浅析森林在生态文明观形成中的重要作用

生态文明是指人类遵循人、自然、社会和谐发展这一客观规律而取得的物质与精神成果的总和,是继原始文明、农业文明、工业文明之后的又一文明形态。生态文明强调人与自然的和谐统一,而林业是自然环境的重要我体,因此在生态文明建设中具有举足轻重的地位。文章从森林与各个人类文明形态的辨证关系入手,探讨了生态文明出现的历史必然。     

Commercial forest fertilization causes long-term residual effects in ground vegetation of boreal forests

Due to an increasing demand of forestry products, nitrogen (N) fertilization of coniferous forests may in the future become a standard silvicultural practice in parts of the boreal region that is not too remotely situated. Beside positive effects on productivity, forest fertilization may induce changes in species composition of the ground vegetation. More information on the magnitude of such side effects is needed to evaluate whether commercial forest fertilization is in accordance with principles of sustainable forestry and preservation of biodiversity.     

Recovery of understory vegetation biomass and biodiversity in burned larch boreal forests in Northeastern China

Recovery of biomass and biodiversity of forest understory vegetation after fire disturbance has been widely studied; however, how this relationship changes and what are the determinants at different post-fire stages in larch boreal forests are still unclear. We investigated a chronosequence of 81 understory plots in larch boreal forests that were disturbed by fires in 1987 (S5), 1992 (S4), 1996 (S3), 2002 (S2), or 2007 (S1). Analysis of variance was conducted to test the differences of biodiversity and biomass among various post-fire stages. Different regression models were used to fit the relationship between biomass and biodiversity, while factors influencing this relationship were identified by boosted regression tree analysis. Results showed that total understory biomass increased from 2.51?t?ha^?1 in S1 to 8.47?t?ha^?1 in S3 and declined to 5?t?ha^?1 in S5. Similar dynamics were also found between species richness and species diversity. Positive linear correlations linked biomass and biodiversity throughout most of the post-fire periods. Slope and stand density were the two most important factors influencing the secondary succession of understory vegetation after fire. Geographical factors and overstory competition determine the orientation of vegetation recovery, and the impacts of climate on vegetation are muted after fire disturbances.     

Understory vegetation of boreal tree plantations: Differences in relation to previous land use and natural forests

The aim of this study was to evaluate if and how the previous land use (here: agriculture versus forest) has influenced the floristic composition now observed in the understory of jack pine plantations of Abitibi-Temiscamingue (North-Eastern Canada). Floristic inventories were conducted in jack pine plantations which had been established on forest sites after logging and on sites previously utilized for agriculture. These were compared to one another and to inventories conducted in natural forests and on agricultural sites which had not (not yet) been planted with trees (old fields). The vegetation community composition of the sites is analysed using several multivariate techniques. Results show that the flora of plantations on old agricultural fields is markedly different than that of plantations established on sites which were previously forested and that the two types of plantation are unlikely to become floristically the same before the anticipated harvest time. Comparing old and young plantations and old fields in light of natural forests sites, we show that the previous land-use is a key determinant of future compositional differences in plantations. This must be considered when we evaluate the impact of establishing plantations on sites with different land-use histories.     

Forest edge structure as a shaping factor of understorey vegetation in urban forests in Finland

We investigated the effects of edge structure (i.e. side-canopy openness based on tree, sapling and shrub characteristics, and the composition of tree species) on the understorey vegetation at mesic urban conifer-dominated forest edges in southern Finland. Forest edge structure had an effect on understorey vegetation, and on the spatial extent of the edge effect into the forests. At open edges the edge effect (in terms of the abundances of understorey vegetation) penetrated at least up to 30 m into the forest patches whereas closed edges may prevent these effects. A multilayered canopy with saplings and shrubs at the edge is important to alleviate the effects of the edge. We found that 225–250 m³ ha⁻¹ of trees (diameter at breast height (dbh) > 5 cm) is adequate to restrict the edge effect near the edge. However, the number of broad-leaved trees may be high at edges which, in turn, diminishes the abundance of mosses and favours herb species, thus changing the original natural understorey vegetation composition. Therefore we recommend that conifers be favoured at the edges of mesic conifer-dominated forest patches if the purpose is to restrict the extent of the effects of habitat edges. The appropriate proportion of conifers at these edges should be 80% or more.     

