Estimation of area burned by forest fires in Mediterranean countries: A remote sensing data mining perspective

Forest fires throughout the world result in tree mortality that can cause substantial timber and carbon losses. There is a critical need to map the areas burned by such fires to guide forest management decisions. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite imagery provides inexpensive and frequent coverage over large areas, facilitating forest health monitoring. In this study a MODIS post-fire image at a spatial resolution of 250 m serves as the starting point of an image mining based method. It involves three algorithms: modeling as a sum of Gaussian functions, kernel based smoothing, and adaptive thresholding. Adaptive thresholding serves as the reference to be compared to the image mining based method. Three spectral indices specifically designed for burned area identification have been used: the Burned Area Index (BAI), the Burned Area Index adapted to MODIS bands (BAIM), and the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR). The κ statistic is applied to quantify the accuracy of the burned areas estimations by relating the estimated area with burned area perimeters measured on the ground by Global Positioning System (GPS). In addition, the κ statistic allows us to identify both the optimal spectral index and the optimal algorithms’ parameters. In this work, an accurate estimation (κ > 0.8) of areas burned by forest fires in Mediterranean countries is achieved, in particular if the BAIM index is used. The accuracy of these estimates is compared with the accuracy obtained by using the reference method by a McNemar’s test. Results show that our image mining based method allows a higher accuracy (the average increase of κ equals to 16%) than the reference method. We conclude that this method adequately maps burned areas, and that it may help management agencies to better understand of landscape-scale burn patterns.     

Influences of postfire salvage logging on forest birds in the Eastern Cascades,Oregon, USA

In coniferous forests of western North American, fire is an important disturbance that influences the structure and composition of floral and faunal communities. The impacts of postfire management, including salvage logging and replanting, on these forests are not well known. We compared densities and relative abundances of forest birds after fire in unsalvaged stands and stands subjected to one of two intensities of salvage logging (moderate, 30 snags retained per ha and heavy, 5–6 snags retained per ha) in mixed-conifer forests in central Oregon. We used analysis of variance with repeated measures to evaluate three hypotheses concerning the influence of different intensities of salvage on densities or relative abundances of sixteen species of birds, and two hypotheses concerning the influence of time since salvage logging on relative abundances or densities of birds. We also examined the relationship between vegetation and abundances of each bird species. We did not detect significant differences among treatments in densities or relative abundances for eight species and one genus of birds. We detected significant differences for seven species, though the patterns differed among species. Relative abundances or densities of the black-backed woodpecker (Picoides arcticus), hairy woodpecker (P. villosus), brown creeper (Certhia americana), western wood-pewee (Contopus sordidulus) and yellow-rumped warbler (Dendroica coronata) were lower in the heavy and moderate salvage treatment compared to the unsalvaged treatment, while densities of the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) and fox sparrow (Passerella iliaca) were greater in the moderately and heavily salvaged stands than in the unsalvaged treatment. We detected significant differences between years for four species of birds. Our findings suggest that both cavity-nesting and cup-nesting species respond to salvage logging, and that some species respond uniquely to habitat features influenced by salvage logging. For species that responded negatively to salvage logging, the moderate salvage intensity did not appear to mitigate the negative influence of salvage logging. Areas of unlogged burned forest appear to provide important habitat for some species of birds following forest fires. Our findings parallel those of other recent studies of these species, suggesting robust patterns that transcend particular locations.     

Assessing forest structure and function from spectral transmittance measurements: a case study in a Mediterranean holm oak forest

