Dense Undergrowth Research Articles

Some like it burnt: species differences in small mammal assemblage in a Mediterranean basin nearly 3 years after a major fire

The habitat accommodation model (HAM) is a theoretical framework that predicts wildlife community recovery based on their habitat requirements. While post-fire habitat-related research is well documented in the Mediterranean basin, studies specifically focusing on HAM are scarce. Here, we described the small mammal assemblage in a Mediterranean area ~3 years after a fire, specifically examining three functional small mammalian categories: ground-foraging insectivorous, ground-foraging herbivorous/granivorous, and arboreal-foraging species. The study was conducted in Monte Pisano (Italy), where fire burnt ~12 km2 in September 2018. A stratified random sampling was adopted, basing on burnt status and forest type. In each of the 50 sites, during late spring-summer 2021, 12 hair-tubes were deployed, and collected hairs were taxa-attributed based on morphology. A presence/absence dataset was built, and db-RDA was used to explore assemblage composition, and single-species occupancy models to test specific hypotheses. The relative abundance of ground-foraging herbivorous/granivorous was higher in the burnt area, characterised by a dense undergrowth, which could be related to anti-predatory strategies and food opportunities. Insectivorous could be in a recolonisation phase, masking their earlier absence, which could explain why their abundance was not associated with any factor tested. Arboreal-foraging species were associated with forest type, indicating a primary role for tree cover and other factors such as rocky cover and likely in situ survival. The HAM was overall confirmed also in Mediterranean basin ecosystems. This may facilitate predictions about post-fire animal successions, which in turn may provide valuable insights into post-fire management practices and biodiversity conservation strategies.

WOOD-LEAF UNSUPERVISED CLASSIFICATION OF SILVER BIRCH TREES FOR BIOMASS ASSESSMENT USING OBLIQUE POINT CLOUDS

Abstract. Forests play a fundamental role in carbon stocking since about a third of the carbon dioxide produced by activities of human origin is absorbed by forests. Forest biomass is an essential indicator of carbon dioxide absorption, enabling an understanding the interaction between forest dynamics and climate change effects. However, biomass and wood material changes are challenging to quantify in forest stands. Nowadays, recent 3D remote sensing technologies, such as laser scanning systems, have allowed accurate measures of single trees. This study evaluates three approaches to classify wood and non-wood materials and quantify biomass based on LiDAR data, aiming at biomass change detection. Specifically, we propose an automated methodology for estimating the single tree-level biomass of a portion of forest monitored through a LiDAR oblique acquisition. The classification of wood and foliage points was performed with machine learning algorithms, while the tree modelling was conducted rigorously through a Quantitative Structure Model (QSM). The purpose of this study is to evaluate (1) two different unsupervised and one semi-supervised classification approaches for wood and foliage separation and (2) the accuracy of the biomass assessment performed on a QSM-based approach on innovative LiDAR acquisitions. The results are promising; the wood-leaf classification performs effectively in all 20 silver birches considered; as regards the biomass, when the noise is limited, it is estimated in a manner consistent with the reference values calculated using an appropriate allometric equation. Higher values are found mainly in dense undergrowth, which negatively affects the modelling of the tree. The research is ongoing, and further tests will be performed to generalize the methodology on different tree species, deepen the multitemporal variability, and improve the accuracy of the assessment.

Modelling of live fuel moisture content in different vegetation scenarios during dry periods using meteorological data and spectral indices

