Application of GIS to Empirical Windthrow Risk Model in Mountain Forested Landscapes

Lukas Krejci,Jaromir Kolejka,Ivo Machar,Vit Vozenilek

doi:10.3390/f9020096

Lukas Krejci, Jaromir Kolejka + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/f9020096

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Journal: Forests	Publication Date: Feb 22, 2018
Citations: 16	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Palacký University, Olomouc, Masaryk University

Abstract

Norway spruce dominates mountain forests in Europe. Natural variations in the mountainous coniferous forests are strongly influenced by all the main components of forest and landscape dynamics: species diversity, the structure of forest stands, nutrient cycling, carbon storage, and other ecosystem services. This paper deals with an empirical windthrow risk model based on the integration of logistic regression into GIS to assess forest vulnerability to wind-disturbance in the mountain spruce forests of Šumava National Park (Czech Republic). It is an area where forest management has been the focus of international discussions by conservationists, forest managers, and stakeholders. The authors developed the empirical windthrow risk model, which involves designing an optimized data structure containing dependent and independent variables entering logistic regression. The results from the model, visualized in the form of map outputs, outline the probability of risk to forest stands from wind in the examined territory of the national park. Such an application of the empirical windthrow risk model could be used as a decision support tool for the mountain spruce forests in a study area. Future development of these models could be useful for other protected European mountain forests dominated by Norway spruce.

Highlights

IntroductionA forest landscape is a spatial mosaic containing distinct areas that functionally interact [1]
A forest landscape is a spatial mosaic containing distinct areas that functionally interact [1].It consists of different forest types and forest development stages distributed geographically
The logistic regression equation with the model parameters computed by the statistical software package SAS was expressed in map algebra as follows: p

Summary

Introduction

A forest landscape is a spatial mosaic containing distinct areas that functionally interact [1]. It consists of different forest types and forest development stages distributed geographically. Geographic information systems can support our understanding of forest ecosystems on a landscape scale [2]. Management of forest landscape must integrate the production of multiple values on a sustainable basis without jeopardizing ecosystem integrity, ecosystem services, and biodiversity [3]. Sustainable forest management has become a significant challenge for foresters, conservationists, and other stakeholders [4], with a growing public and scientific focus on the multifunctional role of forest landscapes. Two essential components are crucial in the management process: setting management (including conservation) objectives, and the design and management of support tools to achieve goals [5]

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