Changes in Forest Ecosystem Disturbances in the Forest–Steppe Zone of Russia’s Central Chernozem Region in the Late 20th and Early 21st Century

Abstract

Results are presented from assessing forest ecosystem disturbances in the forest–steppe zone of Russia’s Central Chernozem region in the periods 1985–2000 and 2000–2018. Geoinformation mapping of disturbed forests areas that appeared during the corresponding time periods is done using an automated approach. The share of disturbed forest ecosystems in the forest–steppe zone of the Central Chernozem region grows from 2.5% at the end of the 20th century to 6% at the beginning of the 21st. The share of disturbed forest ecosystems in coniferous forests grows by 9 times. In deciduous forests, the proportion of disturbed plots is slightly increased. The increased share of disturbed forests is due mainly to a rise in the disturbances of coniferous forest ecosystems. In contrast, the share of deciduous forests in the structure of disturbed forests is almost halved. A map of categories of forest ecosystems disturbances is prepared that characterizes forests according to the time elapsed since the last exposure to disturbing factors.