Tree Density Research Articles

Understanding predictors of mistletoe infection across an urban university campus in Southwest China

Due to the importance of trees in urban ecosystems, it is crucial to understand the distribution, prevalence, and intensity of parasitic mistletoe infection across urban landscapes. In this study, we aimed to understand how various tree-related factors (e.g., tree taxonomy, size, pruning history, nativity, foliage, density, and diversity) might influence mistletoe prevalence and infection intensity across a typical subtropical urban greenspace. We surveyed 6,012 trees representing 96 species, 76 genera, and 44 families across a large, urban university campus in a major Southwest Chinese city. In total, we found 353 mistletoe host trees (prevalence: 5.87%), largely concentrated on the eastern part of campus, partially due to the proximity of waterbodies and a large adjacent greenspace, as well as higher tree density. To understand how predictors affected the prevalence and intensity of mistletoe infection, we used a hurdle model fitting our zero-inflated count data. Four independent variables significantly affected the prevalence of mistletoe infestation, with three demonstrating positive correlations (crown width, tree density, and tree diversity). One variable (evergreen foliage) negatively correlated with mistletoe prevalence. However, only one factor was found to significantly affect mistletoe infection intensity (crown width, positively). Due to the variety of ecosystem services mistletoes provide, more studies are necessary to assess the impact of various mistletoe management strategies, especially on urban biodiversity.

Tree community dynamics in the cerradão (2002-2016): A case of biome shift

The cerradão is the result of profound structural changes from open Cerrado vegetation, associated with the absence of certain disturbances, such as wild fires. Little is known about these changes in the long term, both in species composition and structure after canopy closure, hindering predictions regarding the community trajectory. Cerradão is positioned along the higher biomass extreme in the Cerrado phytophysionomic gradient. This study is based on the changes recorded over a 14 yr period, in 256 plots totaling 10.24 ha of sampling area, in a cerradão located inside a conservation unit, protected from fire for at least 60 years in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The changes in the community structure and species composition were assessed. We investigated if the changes are related to tree community structure or to biological attributes of the species, especially by their habitat preference (savanna specialists vs. generalists of forest species). Despite the long period without disturbance and the dystrophic soils, we found tree basal area still increasing and the largest trees still growing. On the other hand, tree density is decreasing over time, and 54% of trees recorded in the first survey had died 14 years later. Community diversity had only a slight increase over time, due to a small gain in species richness. Forest and generalist species presented higher increments in basal area and faster growth compared to the rare savanna specialists still alive in the community. We also verified that larger trees grow slightly faster than smaller trees. Although these changes point to an increase in competition, mortality was not correlated with tree basal area, and seemed to happen more randomly at community level. However, mortality and recruitment were not random at species level. We detected increase in abundance of forest and generalist species, which are shade tolerant. The lowest recruitment rates and highest mortality rates were associated with typical open Cerrado species (savanna specialists), that tend to disappear over time, consolidating the biome shift from savanna to forest. The contribution of cerradão to the conservation of Cerrado endemic tree species, therefore, is poor and tends to decrease over time.

A planting optimization strategy to improve the carbon sink benefit for urban green-Taking the communal green of Nanjing Forestry University as an example

This research study identified the communal green at Nanjing Forestry University as an example and focused on the carbon sink benefits of the plant communities. Firstly, the representative plant communities in the communal green were investigated, and the parameters of the plant communities were established so that the carbon sink benefits of each plant community could be quantified. Secondly, by applying correlation analysis to study the influence degree of varied plant community factors on the benefits of carbon sink, it was found that the canopy closure, diameter class structure and tree density showed significant positive correlation; the correlation between community density and daily carbon sequestration per unit area was significant; the correlation between community density and carbon storage per unit area showed none significance; and the correlation between the proportion of trees and shrubs and the carbon sink benefits was of no significance. Thirdly, regression analysis was used to study the curve trends of the carbon sink benefits of the plant communities, from which it was concluded that increasing canopy density, average plant height, average crown width and tree density will improve carbon sink benefits. Increasing the average DBH would achieve positive effects for increasing daily carbon sequestration per unit area only at the early stage of the community growth. The plant community density showed positive effects on the increase of the daily carbon sequestration per unit area within a limited range. Since most regression formulas resulted in S-curves, certain threshold bottlenecks were found existed of improving the carbon sinks benefits by increasing the plant community factors. Finally, the characteristics of plant communities with high carbon sink benefit were summarized to provide theoretical references for forming a planting optimization strategy of urban green.

