Abstract
The ever decreasing area of forests has lead to environmental and economical challenges and has brought with it a renewed interest in developing methodologies that quantify the extent of deforestation and reforestation. In this study we analyzed the deforested areas of the Apuseni Mountains, which has been under economic pressure in recent years and resulted in widespread deforestation as a means of income. Deforested surface dynamics modeling was based on images contained in the Global Forest Database, provided by the Department of Geographical Sciences at Maryland University between 2000 and 2014. The results of the image particle analysis and modelling were based on Total Area (ha), Count of patches and Average Size whereas deforested area distribution was based on the Local Connected Fractal Dimension, Fractal Fragmentation Index and Tug-of-War Lacunarity as indicators of forest fragmentation or heterogeneity. The major findings of the study indicated a reduction of the tree cover area by 3.8%, an increase in fragmentation of 17.7% and an increase in heterogeneity by 29%, while fractal connectivity decreased only by 0.1%. The fractal and particle analysis showed a clustering of forest loss areas with an average increase from 1.1 to 3.0 ha per loss site per year. In conclusion, the fractal and particle analysis provide a relevant methodological framework to further our understanding of the spatial effects of economic pressure on forestry.
Highlights
In view of its effect on climate, deforestation is athe threatening challenge for contemporary society
Forest fragmentation is a major result of deforestation[13,14]
Results indicate that forest fragmentation is close to the critical point of percolation, which means that the number of small forest fragments will expand exponentially with increasing deforestation[31]
Summary
In view of its effect on climate, deforestation is athe threatening challenge for contemporary society. Forest fragmentation is a major result of deforestation[13,14]. It leads to habitat modification[15], and subdivision of plant and animal populations. Forest fragmentation generates microclimatic changes[14] with the risk of extinction of thousands of species[25,26] associated with a lack of food, shelter and increased risk of attacks by carnivorous mammals[27]. Results indicate that forest fragmentation is close to the critical point of percolation, which means that the number of small forest fragments will expand exponentially with increasing deforestation[31]. Additional measures describing the state of forest fragmentation such as the rank occupancy-abundance profile[19], the relation between forest patch size and proximity of forest to non-forest edge[26], mean patch size, patch density and edge density provide further evidence of the impact of deforestation[32]
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