Wildfires are of increasing concern to society, the scientific community and managers. Each year the forest fire season is becoming longer or deseasonalised. One of the main factors in fire behaviour is the live fuel moisture content. Climatological variables such as air humidity, temperature and precipitation directly affect the fuel that is likely to burn. Soil moisture also contributes to fire spread and severity. For these reasons, an analysis of fuel moisture is carried out at 3 sampling sites in the interior of Galicia (Spain), through multiple linear regression models. The 3 plots represent different characteristics for shrub growth: one plot is composed of pine trees, another plot contains a high density of undergrowth and the last plot was burned in 2020 and is regenerating undergrowth. A specific model was generated for each plot from field samples of live fuel and soil field samples collected from September to May, meteorological variables obtained from the stations and Sentinel-2 satellite spectral indices for the field sampling days.The best resulting spectral index for plots without trees was the NDI45, but with a low correlation (R2 < 0.2), while in the plot with pine trees it was the SAVI index (R2 = 0.85). On the other hand, specific model equations were estimated combining these spectral indices with the soil moisture samples and the average temperature of the last 7 days. In all cases the result was considerably improved (R2 between 0.72 and 0.91). These models can be helpful in estimating the probability of fire danger, outside the summer season, with long periods of drought, enabling decision making by managers in each region.

Влияние клена ясенелистного (Acer negundo L.) на естественное возобновление сосны обыкновенной в Барнаульском ленточном бору

The influence of ash-leaved maple (Acer negundo L.) on the natural regeneration of scots pine in the Barnaul ribbon forest in different types of forest growing conditions is considered. It was found that the ash-leaved maple forms a dense, closed undergrowth up to 10 m high in moist forest-growing conditions (A3), whereas in fresh forest-growing conditions (A2) it was noted only once. The closeness of the undergrowth of maple in the grass forest is 0,8…1,0 units, while the undergrowth with a predominance of local plant species (Siberian mountain ash, goat willow) in the grass forest has a closeness of no more than 0,5 units, in the fresh forest no higher than 0,2…0,4 units. The undergrowth of maple strongly obscures the components of the forest located under it: living ground cover and undergrowth. The shading of the living ground cover leads to its significant transformation, with a change in the floral composition and structure. Shading of the undergrowth leads to a complete absence of seedlings, self-seeding and the actual undergrowth of the common pine, interrupting the process of natural renewal. Using the obtained values of illumination under the canopy of the forest, it was found that in a grassy forest with a maple understory, the relative illumination is no more than 7,9 %, whereas in a grassy and fresh forest with an undergrowth of local species, 29,5…47,9 %. The density of pine undergrowth in a fresh forest with undergrowth of local species is 7,5…17,5 thousand units/ha, which is 3–7 times more than in a grass forest with undergrowth of local species. There is a close positive relationship between the relative illumination under the forest canopy and the density of undergrowth (r = 0,830). Ash-leaved maple acts as an aggressive undesirable breed, which limits the most important environmental factor — illumination, leading to the disappearance of pine undergrowth under the canopy of the forest.

Возобновление сосны пицундской (Pinus brutia var. pityusa (Steven) Silba) на заповедных территориях Горного Крыма

It has been established that undergrowth of Pinus brutia var. pityusa (Steven) Silba is unevenly distributed on the territory of the burnt areas, its density varies within 2,9…8,2 thousand units/ha, the maximum reaches 15 thousand units/ha. The landscape-coenotic zones of the dynamics of the processes of renewal of native P. pityusa forest stands have been identified. An increase in the number of undergrowth near groups and single plants, which were not eliminated during sanitary felling on burnt areas, was revealed. The possibility of growth and development of undergrowth in these areas was determined by the influence of the phytogenic field of surviving trees, which protect young plants of P. pityusa from negative environmental factors. It was determined that a relatively uniform decrease in the density of undergrowth is observed when moving from the wall of the parent stand at a distance that is a multiple of 2–3 values of its average height. The effect of a time gap in the chronology of the passage of forest fires on the age and spatial structure of P. pityusa undergrowth is presented. A general assessment of the specifics of the age structure made it possible to establish that the activation of natural regeneration and the formation of coenopopulations of P. pityusa undergrowth occur within 2–3 years after the fire. It has been established that anthropogenic interference in the natural processes of renewal of indigenous communities reduces the possibility of implementing biocenotic processes of maintaining the integrity and restoration of the forest community by species capable of sustainable existence under the prevailing conditions. A reduction in the biocenotic space of P. pityusa dominance, which determines the formation of stands of coppice origin, with a predominance of Quercus pubescens Willd. n-generation, which significantly reduces the productivity, sustainability and biological diversity of forest communities of the Cape Aya landscape reserve.