Piper agroforestry in the Indian Himalayas: indigenous peoples’ practices, policies and incentives

BackgroundIndigenous populations across the world play a significant role in sustainable land management and conservation of biodiversity. However, indigenous agricultural practices are rarely studied in depth and remain poorly documented in many regions of the world. Documenting such practices and identifying policies and incentives that affect them can unlock their potential for better land management and biodiversity conservation.MethodsWe undertook household surveys and focus group discussions to document indigenous practices and the values of trees in Piper (Piper betle) agroforestry practiced by the ethnic Khasi (Pnar) community in the Indian Eastern Himalayas. We also undertook an in-depth vegetation sampling to quantify variations in phytosociology and tree diversity with stand age in Piper agroforestry and nearby native forests. In addition, we undertook strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis and a desk review to identify policies, market support structures and incentives affecting cultivation of Piper, a cash crop of global importance.ResultsUnlike in shifting cultivation, indigenous people do not fell trees in the Piper agroforestry; instead, they allow trees to regenerate naturally and also enrich by planting tree seedlings in the gaps. Depending on the stand age, 30–49 tree species were recorded in the Piper agroforestry compared to 39 in nearby natural forests. While tree density was higher in the natural forests, greater species richness, diversity and basal area was recorded in > 25 years old Piper agroforestry stands. However, landholders do not have legally transferable or heritable rights to the land or trees.ConclusionIt is concluded that the Piper agroforestry provides a pathway for averting land degradation due to shifting cultivation, biodiversity conservation and improving livelihoods of the indigenous community. Although existing policies are supportive, Piper agroforestry is not currently benefiting from incentives and market support structures. We recommend implementation of policies, market support structures, incentives and payment for ecosystem services so that indigenous communities can benefit from the global ecosystem services they provide.

Plant species diversity in cocoa and rubber tree landscapes in Côte d’Ivoire

In Côte d’Ivoire, although slash and burn practice, particularly associated with cocoa and rubber farming, have greatly contributed to the degradation of forest cover and biodiversity loss. There is a dearth of studies documenting the latter. A study was conducted in the central-west and southern regions respectively with the objective to bridge this gap by assessing the diversity of trees species in cocoa and rubber landscapes. An inventory of tree species in eighteen cocoa and rubber plantations was conducted respectively in 45 plots of 400 m² each. Also, 15 plots of the same area were delimited in forests considered as reference systems. Cocoa plantations are 8 times richer than rubber plantations. Moreover, tree density varied from 36 to 56.8 stems.ha-1 in cocoa plantations including 6 species with special-status for conservation and from 0 to 5 stems.ha-1 in rubber plantations. This study confirmed that rubber farming is a driver of tree diversity loss thereby revealing the need to work out credible rubber agroforestry options. As for cocoa farming, the high diversity of companion trees is indicative of the high potential of transitioning to cocoa agroforestry. The contribution of this study to agroecological transition based on cocoa and rubber agroforestry in Côte d’Ivoire is discussed.

Assessment of technological developments for camera‐traps: a wireless transmission system and solar panels

AbstractCamera‐trapping is considered a cost‐efficient method to monitor wildlife, but relevant performance constraints remain. We assessed performance and cost‐benefit for 2 recent technological innovations: (i) a wireless transmission system where cameras communicate in a network, and (ii) using solar panels as a camera's sole power supply. The maximum distance between cameras that ensured wireless connection varied between 2 km in open habitats and 335 m in forest habitats with dense tree cover. The cost of using the wireless transmission system was lower for surveys run for >45 days and for >15 sampling units (i.e., camera‐trap sites). For surveys longer than 15 days, using the wireless transmission system required, on average, 8 fewer days of fieldwork. We measured the performance of the solar panels in terms of capture probability, and the solar‐powered cameras (β = −0.015 ± 0.01 in the log scale) outperformed battery‐powered cameras (β = −0.103 ± 0.005) as capture rate decreased more slowly, particularly for nighttime events (difference in capture probability of the solar‐powered relative to the battery‐powered cameras at night, β = 0.09 ± 0.01). We consider that, although camera‐traps with wireless transmission can provide a return on investment for a wide range of survey designs, the constraints on maximum distance for transmission are a limitation. Despite the higher cost, we recommend solar‐powered camera‐traps as they had improved performance with a higher proportion of species events captured than by battery‐powered cameras.