Annual changes in structural attributes and seasonal dynamics in water content, photosynthetic rate and light-use efficiency (LUE) were assessed by spectral transmittance for 4 years (1999-2003) in six stands of a Mediterranean holm oak forest. Green biomass, total biomass and leaf area index (LAI) were determined. In 1999, seasonal dynamics of net carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange and water content were measured. We recorded photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) transmittance and hyperspectral transmittance in the 400-1100 nm region and derived reflectance-based vegetation indices. Transmittance over the PAR region derived from either ceptometer or spectroradiometer measurements (PART and TPAR, respectively) was related to green and total biomass. Both PART and TPAR were also related to LAI (r=0.79 and r=0.70, respectively, P <0.001) and were appropriate for comparison among stands, whereas subtle changes in LAI within a stand were better assessed by the transmittance amplitude in the red edge region (TRE) (within a stand, r=0.77-0.99, P <0.001). Spectral transmittance-based indices successfully captured physiological processes that occurred on temporal (seasonal) and spatial scales. The transmittance-based water index (TWI) was related to both foliage and canopy water content (r=0.69, P <0.001). Estimates of foliage and canopy water content improved in dense (closed) stands (r=0.84 and r=0.87, respectively, P <0.001) compared with low-density stands. Under non-drought conditions, transmittance-based photochemical reflectance index (TPRI) was related to LUE (r=0.58, P <0.05) and net CO2 exchange (r=0.72, P <0.01), and the combined TPAR x TPRI index greatly improved these relationships (r=0.93 and r=0.84, respectively, P <0.01), indicating that both structural and physiological adjustments modified CO2 fixation capacity in these forest stands. Our novel approach to the study of transmitted radiation provides a tool for estimating structural and functional variables such as LAI, LUE and water content, which are key determinants of terrestrial productivity.     

Derivation of stumpage value and logging costs for individual forest stands using aerial photographs and cartographic modelling

A procedure for calculation of stumpage value and logging costs of individual mature forest stands using aerial photo‐interpretation and a grid‐based geographical information system (GIS) is presented. The stumpage value may be computed from characteristics related to the trees, i.e. site index, stand mean height, crown closure, and tree species distribution, using price equations. By means of cost equations, the logging costs may be calculated from the tree characteristics and the terrain characteristics of slope gradient and skidding distance. The practical application of the procedure was demonstrated by a case study in a 710 ha forest area in southern Norway. The tree characteristics were determined by photo‐interpretation of individual stands. Skid paths for wood transportation from the stands to landings along the forest roads were delineated by photo‐interpretation of the ground conditions. Slope and skidding distances were derived by a digital elevation model and cartographic modelling. Finally, the photo‐interpreted tree characteristics and the computed slope and skidding distances were used for calculation of the stumpage value and the logging costs of each stand. According to previous tests, the accuracy of the procedure corresponded to the accuracy that could be achieved by the field‐survey methods used most frequently.     

The effects of wildfire, salvage logging, and post-fire N-fixation on the nutrient budgets of a Sierran forest

The effects of fire, post-fire salvage logging, and revegetation on nutrient budgets were estimated for a site in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains that burned in a wildfire in 1981. Approximately two decades after the fire, the shrub (former fire) ecosystem contained less C and more N than the adjacent forest ecosystem. Reconstruction of pre-fire nutrient budgets suggested that most C was exported in biomass during salvage logging and will not be recovered until forest vegetation occupies the site again. Salvage logging may have resulted in longer-term C sequestration in wood products than would have occurred had the logs been left in the field to decay, however. Reconstructed budgets suggested that most N was lost via volatilization during the fire rather than in post-fire salvage logging (assuming that foliage and O horizons were combusted). Comparisons of the pre-fire and present day N budgets also suggested that the lost N was rapidly replenished in O horizons and mineral soils, probably due to N-fixation by snowbush (Ceanothus velutinus Dougl.), the dominant shrub on the former fire site. There were no significant differences in ecosystem P, K, or S contents and no consistent, significant differences in soil extractable P or S between the shrub and forested plots. Exchangeable K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ were consistently and significantly greater in shrub than in adjacent forested soils, however, and the differences were much larger than could be accounted for by estimated ash inputs. In the case of Ca, even the combustion of all aboveground organic matter could not account for more than a fraction of the difference in exchangeable pools. We speculate that the apparent large increased in soil and ecosystem Ca content resulted from either the release of Ca from non-exchangeable forms in the soil or the rapid uptake and recycling of Ca by post-fire vegetation.     

