest sandy land in the semi-arid agro-pastoral ecotone of Northeast China, has been subject to desertification during the past century. In response, and to control the desertification,government implemented the Three-North Shelter/Protective Forest Program, world’s largest ecological reforestation/afforestation restoration program. The program began in1978 and will continue for 75 years until 2050. Understanding the dynamics of desertification and its driving forces is a precondition for controlling desertification.However, there is little evidence to directly link causal effects with desertification process(i.e., on the changing area of sandy land) because desertification is a complex process,that can be affected by vegetation(including vegetation cover and extent of shelter forests) and water factors such as precipitation, surface soil moisture, and evapotranspiration.The objectives of this study were to identify how influencing factors, especially shelter forests, affected desertification in HSL over a recent decade. We used Landsat TM imagery analysis and path analysis to identify the effects of spatiotemporal changes in water and vegetation parameters during2000–2010. Desertification was controlled during the study period, as indicated by a decrease in desert area at a rate of163.3 km2year-1and an increase in the area with reduced intensity or extent of desertification. Total vegetation cover in HSL increased by 10.6 % during the study period and this factor exerted the greatest direct and indirect effects on slowing desertification. The contribution of total vegetation cover to controlling desertification increased with the intensity of desertification. On slightly and extremely severe desertified areas, vegetation cover contributed 5 and 42 % of the desertification reduction, respectively. There were significant correlations between total vegetation cover and water conditions(i.e., evapotranspiration and precipitation)and the area of shelter forests(P \ 0.0001), in which water conditions and the existence of shelter forests contributed49.7 and 12.8 % to total vegetation cover, respectively. The area of shelter forests increased sharply due to program efforts, but only shrub forests had significant direct effects on reducing the area of desertification categorized as slightly desertified. The reason for the lack of direct effect of increased arbor forests(accounting for 95.3 % of the total increase in shelter forests) on reducing desertification might be that the selected arbor species were not suited to water conditions(low precipitation, high evapotranspiration) prevailing at HSL. The establishment of shelter forests aided control of desertification in the HSL region, but the effect was less than expected. Effective control of desertification in the HSL region or other similar sandy areas will require greater improvements in vegetation cover. In particular,shrub species should be selected for plantation with reference to their potential to survive and reproduce in the harsh climatic and weather conditions typical of desertified areas.     

Integrating cross-sensor high spatial resolution satellite images to detect subtle forest vegetation change in the Purple Mountains,a national scenic spot in Nanjing,China

Accurate information on the location and magnitude of vegetation change in scenic areas can guide the configuration of tourism facilities and the formulation of vegetation protection measures. High spatial resolution remote sensing images can be used to detect subtle vegetation changes. The major objective of this study was to map and quantify forest vegetation changes in a national scenic location, the Purple Mountains of Nanjing, China,using multi-temporal cross-sensor high spatial resolution satellite images to identify the main drivers of thevegetation changes and provide a reference for sustainable management. We used Quickbird images acquired in 2004,IKONOS images acquired in 2009, and World View2 images acquired in 2015. Four pixel-based direct change detection methods including the normalized difference vegetation index difference method, multi-index integrated change analysis(MIICA), principal component analysis,and spectral gradient difference analysis were compared in terms of their change detection performances. Subsequently, the best pixel-based detection method in conjunction with object-oriented image analysis was used to extract subtle forest vegetation changes. An accuracy assessment using the stratified random sampling points was conducted to evaluate the performance of the change detection results. The results showed that the MIICA method was the best pixel-based change detection method.And the object-oriented MIICA with an overall accuracy of0.907 and a kappa coefficient of 0.846 was superior to the pixel-based MIICA. From 2004 to 2009, areas of vegetation gain mainly occurred around the periphery of the study area, while areas of vegetation loss were observed in the interior and along the boundary of the study area due to construction activities, which contributed to 79% of the total area of vegetation loss. During 2009–2015, the greening initiatives around the construction areas increased the forest vegetation coverage, accounting for 84% of the total area of vegetation gain. In spite of this, vegetation loss occurred in the interior of the Purple Mountains due to infrastructure development that caused conversion from vegetation to impervious areas. We recommend that:(1) a local multi-agency team inspect and assess law enforcement regarding natural resource utilization; and(2)strengthen environmental awareness education.     