Effect of microhabitat characteristics for predicting habitat suitability for a stalking large carnivore—the Eurasian lynx in middle Europe

AbstractLarge European carnivores are generally considered forest animals. However, there are a number of interacting factors that may have different impact on the availability and suitability of habitat for individual species. Felids, because of their stalking hunting mode, are habitat specialists requiring a heterogeneous environment, making them specifically vulnerable to habitat disturbance. The Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx), despite protection in many European countries, has a surprisingly limited range. To explain environmental factors that affect its distribution, we undertook habitat selection and habitat suitability analyses at the macrohabitat and microhabitat scales, based on lynx occurrence and environmental data in Poland. Since the species occurs in two populations, one of which inhabits lowland and the other mountainous area, we modelled habitat suitability separately in both areas and then extrapolated it for the whole country scale. The lynx selected forests with medium undergrowth density in the lowlands and highly rugged terrain in the mountain areas—a proxy of stalking cover. Habitat suitability modelling performed at the macrohabitat scale identified around 110 000 km2 of habitat available from which 55 700 km2 was classified as high quality including large tracts of forests in western Poland that are beyond the natural range of the lynx. However, the microhabitat model built by including stalking cover variables, decreased high‐quality habitats to only 33% of the area designated at the macrohabitat scale. This model is largely consistent with the current distribution of lynx in Poland. This suggests that the simplified internal structure of forests (lacking understory cover) may act as a hindrance to increasing the distribution of lynx populations and helps to explain its limited range in the Central European lowlands. This research suggests that the microhabitat structure may play the crucial role in the effective conservation of the Eurasian lynx.

Selection, characteristics, and frequency of use of shelter sites by the Southern Brown Bandicoot Isoodon obesulus obesulus and the Southern Long-nosed Bandicoot Perameles nasuta in a post-fire landscape

ABSTRACT Dense ground cover and understory can be important as diurnal shelter for terrestrial mammals. Fire can lead to the short-term removal of much of this shelter. Here, we report on the shelter site selection of the Southern Brown Bandicoot Isoodon obesulus obesulus and Long-nosed Bandicoot Perameles nasuta eight months after a wildfire. We analysed the number of shelters, frequency of shelter use, nest size, and shelter site microhabitat. Southern Brown Bandicoots used significantly more shelters than Long-nosed Bandicoots. Both species preferred to use shelters with significantly lower levels of transmitted light than matched control areas. Within the burnt landscape, Southern Brown Bandicoots located their refuges under regrowth eucalypts, whereas Long-nosed Bandicoots showed no preference for any microhabitat. Southern Brown Bandicoots built nests significantly higher above ground than Long-nosed Bandicoots. Nests built in more dense and darker microhabitats were significantly taller than those built in more open habitats. Following fire, the Southern Brown Bandicoot required a more dense groundcover to conceal its taller nests and was able to take advantage of regenerating mallee eucalypts for shelter. Land managers need to be aware that hazard reduction burning in coastal woodland and heath will temporarily deprive Southern Brown Bandicoots of diurnal shelter sites and should, therefore, where practicable, retain patches of unburnt dense undergrowth to ensure a mosaic of different aged habitat and habitat structure.

