Forest Belt Research Articles

Shifting agricultural land use and their unintended water consumption in the North China Plain

Agricultural land use (ALU) critically influences food production and water resource allocation. This study examines the dynamics of ALU in the North China Plain (NCP), an area marked by intensive agriculture and severe groundwater over-exploitation, with a focus on the multidimensional drivers and their implications for water management. By employing an elaborate classification scheme based on satellite imagery and extensive first-hand field data, we identified significant shifts in crop patterns. From 2013 to 2017, there was a notable transition from double crops (primarily wheat-maize) to single crops (primarily maize), covering 4600 km2 and accounting for 42% of single crops in 2013. From 2017 to 2022, there was a shift from single crops to economic forests, encompassing 3600 km2 and 22% of economic forests in 2017, including orchards, timber trees, and shelter forest belts. These shifts resulted in an 11% decrease in grain acreage (6800 km2) and an 11% increase in crop water consumption (6.3 km3) during 2013–2022. Notably, water consumption by economic forests increased by 126% (9.4 km3) during this period. This study highlights the critical need to balance competing demands for food and water security, providing valuable insights for similar agricultural regions worldwide.

ОБОСНОВАНИЕ ПАРАМЕТРОВ ТЕХНИЧЕСКОГО СРЕДСТВА ДЛЯ КРАЕВОЙ ОБРАБОТКИ ПОЛЯ ОТ СОРНЯКОВ И ВРЕДИТЕЛЕЙ ПОЛЕВЫХ КУЛЬТУР

The main method of spraying for plant protection in the fight against weeds and pests in the marginal area of the field with forest plantations is currently implemented by various technical means. The following shortcomings have been identified: when using the main chemical method of spraying weeds and pests by technical means, universal requirements for droplet dispersion are not met; when spraying the forest belt with fans - instability of aerosol jets in the external environment; when creating a cold aerosol with fans - uncontrollability for achieving the required dispersion, and when creating a cold aerosol with generators, the initial conditions of its formation are insufficient to justify the spread of dispersion as intended; when using aerosol generators with a thermo-mechanical principle of operation - non-compliance with modern environmental requirements. The recommendations for the use of air means given in literary sources are not relevant. The technical means including an axial fan with a diameter of 0.61 m and an air capacity of 22,000 m3 /h were studied. The conical nozzle was equipped with nozzles with spray tips on its generatrix. The working process of the axial fan with a hydraulic motor was provided by the tractor hydraulic system, and the supply of working fluid from the sprayer tank to the spray tips was carried out by a pump. Theoretical studies were conducted to justify the nozzle to the fan with the justification for creating an air-dispersed system and settling polydisperse droplets from it on the target objects. Experimental data on the dispersion of droplets were processed using software. The results of the studies represent the novelty of theoretical and practical solutions for the combined use of the process of spraying the edge area of the field with its further development in practical application for plant protection.

Integrated Transcriptomics and Metabolomics Studies Reveal Steroid Biosynthesis Pathway and BCL2 Inhibitory Diazo-Progesterone of Drimia indica for Conservation and Sustainable Utilization.

This study is the first report on the sequence of the transcriptome of Drimia indica, a non-model plant with medicinal properties found in a forest tribal belt, using the Illumina NovaSeq platform. The primary objectives of this study were to elucidate the gene expression profiles in different tissues, identify key regulatory genes and pathways involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and explore the plant's potential pharmacological properties. The study generated 670087 unigenes from both leaves and roots and identified putative homologs of annotated sequences against UniProt/Swiss-Prot and KEGG databases. The functional annotation of the identified unigenes revealed the secondary metabolite biosynthetic process as the most prominent pathway, with gene enrichment analysis predominantly accounting for secondary metabolite pathways, such as terpenoid, steroid, flavonoid, alkaloid, selenocompound, and cortisol synthesis. The study also identified regulatory genes NAC, Bhlh, WRKY, and C2H2 on the transcriptome dataset. The functionally annotated unigenes suggested phytocompounds in Drimia indica to have multi-potent properties, such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic activities, which has been further validated by GC-MS-based metabolite profiling. Notably, we have identified two novel molecules, di-azo progesterone and 4H-pyran-4-one 2,3-dihydro-3,5-dihydroxy- 6-methyl, with potential BCL2 inhibitory anticancer properties, supported by stable binding interactions observed in molecular docking and dynamics simulations. Additionally, an abundance of mono-nucleotide SSR markers has been identified, useful for genetic diversity studies. This study provides a foundational understanding of the molecular mechanisms in Drimia indica, highlighting its potential as a source for novel therapeutic agents and contributing valuable insights for future pharmacological and agricultural applications. However, further in vivo studies are warranted to confirm these findings and validate their pharmacological efficacy and therapeutic potential. The SSR markers identified also offer valuable tools for molecular genetics, plant breeding, and sustainable drug development.