Characteristics of runoff and sediment generation of forest vegetation on a hill slope by use of artificial rainfall apparatus

We studied the impact of forest vegetation on soil erosion,surface runoff, and sediment generation by using field simulated rainfall apparatus. We measured runoff and sediment generation of five 4.5 × 2.1m runoff plots (a bare soil as a control; two Pinus tabulaeformis forestplots and two Platycladus orientalis forest with row spacing of 1 m × 1m and 1.5 m × 1.5 m, respectively) in Beijing Jiu Feng National ForestPark under three rainfall intensities (0.42, 0.83, 1.26 mm per minute).Forest vegetation significantly reduced soil erosion and sediment yield.Mean total runoff volume in the four tree stand plots was 93% of that inthe control plot, demonstrating the limited effectiveness of forest vegetation in runoff control. With increasing rainfall intensity, runoff reductionin forest plots declined from 28.32% to 2.1%. Similar trends in runoff coefficient and the relationship between runoff volume and rainfall duration was observed. Mean total sediment yield and mean sediment yield reduction rate under different treatments was 55.05% and 43.17% of those in the bare soil control plot, respectively. Rainfall intensity playedan important role in runoff and sediment generation processes, and had agreater impact on runoff than on soil erosion and sediment generation.When considering several factors in runoff and sediment transport processes, the P. tabulae form plot with row spacing at 1 × 1 m had a greater effect on soil and water conservation than did other forested plots.     

Land cover mapping of deciduous forest regions using ETM+ data: a case study of Azerbaijan Province,Iran

Up to date information about the existing land cover patterns and changes in land cover over time is one of the prime prerequisites for the preparation of an integrated development plan and economic development program of a region. By using ETM+ image data from 2002, we provided a land cover map of deciduous forest regions in Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Initial qualitative evaluation of the data showed no significant radiometric errors. Image classification was carried out using a maximum likelihood-based supervised classification method. In the end, we determined five major land cover classes, i.e., grass lands, deciduous broad-leaf forest, cultivated land, river and land without vegetation cover. Accuracy, estimated by the use of criteria such as overall accuracy from a confusion matrix of classification was 86% with a 0.88 Kappa coefficient. Such high accuracy results demonstrate that the combined use of spectral and textural characteristics increased the number of classes in the field classification, also with excellent accuracy. The availability and use of time series of remote sensing data permit the detection and quantification of land cover changes and improve our understanding of the past and present status of forest ecosystems.     

Influence of vegetation restoration on matrix structure and erosion resistance of iron tailings sites in eastern Hebei,China

The effects of vegetation restoration on matrix structure and erosion resistance of iron tailings were studied at dump sites in Malanzhuang, Qian'an, Hebei province, China. The restoration process involved soil spray sowing restoration model with Rhus typhina, soil and iron tailings admixture spray sowing restoration model with Amorpha fruticosa Linn. and six-hole brick restoration model with Pinus tabulaeformis Carriere.–Amorpha fruticosa Linn. mixed-forest, and direct restoration model with Hippophae rhamnoides and Sabina vulgaris. Results show that the composition and distribution of particles and aggregates were closely related to erosion resistance(P < 0.05), indicating that matrix structure of iron tailings play an important role in erosion resistance. The improvement in matrix structure of iron tailings by the different restoration models was in the order of R. typhina soil spray sowing > A. fruticosa soil and iron tailings admixture spray sowing > mixed-forest six-hole brick >H. rhamnoides direct restoration > S. vulgaris direct restoration. The R. typhina soil spray sowing restorationmodel resulted in the greatest improvement in matrix structure of iron tailings, increasing the clay(10.6%) and large particle aggregates(18.7%) contents significantly(P < 0.01). Simultaneously, particle population, grading conditions(Cu= 28.86, Cs= 1.65), and aggregate stability(6.02) were significantly improved. The A. fruticosa soil and iron tailings admixture spray sowing restoration model,which effectively improved particle distribution(Cu-= 8.51, Cs= 1.07), increased the number of large aggregates considerably(9.6%), thereby increasing aggregate stability(6.2). The six-hole brick model significantly increased the number of large aggregates(4.0%) and improved the stability of aggregates(6.2). H. rhamnoides direct restoration improved the stability of aggregates(5.1)but showed no other significant improvements. The effect of S. vulgaris direct restoration on matrix structure of iron tailings was not significant. Due to its dependence on matrix structure of iron tailings, the erosion resistance of R.typhina soil spray sowing restoration model was the greatest, while that of S. vulgaris direct restoration was the weakest. There was no significant difference in the erosion resistance of the other models. Overall, vegetation restoration supplemented by soil spray sowing restoration and engineering measures is superior to in situ direct vegetation restoration in the short-term. In-situ direct restoration has long-term ecological significance because of its advanced concept of near-natural restoration and the advantages of low cost, easy operation, and low secondary damage.     