Инвазибельные сосновые насаждения ООПТ Закамский бор (г. Пермь)

During the route study of plant biodiversity in a specially protected natural area (SPNA) Zakamsky pine forest, located on the territory of Perm, 17 species of alien plants were found. Only 7 alien species penetrated into the forest communities of the Zakamsky forest; only two of them (Acer negundo L. and Amelanchier spicata (Lam.) C. Koch.) had a high rate of occurrence. In the places of mass invasion of these invasive species, the most typical areas of their introduction were visually determined; 18 test sites were established in these areas, where geobotanical descriptions were carried out according to generally accepted methods. The size of the test sites was 10×10 m. Within their boundaries, the species composition of the tiers of the forest ecosystem and the vertical structure are revealed. The crown density of the stand, the total projective coverage (as a percentage) of the ground cover and the projective abundance of individual species were assessed on the Brown-Blank scale and taken into account.. In the studied communities, Acer negundo has a low abundance. Thus, we can draw a general conclusion that poor sandy and sandy loam soils of protected areas are not suitable for its mass invasions. This species, due to its wide ecological plasticity, in such conditions is able to penetrate only into severely disturbed ecotonic communities, but cannot compete with local species in the depths of the Zakamsky Forest stand. More often, Acer negundo is introduced into middle-aged or mixed-age plantings. Amelanchier spicata is more widely distributed in protected areas. Only swampy conditions, as well as high density of undergrowth and brushwood prevent the spread of the species. In North America, the species often grows in pine forests on sandy soils, so in its characteristic habitats it is able to go deep into woodlands and compete there with species of undergrowth (Sorbus aucuparia, Betula pendula, Padus avium, Picea × fennica). Measures preventing the spread of invasive species are proposed.

Evaluation of Undergrowth under the Canopy of Deciduous Forests on Very Fertile Soils in the Lithuanian Hemiboreal Forest

In the hemiboreal forest zone, the first-generation natural forests of Betula spp., Populus tremula L., and Alnus incana (L.) Moench, which develop after clearcutting on very fertile forest sites, change to deciduous hardwood forests (Quercus robur L., and Fraxinus excelsior L.) due to successive processes. These processes also cause a specific response to the development of undergrowth species, which can have a decisive influence on forest regeneration. The undergrowth species in the mature Betula spp. (Betula pendula Roth. And Betula pubescens Ehrh.), Populus tremula, and Alnus incana forest stands were evaluated to provide knowledge on undergrowth species composition and development under different soil conditions, and to identify the forest stand age’s impact on undergrowth species. The evaluation was based on the standwise forest inventory data and limited to the analysis of pioneer tree species forests usually developed as first-generation natural forests after clearcutting. The study results showed that deciduous forests have rich undergrowth species diversity with a dominance of the Corylus avellana L., Padus avium L., Frangula alnus Mill., Sorbus aucuparia L., and Salix spp., which are typical undergrowth species in the hemiboreal forest zone. The dense and medium density undergrowth with the predominant Corylus avellana was rather common in the Betula spp. and Populus tremula stands; and Padus avium was more abundant in the Alnus incana stands on very fertile sites. Larger areas with dense undergrowth were obtained in the low mixed and mixed Alnus incana stands than in the pure stands, while no clear relationship between the stand mixture and undergrowth density was obtained in the Betula spp. and Populus tremula stands. The area of Corylus avellana significantly increased, while the area of Padus avium decreased in all studied forests with increasing stand age. Other dominant undergrowth species–Sorbus aucuparia, Frangula alnus, and Salix spp.–decreased with increasing age of the Betula spp. and Populus tremula stands. In the context of biodiversity, a higher number of undergrowth species was obtained in the mixed Betula spp. stands than in the pure and low mixed stands. New insights about the undergrowth species and their development patterns under the canopy of pioneer deciduous forests on very fertile soils were provided. However, these findings do not strongly suggest that an unmanaged forest regime wins over conventional forest management in mature and older deciduous forests on fertile soils as regards the biodiversity and other ecological services provided by the undergrow species.