Tree Crown Segmentation and Diameter at Breast Height Prediction Based on BlendMask in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Imagery

The surveying of forestry resources has recently shifted toward precision and real-time monitoring. This study utilized the BlendMask algorithm for accurately outlining tree crowns and introduced a Bayesian neural network to create a model linking individual tree crown size with diameter at breast height (DBH). BlendMask accurately outlines tree crown shapes and contours, outperforming traditional watershed algorithms in segmentation accuracy while preserving edge details across different scales. Subsequently, the Bayesian neural network constructs a model predicting DBH from the measured crown area, providing essential data for managing forest resources and conducting biodiversity research. Evaluation metrics like precision rate, recall rate, F1-score, and mAP index comprehensively assess the method’s performance regarding tree density. BlendMask demonstrated higher accuracy at 0.893 compared to the traditional watershed algorithm’s 0.721 accuracy based on experimental results. Importantly, BlendMask effectively handles over-segmentation problems while preserving edge details across different scales. Moreover, adjusting parameters during execution allows for flexibility in achieving diverse image segmentation effects. This study addresses image segmentation challenges and builds a model linking crown area to DBH using the BlendMask algorithm and a Bayesian neural network. The average discrepancies between calculated and measured DBH for Ginkgo biloba, Pinus tabuliformis, and Populus nigra varitalica were 0.15 cm, 0.29 cm, and 0.49cm, respectively, all within the acceptable forestry error margin of 1 cm. BlendMask, besides its effectiveness in crown segmentation, proves useful for various vegetation classification tasks like broad-leaved forests, coniferous forests, and grasslands. With abundant training data and ongoing parameter adjustments, BlendMask attains improved classification accuracy. This new approach shows great potential for real-world use, offering crucial data for managing forest resources, biodiversity research, and related fields, aiding decision-making processes.

Factors influencing adoption of cocoa agroforestry in Ghana: Analysis based on tree density choice

Factors influencing adoption of cocoa agroforestry in Ghana: Analysis based on tree density choice

Long-term biomass dynamics of temperate forests in Europe after cessation of management

Forests can contribute to climate change mitigation by sequestering carbon when management intensity is reduced. However, there is high uncertainty regarding biomass dynamics in temperate forests after the cessation of management. We used forest inventory data from an extensive network of 224 plots in 37 natural forest reserves (NFR) covering a wide environmental gradient with mean annual temperatures ranging from 1 to 10.4 °C and mean annual precipitation ranging from 901 to 2317 mm. Inventories had been conducted approximately every 10 years during the last 60 years. We used mixed effect models to (i) analyse biomass development, (ii) assess the role of time since the cessation of management (TSCM) and (iii) disentangle the environmental and forest structural drivers of biomass change. After the cessation of management and in the absence of high-severity natural disturbances, biomass accumulated gradually along a saturation curve. There were large differences in biomass among reserves and plots, with values ranging from 101 Mg ha−1 to 851.2 Mg ha−1, with a median of 362.1 Mg ha−1 (SD = 122.5 Mg ha−1). The biomass curve did not yet tend towards an equilibrium, most likely because the majority of the NFRs do not exceed 100 years of TSCM. Compared to higher elevations, forests at lower, warmer sites showed a larger total biomass and higher rates of biomass accumulation. We found a reduction by 148 Mg ha−1 of biomass per 1000 m of elevation gain. The strongest positive rate of change (>8 Mg ha−1 year−1) was found in forests with high basal area (>60 m2 ha−1) and medium to high levels of tree density (1500 to 2000 stems ha−1). Overall, most reserves have not reached a biomass equilibrium yet and continue to act as carbon sinks in tree biomass. This highlights the carbon sequestration capacity of forest reserves and their role as carbon pools.