Above and below ground organic carbon stocks in a sub-tropical Pinus roxburghii Sargent forest of the Garhwal Himalayas

Accurate estimates of tree carbon,forest floor carbon and organic carbon in forest soils (SOC) are important in order to determine their contribution to global carbon (C) stocks.However,information about these carbon stocks is lacking.Some studies have investigated regional and continental scale patterns of carbon stocks in forest ecosystems;however,the changes in C storage in different components (vegetation,forest floor and soil) as a function of elevation in forest ecosystems remain poorly understood.In this study,we estimate C stocks of vegetation,forest floor and soils of a Pinus roxburghii Sargent forest in the Garhwal Himalayas along a gradient to quantify changes in carbon stock due to differences in elevation at three sites.The biomass of the vegetation changes drastically with increasing elevation among the three sites.The above-ground biomass (AGB) and below-ground biomass (BGB) were highest at site Ⅰ (184.46 and 46.386 t·ha-1 respectively) at an elevation of 1300 m followed by siteⅡ (173.99 and 44.057 t·ha-1 AGB and BGB respectively) at 1400 m and the lowest AGB and BGB were estimated at site Ⅲ(161.72 and 41.301 t·ha-1) at 1500 m.The trend for SOC stock was similar to that of biomass.Our results suggest that carbon storage (in both soil and biomass) is negatively correlated with elevation.     

Assessment of soil erodibility and aggregate stability for different parts of a forest road

We measured erodibility and mean weight diameter （MWD） of soil aggregates in different parts of a forest road. Samples of topsoil were collected from cutslope, fillslope, road surface and forest ground to assess the texture, bulk density, moisture, CaCO3 and organic matter. Soil aggregate stability was determined by wet sieving. Soil erodibility on the road surface was 2.3 and 1.3 times higher than on the fillslope and cutslope, respectively. The forest soil had the lowest erodibility. Aggregate stability of cutslope and road surface were low and very low, respectively. There was a significant negative relationship between cutslope erodibility with CaCO3 and sand content. Cutslope erodibility increased with increasing silt, clay and moisture content. On fillslopes, MWD increased with in-creasing rock fragment cover, plant cover, litter cover, organic matter and sand. There was a strong negative correlation between fillslope erodibility and organic matter, sand and MWD. There was no significant difference between erodibility of bare soil and soils beneathRubus hyrcanusL. and Philonotis marchica （Hedw.） Brid.     

Forest road design with soil sediment evaluation using a high-resolution DEM

In this study, we combined a program to optimize forest road alignments with a method for prediction of surface erosion and related sediment delivered to streams. Combining the forest road design program with the high-resolution digital elevation model made it possible to estimate soil sediment based on a standard methodology, because a relatively accurate road prism could be generated. The combined program properly places and spaces drainage structures based on the Washington State Forest practice board manual. We applied the program to a part of Capitol State Forest in Washington State and optimized horizontal and vertical alignments while estimating movement of soil sediment from roads to streams. We discussed the effects of road surface materials, near-stream culvert distance to stream, and out-sloped forest road template on total road costs and soil sediment delivered to streams. Using lower quality rock surfacing reduced total costs, but the amount of soil sediment from lower quality rock surfacing was 1.5 times more than that on a higher quality rock traction surface. Therefore, lower quality rock surfacing should not be used near the stream. The placement of near-stream culverts 15 m upstream and out-sloped road template were examined using a traction surface on 15-m sections upstream and lower quality rock surfacing on other sections in order to reduce soil sediments to the stream and total costs. As a result, placing near-stream culverts 15 m upstream and using an out-sloped road template significantly reduced total road cost and soil sediment. Finally, we optimized horizontal and vertical alignments while limiting soil sediment to a specified maximum level. The model successfully optimized forest road alignments, which reduced total road cost as well as soil sediment.     

