Abstract
Abstract In November 2004, the Alžbeta windstorm hit the mountainous areas of northern and central Slovakia. The most affected area was Tatra National Park, where downslope wind damaged 12,000 ha of forest, mostly Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.). In the areas with the highest level of nature conservation, about 165,000 m3 of damaged wood was left uncleared. These uncleared sites triggered a serious bark beetle outbreak, where Ips typographus (L.) was among the dominant species. The aim of our work was to quantify and map forest damage resulting from this windstorm and subsequent insect outbreak in Tatra National Park. The objective of this article is also to present simple geographic information system (GIS) techniques available to forest managers for the detection and mapping of bark beetle infestations. The infested areas were studied using GIS and a series of color-infrared aerial photographs taken in 2005–2009. More than 50% of all damage was recorded within 300 m, and more than 75% within 500...
Highlights
Bark beetles and forests in a changing environment Forest ecosystems worldwide are being damaged by a variety of harmful agents, resulting in destruction of individual trees and sometimes the decline of entire forest complexes (Perry et al 2008)
The study area was divided into 3 sections (Figure 3) based on the extent of bark beetle damage recorded in the first year of observation (2005), post-disaster management strategy, and local climatic conditions: A Almost no damage; limited management; colder climatic conditions than in the other 2 sections; 2866 ha of spruce forest and 185 ha of uncleared windthrow; B No damage; intensive management; 1852 ha of spruce forest and 100 ha of uncleared windthrow; C Substantial damage; intensive management in the southern part of the section; 4074 ha of spruce forest and 125 ha of uncleared windthrow
This study shows how accurately and important forest changes can be documented, analyzed, and evaluated using geographic information system (GIS)
Summary
Post-disaster Forest Management and Bark Beetle Outbreak in Tatra National Park, Slovakia. The most affected area was Tatra National Park, where downslope wind damaged 12,000 ha of forest, mostly Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.). In the areas with the highest level of nature conservation, about 165,000 m3 of damaged wood was left uncleared. These uncleared sites triggered a serious bark beetle outbreak, where Ips typographus (L.) was among the dominant species. The aim of our work was to quantify and map forest damage resulting from this windstorm and subsequent insect outbreak in Tatra National Park. The objective of this article is to present simple geographic information system (GIS) techniques available to forest managers for the detection and mapping of bark beetle infestations.
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