Constructing forest plans interactively based on owner-driven evaluation of the holding- and stand-level alternatives

In this study, an interactive forest planning process corresponding to the practical demands was developed and further tested in a challenging forest planning situation in northeastern Finland. The process includes prior preparation of alternative stand-level treatments and a small amount of holding-level forest plans; an interactive planning session consisting of the primary choice of the forest owner's profile; the owner's selection of the best holding-level plan; and finally a local improvement of this plan. The method as a whole aims to bridge the gap between the prevailing planning culture that has developed for private forest planning over three decades in Finland and the planning approach suggested by multiobjective forest planning theory. The usability and characteristics of the process were evaluated through an exercise set given to both forestry students and forest professionals. Tests of the process indicated, among other things, that comparison particularly of stand-level alternatives and offering owners the possibility to make changes and truly affect the end-result of the planning process are seen as important characteristics of the process.     

In situ and ex vivo evaluation of an arthroscopic indentation instrument to estimate the health status of articular cartilage in the equine metacarpophalangeal joint

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate an arthroscopic indentation instrument (Artscan 200) for assessment of the health status of equine articular cartilage. STUDY DESIGN: In vitro experiment using equine isolated proximal phalanx (P1) specimens. SAMPLE POPULATION: P1 specimens from 39 horses (aged 1.5-22 years). METHODS: Reproducibility was tested by determination of the coefficient of variation (CV). Dynamic modulus and cartilage degeneration index (CDI) values were measured at 2 predefined sites (site 1, joint margin; site 2, joint center) to assess the accuracy and to evaluate the relation with surface integrity. RESULTS: CV was 9.0%. A significant decrease in indenter force was identified when dynamic modulus values decreased to <2.5 MPa (range of tested samples 0.9-8.1 MPa) and when CDI values at site 1 increased to >50% (range 5.4-72.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Technique reproducibility was adequate but accuracy was limited. The device identified degeneration-associated decreases in cartilage stiffness only when the mechanical properties of the cartilage were considerably changed. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Usefulness of this indentation instrument during arthroscopic surgery would be limited in the initial phase of OA-like cartilage degeneration, but may yield important information in more advanced OA.     

Variations in migration behaviour and mortality of Atlantic salmon smolts in four different hydroelectric facilities

Migration behaviour, route selection and mortality of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., smolts were studied at four different hydroelectric facilities in the River Mustionjoki, Finland, in May 2017. Radio-tagged smolts were released upstream of the power stations and tracked by stationary antenna-receiver systems and hand-held receivers. Tracking revealed a general tendency of smolts to move downstream with the main flow, but also variable behaviour and mortality related to diverse conditions characteristic of each power station. Average migration delay at the power stations ranged between 13.8 and 101.1 h (median: 1.7–61.5 h). Estimated mortality ranges were 0%–50% in the forebays, 4%–64% in the power stations and 2–30%/km during river migration after passage of the dam. This study provided essential information on behaviour and mortality in relation to local conditions at each power station required for successful application of fish bypass systems in a salmon restoration project.     

Woodland key habitats evaluated as part of a functional reserve network

Woodland key habitats (WKHs) represent a potentially cost-efficient means to protect biodiversity in managed forests. The Forest Act of Finland defines 13 habitat types of WKHs, which enjoy legal protection. It has been argued that WKHs are too small-sized and scattered in occurrence to be actually important in the maintenance of forest biodiversity. However, from the species’ perspective, WKHs form a network together with nature reserves. We evaluated the value and role of WKHs as a part of the whole reserve network using a graph-theoretical connectivity approach in three areas (ca. 500 km² each) located in Central Finland. The networks were formed separately for different habitat types and dispersal distances (ranging from 200 m to 25 km). We compared networks with and without WKHs, and thereby quantified the contribution of WKHs to overall network connectivity. We also examined the role of WKHs in the networks based on patch importance and network centrality measures. The results showed that the connectivity contributions of WKHs are tightly linked with the dispersal abilities of threatened species: WKHs enhance habitat connectivity, especially for species with an intermediate dispersal ability. For species with a poor dispersal ability, the protection of large set-asides would be a more efficient way to increase habitat connectivity than WKHs. WKH-based conservation seems to improve the connectivity of naturally rare and scattered habitat types relatively more than common habitat types, but in sparse networks a greater dispersal ability is required to gain enhanced connectivity than in dense ones. The connectivity value of WKHs can be understood as an emergent and scale-dependent property, appearing at the level of the entire functional network. Provided that the site characteristics of WKHs can be safeguarded, they can be a valuable and efficient addition to the reserve network.     

An analytical C3-crop growth model for precision farming

A simple and transparent analytical model for C3-crop biomass accumulation is introduced. The model is aimed to be used as a decision tool in precision farming. It is valid when growth is limited only by radiation or water and gives the optimal (maximum) biomass. It contains 8 fixed parameters, all with a clear basis in physics, chemistry and physiology. As a function of time, the growth is divided into two phases: exponential and linear. At an early stage of growth, the growth is exponential due to the expanding leaf area of the crop. At this stage, the model needs 6 parameters. The growth becomes linear when the leaf area is adequate to use all possible radiation. The model needs 2 parameters at this later stage. Water-limited growth needs an additional set of 4 parameters to describe phenomena of water related processes. When water is a limiting factor, the root-growth model becomes critical because the daily root growth determines the crop’s growth directly. The model was tested first against field data at one point where all relevant inputs and parameters of the model were measured. Despite the simplicity of the model, there was a good agreement between simulated and measured values of biomass and leaf area. A scenario is described to show how the model may be used in practice and what kind of field data is needed. In on-line precision farming the key factor is the amount of radiation used by the crop, which can be measured adequately with two sensors, one above and one below the canopy.     