Effects of roads,topography, and land use on forest cover dynamics in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Roads and topography can determine patterns of land use and distribution of forest cover, particularly in tropical regions. We evaluated how road density, land use, and topography affected forest fragmentation, deforestation and forest regrowth in a Brazilian Atlantic Forest region near the city of São Paulo. We mapped roads and land use/land cover for three years (1962, 1981 and 2000) from historical aerial photographs, and summarized the distribution of roads, land use/land cover and topography within a grid of 94 non-overlapping 100 ha squares. We used generalized least squares regression models for data analysis. Our models showed that forest fragmentation and deforestation depended on topography, land use and road density, whereas forest regrowth depended primarily on land use. However, the relationships between these variables and forest dynamics changed in the two studied periods; land use and slope were the strongest predictors from 1962 to 1981, and past (1962) road density and land use were the strongest predictors for the following period (1981–2000). Roads had the strongest relationship with deforestation and forest fragmentation when the expansions of agriculture and buildings were limited to already deforested areas, and when there was a rapid expansion of development, under influence of São Paulo city. Furthermore, the past (1962) road network was more important than the recent road network (1981) when explaining forest dynamics between 1981 and 2000, suggesting a long-term effect of roads. Roads are permanent scars on the landscape and facilitate deforestation and forest fragmentation due to increased accessibility and land valorization, which control land-use and land-cover dynamics. Topography directly affected deforestation, agriculture and road expansion, mainly between 1962 and 1981. Forest are thus in peril where there are more roads, and long-term conservation strategies should consider ways to mitigate roads as permanent landscape features and drivers facilitators of deforestation and forest fragmentation.     

The impact of road disturbance on vegetation and soil properties in a beech stand,Hyrcanian forest

The ‘road-effect zone’ is a concept developed to describe the impact of road construction on the surrounding area. Although many aspects of the road-effect zone have been investigated, the road-effect zone on soil properties (pH, bulk density, soil moisture, electrical conductivity, organic matter (%), C (%), total N (%), available Na, Ca, Mg, P, and K), light regimes (leaf area index and canopy cover), and a Raunkiaer’s life-form classification of plants remains poorly understood, especially in oriental beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) forests. Hence, the main aims of this research were to estimate the extent of the road-effect zone and to identify the main environmental changes due to forest roads. Specifically, we aimed to evaluate road-effects on: (1) the composition of herbaceous species and tree regeneration (up to 100 m distance from the forest road); (2) the light regime; and (3) soil properties, potentially related to changes in ecosystem functions and composition. We observed that forest roads can have significant impacts on soil, stand characteristics, and vegetation composition. The estimated road-effect zone extended up to 30 m from the road edge. Landscape planners should be aware that road-effect zones can potentially influence the ecology and environmental conditions of an area up to 30 m from the road edge.     

Runoff,sediment loss and water quality from forest roads in a southeast Queensland coastal plain Pinus plantation

Runoff and sediment loss from forest roads were monitored for a two-year period in a Pinus plantation in southeast Queensland. Two classes of road were investigated: a gravelled road, which is used as a primary daily haulage route for the logging area, and an ungravelled road, which provides the main access route for individual logging compartments and is intensively used as a haulage route only during the harvest of these areas (approximately every 30 years). Both roads were subjected to routine traffic loads and maintenance during the study. Surface runoff in response to natural rainfall was measured and samples taken for the determination of sediment and nutrient (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon and total iron) loads from each road.Results revealed that the mean runoff coefficient (runoff depth/rainfall depth) was consistently higher from the gravelled road plot with 0.57, as compared to the ungravelled road with 0.38. Total sediment loss over the two-year period was greatest from the gravelled road plot at 5.7 t km⁻¹ compared to the ungravelled road plot with 3.9 t km⁻¹. Suspended solids contributed 86% of the total sediment loss from the gravelled road, and 72% from the ungravelled road over the two years. Nitrogen loads from the two roads were both relatively constant throughout the study, and averaged 5.2 and 2.9 kg km⁻¹ from the gravelled and ungravelled road, respectively. Mean annual phosphorus loads were 0.6 kg km⁻¹ from the gravelled road and 0.2 kg km⁻¹ from the ungravelled road. Organic carbon and total iron loads increased in the second year of the study, which was a much wetter year, and are thought to reflect the breakdown of organic matter in roadside drains and increased sediment generation, respectively.When road and drain maintenance (grading) was performed runoff and sediment loss were increased from both road types. Additionally, the breakdown of the gravel road base due to high traffic intensity during wet conditions resulted in the formation of deep (10 cm) ruts which increased erosion.The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP):Road model was used to compare predicted to observed runoff and sediment loss from the two road classes investigated. For individual rainfall events, WEPP:Road predicted output showed strong agreement with observed values of runoff and sediment loss. WEPP:Road predictions for annual sediment loss from the entire forestry road network in the study area also showed reasonable agreement with the extrapolated observed values.     