The role of vegetation management for enhancing productivity of the world's forests

The management of competing vegetation has evolved with forestmanagement over the past half century and is now an integralpart of modern forestry practice in many parts of the world.Vegetation management, primarily using herbicides, has provenespecially important in the establishment of high-yield forestplantations. There has been a substantial amount of researchquantifying the wood yield gains from the management of competingvegetation over the past few decades. We reviewed results from60 of the longest-term studies in North America (Canada andUS), South Africa, South America (Brazil) and New Zealand/Australia.About three-quarters of the studies reported 30–500 percent increases in wood volume from the most effective vegetationtreatments. In North America, where the longest-term studiesfor a variety of tree species were between 10 and 35 years old(or from 20–100 per cent of rotation age), gains in woodvolume ranged from 4–11 800 per cent in Pacific north-westernforests, 14–5840 per cent in the south-eastern forests,and 49–5478 per cent in northern forests. In South Africaand South America (Brazil), several full-rotation (6–8years) studies with eucalyptus indicate 29–122 per centand 10–179 per cent increases in wood volume yield, respectively,from effective vegetation management. In New Zealand, time gainsof 1 to 4 years from early vegetation control in radiata pineplantations translated into 7–27 per cent increases inwood volume yield over a 25- to 30-year rotation.     

Carbon storage in southern boreal forests following fire

>Changes in carbon (C) after fire were measured in seven southern boreal upland forest stands during the five immediate post‐fire years and 23 years after the fire. Pre‐fire above‐ground C mass of the stands was estimated. Combustion losses were 19% of the pre‐fire above‐ground C mass (8.4 kg m^?2), and an additional 4% of that C mass was lost in the following 3–4 years. After 23 years, neither C mass of understory (0.1 kg m^?2) nor standing snags (0.3 kg m^?2) differed from that estimated before the fire; tree C was less (2.4 vs. 6.0 kg C m^?2), and forest floor (2.5 vs. 1.4 kg C m^?2) and coarse woody debris (1.7 vs. 0.7 kg C m^?2) C were higher. Above‐ground C mass was 84% of pre‐fire mass. There were no measured changes in surface soil C following the fire (2.9 kg C m^?2). Total C mass, including surface soil, was 10.2 kg m^?2 at 23 years or 91% of the estimated pre‐fire C. Although gross fluxes of C followed the fire, massive net losses of C did not occur either immediately or in the two decades after fire. Dynamics of C differed among the stands. Data from either a single stand or a chronosequence in space can lead to different conclusions than those derived from multiple stands through time.     

Characterizing woodland caribou habitat in sub-boreal and boreal forests

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) are sensitive to changes in understory vegetation resulting from forest harvesting and are, therefore, of special concern for foresters and habitat biologists. Effective management of this species requires reliable habitat inventories which, because of the large heterogeneous areas over which caribou range, can be costly. We used Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery and digital elevation data to identify 23 vegetative cover types across the 5100 km² range of the Wolverine caribou herd of northcentral British Columbia, Canada. The classification was augmented with available geographical information system (GIS) data for a total of 27 cover types. We achieved an overall accuracy of 76.7% based on known ground samples; however, accuracy varied according to cover type. Considering the size of the study area, the procedure we employed was relatively cost effective and efficient. We discuss the advantages of such an approach for wildlife-habitat studies reliant on large-scale vegetation maps.     

Identifying factors affecting plantation performance in boreal forests of Ontario

Plantation data from northern Ontario were subjected to stepwise regression analysis to express survival and total height as functions of site factors, planting stock characteristics and age for each of black spruce (Picea mariana [Mill.] B.S.P.), white spruce (P. glauca [Moench] Voss) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.).Total height and height increment were affected more significantly, but by fewer factors, than survival. Black spruce survival was the most heterogeneous variable, as six factors accounted for 55.6% of its variability. Between one and five qualitative site factors (represented by dummy variables) accounted for less than 23% and 30%, respectively, of the variability in survival rate and total height. Stock type, planting season, weed control and chemical site preparation showed low but significant correlations with the response variables. Quality index was significant in every case, while shoot:root ratio, root collar diameter and dry weight were significant in some cases. The single most significant variable was plantation age, accounting for up to 30% and 63%, respectively, of the variability in survival rate and total height.     