Phytoestrogen Content of Birdsfoot Trefoil and Red Clover: Effects of Growth Stage and Ensiling Method

The phytoestrogen content of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) was determined. In addition, the effects of growth stage, wilting and ensiling additives on content were studied. Birdsfoot trefoil raw material and silage contained only traces of phytoestrogens. In red clover raw material and silage, the phytoestrogen content varied from 0.8% to 1.1% of dry matter. Content was affected by growth stage of the plant and wilting. Formononetin concentration decreased as the plant matured from budding to flowering stage, and wilting from 25% to 40% of dry matter content decreased genistein and biochanin A content. The phytoestrogen content of red clover silage was 18% higher than that of raw material. Silage additives also affected the content. Silage ensiled with an additive containing Lactobacillus plantarum bacterial inoculate had higher concentrations of genistein and biochanin A than silage made with formic acid.     

Comparison of Preferences of Farmed Silver and Blue Foxes for Cages with and without a Nest Box

Abstract

The preferences of juvenile farmed silver foxes (n = 14) and blue foxes (n = 12) for an empty cage (105L × 115W × 70H cm) and a cage of equal size with a wooden nest box were assessed in an 11-day preference test. The silver foxes spent a higher percentage of their time (86 ± 8%) in the nest box cage than the blue foxes (66 ± 21%). The silver foxes, but not the blue foxes, had a strong preference for the nest box roof as a resting site (44% of total daily time). Assuming that greater use indicates a greater need, silver foxes may benefit more from the nest boxes than blue foxes.     

Effect of Inside-cage and Outside-cage Environment on Behaviour Test Performance of Blue Foxes (Alopex lagopus)

Abstract

In-cage reaction tests, the open field test and daily activity in the home cage were used to assess the effect of the internal design and location of cages on the behaviour of juvenile blue foxes (Alopex lagopus) during the growing season. The inclusion of nest boxes or resting platforms affected the behaviour of farmed blue foxes, but to a lesser extent than did the location of the animal in the cage row, i.e. the environment outside the cage itself. This study demonstrated that the actual environment in which the farm foxes live may be far larger than the cage interior itself, and that attempts to improve housing design should take into consideration the environment outside the cage to a greater extent than has heretofore been the case.     

Tree mapping using airborne,terrestrial and mobile laser scanning – A case study in a heterogeneous urban forest

We evaluated the accuracy and efficiency of airborne (ALS), terrestrial (TLS) and mobile laser-scanning (MLS) methods that can be utilized in urban tree mapping and monitoring. In the field, 438 urban trees located in park and forested environments were measured and mapped from our study area located in Seurasaari, Helsinki, Finland. A field reference was collected, using a tree map created manually from TLS data. The tree detection rate and location accuracy were evaluated, using automatic or semiautomatic ALS individual tree detection (ALS_ITDauto or ALS_ITDvisual) and manual or automatic measurements of TLS and MLS (TLS_auto, MLS_auto, MLS_manual, MLS_semi). Our results showed that the best methods for tree detection were TLS_auto and MLS_manual, which detected 73.29% and 79.22% of the reference trees, respectively. The location accuracies (RMSE) varied between 0.44 m and 1.57 m; the methods listed from the most accurate to most inaccurate were MLS_semi, TLS_auto, MLS_manual, MLS_auto, ALS_ITDauto and ALS_ITDvisual. We conclude that the accuracies of TLS and ALS were applicable for operational urban tree mapping in heterogeneous park forests. MLS_manual shows high potential but manual measurements are not feasible in operational tree mapping. Challenges that should be solved in further studies include ALS_ITDauto oversegmentation as well as MLS_auto processing methodologies and data collection for tree detection.     

Epiphytic lichen diversity in late-successional Pinus sylvestris forests along local and regional forest utilization gradients in eastern boreal Fennoscandia

Pinus sylvestris-dominated forests have been heavily utilized across all of boreal Fennoscandia and the remaining natural forests are generally highly fragmented. However, there are considerable local and regional differences in the intensity and duration of past forest utilization. We studied the impact of human forest use on the diversity of epiphytic and epixylic lichens in late-successional Pinus sylvestris-dominated forests by assessing species richness and composition along both local and regional gradients in forest utilization. The effects of local logging intensity were analysed by comparing three types of stands: (i) near-natural, (ii) selectively logged (in the early 20th century) and (iii) managed stands. The effects of regional differences in duration and intensity of past forest use were analysed by comparing stands in two contrasting regions (Häme and Kuhmo–Viena). The species richness of selectively logged stands was as high as that of near-natural stands and significantly higher in these two stand categories than in managed stands. Species richness increased with the density of small understorey Picea, which correlated strongly with decreasing intensity of local forest use and increasing structural complexity of selectively logged and near-natural stands. Stands in the Häme region hosted a lower number of species, and were less likely to host many old-growth indicator species than the Kuhmo–Viena region, suggesting that species have been lost from stands in the Häme region due to a longer history of intensive forest use. We conclude that selectively logged stands, along with near-natural stands, are valuable lichen habitats particularly for species confined to old-growth structures such as coarse trees and deadwood. In landscapes where natural forests have become fragmented, the management or restoration of the remaining late-successional Pinus-dominated forests, e.g. through the use of fire, should be carefully planned to avoid adverse effects on lichen species richness.