Расширение ареала Cotoneaster lucidus Schlecht. в лесопарках г. Екатеринбурга

Shiny cotoneaster (Cotoneaster lucidus Schlecht.) is one of the oldest plants. It originated in Southeast Asia and has many primitive traits. Its survival strategy is fascinating. Its introduction range extends throughout Eurasia. The cotoneaster has been actively introduced to all forest parks and city forests around Yekaterinburg. Its spread was facilitated by the presence of edible, long-preserved fruits on the shoots, which were the food supply for many bird species. The research aims at analyzing the distribution patterns and features of ecological occurrence of Cotoneaster lucidus in the forest parks of Yekaterinburg. There were 15 forest parks surveyed, and in 11 of them it is found in the undergrowth. The studies were carried out on the basis of forest inventory materials. Local habitats were monitored in four forest parks most visited by the population of the city: Sanatorny Forest Park, Uktusskiy Forest Park, Park named after Foresters of Russia, Shartashskaya Forest Park. Optimal environment for cotoneaster growth are mixed herbs pine forests with stand density of 0.7–0.8. Mature stands of the 1st resistance class are also appropriate. The highest occurrence of cotoneaster in the Central Forest Park is 7 % of the total area of the forest park. The density of cotoneaster increases with increasing stand density from 320 to 1,140 individuals. At a density of 0.3–0.5 the number of individuals per unit area decreases, and at 0.1–0.2 cotoneaster disappears completely as a result of increased anthropogenic load and the inflow of light in excessive amounts. High shade tolerance is a bioecological feature of Cotoneaster lucidus. Morphometric parameters of plants in the studied forest parks depend on the density of the tree canopy; the maximum values were found for specimens in the Sanatorny Forest Park, where the distribution of shrubs is rare with a density of the stand of 0.7. A positive correlation of plant height with projection area and crown volume was found. The spatial distribution of individuals varies depending on the forest park and its attendance by people. For instance, in the Shartashsky Forest Park 60.4 % of cotoneasters are located in dense undergrowth, and in the Uktusskiy Forest Park 66.7 % are found in sparse undergrowth. Immature individuals are present in all of the Forest Parks, which indicates successful naturalization and high potential of the species.

The productivity and cost of harvesting whole trees from early thinnings with a felling head designed for continuous cutting and accumulation

ABSTRACT The main problem with the utilization of untended stands for energy use is that small-diameter trees are expensive to harvest, and the value of the harvest fails to exceed the harvesting cost. Until now, the equation has appeared difficult to solve, but a wood harvesting innovation – the Risupeto II accumulating felling head – which works on a continuous basis, could provide a solution to the harvesting cost problem of young stands with a dense undergrowth. The novel accumulating felling head is attached to the boom of the crawler excavator, and trees are harvested at full-tree length. The crosscutting is done later during loading by a forwarder equipped with a grapple saw. The objectives of the present study were: 1) to define the productivity; 2) produce time consumption models for the Risupeto II harvesting unit in selective thinnings and 3) to determine the harvesting cost of whole trees from the early thinnings based on the above described two-machine configuration. Time study data from the 16 study plots consisted of 3,099 whole trees where the average tree volume varied between 14.2 and 52.0 dm3 resulting in 73 m3 of whole trees. The productivity varied between 11.2 and 26.6 m3/PMh on the time study plots indicating that felling-bunching productivity was relatively high compared to the latest studies with the Nordic harvesting technology in early thinning. According to the profitability analysis, the harvesting costs could be covered by the revenue from energy wood sales.

The Mexican Revolution's Wake: The Making of a Political System, 1920–1929

The Mexican Revolution's Wake: The Making of a Political System, 1920–1929

Структура древостоев естественного формирования на вырубках дубовых лесов XIX в. (Филиал Теллермановское опытное лесничество ИЛАН РАН)

The article presents archival information about the composition of the stands in the Tellerman experimental forestry of ILAN RAS, which were formed naturally on the felling of mature stands of the late XIX century in the upland oak forest and forestry care carried out in them. On sample plots in such stands, the species and layered composition of stands were studied, volumetric and quantitative indicators of the composition of tree species and stands were calculated, and the priority of the presence of various species in the formation of the layered structure of stands was determined. In the stands, the state of all tree species is determined, the quantitative indicators of natural renewal, the characteristics of which determine the species structure of the stands that appear on the area of continuous felling of mature stands. The studies revealed that in the late nineteenth century clear-cutting of mature oak stands formed a mixed deciduous forest of ash, maple, linden, elm mainly complex vertical structure without (or with small presence) oak in the dense undergrowth of the same species and the complete absence of oak undergrowth. Records of the state of the main tree species showed the highest points of weakening in oak trees, the lowest in ash and Norway maple trees. The method of reproduction of oak forests from stumps left after continuous logging of mature stands has shown its complete failure and contributes to the reduction of the area of oak forests, the loss of the gene resource of valuable species and the indigenous biodiversity of natural forest ecosystems of the forest-steppe.