Highland forest dynamics across equatorial East Africa during the end of the African humid period

Tropical mountain ecosystems hold immense ecological and economic importance, yet they face disproportionate risks from shifting tropical climates. For example, present-day montane vegetation of East Africa is characterized by different plant species that grow in and are restricted to certain elevations due to environmental tolerances. As climate changes and temperature/rainfall zones move on mountains, these species must rapidly adjust their ranges or risk extinction.Paleoenvironmental records offer valuable insights into past climate and ecosystem dynamics, aiding predictions for ongoing climate change impacts. In particular, warming and wetting in tropical East Africa during the mid-Holocene resulted in both lowland and highland forest expansion. However, the relative impacts of rainfall and temperature change on montane ecosystems along with the influence of lowland forest expansion on montane communities is not completely understood. We use fossil pollen to study the vegetation changes in two lakes at different altitudes in the Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda: Lake Mahoma (Montane Forest belt) and Upper Kachope Lake (Afroalpine belt). Further, using the newly relaunched African Pollen Database and recent temperature reconstructions, we provide a regional synthesis of vegetation changes in the Rwenzori and then compare this with changes observed from other equatorial East African montane sites (particularly Mt Kenya).In the early to mid-Holocene in the Rwenzori Mountains, trees common today in lowland forests dominated, driven largely by warmer temperatures. After 4000 years ago (4ka), Afromontane forest trees along with grasses progressively replaced lowland trees. Not all sites experienced identical transitions. For instance, at Lake Rutundu on Mt Kenya at the same elevation as Lake Mahoma, bamboo expansion preceded Afromontane forest growth, likely influenced by variations in fire. Variance partitioning indicates that each site responded differently to changes in temperature and rainfall. Therefore, these site-specific ecological responses underscore the importance of considering biogeographic legacies as management strategies are developed, despite similarities in modern ecology.

First record of Biscogniauxia mediterranea (De Not.) Kuntze on Quercus rubra L. in Bulgaria

The endophytic fungus Biscogniauxia mediterranea, a causal agent of charcoal canker disease, was established for the first time on red oak (Quercus rubra) in Bulgaria. Symptomatic trees were found in 2023-2024 in the field protective forest belts planted in the State Hunting Enterprise Balchik (Sokolovo and Trigortsi villages) and State Forest Enterprise Dobrich (Kozloduytsi Village) in northeastern Bulgaria. Water stress during the last growing seasons seems to reduce red oak trees’ resistance and predispose them to be infected with the pathogen B. mediterranea. The disease has caused dieback of infected trees and increased their vulnerability to attacks by xylophagous insect pests.

Основные подходы к снижению запахового загрязнения окружающей среды предприятиями животноводства (обзор)

Modern industrial livestock production is accompanied by emissions into the environment of a wide range of odorforming substances (OFS), which negatively affect the health and quality of life of the population. The problem of protecting atmospheric air from odour pollution (OP) is of high relevance and practical significance. The review critically appraises scientific publications on the control of OP from livestock and poultry farms. Methods of control include the processing of manure with deodorizing materials (reagents, sorbents, enzymes, etc.); inoculation with microorganism strains; adjustment of animal diets; air purification from pollutants; optimization of dispersion; isolation of ОР sources; and odor masking. Agriculture’s focus on adopting green technologies has increased interest in searching environmentally friendly methods of odor control. These are the use of plant extracts, natural sorbents, effective microorganism strains, biofilters, bioscrubbers, biogas plants, planting of protective forest belts that promote the absorption of dust and dispersion of OFS. Each method of OP control has both advantages and disadvantages. Modern “green” methods effectively eliminate odors in large farms, but require high investment and operating costs, which limits their implementation in practice, and relatively low-cost methods (the use of reagents, sorbents, flavoring agents, feed additives) are usually not effective enough. An acceptable result can be obtained by combining various methods of limiting the OFS emission. Control strategies should be selected based on the source of the odor, the effectiveness of the technology on the particular farm, and the cost/benefit ratio of the odor control technology into practice.