基于森林资源清样调查资料的森林生产力估算模式--以中国油松林为例

准确地评估森林净第一性生产力(NPP)对于评估全球收支有着十分重要的作用。本文充分利用森林资源清样调查资料,并动态地评估森林生产力,以油松林为例建立了反映生物因素(蓄积量V和林龄A)和气候因素(年实际蒸散E)综合影响的中国油松林生物气候生产力(NPPa)模型。基于所建模型和第四次我国油松林资源的清样调查资料(1989-1993年),估算了中国油松林的净第一性生产力,并借助于地理信息系统软件给出了中国油松林的分布格局。结果表明:我国油松林的平均净第一性生产力为7.82thm-2a-1,其变化幅度为3.32~11.87thm-2a-1。中国油松林净第一性生产力有明显的区域差异,表现为南高北低的分布趋势。山西和陕西为中国油松林的集中分布区,生产力水平处于中等,约为7.4thm-2a-1;油松林集中分布区的南部(四川、湖北、河南等省),生产力水平较高,均大于7.7thm-2a-1;而在油松林集中分布区的北部和西部(内蒙古、宁夏等省),生产力水平较低,NPP均低于5thm-2a-1。该研究为利用森林资源清样调查资料评估森林NPP的动态及研究其对气候变化的响应提供一个有效思路。图3表2参46。     

Estimating harvest costs and projecting quantities of logging residues for small-scale forestry in Nasushiobara,Tochigi Prefecture,Japan

We used GIS on a regional scale to estimate and compare supply potentials and costs of small-scale logging systems, a mini-forwarder and a 4-ton truck operated by private logging contractors, and manual logging and a light truck operated by individual forest own- ers, with the mechanized operational system of the Forest Owners＇ Asso- ciation. Total potential yields of timber and logging residues were esti- mated as 418,895 m3 and 254,962 m3, respectively. The economic bal- ances were estimated and available amounts were projected as supply potentials from profitable sub-compartments. As a result, available amounts of timber and logging residues were estimated at 375,466 m3 （89.9%） and 203,850 m3 （80.0%）, respectively. Because their transport expenses were lower than for other systems the most profitable sub-compartments were operated by private logging contractors who sold logging residues at a plant. The profitable sub-compartments operated by individual forest owners were few because the extracting distances were usually greater than 20 m. Raising logging residue prices from 3,000 yen·m-3 to 4,080 yen·m-3 or 6,800 yen·m-3, and establishing forest roads, which reduced some extracting distances to less than 20 m, increased the number and area of profitable sub＊compartments, and increased available amounts of logging residues.     

余姚市沿海防护林体系建设总体规划的探讨

通过对余姚市沿海防护林现状地实地调查和论证分析,依据浙江省沿海防护林体系建设工程规划要求,提出余姚市沿海防护林体系建设工程总体规划目标、三线三区布局结构,并提出了加强宣传、强化执法、加大资金投入与保障体系建设等对策措施,为沿海防护林体系相关建设提供借鉴。     

三门县沿海防护林体系建设探讨

三门县地处浙江省东部沿海,台风灾害频发,危害严重,自沿海防护林体系建设工程实施以来,森林资源大幅增加,城乡绿化水平不断提高,树种结构不断优化,生态功能逐步发挥,工程实施成效显著,但仍然存在林业基础薄弱、非法破坏严重、实际矛盾突出、造林难度较大、树种选择困难、造林用地不足等问题。立足于前期工程实施取得的成效与存在的不足,从加强组织领导、严格质量管理、活化经营机制、加大宣传教育和提高科技含量等五个方面提出相应的对策与建议,旨在提高后续工程管理的质量与水平。     

Timber market actors' values on forest legislation: A case study from Colombia

Tropical forest of the world is home of several species of flora and fauna and it serves as a source of income for thousands of people. To maintain the current forest covers is a complex endeavor, there is a wide variety of ecosystems that compete with other land uses, there is also large volumes of tropical timber sold in the market that serve to reduce poverty, and a large number of forest dwellers pursuing different benefits from the forest. The objective of this study was to understand stakeholders´ values about Colombian forest legislation and its implications for legal timber trade. Participants of this study represented stakeholders from the three forest regions that produce 71% of the total timber from natural stands. By using Q methodology, a technique that combines qualitative and quantitative methods to systematically study subjectivity, four distinct perspectives were found. These perspectives show the complexity to enforce the law because this does not include regional particularities, there are high levels of bureaucracy as a product of the previous factor; there is also a lack of quality in the forest management plans and government transparency. Although the management of natural resources of Colombia is decentralized, forest legislation is part of a comprehensive national legal system that does not consider the wide variety of forest types that require different forestry practices and serve several social needs. This implies that effective compliance with forest law rests on a devolution of the legislation that could include particularities of each forest productive region.     