A natural history of Chlorocebus dryas from camera traps in Lomami National Park and its buffer zone, Democratic Republic of the Congo, with notes on the species status of Cercopithecus salongo

The natural history and taxonomic status of two central African primates, Cercopithecus dryas and Cercopithecus salongo have long been in question. Recent studies confirmed that C. dryas is a basal member of the savanna monkey clade, and that it prefers dense undergrowth in lowland rainforest. While these studies advanced our knowledge of this enigmatic species, key aspects of its natural history remain poorly documented. Furthermore, the lack of a field study that documents pelage patterns of both sexes and different age classes of C. dryas has led to a disagreement over the validity of C. salongo as a sister taxon to C. dryas. Using the results of two multi-strata camera trap surveys in Lomami National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and its buffer zone, we conducted a third survey in the understory of degraded forest to accumulate videos of C. dryas/salongo. We used these videos to test the hypothesis that C. dryas and C. salongo are synonymous, and to assess the species' group composition, density, behavior and vocalizations. Camera traps revealed an ontogenetic change in pelage pattern that supports the view that C. salongo is the adult of C. dryas. Videos revealed that adult males develop a blue perineum and scrotum, and a red subcaudal patch, similar to other savanna monkeys. We provide a preliminary assessment of C. dryas' group composition, density, behavior, and vocalizations. This long-overlooked monkey is an exceptional member of the Chlorocebus clade, and all aspects of its biology require further investigation.

The role of canopy gaps in maintaining biodiversity of plants and soil macrofauna in the forests of the northwestern Caucasus

The research was carried out in the coniferous-deciduous forests of the northwestern Caucasus, growing in similar climatic and soil-orographic conditions. Three types of forests of different ages were studied: aspen-hornbeam (50-70 years), beech-fir-hornbeam (80-110 years) and fir-beech forests (over 450 years). The studies were performed on the territory Krasnodar Krai (upper reaches of the Pshekha river, State Nature Reserve Chernogor'e) and the Republic of Adygea (upper reaches of the Belaya river, the Caucasian State Biosphere Reserve) in the summer seasons 2016 and 2019. The research involves geobotanical, population-ontogenetic, and soil-zoological methods. It has been established that in the canopy gaps of all forest types species density of plants is almost twice as high as in under-crown areas or even higher due to good light factor and high soil moisture since the tree stand does not intercept precipitation. Regeneration of tree cenopopulations in all forest types is much more effective in canopy gaps compared to under-crown areas. The undergrowth density of different types of trees is 10 and more times higher in gaps than in the under-crown areas. The maximum number of ecological-coenotic groups of plants is observed in the canopy gaps in all types of forest. All major trophic groups of macrofauna inhabit canopy gaps and under-crown areas, but their biomass in gaps is significantly exceeds that in under-crown areas. Due to the fact that soil moisture supply is an essential factor for moisture-loving saprophages’ activity, biomass of saprophages is on average twice as high in gaps than under-crown areas of all forest types. Only canopy gaps have high biomass of anecic earthworms – there are important ecosystem engineers, which contribute a lot to plant litter processing and the formation of soil porosity.