Assessment of Energy Recovery Potential in Urban Underground Utility Tunnels: A Case Study

Underground spaces contain abundant geothermal energy, which can be recovered for building ventilation, reducing energy consumption. However, current research lacks a comprehensive quantitative assessment of its energy recovery. This research evaluates the energy recovery potential of the Xingfu Forest Belt Urban Underground Utility Tunnels. Field experiments revealed a 7 °C temperature difference in winter and a 2.5 °C reduction during the summer-to-autumn transition. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was developed to assess the impact of design and operational factors such as air exchange rates on outlet temperatures and heat exchange efficiency. The results indicate that at an air change rate of 0.5 h−1, the tunnel outlet temperature dropped by 10.5 °C. A 200 m tunnel transferred 8.7 × 1010 J of heat over 30 days, and a 6 m × 6 m cross-sectional area achieved 1.1 × 1011 J of total heat transfer. Increasing the air exchange rate and cross-sectional area reduces the inlet–outlet temperature difference while enhancing heat transfer capacity. However, the optimal buried depth should not exceed 8 m due to cost and safety considerations. This study demonstrates the potential of shallow geothermal energy as an eco-friendly and efficient solution for enhancing building ventilation systems.

Geochemical Features of Organo-Accumulative Soils of Subtaiga and Subtaiga-Forest-Steppe Light Coniferous Forests of Northern Mongolia

Geochemical features of organo-accumulative (Eutric Regosols (Laomic, Ochric), Cambic Someric Phaeozems (Loamic)) soils widely distributed in the soil cover of the subtaiga and subtaiga-forest-steppe light coniferous forests forming the lower boundary of the forest belt in the mountain structures of Northern Mongolia are considered. Data on the microelement composition of soil-forming rocks are given. It was found that the paragenetic association of trace elements in them is represented by Pb, Cu, Zn, Co, V, Cr, Ni, Mn, Mo, Ba, Sr, Zr and B. It was found that, compared with the average content in the lithosphere within the subtaiga and subtaiga-forest-steppe forest-growing belt, the residual and re-deposited weathering crusts of igneous rocks are enriched with Zn, Cr, Mo, B, at the same time they contain less Pb, Co, Mn, Ba, Sr, Zr. The residual and re-deposited weathering crusts of carbonate rocks are enriched with Pb, Cu, Zn, V, Cr, Sr, B, they contain little Co, Ni, Mn, Mo, Ba, Zr. Data on the morphological structure of soils, their physico-chemical and chemical properties, as well as on the content of trace elements and their radial distribution in the soils under consideration are discussed. The data obtained indicate the accumulation of most trace elements in the surface organogenic and humus-accumulative horizons of soils, which is associated with both the heterogeneity of soil-forming rocks and the influence of soil processes that cause the accumulative redistribution of elements and their deposition on organo-sorption and carbonate geochemical barriers. It is shown that the studied soils differ not only in the absolute values of trace elements involved in the biological cycle, but also in the intensity of their involvement in biogenic migration.

Distribution and Biology of Protaetia fieberi (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae)-Is Protection Status Required?

Studies on saproxylic species of Coleoptera have garnered significant attention due to the rarity of some of them. To investigate the distribution and biology of Protaetia fieberi (Kraatz, 1880) (Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae) in European Russia, we analyzed data from 16 regions collected between 2018 and 2024. This species has been reliably recorded in 26 regions. We describe the species' distribution area boundaries and discuss limiting factors that inhibit its spread to the north, south, and southeast of European Russia. The primary limiting factor is the lack of suitable biotopes. Within its distribution, Protaetia fieberi prefers deciduous and mixed forests of various types. These habitats include both old-growth forest ecosystems and secondary forests that have regenerated following logging. The species also inhabits man-made forest ecosystems, such as field protection forest belts, old parks, and gardens. In forest ecosystems, Protaetia fieberi tends to occupy the upper levels and is rarely found on the ground layer. Conversely, in open areas such as glades, the species is more commonly found at ground level. This distribution pattern is linked to the adults' feeding preferences, which include consuming sap on tree trunks in forests and feeding on flowering plants in open ecosystems. The seasonal activity of Protaetia fieberi peaks from the third decade of June to the second decade of July. It is hypothesized that the perceived rarity of Protaetia fieberi in research samples is due to the specific baiting methods used, with beer traps being the most effective. The status of the species is re-evaluated in light of new data, suggesting that Protaetia fieberi is common rather than rare in European Russia.