Successional process of Picea crassifolia forest after logging disturbance in semiarid mountains: A case study in the Qilian Mountains,northwestern China

Selective logging is the most widely employed method of commercial timber production in Asia, and its impact on forest structure, composition, and regeneration dynamics is considerable. However, the successional processes in forest communities after logging in semiarid mountains are poorly understood. To provide more information on these processes, we used data from tree rings, direct and indirect age determinations, and field measurements of stand structure to reconstruct the historical disturbance regime, stand development patterns, and successional processes in a natural Picea crassifolia forest community in the Qilian Mountains of northwestern China. The results showed that the density of P. crassifolia forest increased significantly after logging. The densities of second growth forests 30 and 70 years after logging disturbance had increased to 2874% and 294% of primary forest's density, respectively. Logging disturbance did not alter tree species composition of logged stands. However, the diversity of understory species changed significantly among the successional phases. Logging disturbance decreased the spatial heterogeneity of second growth forest. The spatial distributions of recruitment were affected by the location of the remaining trees. There was less recruitment near the remaining trees than near forest that had been cut. In addition, logging disturbance also induced a growth release for the trees on the sites sampled. Our results imply that the succession and regeneration of P. crassifolia forest may be improved if the remaining trees could be retained relative uniform distribution pattern, thinning or selective logging could be performed to height density, exotic shrubs could be removed or the shrubs cover could be reduced during the earlier successional stages.     

Impact of community forest program in protection forest on livelihood outcomes: A case study of Lampung Province,Indonesia

The global to local-level importance of Indonesian forests for the environment and development is now very well documented. However, how to govern these forests to achieve the diverse and, at times, conflicting interests is still an open question. Hutan Kemasyarakatan (HKm) is a community forest (CF) that is being implemented to contribute to local development while creating sufficient incentives for conserving the forest. Previous studies have demonstrated the potential of HKm to conserve forests. This study analyzed the changes in the five major types of capital for HKm farmers. The results indicated HKm to have contributed positively to the improvement of natural, physical, and human capital. In addition to its direct impact, HKm was also found to improve the financial capital of the farmers by avoiding patron–client relationships and side payments between the pre-HKm illegal encroacher farmers (now legal land cultivators) and government officers. Although the results support the possibility of HKm producing a win-win situation between forest conservation and rural development, its future applicability, especially with consideration of population growth and associated increase in demand for cultivation land, needs to be given due emphasis.     

SITE CLASSIFICATION FOR PROTECTIVE FOREST AFFORESTATION ON THE COAST OF CHINA

Land for protective forest on the coast has special site conditions,and siteclassification is the scientific basis for seaboard afforestation.The site classification systemon the coast zone and islands of China may be classified into five levels-site region(sub-region),district,class,group,and type.The land division for afforestation is carried outby the principle of enviornmental heterogeneity among regions,sub-region and district onlarge scale,according to the difference of air temperature,moisture and type of coastgeomorphy.It may be classified into 7 regions,12 sub-regions and 55 districts.Themedium and small scaled division for site class,group and type,subdivided in a sitedistrict,are based on medium topography,topographic climate,micro-relief and soil conditions.     

Estimating the demand for non-timber forest products among rural communities: a case study from the Sinharaja Rain Forest region,Sri Lanka

Lack of adequate knowledge on forest-people interaction is an important reason for the failure of many conservation policies. This study focuses on the behavior of peripheral communities towards non-timber forest product (NTFP) harvesting by estimating the demand functions for NTFP. The paper develops a theoretical model for deriving the shadow price for NTFP using time allocation among different economic activities. Then it tests the competitive time allocation hypothesis between NTFP extraction and tea plantations, the predominant agricultural sector in the vicinity of Sinharaja rain forest. Results provide statistical evidence for the existence of competitive time allocation between tea plantations and NTFP extraction. Own-price elasticities are consistently inelastic, except for one product. As indicated by the inelastic responses, pricing policies may not be very useful in manipulating subsistence NTFP extraction. Repeating similar studies for commercial NTFPs is encouraged.     