The importance of livestock grazing at woodland-grassland interface in the conservation of rich oakwood plant communities in temperate Europe

Traditional husbandry fostered rich semi-open oakwood communities composed of forest and non-forest species. In the eastern Carpathian region, silvo-pastoralism was commonplace by the mid-1900s. This study aimed to determine the state of the preservation of the ecotonal character of grassland-woodland interfaces in formerly pastured cultural landscapes of SE-Polish Carpathian foothills and W-Ukrainian Ciscarpathia in the context of land-use change. In the first region, despite the long-lasting history of forest grazing amongst mainly arable land, the post-WWII collapse of husbandry and the imposed ban on forest grazing, has led to swift development of dense undergrowth and establishment of impermeable ecological woodland-open habitat barrier. As a result, former silvo-pastoral oakwoods developed the features of the Tilio-Carpinentum forest community although some forest species have not yet moved in due to their poor dispersibility. The much younger oakwoods in the Ukrainian study region are remnants of the sparsely treed grasslands, some of which had been ploughed in the mid 20th century. Their semi-open canopy structure, maintained through repetitive grass burning, contributes to the communities ecotonal character, but without regular livestock-led plant “spill-over” from the grassland, the oakwoods remain species-poor. The restoration of species-rich semi-open oak woods requires “unsealing” the forest-grassland interface, reducing the degree of canopy closure, and opening that zone up to extensive grazing—an important seed dispersal vector.

An Automated Approach for Extracting Forest Inventory Data from Individual Trees Using a Handheld Mobile Laser Scanner

Many dendrometric parameters have been estimated by light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology over the last two decades. Handheld mobile laser scanning (HMLS), in particular, has come into prominence as a cost-effective data collection method for forest inventories. However, most pilot studies were performed in domesticated landscapes, where the environmental settings were far from those presented by (near)natural forest ecosystems. Besides, these studies consisted of numerous data processing steps, which were challenging when employed by manual means. Here we present an automated approach for deriving key inventory data using the HMLS method in natural forest areas. To this end, many algorithms (e.g., cylinder/circle/ellipse fitting) and machine learning models (e.g., random forest classifier) were used in the data processing stage for estimation of the tree diameter at breast height (DBH) and the number of trees. The estimates were then compared against the reference data obtained by field measurements from six forest sample plots. The results showed that correlations between the estimated and reference DBHs were very strong at the plot level (r=0.83–0.99, p&amp;lt;0.05). The average RMSE for tree DBHs was 1.8 cm at the forest landscape level. As for tree detection, 92.5% of 292 trunks were correctly classified on point cloud data. In general, estimation accuracy was sufficient for operational forest inventory needs. However, they could markedly decrease in »hard plots« located at rocky terrains with dense undergrowth and irregular trunks. We concluded that area-based forest inventories might hugely benefit from the HMLS method, particularly in »easy plots«. By improving the algorithmic performances, the accuracy levels can be further increased by future research.

Dynamics of dwarf bamboo populations and tree regeneration over 40 years in a clear-cut beech forest: effects of advance weeding and herbicide application

ABSTRACT We explored the dynamics of dwarf bamboo populations in a beech forest 11 years before and 30 years after clear-cutting. Repeated weeding or herbicide application (sodium chlorate) was used experimentally to reduce or eliminate dwarf bamboo prior to clear-cutting. At the beginning of the study, the understory comprised dense populations of two Sasa species, the dominant S. palmata and the less common S. kurilensis. Both weeding and herbicide application rapidly reduced the cover of S. palmata, but it began to recover prior to clear-cutting and soon exceeded initial cover values. Both weeding and herbicide application reduced the cover of S. kurilensis to near-negligible levels; the cover increased slowly after clear-cutting but remained below initial levels. Weeding or herbicide application resulted in different patterns with respect to height; height decreased rapidly in response to weeding, whereas herbicide application had more gradual effects. Height began to increase after clear-cutting, and S. palmata exceeded its initial height, reaching 1.5–2.0 m in the 10–15 years following clear-cutting. No tree recruits were found in sites where dwarf bamboo was left unmanaged. Weeding and herbicide application facilitated recruitment of Betula ermanii after clear-cutting, but recruits of Fagus crenata, which originally dominated the forest canopy, remained scarce or non-existent at 30 years after clear-cutting. We postulate that natural regeneration of Fagus is nearly impossible following clear-cutting in temperate beech forests in Japan with dense undergrowth of Sasa, even with advance measures to reduce or eliminate Sasa.