Recreational Assessment of Green Belt Forests of the Ulaanbaatar City

The classification of forest vegetation of the Tuul river basin within the green belt of the Ulaanbaatar city. Two associations (Linnaeo borealis–Pinetum sibiricae and Vaccinio vitis-idaeae–Laricetum sibiricae) were classified Vaccinio–Piceetea. Diagnostic signs and characteristics of the ecological and geographical peculiarities of the units were presented, anthropogenic transformation was assessed. To determine the models of succession processes, the series of permanent sample plots were established in the communities of the Linnaeo borealis–Pinetum sibiricae association, located at different distances from the city, in taxation units with unequal intensity of recreational load. Recreational forest assessment was calculated according to the approach by V.S. Romanov and L.N. Rozhkov (1974). In the Linnaeo borealis–Pinetum sibiricae association, large areas were occupied by moderately transformed communities. The Vaccinio vitis-idaeae–Laricetum sibiricae association is characterized by being weakly transformed forests. Different stages of anthropogenic pressure were formed serial communities, unequal in structure and species diversity. Serial plant communities of allogeneic succession were developed according to 2 models of geitogenesis — tolerance (Linnaeo borealis–Pinetum sibiricae ↔ Rhytidium rugosum; Linnaeo borealis-Pinetum sibiricae ↔ Chamaenerion angustifolium) and inhibition (Linnaeo borealis–Pinetum sibiricae ↔ Betula rotundifolia). A comprehensive assessment of the recreational potential was based on three indicators: natural conditions, air hygiene and landscaping. All activities aimed at increasing the recreational potential should contribute to the improvement of these indicators. A prerequisite for increasing the recreational forest assessment should be functional zoning of the territory with the allocation of infrastructure, walking and sanitary protective zones. Forest management is of great importance in increasing the recreational potential of forests. The forest management project for the organization of recreational forests should be aimed at the formation of sustainable and aesthetically attractive forest plantations.

Response of forest belt on the south slope of Tianshan Mountains in China to global warming during 1990–2020

Response of forest belt on the south slope of Tianshan Mountains in China to global warming during 1990–2020

Лесохозяйственные мероприятия в полезащитных лесных полосах Краснодарского края

In the process of growth and development of forest belts, some of their taxation characteristics and design change. Forest reclamation complexes are subject to homeostasis. Changing the design of shelterbelts leads to crop shortages, loss of profits for agricultural organizations, as well as to the deterioration of the ecology of field soils. A way out of this situation can be found in the application of a system of measures, an important part of which is forestry measures. The aim of the research has been to determine the timing and types of forestry measures aimed at improving the agro-ecological efficiency of protective forest reclamation complexes on agricultural lands of the Krasnodar Territory. Data from the 2019 inventory of protective forest plantations and data obtained by the authors in 2015–2021 in the Kushchevskij and Leningradskij Districts of the Krasnodar Territory have been used. According to the data obtained, graphs of the dependence of stock on the age and height have been constructed for some tree species of field protection forest reclamation complexes. It has been established that in the study area the largest number of areas of shelterbelts have a dense structure – 538.5 ha, and 501.7 ha of them are trees of the III age class. A significant increase in the stock of plantations has been noted at the age of: Robinia pseudoacacia L. – 15 years, Fraxinus excelsior L. – 25 years, Gleditsia triacanthos L. – 10 years, Ulmus pumila L. – 35 years. The equations of the regressional dependence of stock on the age and height for the main tree species have been obtained. These equations can be used to predict the timing of forestry measures in order to maintain the openwork design of forest belts recommended for the region under study.

Stable gullies provide a suitable habitat for functional insects and reduce the threat of pests on crops in farmland of Northeast China.