苏北沿海地区不同模式农田林网胁地效应的研究

从野外测定和理论估算两个方面，分析了苏北沿海地区杨树和水杉农田林网的胁地范围，结果表明：这两种模式农田林网存在着不同程度的胁地作用，且网格组成林带的胁地范围有着明显的差异，南林带量严重，水杉林网为１．０Ｈ；；杨树林网为１．５Ｈ；东、西林带其次，水杉林网为０．５－０．８Ｈ；杨树林网为１．０Ｈ；北林带胁地范围不明显。在胁地范围内，水杉林网的小麦减产率约为杨树林网的一半（北林带除外）。     

Traditional mule logging method in Hyrcanian Forest: a study of the impact on forest stand and soil

We inventoried plant regeneration and soil compaction along mule trails to evaluate damage to forest stands and regeneration follow-ing mule hauling before and after operations in Kheyrud Forest in the...     

Recovery of floristic diversity,composition and structure of regrowth forests on fallow lands: implications for conservation and restoration of degraded forest lands in Laos

New Forests - In Laos, there are extensive shifting cultivation areas and regrowth forests spontaneously established on fallow lands. The aims of the study were to conduct a comparative study of...     

Influence of historical land use on present-day forest patterns: A case study in south-western Germany

Two major questions were investigated in this study: (1) What are the contributions of historical in comparison with natural factors to the development of present-day forest patterns? (2) What implications can be drawn from an understanding of forest patterns and historical land-use development with regard to landscape planning and nature conservation? The Sandstein-Spessart, a natural unit in south-western Germany, served as an example to show the influence of different types and intensities of land use on the differentiation of the natural landscape. The methodological approach to this study was a synthesis of previously available information. It was shown that different initial site conditions within the natural unit such as geology and climate led partly to the spatial differentiation of the present-day landscape. However, economic and political factors such as the glasswork industry and hunting activities also played a major role in the development of different forest patterns. Examples are given of how this synthesis of landscape ecology and landscape history can provide a useful basis for nature conservation and landscape planning.     

Heterogeneity of linear forest formations: differing potential for biodiversity conservation. A case study in Italy

Trees outside forests (TOF) are important elements of the landscape and they supply goods and environmental services such as commercial production of timber and fibre, domestic production of food and firewood, carbon sequestration, conservation of habitats and species (plants and animals), erosion control and soil and water quality improvement. TOF include different types of landscape elements: small woodlands, trees along linear features such as property boundaries, roads, railways, rivers and canals, hedgerows or linear forest formations, groups of trees and isolated scattered trees, which have also different ecological functions. The article focuses on the importance and role of linear forest formations (LFF) in the rural context, with special reference to the biodiversity conservation function. It presents the results of research done in the Veneto region, north-eastern Italy. The authors have designed a sampling scheme for LFF based on the Italian National Forest Inventory and tested an indicator system in order to evaluate the quality and biodiversity of the LFF. The indicators used are: LFF type and tree species composition, vertical structure and canopy cover, naturalness, introduced species and deadwood (standing and lying). The main advantages and limitations of the applied method are discussed.     

Estimating forest biomass increment based on permanent sample plots in relation to woodfuel consumption: a case study in Kampong Thom Province,Cambodia

To assess the sustainability of forest use for woodfuel, above ground biomass increment must be examined against woodfuel consumption. However, reliable data on the biomass increment of tropical forests are very limited. In this study, we estimated above ground forest biomass increment in Kampong Thom Province, Cambodia, using two consecutive measurements of 32 permanent sample plots in 1998 and 2000, and forest inventory data of 540 plots collected in 1997. The permanent sampling plot data were used to determine the relationship between initial biomass and subsequent biomass increment over a 2-year period. This relationship was applied to the inventory data to obtain a robust estimate of biomass increment across the major forest types for the entire province. The weighted average annual above ground biomass increment for the whole province was 4.77Mg/ha, or 2.3% of biomass. Woodfuel consumption was estimated to be about 2% of biomass increment for the province, suggesting that deficiency of woodfuel may not occur in this province. However, localized variation needs to be taken into account and there is a need to examine the effects of stand age and factors such as soil type, microtopography, and species composition on biomass increment and to consider woodfuel collection rate in specific forest areas with respect to accessibility for firewood collection.