Elevation-Dependent Natural Regeneration of Abies georgei var. smithii Forest in Southeastern Tibet

The comprehensive impacts of biotic and abiotic factors on the natural regeneration of Abies georgei var. smithii (Abies) forests in Tibet are not thoroughly understood. To address this gap, our study focused on the regeneration densities of Abies seedlings, saplings, and small trees across 21 plots (each 20 m × 20 m) along an elevation gradient from 3730 m to 4330 m in the Sygera Mountains of Southeastern Tibet. We meticulously measured a suite of 11 variables that describe stand structures and ecological conditions. Through analyses using Spearman’s correlation analysis, hierarchical partitioning, and multiple linear regression, we identified key ecological drivers for successful Abies regeneration. Our results highlighted a peak in the abundance of seedlings, saplings, and small trees at an elevation of 3930 m. As the elevation rose from 3730 m to 4330 m, we observed an initial increase followed by a decrease in canopy cover (canopy), mother tree density (MotherT), 1000-seed weight (SeedW), litter thickness (LitterT), moss cover (MossC), moss thickness (MossT), soil moisture (SM), and soil bulk density, while mean annual temperature and soil depth to permafrost consistently decreased. The critical ecological drivers for Abies natural regeneration were identified as follows: MossT was pivotal for seedling density; canopy and MossC were influential for sapling density, and MotherT was the main factor affecting the density of small trees. This study suggests that a high density of mother trees and a thick and highly covered layer of moss are conducive to the natural regeneration of Abies in the Sygera Mountains. Understanding the current status of regeneration is vital for informing conservation and management strategies for Abies forests in Tibet.

Disentangling contributions of allometry, species composition and structure to high aboveground biomass density of high-elevation forests

The high elevation forests of the Central Himalayas include stands with an exceptional abundance of aboveground biomass, standing as some of the most carbon-rich forests in the entire Himalayan range and beyond. National or regional models, however, are inadequate in capturing this extreme concentration of biomass observed in select forest inventory plots. We aimed to identify factors contributing to the significant variability of biomass and thus, aboveground forest carbon in the high mountain forests of Nepal. By comparing the utilization of pantropical and Nepali allometric equations, we evaluated whether the elevational gradients in forest biomass were robust to changes in the allometric models used to predict plot biomass. Irrespective of the model employed, the highest biomass values were found in high elevation plots. The diverse distribution of forest biomass reinforces established size-density relationships, attributing observed variations to the interplay between tree size and density. Our results contribute valuable insights into these high biomass forests, affirming observed elevational gradients, quantifying the impact of tree species and structure, and elucidating factors influencing biomass sites concerning allometric models.

Assessment of carbon sequestration rate and tree diversity in a model urban green cover study using a college campus in Mangalore city

The extant green cover in a 140-year-old St Aloysius College campus in Mangalore, Karnataka, India, was used as a model to study tree diversity and carbon-sequestering rate (CSR), using a non-destructive biostatistics-based method. The results of the study indicated that the campus constituted a highly diverse tree flora with a Shannon Diversity index of 4.07. A total of 169 different tree species were found on the campus with an average population size of 9.98 per species. The green cover of 4.67 ha of the total area of the campus had a tree density of 361.03 trees/ha. Five tree species, namely Polyanthia longifolia, Cocos nucifera, Tectona grandis, Terminalia catappa, and Areca catechu, dominated the area. Using allometric equations, the total green cover in the campus area with biomass of 4594.6 Kg, which sequestered 8431.1 Kg of carbon at a carbon sequestration rate of 84.31 Kg per year was deduced. Olea europaea and Phoenix dactylifera, with the highest CSR of 0.09 and 0.08, respectively, were the most effective in sequestering 12.54 Kg and 11.19 Kg of carbon. The highest amount of Carbon sequestered (CS) per tree was in Olea europaea (12.54 Kg) and Phoenix dactylifera (11.19 Kg), followed by Acacia auriculiformis (10.44 Kg), and Adenanthera pavonina (10.08 Kg). It was observed that the amount of carbon sequestered decreased with the decrease in tree girth.