Influence of tree species on understory vegetation diversity and mechanisms involved—A critical review for temperate and boreal forests

Tree species composition is a primary attribute of forest ecosystems, and is often manipulated by silvicultural practices. Forest management to diversify tree species is now being promoted to favor biodiversity. To assess the soundness of this policy we reviewed and analyzed the literature on the relationship between tree species composition and floristic diversity, including the mechanisms involved therein. Coniferous forests generally provide less diversified vascular understories than broadleaved forests. At the tree species scale, there are not enough reports to draw firm conclusions on the effect of any particular species. Mixing of deciduous and coniferous tree species generally affects understory diversity, but in almost all cases maximum diversity is observed in one of the pure stands, not in mixed stands. Understory vegetation is influenced by overstory composition and structure through modifications of resource availability (light, water and soil nutrients) and other effects, such as physical characteristics of the litter layer. Overstory light transmittance and diverse properties of forest litter are factors that have been most fully studied to date, but other factors such as throughfall water quantity and chemistry may also play a role. While the relative importance of mechanisms that account for the effect of overstory on understory biodiversity has often been discussed, these mechanisms have rarely been the subject of formal experiments. Overall, varying management practices and site attributes make it difficult to generalize results. They combine with the effects of tree species in influencing understory vegetation diversity, but they have been rarely considered. Future research is needed to gain a better understanding of the relationship between overstory and understory diversity and establish general laws.     

Dynamics of seedling establishment and survival in uneven-aged boreal forests

The aim of this study was to describe the dynamics of seedling establishment and development in spruce-dominated uneven-aged boreal forests. The study was based on empirical data from 15 stands with permanent plots, which had been intensively monitored for 10 years in southern Finland. All trees (height > 1.3 m) were measured every fifth year. Regeneration was measured on 64 permanent sample plots (4 m²) in each stand. The establishment of first-year seedlings was analysed on a yearly basis. The survival and development of older Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) seedlings were analysed based on observations made every five years. The establishment of spruce seedlings was closely correlated with the abundance of seed crops. Seedling cohorts originating from abundant seed crops were clearly detectable in the development of seedling height distributions over time. It took about 15 years for spruce seedlings to reach a height level of 15-30 cm. Local basal area had hardly any effect on the emergence or survival of small spruce seedlings, while the number of higher spruce seedlings decreased with increasing local basal area.     

切实发挥专家在林学会组织体系中的重要支撑作用

本文从强化参与意识、拓展实现形式、端正科学态度三方面阐述了如何充分发挥专家在林学会组织体系中的重要支撑作用问题。     

Forest overstory-understory relationships in Alabama forests

This study developed regional overstory-understory models for four forest types in southeastern Alabama and tested the ability of these models to predict understory vegetation using overstory data from southern and southwestern Alabama. Cross-sectional data from the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis Unit Multiresource Survey of Alabama was used to analyze the relationship between timber stand characteristics and herbaceous cover under planted pine, natural pine, mixed pine-hardwoods, and upland hardwoods. Herbaceous cover was significantly related to total growing stock volume of timber in all forest types. Stand characteristics and management activities that affected herbaceous cover varied by forest type. The models for planted pine, mixed pine-hardwoods, and upland hardwoods captured a significant amount of the variation in the original data. Extrapolation of southeastern Alabama overstory-understory relationship to southern and southwestern forests was not possible with these models.     

Snag dynamics in post-harvest landscapes of western Newfoundland balsam fir-dominated boreal forests

We examined changes in standing dead tree (snag) density and biomass with time following harvest across a chronosequence of balsam fir (Abies balsamea) dominated boreal forests in western Newfoundland, Canada. Current snag management practices in Newfoundland recommend a minimum of 10 snags/ha on the post-harvest landscape. Snags declined significantly in the first two decades of the chronosequence. The rapid rate of decline in snag density which occurred immediately post harvest was likely attributable to windfall and domestic harvest for firewood. A second rapid rate of snag density decline occurred 10–15 years post harvest which potentially reflected the average lifespan of snags in western Newfoundland. Average snag densities approximated the minimum management goal during the period from 15 to 60 years since harvest (YSH). However, 53–60% of sites sampled in the 15–60 YSH period contained <10 snags/ha. Snag densities then increased with forest age, again reaching high levels 81–100 YSH which were comparable to the density at the beginning of the chronosequence. Achieving the goal of 10 snags/ha on all post-harvest sites in western Newfoundland, especially between 15 and 60 YSH, will require changes to current forest management practices.     