The effect of coppicing on insect biodiversity. Small-scale mosaics of successional stages drive community turnover

Most European temperate woodlands are managed as high forests by clear-cutting or selective cutting. Such forests are shady environments, providing limited opportunities for light-demanding woodland associated organisms. Coppicing has been identified as a suitable tool for biodiversity conservation, because it leads to a spatially and temporally dynamic mosaic of open and closed-canopy successional stages. However, the number of studies on insects is still limited in this respect, and cross-taxon comparisons are needed.We analysed the effect of the successional stage of coppice (time since last felling of coppice layer) on butterflies, moths, and saproxylic beetles, in floodplain coppice-with-standards woods dominated by oak (Quercus robur) and ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) in Lower Austria. We compared species richness, community composition, and life-history traits of the target groups among four stages of coppice: (i) Freshly cut: stands in the first season after felling; (ii) Young coppice: stands 3–7 years after felling; (iii) Mid-aged: advanced stage in 10–15 years after felling with dense undergrowth and high canopy closure; and (iv) Mature: latest stage of coppice, 30–40 years old.We found differences in species richness of butterflies and moths among the stages. Butterfly richness peaked in young coppice and was lowest in dense mid-aged stage. Moth richness was higher in late stages (mid-aged and mature) than in early ones (freshly cut and young). There was no effect on richness of saproxylic beetles. Species compositions of moths and beetles, however, differed among the stages, with the most pronounced difference between early and late stages. The successional stage affected composition of life-history traits of all study groups, showing that the particular stages are exploited by species with different functional/ecological associations to their habitat or by different trophic guilds.The results show that the diversity of all three target groups profited from coppicing. The small-scale mosaic of successional stages created by coppicing supports the existence of diversified communities of insects with both light-demanding and shade-tolerant species. Conservation managers may set variable rotation lengths in order to support threatened species associated with particular stages. In order to further support diversity of saproxylic beetles, conservation management should prioritize maintaining coppice-with-standards woods over simple coppices, some of the standards should be retained to become potential veteran trees in the future, coppice stools should be kept relatively high, and some of the felled trees or larger branches may be left in place on the ground for decay.

Anti-predator behavior of Coimbra-Filho’s titi monkeys (&lt;i&gt;Callicebus coimbrai&lt;/i&gt;)

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Predation pressure has an important role in shaping the behavioral, ecological and social patterns of primates. In this study, we describe two types of anti-predator behavior performed by Coimbra-Filho’s titi monkeys (Callicebus coimbrai), and compare our reports with the anti-predator strategies adopted by other Neotropical primates. The reports were performed on a small and isolated Atlantic forest fragment (14 ha) located in a highly-fragmented landscape in north-eastern Brazil. Although the titi monkey group was systematically monitored (July/2009 - August/2012: 1,513 hours) over the years, the events were recorded ab libitum method. Four events of anti-predator behavior were reported: three were in response to a medium-sized arboreal primate, the yellow-breasted capuchin monkey (Sapajus xanthosternos), and one in response to a large bird, the turkey vulture (Cathartes aura). When in the presence of S. xanthosternos, the titi monkeys emitted a quiet alert vocalization and descended to the dense undergrowth in order to avoid predation. On the other hand, when the titi monkeys were exploiting fleshy fruit on a tree, they verified the presence of an individual of C. aura and jumped to the ground. Both types of anti-predator behavior had been previously described for Neotropical primates. The anti-predator behaviors performed by the titi monkeys can contribute to the understanding of the adaptive processes of these poorly studied primates in fragmented habitats. Moreover, the passive behavior and the habitat characteristics may be an important aspect in the choice of strategy to be used, since the habitat pro- vided adequate refuges and allowed the titi monkeys to seek an alternative escape route.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;