A comprehensive study of how urban morphological parameters impact the solar potential, energy consumption and daylight autonomy in canyons and buildings

Over the past two decades, global greenhouse gas emissions have surged, leading to rising sea levels and climate change. Solar energy has emerged as an excellent solution to this problem. This study aims to assess daylight availability and energy consumption in urban canyons and blocks in a semi-arid climate while exploring the correlation between the heterogeneity of urban morphological parameters and key research variables. The study employed field measurements and simulations using Ladybug Tools and UMI. Data were collected from urban canyons and blocks in three areas, amounting to 1,366,982 m2. The findings indicate that areas with abundant greenery and H/W ratios exceeding 1.8 experience the most significant shading effects in urban canyons. Selecting suitable trees and placing them in strategic locations can enhance energy efficiency. Furthermore, broad urban canyons (H/W < 0.5) receive four times more solar radiation than narrow urban canyons (H/W > 1.8) with high tree density, peaking at 240 kWh/m2 during summer. In urban blocks, rooftops have the highest solar potential, with imbalances between building heights and interbuilding shading as factors that reduce solar capabilities. Tree coverage significantly affects the solar potential of facades, with some urban blocks receiving less than 5,000 kWh/m2 of solar radiation on the southern facades each month. Finally, this study examined the impact of heterogeneity within urban morphological parameters on the principal research variables. The results indicate that the heterogeneity observed in urban morphological parameters affects daylight availability and energy consumption within urban blocks.

Impacts of forest fire frequency on structure and composition of tropical moist deciduous forest communities of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve, Central India

Forest fire is one of the prominent factors especially in tropical seasonal forests that have a variety of consequences on ecosystem composition, structure and function depending upon the type of fire, fire intensity, and fire frequency. Forest fire incidences have been increasing in the last few decades especially in tropical moist forests, raising the concerns for forest restoration and management since the inhabiting plants in these forest communities largely lack adaptive strategies. The present study was carried out in tropical moist deciduous forests to (A) understand the patterns of forest fire frequency by delineating the fire affected areas and (B) evaluate the impacts of forest fire frequency on species composition, diversity and regeneration of a moist deciduous forest of Central India. A fire frequency map was prepared using Landsat satellite images from 2005 to 2021 for the study purpose. Vegetation data were collected from field surveys for each fire frequency class separately. Results of the present study showed that 25.12 % area was affected by low frequent fires, 2.92 % by moderate frequent fires and 0.099 % by high frequent fires, whereas 71.85 % area remained unaffected by fire. The diversity of the tree layer was highest in the low fire frequency class whereas, for the sapling layer, it was highest in unburned areas. Overall, the negative impact of fire frequency on species diversity was observed for the tree and sapling layers. Favorable effects of fire on young current year recruitments were observed as a result of the removal of seed dormancy. Results indicate that moderate fire frequency in moist deciduous forests helps to increase tree density. Contrary to this, unburned areas are suitable for species diversity of seedlings and saplings which consequently decides the composition of mature vegetation. Overall, a negative impact of fire frequency on density was observed for the sapling and seedling layers. Our study concludes that higher fire frequency is detrimental to both the density and diversity of tree, sapling and seedling layers, particularly in tropical moist deciduous forest communities of Central India. It is expected that fire incidences are likely to increase with the increasing temperatures as a result of climate change. In this context, the present study would be highly valuable for forest policy development as information on the impact of fire in tropical moist forests is lacking especially from Central Indian region.