Age distribution patterns in open boreal Dahurican larch forests of Central Siberia

Tree age distribution determines stand size structure and is related to disturbance history and stand dynamics. Data are presented from 40 pure larch stands from six locations on the Taimyr peninsula and Evenk region in the northern open forests of Russian Siberia. A Weibull density function was used to describe actual age distribution and to simulate age distribution. Larch age distributions have similar patterns in different locations over the study area. All stands were found to have a multi-aged structure. The average coefficient of variation for age is about 48%. The range of tree ages exceed 400 years in the oldest forests. The patterns of age distribution change for different age groups. For the youngest stands (40–80 years old) the age distribution was leptokurtic and positively skewed, whereas for middle-aged forests (80–180 years old) it tended to be more mesokurtic and symmetric. In the oldest stands (more than 180 years old) the distribution had a platykurtic form. A high correlation was found between the Weibull function coefficients and the coefficient of age variation and for the mean age. The oldest forests were found in river valleys. Middle-aged forests occur more commonly on middle slopes and the youngest forests occupy top slopes and uplands. A more normal tree age distribution assumes a study area less damaged by forest fires than in the more southern parts of the boreal forest.     

Long-term changes in forest floor processes in southern Appalachian forests

Soil nutrient concentrations decreased in an aggrading southern Appalachian forest over a 20-year period. Construction of nutrient budgets showed significant nutrient sequestration aboveground including increased forest floor mass. We hypothesized that the changes in forest floor mass resulted from decreased litter decomposition rates because of decreased litter quality. In 1992 and 1993, we repeated a litter decomposition experiment conducted in 1969 and 1970 to test this hypothesis. In addition, we examined microarthropod populations and functional groups as litter decomposed. For four of the five species tested, first-year decomposition rates were about the same in both experiments. Initial litter nutrient concentrations of P were lower in all tree species in the most recent sampling. N, Ca, and Mg concentrations also declined in some species. These declines often resulted in decreased nutrient release rates during decomposition. Microarthropod populations differed significantly among litter species, as well as between years (probably resulting from differences in growing-season rainfall). For some litter species we found significant relationships between microarthropod populations and nutrient concentration (primarily C and N); however, most r²-values were low. Data suggest that changes in forest floor mass probably resulted from decreased litter quality and that those changes may have an effect on microarthropod populations.     

Forest biomass and bioenergy production and the role of CDM in Bangladesh

The use of forest biomass as a renewable energy source has received much attention as a response to climate change and the increasing global demands for energy. Local availability and conversion into secondary energy carriers with a lower capital investment shows more weights on its interests. The substitution of fossil fuel by biomass fuel can have a strong effect on the mitigation of climate change through reducing greenhouse gases, which can be an important consideration for CDM projects in Bangladesh. This study uses literature review to analyse the legal framework of carbon trading under CDM, CDM additionality, CDM and bioenergy promotion, land availability and technology for biomass production, and sustainability of CDM projects in Bangladesh. The barriers to CDM projects in Bangladesh are explained as well as measures for promoting biomass production. Biomass and bioenergy-based CDM projects can be attractive and support sustainable development in Bangladesh. The study suggests capacity building and policy changes needed in order to comply with CDM modalities. The study can be useful to the climate change mitigation and development policy makers in Bangladesh.     

Diurnal variation models for fine fuel moisture content in boreal forests in China

Studying diurnal variation in the moisture content of fine forest fuel(FFMC) is key to understanding forest fire prevention. This study established models for predicting the diurnal mean, maximum, and minimum FFMC in a boreal forest in China using the relationship between FFMC and meteorological variables. A spline interpolation function is proposed for describing diurnal variations in FFMC. After 1 day with a 1 h field measurement data testing, the results indicate that the accuracy of the sunny slope model was 100% and 84% when the absolute error was 3% and 10%, respectively, whereas the accuracy of the shady slope model was 72% and 76% when the absolute error was 3% and 10%, respectively. The results show that sunny slope and shady slope models can predict and describe diurnal variations in fine fuel moisture content, and provide a basis for forest fire danger prediction in boreal forest ecosystems in China.