Stand structure and plant species occurrence in forest edge habitat along different aged roads on Okinawa Island, southwestern Japan

We compared stand structure and plant species occurrence on the shoulders of 3-, 10- and 20-year-old roads in a subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest to document temporal changes in edge effects of forest roads. We recorded 154 vascular species in the study plots, including 3 non-native species. We used generalized linear mixed models to analyze changes in forest structure and plant species composition in relationship to the distance from forest roads. The spatial patterns in stand structure at different distances from roads differed with road age. The large canopy openness on the edge of 3-year-old roads decreased with time after the construction. A progressive decrease in tree height on roadsides was observed after the road construction, suggesting tall trees could not withstand the dry and windy roadside environment. The edge effect on the canopy tended to be larger at higher elevation sites. The spatio-temporal pattern of species occurrence based on distance from roads differed by species. Typical pioneer species such as Schima wallichii and Eurya japonica increased along the edge, while less aggressive pioneer species and understory species decreased. As time passed after the road construction, some climax and understory species decreased at the forest edge, while other climax and understory species increased. The modeling methods proposed in this study could be applied to different roadside and edge study sites.     

Grizzly bears and forestry: I: Road vegetation and placement as an attractant to grizzly bears

Today's growing demand for timber is increasing road development in once roadless forest ecosystems. Roads create both local changes in plant communities and landscape-level changes in forest connectivity. Roads also increase human access, which can be detrimental to species such as grizzly bears. Because most grizzly bear mortalities occur near roads, we examined grizzly bear attractants near roads, which could increase bear use of roadsides and consequently increase human/grizzly bear interactions. We measured the prevalence of 16 grizzly bear foods near roads and examined patterns in road placement to better understand use of roaded habitats by grizzly bears in west-central Alberta. We found that roadsides had a higher frequency of ants, Equisetum spp., Taraxicum officinale, Trifolium spp., graminoids, and sedges; whereas, interior forest stands had a higher frequency of Shepherdia canadensis, Vaccinium myrtilloides, V. vitis-idaea, and ungulate pellets, an indicator of ungulate presence. In addition, roads near water had a greater occurrence of Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and Equisetum spp. than roads not near water, indicating that road placement influenced bear food diversity. Patterns in road placement varied between the upper and lower foothills, although models for the lower foothills predicted road placement in both regions. In the lower foothills, roads were constructed at low elevation, low soil moisture, high sun exposure, and intermediate terrain ruggedness, possibly similar to sites selected by bears. Reducing grizzly bear foods near roads should involve decreasing the width of roadside ditches, banning the planting of clover (Trifolium spp.), and reevaluating road placement in areas with high grizzly bear density.     

澳大利亚林区道路发展及启示

澳大利亚森林资源丰富,林区道路建设历史悠久,密集而发达的林区道路及其现有林道改进方案保证了澳大利亚森林道路的良性有序发展,保障了森林和木材资源的可持续、综合和有效利用。文中概述了澳大利亚林区道路发展现状,包括林区道路“用者自付”原则下的多元化投融资机制,以及林区道路的管理体制和机制、建设规划及建设规范等;分析了中国林业道路建设和发展的现状及问题;提出了我国林区道路建设需要促进投融资渠道多元化、重视林道规划和规程的规范化建设、注重维护生态社会与经济效益的统一等启示和建议。     

Ruffed grouse-habitat preference in the central and southern Appalachians

Ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus; hereafter grouse) populations in the central and southern Appalachians (CSA) are declining due to widespread maturation of forest cover. Effective management of this species requires a sex- and age-specific understanding of habitat preferences at multiple temporal and spatial scales. We used multivariate logistic regression models to compare habitat within 1440 grouse home ranges and 1400 equally sized buffered random points across 7 CSA study areas. On most sites, grouse home ranges were positively associated with roads and young forest (<20 years old). Sex and age status affected habitat preference. In general, males used younger forest than females, likely because of differences in habitat use during reproductive periods. Juveniles had fewer vegetation types preferred by adult grouse and more of the avoided vegetation types within their home ranges, indicative of competitive exclusion. Adult females had the greatest specificity and selectivity of habitat conditions within their home ranges. Habitat selection varied among seasons and years on most sites. Winter habitat use reflected behavior that maximized energy conservation, with open vegetation types avoided in the winter on the northernmost study areas, and topography important on all areas. Summer habitat selection reflected vegetation types associated with reproductive activities. Scale influenced habitat preference as well. Although roads and forest age predominantly influenced grouse home range location within the landscape, mesic forest types were most important in determining core area use within the home range. This was likely a result of increased food availability and favorable microclimate. Habitat management efforts should attempt to maintain ∼3–4% of the landscape in young forest cover (<20 years old), evenly distributed across management areas. Roads into these areas should be seeded as appropriate to enhance brood habitat and provide travel corridors connecting suitable forest stands.