Employing Copernicus Land Service and Sentinel-2 Satellite Mission Data to Assess the Spatial Dynamics and Distribution of the Extreme Forest Fires of 2023 in Greece

In 2023, Greece faced its worst wildfire season, with nine major fires causing unprecedented environmental damage of 1470.31 km2. This article uses Copernicus Land Monitoring Service and Sentinel-2 data, employing advanced remote sensing and GIS techniques to analyze spatial dynamics, map burn severity, assess fire extent, and highlight pre-fire tree density and land cover. The study focuses on the catastrophic fire in the Evros region and the damage to the National Forest Park of Dadia–Lefkimmi–Soufli. It also analyzes significant fires in Rhodes, Attica, Thessaly, Evia, Corfu, and Magnesia, emphasizing the compounded challenges posed by terrain, climate, and human factors in those areas. Additionally, the climate data for each affected area were compared with the weather conditions prevailing at the time of the fires. Copernicus Land Cover and Tree Density data are integrated to aid future management, assessment, and restoration. The analysis of maps and fire statistics underscores a notable pattern: areas with higher pre-fire tree density experienced correspondingly higher burn severity. This research underscores the crucial role of such data in assessing wildfire impact. In addition, compared with Copernicus Emergency Management Service, the burned area maps validate the accuracy and reliability of the utilized satellite data. The total burned area was assessed with a high accuracy rate of 96.28%.

Climate change-related biodiversity fluctuations and composition changes in an old-growth subtropical forest: A 26-yr study

The detection and attribution of biodiversity change is of great scientific interest and central to policy effects aimed at meeting biodiversity targets. Yet, how such a diverse climate scenarios influence forest biodiversity and composition dynamics remains unclear, particularly in high diversity systems of subtropical forests. Here we used data collected from the permanent sample plot spanning 26 years in an old-growth subtropical forest. Combining various climatic events (extreme drought, subsequent drought, warming, and windstorm), we analyzed long-term dynamics in multiple metrics: richness, turnover, density, abundance, reordering and stability. We did not observe consistent and directional trends in species richness under various climatic scenarios. Still, drought and windstorm events either reduced species gains or increased species loss, ultimately increased species turnover. Tree density increased significantly over time as a result of rapid increase in smaller individuals due to mortality in larger trees. Climate events caused rapid changes in dominant populations due to a handful of species undergoing strong increases or declines in abundance over time simultaneously. Species abundance composition underwent significant changes, particularly in the presence of drought and windstorm events. High variance ratio and species synchrony weaken community stability under various climate stress. Our study demonstrates that all processes underlying forest community composition changes often occur simultaneously and are equally affected by climate events, necessitating a holistic approach to quantifying community changes. By recognizing the interconnected nature of these processes, future research should accelerate comprehensive understanding and predicting of how forest vegetation responds to global climate change.

Decentralized Forest Governance and Resource Management: Assessing Community Dependence and Conservation Effectiveness in Broad-Leaved and Coniferous Forest Stands

Globally decentralized forest governance is being promoted to conserve and sustainably manage forest resources along with meeting local livelihoods. In the Central Himalayan region of India, it came into existence in 1931, long before the time when the concept of decentralized forest governance became popular globally, and the aim was to accomplish the subsistence needs of the smallholders in the region. This article discusses whether the species types (broadleaved and coniferous) affect biophysical conditions, species richness, and conservation effectiveness of community-owned forests (locally called Van Panchayat forests), and what could be done to improve their management in the near future. The findings are based on a household survey covering 16 villages as well as a biophysical assessment of 18 community forest stands (9 per forest type) covering an area of 1778 ha and 341 ha in both forest categories. It was found that farmers across the villages are intricately dependent on forest resources to support their livelihoods that are governed by a village institution (Van Panchayat) to maintain equity of benefit-sharing among all stakeholders. Both forest categories exhibited high dependence, however, there was a considerable difference in resource quality, viz. quality of fodder, fuel, and litter in broadleaved forests, therefore the community has more preference for such stands. The broadleaved Banj-oak stands revealed better biophysical status in terms of species diversity, tree density, total basal area, and regeneration than the coniferous Chir-pine stands. Although the local government has taken up selective policy initiatives to encourage decentralized forest governance, more needs to be done to strengthen it on the ground level, particularly in Chir-pine stands. It is suggested that the community management of forests needs to be improved in relation to leadership development, rationale use of bio-resources, and adopting site-specific management strategies. In areas with Chir-pine forests community need to be educated to reduce forest fire and promote the plantation of broad-leaved species. Also, the scope of community forests needs to be broadened by adopting and involving smallholders in various forest enterprise development and climate action programs. For this, developing proper alliances of village institutions with civil society groups and other partner institutions along with virtuous support from local government can lead to enhance social and environmental resilience of communities.