Gullies with lower altitudes compared to the surrounding environment are widely distributed in farmland of the watershed and their numbers are still expanding. However, it is still unclear how these gullies regulate the functional insects in farmland. In this study, land use types combined with the herbaceous plant, herbicide application, soil moisture, topography and climatic factors during crop growth were considered to understand how gullies influence the dynamics of functional insects in farmland from a watershed (240 ha) of Northeast China. The primary findings demonstrate that the richness and abundance of functional insects are generally greatest in gullies, particularly in stable gullies, and decrease in the following order: forest belts, grasslands, and farmlands within the watershed. Notably, the ratios of beneficial insects to pests (BI/Pest) in terms of richness and abundance were lower in gullies before July but reversed after July, in comparison to farmland. Stable gullies exhibited higher BI/Pest abundance and diversity ratios than developing gullies. The richness and abundance of functional insects were higher in the middle sections of gullies compared to their heads and tails. Furthermore, the ratios of BI/Pest were generally lower in farmlands than in any gully position. Functional insect dynamics were mainly determined by season, followed by plant abundance and biomass in the gullies, and rarely by soil moisture in the both watershed and single gullies scales. Generally, the richness and abundance of functional insects in farmland were mainly influenced by gullies, especially influenced by the gully middle position. Insect composition in farmland influenced by stable gullies was stronger than by developing gullies, and stable gullies were more beneficial in reducing the threat of pests to crops in the farmland of the watershed.

Selection of Bergenia crassifolia specimens based on a complex of decorative characteristics in the flora of Kazakhstan Altai and their introduction in the Altai Botanical Garden

The purpose of the study is to select Bergenia crassifolia specimens from different eco-geographical habitats in natural populations of the Kazakhstan Altai based on a complex of decorative characteristics and their introduction testing in the Altai Botanical Garden, creating promising forms for inclusion in the landscaping assortment. The growth of B. crassifolia in the Kazakhstan Altai has been established on the mountain ranges of the Southern and Southwestern Altai in the mountain forest and alpine belts with a vertical distribution threshold of 1100–1800 m above sea level. For introduction, promising samples of B. crassifolia based on economically valuable indicators were selected on the ridges of the Southern and Southwestern Altai. Classical botanical methods were used. Based on the results of the research, a collection of 74 specimens of B. crassifoliа was created in the Altai Botanical Garden, among them 59 decorative specimens with high winter hardiness, a full cycle of seasonal development, responding to weather conditions by changing the duration of the phenological phases of development. Based on the timing of flowering, the samples are classified as spring-early flowering and spring-mid flowering. Based on the results of a comparative assessment, 8 forms were recommended for inclusion in the landscaping assortment with a decorative score of 87–98 points.

Elms (Ulmus L.) in the Branch “Myrhorod Forestry” of the State Specialized Forest Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine”

Introduction Elms are spread in forests, landscaping settlements, and protective forest belts. After several waves of elm mortality from Dutch elm disease (DED) in the 20th century, individual populations recovered or formed resistant hybrids. However, epiphytoties of bacterial and fungal diseases sometimes develop, particularly due to pathogen vectoring by bark beetles. In Ukraine, the spread of elms and their damage by different causes are relatively poorly investigated. This research aimed to discover the features of Ulmus sp. distribution by stand origin, age, and forest site condition in the forest fund of the Branch “Myrhorod Forestry”. Materials and Methods The data as of 2010 and 2017 on the forest fund of enterprises belonging to the Branch “Myrhorod Forestry” of the State Specialized Forest Enterprise “Forests of Ukraine” were selected from the database of Ukrainian State Forest Management Planning Association “Ukrderzhlisproekt” using SQL-query and converted to the *.xls files. Area distribution by types of forest site conditions was assessed following the Ukrainian school of forest typology. Such distributions for the entire area covered with forest vegetation, for subcompartments with elms in the stand composition, and with elms as the dominant species were compared for various elm species and stand origins, using c2-test. The percentages of stand areas of different origins and elm species in 2010 and 2017 were compared using z-test in the two proportions comparisons. The data for subcompartments with various elms as the dominant species and as a part of stands composition have been analyzed by 10-year age classes for different origins (natural and planted). The proportion of the stand area of each 10-year age class was assessed for each set of subcompartments. Then the proportion of the stands’ area, which survives up to a certain age, was evaluated. Results and Conclusions In the Branch “Myrhorod forestry”, an area of natural stands with Ulmus sp. as the dominant species for 2010–2017, and the proportion of U. minor has significantly increased. The most dramatic decrease in the survival rate of all elm species of natural stands occurred in the VI age class and planted stands in the V age class. Respective natural and planted stands were formed in the 1960s and 1970s when the peak of DED occurred in many regions. In the Branch “Myrhorod Forestry”, U. minor prefers moist fertile forest site conditions. U. laevis grows mainly in moist forest site conditions, U. pumila occurs in dry to wet habitats, U. glabra is present only in natural stands and absent in plantations. As part of stand composition, the same elm species grow in a wider range of forest site conditions than elms as the dominant species. 2 Figs., 8 Tables, 31 Refs.

ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТЬ ПРОТИВОЭРОЗИОННЫХ МЕРОПРИЯТИЙ ПРИ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ ТЕРРИТОРИИ ПАШНИ

At this stage of the development of land management in the Russian Federation, forest reclamation measures, including the design of protective forest belts, play a special role in effectively combating wind erosion on arable land. The article analyzes the effectiveness of the creation of forest belts for the purpose of erosion control organization of the territory of the Pavlograd municipal district, calculates the assessment of the effectiveness of the placement of the projected field protection forest belt, the amount of capital investments, the payback period of design solutions, and also makes a feasibility study of the project proposal.

The Spatial-Temporal Patterns and Driving Mechanisms of the Ecological Barrier Transition Zone in the Western Jilin, China

Land use change monitoring is a common theme in achieving sustainable development, while research on ecological barrier transition zones is relatively scarce. This study quantitatively analyzes the characteristics and patterns of land use change in Western Jilin, located in the transitional zone between the northeast forest belt and the northern sand prevention belt, from 1990 to 2020. Land dynamic change index and transition matrix are used to quantify the rates and intensities, and conversions between different land use types over time, respectively. Geodetector is adopted to analyze the impact of 12 factors on 12 types of land use change, such as using the factor detector to quantify the influence of temperature on the conversion from cropland to unused land. The results indicate that from 1990 to 2020, there have been noticeable changes in the area of various land use types in western Jilin. However, the conversion types are relatively limited, mainly involving interchanges between cropland, grassland, unused land, and water bodies. The cropland has increased by 20% overall, but 16% of that increase occurred from 1990–2000. The woodland area has steadily increased at a growth rate of 5–8% from 2000–2020, aligning with sustainable development strategies. Water bodies and grasslands are undergoing continuous recovery, and a positive growth trend is predicted to emerge by 2030. The built-up land is steadily expanding. The influencing factors vary for different types of land-use change. In a short time, policy factors play a significant role in land use, such as the implementation of the “River-lake Connection Project”, which has helped to reduce water-body fragmentation and enabled the stable recovery of water resources. However, in the long term, multiple topographic, climatic, and anthropogenic factors exhibit interactive effects in the land use change process in the area. Governments can take corresponding measures and management policies based on the influence of these factors to allocate and plan land use rationally.

Рост и состояние дуба черешчатого в смешанных древостоях полезащитных лесных полос

An analysis of the creation and operation of protective forest plantations at agricultural enterprises of the Central Chernozem Region allows us to assert that positive ameliorative functions are performed by those forest plantations that have good growth, high stability and longevity. Russian forestry scientists have recognized that the main species in the steppe conditions for all types of protective forest plantations is the English oak. The aim of the research has been to assess the current state of the stands in forest shelterbelts planted via different methods with the English oak as the main species. Taxation works and forest pathology research were carried out in 1997–2021 in the forest shelterbelt no. 9, established in the spring of 1989 by 2-year-old seedlings in the land-use territory of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Experimental Production Farm “Znamya Oktyabrya” of the Talovskiy District of the Voronezh Region. It has been established that the influence of combinations of tree species in forest belts on the growth of the English oak at the age of 32 years is quite significant. As a result of competitive relations for environmental resources by fast-growing and associate species, the number of live oak trees in a continuous row planting option is 35.6...52.1 % less than in intermittent forest belt options, of their number during planting. The remaining sharply oppressed oak trees in the plantation sown in the continuous row planting way are far behind in height and stem diameter (by 0.8...7.6 m and 4.1...12.7 cm, respectively) compared to the oaks growing in the intermittent forest belts sown in a block planting way. The absence of improvement felling in the experimental plantations during their growth and formation has led to a significant number of dead oak wood and non-viable trees of this species. Moreover, the proportion of dead oak wood and non-viable trees in the forest belt sown via continuous row planting exceeds the indicator in the intermittent forest belts by 36.6...40.6 %. The number of viable oak trees in the intermittent belt options is 17.7...27.3 % higher than in the continuous row planting option, and the number of limitedly viable trees is 11.5...18.9 % higher.