ECOLOGY OF HORNBILL FOOD TREES AT BUKIT BARISAN SELATAN NATIONAL PARK

Hornbills play an important role in maintaining tree gene flow among fragmented populations in forests. But hornbill populations in Asia have been declining mainly due to loss of forest cover and poaching. The presence of hornbills in a forest is highly dependent on environmental factors such as the condition of food trees in their habitat. The purpose of this study was to determine the spatial distribution, dispersion patterns, density, and diversity of hornbill food trees at Sukaraja Atas Resort (SA) and Balik Bukit Resort (BB) of Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (BBSNP). We investigated a total of 10 transect (50 survey plots) for both SA and BB by collecting data on all types of hornbill food trees with a minimum diameter of 10 cm at breast height (DBH). We recorded 64 hornbill food tree species with a total of 98 individuals, which have a clumped and uniform dispersion pattern. This study showed that Lauraceae dominated in both resorts with the highest relative density. The results of the diversity index show that 9 transect have moderate diversity whereas 1 transect has low diversity; there was no significant difference between SA and BB. It can be concluded that the existing food trees in SA and BB may support the hornbill populations.

Implementation of Minimum Support Price on Minor Forest Produces : Issues and Challenges

Minimum Support Price play a key role in Indian agricultural price policy. The introduction and implementation of minimum support price is to provide food grains to buffer stock and distribute through the Public Distribution system. Minor forest produces are those produces which are gathered from the forest. Implementation of minimum support price on minor forest produces enhance the income level of forestry’s. More than 100 million forest dwellers depend on minor forest produces for their livelihood. It is essential to understand the on-ground issues and challenges in the implementation of minimum support prices on minor forest produces for effective execution of the scheme. This research work is purely descriptive in nature and secondary sources data are used for the study. Some of the major issues and challenges encountered in the implementation of minimum support price on minor forest products such as Haat Bazaar's dominance in the local area, lack of skills and inadequate infrastructure, lack of value addition, the basis for calculation of minimum support price and barter system. the study also focused on efforts made in developing a methodology for fixing minimum support prices for minor forest produces.

Multiscale analysis of land use and land cover changes in Sri Lanka by remote sensing: the impacts of post-war infrastructure development in the last 20 Years (2002-2022)

On a worldwide scale, land use and land cover changes (LULCC) is a major driver of global change and biodiversity erosion. This study aims to monitor at the scale of Sri Lanka, LULCC and vegetation dynamics, to identify the main changes and their drivers. It places emphasis on multiscale geospatial monitoring with satellite data but also mobilises the interdisciplinary knowledge of a research programme. First, national scale data allows the identification of major changes with the MODIS NDVI dataset using Mann-Kendall tests and time profile analysis. A second local scale was mobilised with a systematic diachronic visual interpretation of high-resolution images on Google Earth. The third step, a macro-regional scale focus on the South and East coasts, used LANDSAT imagery (Stacked K-means) verified by field studies (botanical and vegetation analysis, and interviews). About 92.5% of the island of Sri Lanka is stable or presents no significant trends in the vegetation cover. 5% show a significant positive (greening) trend between 2000 and 2020 around the Puttalam lagoon, west of the Samanalawewa Reservoir, in the Udawalawe National Park, east and north of Ella, and the Nuwaragala Forest Reserve. Only about 2.5% (165,000 ha) of the Island shows a negative significant trend mainly in the periphery of Colombo and Trincomalee. The first driver is a set of national planning decisions in terms of infrastructure development (including urban growth, housing programmes and agricultural fields, and the management of protected areas). The second driver comes under rural dynamics with increasing tree density in rural landscapes over the Uva Province. Infrastructure development initiated by the state, creates both underlying conditions for other activities and negative impacts on coastal ecosystems, such as degradation of wetlands (including protected areas).