The impact of military operations in 2022 on the wind-erosion hazard of the Ukrainian right bank

Wind erosion is caused by strong winds blowing continuously in one direction over unprotected vegetation or plant debris on the soil surface. It can be controlled by plant barriers such as forest belts. The military actions in 2022 as a result of Russian aggression dramatically changed the state of the existing network of forest belts. It was in the forest belts that the defense lines were built, which were subjected to the most intense artillery and rocket attacks and were the target of assault operations. Remote sensing methods, in particular Sentinel-2 satellite images for 2021 and 2022, were used to analyze changes in the condition of forest belts during hostilities in two research sites in Kherson and Mykolaiv regions. The Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) was used to determine the degree of forest degradation. The EVI index, in addition to the chlorophyll content of leaves, also responds to structural variations in the tree canopy, tree crown shape, and leaf area index. The index also takes into account the transmission of light through the tree canopy and the effect of atmospheric aerosols on brightness in the red region of the spectrum. In other words, the EVI index is very informative in terms of assessing the condition of forest belts as erosion control vegetation barriers. Studies have shown that most of the artificial forest plantations resulting from the hostilities in the spring and summer of 2022 can either perform their soil protection functions to a limited extent or are not able to counteract potential wind erosion at all. The loss of anti-erosion properties of forest belts as a result of military degradation leads to a significant increase in wind and erosion hazards. Calculations based on the WEQ methodology show that the potential volume of soil losses due to wind erosion from fields already unprotected by forest belts, plowed and without vegetation cover, increases from 3.9–4.7 t/ha per year to 7.0–8.4 t/ha per year, which often exceeds the permissible erosion rates and can lead to soil degradation and a decrease in soil fertility in the future. Post-war reforestation will take a long time, and therefore it is necessary to use fairly simple agrotechnical measures against wind erosion, in particular “conservation” tillage technologies, including no-till, which can stabilize the situation with wind-erosion soil degradation and fertility for a certain period of time.

Spatial–Temporal Pattern Analysis and Development Forecasting of Carbon Stock Based on Land Use Change Simulation: A Case Study of the Xiamen–Zhangzhou–Quanzhou Urban Agglomeration, China

The spatial–temporal distribution and evolution characteristics of carbon stock under the influence of land use changes are crucial to the scientific management of environmental resources and the optimization of land spatial layout. Taking the Xiamen–Zhangzhou–Quanzhou urban agglomeration in the southeastern coastal region of China as an example, based on seven land use types from 1990 to 2020, including cultivated land, woodland, and construction land, we quantitatively investigate the spatial–temporal patterns of carbon stock development and the spatial correlation of carbon stock distribution. Additionally, two scenarios for the development of urban and ecological priorities in 2060 are established to investigate the effects of land use changes on carbon stock. The results indicate that (1) the research area has formed a land use spatial pattern centered around urban construction in the eastern bay area, with the western forest area and coastal forest belt serving as ecological barriers. Carbon stock is influenced by land use type, and the distribution of total carbon stock exhibits a spatial aggregation phenomenon characterized by “low in the southeast, high in the north, and medium in the center”. (2) Distance of trunk and secondary roads, elevation, slope, watershed borders, population size, and gross domestic product (GDP) factors are the main drivers of the growth of land use types. The primary causes of the reduction in carbon stock are the widespread conversion of cultivated land, woodland, and grassland into construction land, as well as water and unused land. (3) In 2060, there will be a decrease of 41,712,443.35 Mg in the urban priority development scenario compared to 2020, and a decrease of 29,577,580.48 Mg in the ecological priority development scenario. The estimated carbon stock under the two scenarios varies by 12,134,862.88 Mg. The average carbon storage of Zhangpu County, Quangang County, and Jimei County is expected to rise by one level under the ecological protection scenario, indicating that the vast forest area can become a potential area to maintain carbon stock. It is crucial to encourage the coordinated development of peri-urban agroforestry and ecological barriers, as well as to establish a harmonious spatial pattern of land use and carbon stock at the scale of urban agglomerations.